making an album

[thombo]

hi jmj,
as it seems you have worn near every imaginable hat in the industry, i was hoping you could give a little insight into the engineer/mixer/master/producer dynamic.

also, what if one is unhappy w/ something... is it okay to voice some concerns or discontent (in a civil way, non-confrontational manner) w/ a product (specifically a poor mix) or is it protocol for one to cut there losses and take the tracks elsewhere?

 

[JimmyM]

Who's paying for the time?

 

[thombo]

the band (us)

 

[JimmyM]

Just wanted to clarify that because it makes a difference. If you don't mind me butting in when you asked Justin I think if you're paying for it, you should be able to say any opinion you want and use the fact that you're paying for it as a reason. However, I'm never averse to a good idea, and I've taken many good ideas from producers/engineers that I was paying and ran with them. But if an idea he has disturbs you, voice your feelings calmly and professionally, and see if you can't come to some sort of agreement more suitable. He might work with you on the mix to improve it, or he might have a good reason for mixing it the way he did that you may not know about. But if you're paying, you should leave the studio satisfied, and if you're not, it's perfectly within your right to say something.

At least that's my take on it...Justin's mileage may vary...but judging from his story about making the second Ima Robot album, he's no stranger to voicing his displeasure with a producer

 

[jmjbassplayer]

hi jmj,
as it seems you have worn near every imaginable hat in the industry, i was hoping you could give a little insight into the engineer/mixer/master/producer dynamic.

also, what if one is unhappy w/ something... is it okay to voice some concerns or discontent (in a civil way, non-confrontational manner) w/ a product (specifically a poor mix) or is it protocol for one to cut there losses and take the tracks elsewhere?

Essential question. I'll break it down, depending on the hats:

Engineer: They work for you, you have final say. You need to treat them with the respect of a creative partner, and even include them on production decisions if you ascertain that they have the taste, skill and experience for it. If you're paying them a project rate, then you need to discuss with them specific parameters beforehand, if possible, in terms of how long the whole thing should take, and what you're going to pay them if it goes over a certain prescribed duration.

Producer: This is the toughest. It's a very unique relationship. They are simultaneously: 1) Hired to be ABOVE you, and mediating the entire creative process, to whatever agreed upon extent, 2) Your creative partner, and 3) your underling, in that you are their client and you hired them to achieve a specific final result. So you see that at different moments, the dynamic shifts. Tricky. Insist on a lot of candid dialog up front. In this dialog, try and get a sense of their goals vs. your own, their ability to handle criticism, their skill with giving criticism smoothly, their overall communication skills, how long they want to spend on the project, any contingency for re-cutting a track or tracks, that kind of stuff.

Mixer: You need to make an agreement beforehand as far as how many recalls are included in their fee. Also, they should have an agreement in place to cover any royalties (1/2 to 1 point, depending on how much you pay them up front).

Mastering Engineer: Likewise, if you're doing a project rate, get a sense of how many recalls he/she is willing to do within that fee.

Hope that helps; feel free to ask any follow ups if you want me to clarify/expand on any of this.

Best,
JMJ

 

[thombo]

thank you for that... i had a general idea, but that clarified a lot. mentioning the "final say" dynamic is very helpful, thanks!