May31

Written by:Bob Lichty
Monday, May 31, 1999 6:00 PM

There is a great movie from the late 1970s called "One Trick Pony." It stars Paul Simon as a folk singer/songwriter (a real acting stretch for Mr. Simon) trying to get back onto the charts. It follows his trials and tribulations, and we suffer along with him, as the producers and record labels turn his wonderful little song into a disco nightmare. There is a terrific final scene where a roll of 2-inch tape is being unwound down the streets of Manhattan.

This movie should be required viewing for all of us who ever sit in the producer's chair. It shows that the best thing you can do for a client is work with them, not against them.

I suppose this could be a pretty gutsy article, after all, I may have to fess up to mistakes of my past. I freely admit to making a few, only because I have learned from them. Thus, I feel I may be able to share the knowledge of my mistakes in the hopes that those up-and-coming producers out there will not be doomed to repeating them.

Pre-Production

There is no substitute for having several good pre-production meetings. There are few things worse than booking a session, having the group arrive sight unseen, and realizing that no matter how hard you try, you just can't avoid thinking that the lead guitar player is some spawn of Satan sent to earth strictly to make your life a living hell.

The first meeting should really be to discuss goals of the project and to make sure the personalities will work. It's not worth jamming a square peg in a round hole. If the personalities clash, save both yourself and the client from trouble and don't work together. Be polite. If you know someone to send them to, do it. But don't set yourself up for several weeks of misery. The goals need to be clearly outlined. What is the intent of the project? Is it a demo for gigs? Is it a demo for publishing? Is it going to be a release? Will it be shopped? After establishing the goals and making sure the personalities will work, the next meeting can be scheduled.

It's usually at the next meeting where I will present what I think will be a reasonable budget for the whole project. Keeping the client's needs first, I really try to avoid hourly rates. It makes everybody watch the clock far too often, and tends to lead to way too much tension. After the first meeting I try to figure out what I think it's going to take in time, realistically. If it's a solo artist I figure in costs for session guys, my time charting and arranging, tracking days, overdubs, vocals, BGVs, mix and master, plus materials, plus my pay and pay for any additional engineers that I may use. For a band project this is usually simplified a bit, since I generally won't need session players, but there is usually more time spent tracking.

Now I have the budget for the project, which they will pay as each part begins. So, they pay for rhythm players and a tracking day on that day. This keeps everyone honest, and I'm the only one in the hot seat. Unless the client is demanding far more than initially discussed, I will never charge if I predict shy of what it actually takes. And if I estimate too much time in an area, I will credit it toward the next area. So if vocals only took 24 hours instead of 32, they will get 8 extra hours toward mixing. It has worked out well for me so far, and my clients really seem to appreciate it.

The next meeting will usually be to record demos of the material so I can get an idea of how to work with the songs. It is here that a solo artist and I will really brainstorm arrangements, parts, players, concept, etc. This is also where honesty is truly the best policy. If a song isn't working, tell the artist it's not working. Explain why, and maybe offer to work with the artist on it, but save both of you a lot of grief and try to avoid killing yourselves with material that's just not there.

Make sure to get some reference points for recording and production. Find some material that is similar to or an influence on the project. Make sure it is stuff you are at least somewhat familiar with, and make sure it is something the client likes. I'm putting the finishing touches on a project with a singer/songwriter who wanted an Elvis Costello sound to the project. So, I bought a few discs that I didn't have, used them as a guide in arranging and tracking, and then used them pretty heavily in the mix.

When making production decisions with a band, and this is KEY, this is where they will decide who will be the spokesperson for the group. No one likes dealing with a bunch of egos. So I explain to the band that they have to have one person that can speak on behalf of the group for all decisions. That way, if arguing starts during mixdown (the typical place where things REALLY blow up), I can immediately defer to "El Presidente" and tell him/her to make the decision.

With any luck, there will be just one more meeting to discuss final arrangements, explain what will go down on the tracking day, and answer any last minute questions. The other thing that has occurred with all these pre-production meetings is that it has gotten the artist used to being in the studio, thus helping with those "recording studio jitters" that can sometimes make the first four hours worth of work useless.

The Tracking Days

Tracking days differ greatly between a solo artist with session players and a band.

Let's explore the solo artist first. Despite all the preparing I can do for the artist, nothing can usually prepare them for the level of musicians that will be playing on their project. These players read charts and often in one or two takes will nail a song. The leads and overdubs come quickly and next thing you know we're in the groove of a song an hour or sometimes even faster.

I have fallen into the trap of being used to how these session guys work and really "driving" a session at full steam, while not realizing the client may be a bit overwhelmed. Thus at the end of the day, the client isn't sure if he or she is happy, since it "all went so fast." Yes, it is important to keep a session moving, but remember it is not your project, as much as we tend to hold onto these things as our own, the project really belongs to the client.

The easiest way to slow things down a bit is to always do playbacks of takes. Even if you know the players nailed it, play it back for the client. I actually had this happen to me recently, where we drove through 12 or 13 songs in 7 hours, and while the results were great, the clients really felt like I pushed way too fast and they lost control. We are back on good terms, and the album is nearly complete, but I certainly learned a lesson on slowing it down.

With a band, make sure they are being reasonable in equipment. Many times rock and roll drummers feel the need to bring in all 97 pieces of their kit, insisting it is "vital to their sound," only to end up with it being used for the trash can ending on the last song. Remind them that a 5-piece kit will mic up better and will take less time. The guitar player probably doesn't need all 75 of his Marshall 4-by-12s either. Make sure the drummer knows how to keep his kit tuned, and always have a tuning key handy. Check that the guitarists and bassists have strings that aren't dead, and keep some decent ones on hand just in case.

Consider the reference material when making recording and performance decisions. If the band's influencers are artsy (like Radiohead or Wilco) you'll need to be prepared to take some chances when tracking and keep changing up the methods you use to track the songs. If the band wants a sound that's straight-up-the-middle and consistent from song to song (like Boston), then you'll need to make sure that you're not changing too much from take to take and song to song.

Also, always be willing to listen to the players. I don't know how many times a player has thrown the most off the wall suggestion at me that's actually turned out to be very cool. ("Dude, I was recording at home one day and I put a 57 in the ceiling pointing at the back wall with the amp tuned 45 degrees from it and it gave the greatest tone.") It's easy to dismiss these things, but if you have the time, try them. You might end up with a few secret tricks that work out well.

Always keep the players informed of what you are doing and why. During setup, during the session, at all times keep them in the loop. That's what that talkback button is for. Bruce Swedien refers to it as "tearing down the walls." Let's face it, we can be an intimidating lot. The more you keep your client in the loop, the more they will feel a part of the project, and the more they will know for their next project. Which will come to you again since you were so good to them the first time.

A good headphone mix is key to a good tracking session. If you can find a way to set up separate mixes, do it. This is especially beneficial to the drummer. Don't worry about what you are hearing in the control room as much as what they are hearing in their phones. Have them play and put on a pair. If it sounds awful, they'll play awful, guaranteed.

Again, be honest. If something isn't working, fix it. Let's admit it, the old line of "fix it in the mix" is a band-aid at best. Get it right to tape. If it takes a while to get good sounds, fine. If they can't get a part right, don't kill them over it. If it's not happening, it's not happening. Ditch the part, ditch the song, or try it on a different day. The more takes, the more frustration.

And get alternate takes. I don't mean "one for safety" (what the heck does that mean anyway), I mean a true alternate. If a song sounds cool as a speed metal death march, but would also sound great as an acoustic ballad, do it. There will never be another chance.

If you have free tracks during overdubs, try getting complete takes of vocals and then comping those. Punching and punching and punching can be very fatiguing to both you and the singer. It's hard to keep emotion for one line, and sometimes it ends up showing in the final track.

Treat all players as professionals, and thus, expect that they will allow you to run the sessions that way. No drugs, no drinking during the sessions. Provide the guys with beverages and snacks (at least). Be a good host and treat them well and they should do the same.

The Mixdown

Okay, in case I didn't make this clear earlier, make sure there is a spokesperson! With a solo artist, it's either going to be you or the artist. With a band, make sure there is one person you can turn to for the final decision. Mixdown always seems to be the place where the arguments really happen.

Now is the time to refer back to your reference material. Your reference material can help guide your mix. Reference material will also keep your ears honest. If you've been at it a while, pull out that material and listen. If you're way off then it's time for a break.

Which brings me to the cursed "Marathon Mixing Session." I've done them, I'm still forced to do them to this day, and I hate them. Mixing for 16 hours rarely does anybody any good. Much of the time you saved is spent in remixes. If it is at all possible, spend no more than 12 hours in a session, although 8 is really the best. And take breaks. Get away from the studio. Meals, walks, whatever it takes, get out of there for a bit.

If you have an automated console or if you mix on a computer then there is a way to save some time at the start of mixdown: at the end of each tracking session, on each tune, save your setup in the automation program. Sometimes those "session board mixes" have a great vibe to them that will make an excellent template for the final mix.

Something else that can really help a mix is bringing in someone to do it. Yes, I'm serious. If the budget allows, bring in someone you trust to run the board, while you just sit back with the client and produce. The fresh ears may bring some fresh ideas, and the other person will allow you to listen more to the overall picture rather than the individual components. It took me a long time to get this point. Letting this part of a project go is tough, but many of the projects I have worked on have been better because of it. Hiring someone is especially beneficial if you were the tracking engineer. If someone else tracked it, it is conceivable that you could effectively mix it.

The final thing to say in mixing is, again, get alternates. Try bringing in instruments at different times, different EQs, different effects, whatever, now is the time. That idea that seemed so "out there" may end up being the keeper after a few days of listening. Remember to try to take a week away after the mix session before actually listening to the mixes. This will give you time to get away and to be subjective again. Obviously, the hope is that there is a keeper in there that can go on the final project. If not, don't be scared to remix. Make it right before it gets out.

The Master

Okay, if you've been stubborn enough to track and mix and produce this thing yourself, by all means let someone you trust master it. The new ears will truly be a benefit here. There's a reason that even the very best mixing engineers don't master the material they engineer.

Most clients, and even a lot of engineers, don't really know what mastering is, so be sure to explain it to them. This way they will understand why it costs to get a good master. Sure, it can be done cheaply with a computer and a Finalizer, but it won't be the same.

If you're still not convinced that you shouldn't master work that you engineer, read this.

Really discuss order with your client. If doing a cassette as well as CD, explain why the length on each side of the cassette should be equal, and why, if one has to be longer, it should be side one (so that auto-reverse kicks in right away, thus avoiding a lag and the temptation to pop the tape out). Also explain why there has to be two masters, one for CD and one for cassette.

Help them with artwork. "My buddy is an artist" doesn't always cut it. Make sure they know the dimensions and the format needed for the duplication house. Have several good dupe houses you trust, thus helping you if one is really backed up. Demand proof cassettes and CDs from the house and bring in the client to listen.

Artwork should be started no later then when the overdubs are starting. This way the project won't be held up waiting on graphics, proofs, etc. The song order may not be definite, but that is easy enough to plug in.

And, Finally…

Stay in touch with the client. Call every now and then to see how things are going. This will show you really cared, and may help you get that next project with them. Really, if you work with them and treat them with respect, you should have a client for life.



Bob Lichty is the Music Industry and Touring Liaison for Crown International. He is also a freelance producer putting the finishing touches on the debut album from singer/songwriter David Terrell, as well as finishing a new album of kids' music from the Schricker Family. (He might admit to maybe having made a mistake or two on each project.)

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