Workflow setup, client management and other issues

[Potapka]

Hi, I’m pretty new to the trade, and currently I have this “mixin’-for-friends-and their friends” operation going in my house (after my day job, of course ), got lots of crazy kids and cheap-ass bands coming, because I charge low. My primary target for now is not money, but rather getting more experience in mixing, workflow organizing and “client management”. Ah, and the fun of it!

The problems that I’ve recently noticed include:

1) I need to kinda… keep bands from listening to the mixed tracks for 100 times and coming up with more and more edits (99% of them are absolutely unnecessary, anyway, and it takes tooo much time, beyond any reasonable limit).

2) When you charge low, I guess, bands’ attitude inevitably shifts to “this slave-for-hire is gonna make a Grammy-winning album if we brainfuck him enough!” I’m not sure if I should charge more, because a) bands are generally very poor in my country b) my modest project-studio-level equipment and software won’t let me for now

3) Most bands have little or no recording experience. That means not only that I have to make hastily “mastered” client mixes for them every time (because they simply won’t understand lower RMS of a raw mix!), but I also have to tell them that “it’s not what I do here” all the time (bands sometimes want me to program their drums from scratch or these teenage metal bands would bring me a gp5 file and want me to make a “song” out of it with a few clicks, so they would have only vocals to do. I hate those things!).

4) What’s your reaction when a band member comes up with an extremely stupid or unfitting idea that would ruin the song (i.e. recording black metal-style drums for a romantic rock ballad, just because their drummer likes black metal above anything else – true story btw)? What’s the right balance between a happy client and common sense?

I’d really appreciate any useful input.

 

[Sloan]

These are all very good questions, but common issues.

Hi, I’m pretty new to the trade, and currently I have this “mixin’-for-friends-and their friends” operation going in my house (after my day job, of course ), got lots of crazy kids and cheap-ass bands coming, because I charge low. My primary target for now is not money, but rather getting more experience in mixing, workflow organizing and “client management”. Ah, and the fun of it!

The problems that I’ve recently noticed include:

1) I need to kinda… keep bands from listening to the mixed tracks for 100 times and coming up with more and more edits (99% of them are absolutely unnecessary, anyway, and it takes tooo much time, beyond any reasonable limit).

Set a limit of mix revisions if you are charging a flat rate, I generally do 2 before charging an hourly rate to mix. Or, you could just charge an hourly rate from the start.

2) When you charge low, I guess, bands’ attitude inevitably shifts to “this slave-for-hire is gonna make a Grammy-winning album if we brainfuck him enough!” I’m not sure if I should charge more, because a) bands are generally very poor in my country b) my modest project-studio-level equipment and software won’t let me for now

This is always going to be an issue, so don't let it bother you too much!


3) Most bands have little or no recording experience. That means not only that I have to make hastily “mastered” client mixes for them every time (because they simply won’t understand lower RMS of a raw mix!), but I also have to tell them that “it’s not what I do here” all the time (bands sometimes want me to program their drums from scratch or these teenage metal bands would bring me a gp5 file and want me to make a “song” out of it with a few clicks, so they would have only vocals to do. I hate those things!).

I always give the band raw mixes and mastered mixes along with notes describing that if the songs are getting mastered later, they need to submit the raw mixes.



4) What’s your reaction when a band member comes up with an extremely stupid or unfitting idea that would ruin the song (i.e. recording black metal-style drums for a romantic rock ballad, just because their drummer likes black metal above anything else – true story btw)? What’s the right balance between a happy client and common sense?

Never say 'NO', but just provide some input stating that you don't think it would work, and always explain why. Many musicians don't understand arrangement and how easy it is to make things 'too complicated' when recording, so don't be harsh. If things start to get heated, then just go with their idea anyway, if they really like it when you play it back, then just go with it.



I’d really appreciate any useful input.

 

[BLUElightCory]

My 3 Rules of Mix Evaluation:

1. Band members should refrain from asking for changes to their own instrument. So the guitarist can say "I think it needs more snare" but not "turn up the guitar solo."

2. If you don't hear a problem the first time you listen to the mix, there is no problem.

3. The band members should meet and compile a single, unified list of all mix changes that everyone agrees upon.

These 3 rules have made dealing with mix revisions MUCH simpler and more productive for my clients and me.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I have a rule of no more than 2 mix recalls for free. Once you ask for money, bands seem to take the time to actually fucking listen to the shit and give feedback.

No matter what you do, there is always going to be that one shit head who will have nothing to do with what you say. You can be correct and they will still defy your logic and do it stupid anyway.