bands not sure of themselves

[distortedrumble]

have you ever heard a band that dont seem too sure of themselves? its kinda weird to record them cause they sound weak and the lack of confidence comes across on the track. the vocals are on key but the guys sound like their pets will be shot if they fuck up the vocals. and the guitar doesnt sound much better either

 

[Massive Master]

When I ran a full-service studio, I would estimate that 25% of all novice bands (that were never in a studio) broke up before the project was complete.

We'd almost want to run a pool on it - You could tell the bands that seemed SO unsure of themselves (once they found out what they actually sounded like) by the third take.

One of several reasons that I now just concentrate on mastering.

John Scrip - www.massivemastering.com

 

[Wireneck]

I have come across this situation many times. For alot of bands, recording is not something they do very often. It can be a very nerve racking stress inducing activity.
Maybe it is the extensive use of headphones? Maybe it has something to do with being sent into seperate rooms only to look upon one another through two layers of glass? Maybe its the first time they have actually been able to hear their singer and they realize that he sucks! Or quite possibly it is the addition of that extra person in the room who is obsessed with blinking lights and capturing the "warmest" sound. What the hell is warm anyways?
What can you do if you find that you are the engineer behind the glass with this particular type of band? I just try and remember my first time in a studio and do everything I can to make them feel comfortable. If that doesn't yield good takes then i guess you have to threaten their family instead of their pets.

 

[Recording Engineer]

Yes... Most of the ones we've recorded at my studio sound unsure of themselves. Of course, they have no idea what you're talking about when you try pointing it out to them, even though they're constantly saying they're nervous while in the studio (especially the vocalists), as all they can think of is how much of a "unique sound" they have and how they just need someone to give them a chance (essentially being a record label for them and fronting all the money and doing all the real work for them) so their record can finally hit the streets and the money will just come rolling in as soon as it does.

So how many of you have gotten the: So do you want to make the little bit of money you'd get right now if you just charge us like you normally would or do you want to make at least 50Xs what you would have otherwise, if you just wait a little longer and we cut you in a piece of the pie once we get the record on the streets?

I have to laugh every time and explain we are a recording studio and NOT a record label! We work at an hourly rate or a custom flat fee we decide for a particular project to be paid in full in advance, if we so choose. There is NO bartering on it!

Can't say I blame them though... The lines are so blurred now days.

We've got people calling themselves "producer" regardless of what they actually do or don't do. We've got the rap guys calling composers "producers". We've got supposed singer/songwriters, who don't play an instrument or have a musical background what-so-ever, calling the studio looking for studio time, only to find-out that they thought they needed a studio but after talking with us and explaining a few things, they think they really want a "producer", only to come and find-out they want a composer, arranger, and an entire studio band to "put music to me singing the lyrics I wrote"... All in the name of "We can have a lot of fun and it'll be so good and unique that naturally it'll eventually have monetary success."... Come-on!!! Who the hell has that kind of time to work on someone elses project like that if not even the cost of food for your family is covered for the week?

 

[mrface2112]

ya know, they can call themselves the jolly green giant for all i care.........just as long as i get paid. it's not my job to critique, evaluate or help--it's my job to punch buttons and make them sound as good as i can. "helping" (producing, arranging) is available, of course.......but it's extra. as long as they want to pay for the time and effort, i'll move the chords in their bridge around.


my band definitely did NOT like playing with headphones on when we first started doing it at practice to monitor ourselves. now we're so used to em that we want IEMs when we play bar gigs. getting used to the environment is indeed a HUGE step in improving the sound of the band. so is hearing yourself clearly and accurately (let alone, at all). plus, it really helps to save your ears when you use cans instead of a PA at rehearsals.


wade

 

[lbcstudios]

i nkwo what u guys are talkin about... i have been recording for like 7 months.. ive recorded about 8 bands... 3 of em have broken apart within 2 weeks of recording.... i guess its cause... they have played shows.. but have never heard the singers voice thru all the cymbals and guitar distortion... these are teenage bands tho.. so some are just starting out... but even if bands are horrible.. i still take the gig... cause it gets me more experience.

 

[shackrock]

i've had some rappers break up before they were done ( a few months ago), but only some left, the others stayed to finish it all.

they have formed a new gourp now - and are coming in friday, ha.

 

[Han]

What really surprises me every time that many bands make the same mistakes. I have 31 studiotips on my website for beginning bands and I always ask them to read those tips when a band books the studio.

But still they don't know which backingvocals to be recorded. you have to find out about that in the rehearsalroom, the studio is too expensive for that.

Like yesterday for example, the band came in for mixing around 7:30 pm, after their dayjob and the mix was 'finished' at 1:30 am.
I always tell them to take enough resting before mixing.

I also ask them to take a copy of the lyrics with them because the engineer can write down the SMPTE time next to any sentence, so if the vocalist says:" I want to redo the first sentence of the second chorus", all he has to do is look at the lyrics to see where that sentence is located. But very few have a copy with them.

Do you recognize this? "can you give the drummer a click, he isn't very tight". (the click will only make it worse)

If a band plans to record in a commercial studio, all they have to do is a good preparation, call it pre-roduction. And if they have done this, they have nothing to be worried about.