Why would a band request to be there when mixing?

[Sloan]

On my last full length project, I set up a Facebook group with the band members to keep them posted on the progress. I would post mixes via soundcloud and they would comment. It was very easy and very helpful for everyone. When you're almost done, have them sit in and listen together.

 

[mva801]

Nothing wrong at all with having the band there. I'll usually just ask them to come in after I've had a little time to take care of really boring stuff. 98% of the time if you say, I'll start at noon, you show up at 4, unless you want to sit around and listen to a solo'd kick drum for 4 hours, they'll give you some time.

Of course you won't be soloing the kick for 4 hours but it allows you to build a little something and then get their input. I quite like having the band around before a mix gets too far, that way if something isn't to their liking we can address it.

 

[Grå Värld]

having the band there at the end of mixing can be great to sort out I want my instrument louder bullshit and help them to focus on the whole song and where it needs to be automated more or less

 

[ShipwreckSoundWorks]

Sorry everyone that I haven't been around the past few days. Didn't think I would get so many responses, but thank you to everyone, very much!!!!!

If someone in the band actually knows what they want then it can be quite helpful. But most bands just suggest it because they're control freaks and often have NO IDEA about mixing.

For anyone else who may be visiting this thread soon:

This is my situation as of now. This band doesn't know what they want, and I definitely hold the opinion that none of my clients have/had known what they want. They don't understand mixing, but it's going to be one of those things where the guitars are where they just HAVE to be in a mix, no louder, no softer, but they feel like they can't hear enough of it so they're like MORE GUITARS BRUH.

I'm definitely going to be doing the majority by myself, and bringing them in at the end of the process, like you guys said, to save recalls and such, that definitely gets annoying.

 

[Fredrik-Ablaze]

I ususally let the band appoint a "spiritual leader" (most often the main songwriter or the vocalist) and let him sit in on the mixing session; usually saves me tons of time as I dont have to redo stuff from scratch when doing revisions. Always nice to have a second pair of ears/opinions close by as well.

Plus I always sit with the band before we start tracking to sort out where they want to end up sonically.

 

[if6was9]

I don't mind guys sitting in, it can really help finalise a mix especially where the client is in a rush to get it done.

My usual process is do the editing and get the mix to 80-90% percent of the way there and then send it onto the band and set a date for them to come in sit with me and finish it. I'll get them to all listen to it at home, make notes and then get ONE of them to mail me back with the bands compiled revisions.

I'll work on these so and get fresh ears on the mix so when the band come and sit it in it should be almost finished. My mix sessions with the band present aren't usually very long. I'll then bounce it out and give it to them in person, and also mail them on a version that will be fully uploaded by the time they get home.

The important thing is to get them to compile their notes and for them to have just 1 person contacting you on the band behalf. I had a project where I was getting messages from 2 members of the band and they weren't in agreement at all, made it a nightmare!

 

[ShipwreckSoundWorks]

I suppose, in my opinion, this particular case is annoying to me because these guys have no clue about mixing or anything that goes into it. They're gonna be lost, and most likely questioning me the whole time, which Is why I am going to mix the whole damn thing and not tell them.

 

[colonel kurtz]

as for the original question of WHY...it's so they can look over your shoulder, breathe down your neck, and try to tell you how to do your job when they probably don't have a fucking clue what they're talking about...

 

[if6was9]

True, they will ask for things that make no sense and may ruin the mix. It's your job to make them trust you and to calmly explain in layman's terms why it won't work.

Couple of things that help.

Use references so they don't get lost trying to make things too bassy and having too much bass drum/vocal/bass etc... This will give them some perspective. Make sure your mix is always louder than your reference when clients are there. Otherwise you'll start getting request for more volume.

Tell them about masking, if you turn up the bass drum then you won't hear the bass instrument, if you turn up the snare it'll cloud the guitars/vocal a bit etc...

Explain to them that there since there is a limit on how loud things can go (odb) then if they think the guitars and bass need to go up, it is more likely that the drums are too loud and need to come down a bit.

Show them what it sounds like if you mute the bass if they ask you to turn up the bass as they can't hear the notes they're playing. I get this one alot and it's something I'm constantly working on. I get the bass to fill out the guitar sound and it usually is quite loud, but bands like to be able to hear the bass in a different way. Doesn't help that they usually reference it on laptop speakers!

 

[LBTM]

just give them the "producer knob" if you know what i mean.

 

[if6was9]

just give them the "producer knob" if you know what i mean.

I've never believed in "tricking" the band. If they hear something is wrong or out, it's worth investigating.

 

[LBTM]

I've never believed in "tricking" the band. If they hear something is wrong or out, it's worth investigating.

It's our job to know what's wrong. If the band points you to something wrong with the editing then It's worth investigating. If they tell you "give more bass, I know what 'am saying bro!!1" then it doesn't. I would never trust a band listening on my monitors to make decisions about the mix.

 

[pikachu69]

The biggest problem with having someone in the studio with you when mixing is the fact that most band members dont realise what goes into a mix. While they may have good ears and can hear things that need fixing, most engineers have a routine or chain of events they like to follow to get them from point A to point B and having other opinions about what they want changed 'now'can fuck with the flow and creativity of mixing.
I always say to those who ask me this they can sit in on the mix if they want but the chances are they will get bored and it will just take me longer if I am distracted and therefore cost them more money. They always say don't worry at this point.
I always provide a dry mix after tracking and ask each band member to listen over night to find things that need fixing/editing and supply me with a master list from the whole band. I will then supply a mix when it is 75% done and ask for the same list. I will give them one last listen before mastering to make one last lot of changes and then thats their lot. Never had an unhappy customer this way.

 

[LBTM]

I had a band who took the rough mix (which was decent), ran away and never came again. I've saw the tracks on facebook/youtube a few months after. Since then I never give rough mixes.

 

[bryan_kilco]

I had a band who took the rough mix (which was decent), ran away and never came again. I've saw the tracks on facebook/youtube a few months after. Since then I never give rough mixes.

Do something to the tracks that makes them unusable, like white noise every now and then or beeps.

 

[LBTM]

Do something to the tracks that makes them unusable, like white noise every now and then or beeps.

That's a good idea I hadn't thought then. But still, they show these mixes around so your risk bad reputation with this. They will compare it with the final mix and always find something better in the rough. I prefer to deliver only the final mix to the band and if they have any suggestions give them a second mix. But I would never give anything that's not the best I can do.

 

[BLOODROOT]

You work for them. they are paying you. Just because you know how to turn some virtual dials doesnt exempt you from getting input from the people paying you to turn the virtual nobs. its going to save you some time having someone there to guide you on their vision. If not you are going to spend alot of time getting to the end to find out you went to the wrong destination. Im sure even sneap got some input from alot of the guys he has worked for. youre like a contracter getting paid to build a house. the owner still gets to come in and pick the color of paint, carpet, etc. I agree they dont need to be there while you clean up trax, quantize drums, etc but they should have 100% freedom to give you direction on their vision. Its your job to set your ego aside and help them realize their dream with your expertise and guidance.

 

[amarshism]

Listen to Michael brauers 2007 aes master class. He sums it up perfectly.

 

[BLUElightCory]

You work for them. they are paying you. Just because you know how to turn some virtual dials doesnt exempt you from getting input from the people paying you to turn the virtual nobs. its going to save you some time having someone there to guide you on their vision. If not you are going to spend alot of time getting to the end to find out you went to the wrong destination. Im sure even sneap got some input from alot of the guys he has worked for. youre like a contracter getting paid to build a house. the owner still gets to come in and pick the color of paint, carpet, etc. I agree they dont need to be there while you clean up trax, quantize drums, etc but they should have 100% freedom to give you direction on their vision. Its your job to set your ego aside and help them realize their dream with your expertise and guidance.

Absolutely. Even the biggest of mixers do recalls and take feedback from the artist. This is a service industry, and listening to/interpreting artist feedback is part of being a professional, and part of the job.

That said, I still think the best course of action is to get the mix 80% of the way there and then do the final 20% with the artist there. It saves a lot of time and hassle, and cuts down on recalls.

 

[NikTheGypsy]

I have always been present at my mixing and mastering sessions, and the main reason for this is to learn. I try to observe what the engineer is doing and I like to ask the occasional question. I am an open person when it comes to art and collaborations, and I understand that mixing is as big of an art form as the writing process itself, however, if an engineer refused me being there, I would personally work with someone else.