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Written by Willie Green.
Life has many rules. Look both ways before
crossing the street. Put the toilet seat down. Pay your taxes.
There’s stuff you just gotta do. In the studio, maybe
there aren’t “rules” per say, but “strong
guidelines” at least, or think of it as “shit
you should do if you want someone to work with you again.”
Some of it sounds like common sense, some of it sounds unnecessary,
but trust me, it’ll all make life in the lab smoother.
This is for both engineers and artists, so share this with
the next rapper who comes in and spits — literally —
all over your mic.
1. Timeliness is next to godliness
Respect people’s time. In the studio
industry, as most others, time equals money. There’s
no such thing as fashionably late to the studio, and keeping
someone sitting around is inconsiderate.
Artists – On stage you’re famous.
Great. In the studio, you’re there to work. Even if
it’s a home studio, there are other things the engineer
could be doing besides waiting for you. If they setup ahead
of time (as they should) that means they’ve stopped
doing everything else and devoted their attention to you.
Don’t take that for granted.
Engineers – Setup ahead of time. In
theory, an artist should be able to walk through the door,
step behind the mic, and record immediately. The headphones
should be up and tested, software open and ready to go. If
the client is there and your mic isn’t set up (provided
they told you in advance what you were doing that day) then
you are late.
The client walking in means the session has
started, and the clock is running. That means it is not the
time to take a half-hour blunt break. I’m not going
to address whether you should drink or smoke while you work,
that’s a personal choice, but milking the client for
that extra time so you can get high is unprofessional.
2. Cleanliness is next to timeliness
This should be a no-brainer, but it’s
not. Studios are relatively small, enclosed rooms. It should
go without saying that sharing this space with a funky person
can range from unpleasant to unbearable. I know some folks
believe in staying natural, and that’s cool, but please
be aware of those around you.
Additionally, before you pick up that sandwich
with the extra onions and garlic mayo, are you about to record
vocals? Grab that pack of gum too. Pop filters will retain
that smell, and the next person coming to record really doesn’t
want to share your lunch with you. Engineers – clean
that pop filter from time to time, your clients will appreciate
it.
If you are a studio owner — especially
if it’s a home studio — feel free to clean up
before artists arrive. Do the dishes, change the cat litter,
dust a little bit. If you respect your space, others are likely
to as well. On the flip side, artists, try to leave the studio
how you found it. If there’s no staff of interns at
your beck and call, you should probably throw away your own
trash.
3. A penny saved…
As an engineer, quite often you will
be working on an hourly rate. Mathematics states that the
longer you work, the more you will make. However, purposely
running up the bill is shady. Taking the scenic route to do
your editing, or the long way to a certain effect does little
more than expose you as an inefficient engineer. Working effectively
will bring clients back again and again, and make you more
money in the long run.
That said, artists, this stuff takes time.
If you want a ten-minute mix, that’s what your album
will sound like (and that’s not a good thing). If you
are investing in your music, that means that you most likely
want good results, so let your engineer work without you standing
over their shoulder tapping your watch. No one works well
that way. If you think things are taking far too long, politely
ask the engineer what they’re working on, and ask for
an estimate of completion. Because…
4. Communication is key
No relationship works without communication (at least that’s
what the books tell me) and the interaction between an artist
and engineer is most definitely a working relationship.
Artists, learn some engineering terms so you
can guide your engineer to what you want. Few things in life
are more frustrating than hearing, “It doesn’t
sound ‘brown’ enough. It’s way too ‘orange’.”
No one knows what you’re talking about when you say
that, and I don’t have a “brown” plugin
to turn up.
On the other hand, engineers, when someone
is performing on the mic, they don’t want to hear all
about kilohertz and decibels. They just want to rhyme. If
you have input to give, think about how you deliver your message.
(Also, here’s an extra pro tip: After a take, talk to
the person on the mic. Even if it’s to say “that
was cool, give me one second to talk to the producer.”
Say something. That awkward silence after a take can be confidence
crushing.)
Also, listen to what the artist has to say.
No two albums are made the same way, and no one likes the
asshole engineer who responds to everything with, “this
is the way I do it, so too bad.” Be flexible and work
with your clients.
Making records is a collaborative process,
and if it doesn’t come out the way you want because
you didn’t speak up, you have no one to blame but yourself.
5. You break it, you bought it
That coaster your beer is on —
the one with the flashing lights and buttons — is actually
a preamp that cost me a thousand dollars. Those headphones
you dropped on the floor after you knotted the cord all up?
$100.
All this fancy stuff in the studio we engineers
use to make you sound good doesn’t come cheap, and it’s
hard to keep making you sound good when you accidentally spill
that beer all over my gear. If you even have to wonder if
it’s ok to put your drink somewhere, you probably shouldn’t,
or at the very least — ask.
If you do happen to damage something, please
act like an adult and let the engineer know. Accidents happen,
and can be worked out, but if I find something broken months
later and have to backtrack to find out what happened, I’ll
likely be far less reasonable.
6. Enough is enough
Engineers, you must be aware of your
role in the recording process. I’ve mentioned earlier
in this column that engineering is a service industry. Your
name is not going to be on the front of this album, no matter
how good it sounds.
In practice, this means be careful what you
say and when you say it. Some artists readily welcome input,
some would rather not hear criticism from the engineer. Your
basic job is to make things sound good, the producer is hired
for the commentary. If there’s no producer in the room,
I prefer to ask the artist how involved they want me to be
with feedback.
If you happen to be an intern or an assistant,
your creative input is generally not wanted unless specifically
asked for. Sounds crappy, but there are people in the room
who have paid dues and are getting paid for their opinion;
your time will come. (Early on in my career, I’ve even
been kicked out of a session for giving unwanted critique.
Music is personal, and people will take critique quite personally.)
7. Got me workin’ day and night
In this world of Blackberrys/iPhones/whatever,
people are infinitely more accessible than ever. That in no
way means you should call me at 2 a.m. to book a session,
unless I specifically tell you that’s okay. Even if
you know I’m awake, very few people accept calls at
that time. An email or a text is much less-intrusive and is
the preferable way to reach out at that hour.
On a related note, public forums like Twitter
or Facebook are not really the best place to book a session.
It’s just a little awkward.
8. The $
From time to time, studios may give you
a break on the rate, for various reasons. Maybe you’re
booking a large block of time, maybe you’re a repeat
client with a low-budget project. Basically, good clients
are eligible for the hookup, same as in any business. Just
a couple guidelines to go with this:
1. If we have never spoken or met (not to
mention never worked together), don’t act like the studio
owes you any kind of discount. I don’t care how real
you are or how much the streets love you. This is a business.
If you’re not willing to invest in your art, why should
I be? (Also, if all your raps are about mow much you’re
hustling/grinding, why do you need a discount?)
2. If you do get a hookup, it is extremely
bad form to go around town saying “if you ask enough,
they’ll give you the time for x-amount less.”
If anything just say something like, “Green’s
a good dude, he’ll work with your budget.” Undercutting
someone’s rate like that is akin to taking money out
of their wallet.
3. If someone is willing to work with you
on your budget, be reasonable. You don’t do your job
for dirt cheap or free, why should the engineer?
4. If you can’t get a hookup, don’t
be mad. Just because you did last time doesn’t mean
it’s possible this time. Sometimes the market can’t
bear discounts.
9. Your momma taught you better
There’s a myth in the entertainment
industry that you have to be ruthless to get where you want.
This is 100% incorrect. At the most basic level, no one wants
to work with an asshole. Period. You may be able to make some
headway with that attitude, and perhaps have great success,
but the road will be much easier and enjoyable if you’re
able to get along with people. Jerks never get a break on
the studio rate, but I’ll accept a call from a good
client any time of day.
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