If you self record, are you the engineer?

[cdlynch]

More often than not, I hear about bass players as the default recording engineers for their projects, but I've never seen any stats about it, so this is probably the best I'll do on that front.

In my case, yes. I was an audio nerd long before I started playing bass, and I've had several non-studio audio jobs as a result of my early deep dive into recording and sound in general.

Yay for me! What about you?

 

[JMacBass65]

I run sound as well as record my band, but, I was a pro AE for a number of years so it only makes sense. In another band we did record in a studio, and then had them supply the files. I handled overdubs, editing and mixing.

In a perfect world, I'd never do sound for my own band (I'd rather focus on playing, but we are a bar band supplying our own PA usually). For recordings, I'd be happy to do the tracking and editing (I really enjoy that part of it), and let someone else do the mixes - that's where I tend to get a bit bogged down, process wise.

 

[Ubersheist]

I'd say 2/3 of my recordings are done by me at home, and 1/3rd are at a studio when I'm a hired gun.

I also ran a semi-commercial studio for a while. It was my buddy's home studio that grew into a pro level studio. I was out of work, so I'd often run and record bands/clients while he worked, and we'd both work on the bigger, more intense projects. However, the 2008 collapse came, the studio gear got sold, and I moved out of town for work. It was a great experience while it lasted. I loved all parts of it (except when rewiring was required). It was great listening back after the first decent mix and hearing the product. Also, it fun to be able to grow my hair crazy, get late night sushi on a Tuesday, go into "work" a tad.. um altered... and kind of live the rock 'n roll lifestyle for a year (except I was broke and on a super tight budget).

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I'm always the Engineer, for every project.

I made drawings for how my house was to be built. The guy asked if I was an architect. I said no, I'm a Civil Engineer.

Then I made drawings for how I wanted the house wired, and the guy asked if I was an Electrical Engineer. I said, "Sure!".

In reality I'm just a guy who knows how to use Visio.

 

[JMacBass65]

In reality I'm just a guy who knows how to use Visio.

 

[cdlynch]

Hardly a large enough sample size to be definitive, but I'll just go on assuming this theory is true anyway.

 

[electracoyote]

Wait...is this thread seriously asking if the bass player, by default, becomes the recording engineer?

 

[cdlynch]

Sort of. I worded the title poorly, instantly regretted it, and couldn't edit. If I used more words in the title, it would have been something like,

"Seems like bass players are more likely to be the recording engineers for their bands. Is that true in your case?"

 

[zontar]

If it's just me at home, and not with a band, then yes--but if with a band it would be a group effort or the guy best suited to it.

I know a drummer who does that well.