Huge Project

[Spdrman288]

So here is the deal I have a band coming from kansas for 3 days of tracking. They originally said they wanted to do 3 songs... fine. However, now they want to get 10 songs done in three days!!!! Is this even possible to get decent production quality in 3 days for 10 songs?

I have 8 ins and i'm working on getting another 8 so i can track the whole band at one time.

Any help on procedure, methods, flow, ect?

Thanks

 

[Nameless]

If they want to rush and do 10 songs in 3 days then they better be realistic about their expectations and also come ready to play, ie: know their material and be able to play it well.

I would personally do (very) rough mixes of each song. Once they're all recorded, take the time you have left to just mix, no more tracking to worry about.

If they know their material real well and can do it in one or 2 takes, then you may be able to get the tracking done in 2 days and spend the 3rd mixing. You will want a lot of coffee.

Or tell them to take the rough mixes to a mixing engineer and have them mixed somewhere else.

Good luck!

 

[elementary]

It will work if they are really really good and you have a really really good recording room. If its clear that it wont work early in the project its probably best to make it clear and convince them to do less but better.

I believe The Vertigo of Bliss album by Biffy Clyro was recorded in a day and it sounds pretty great.

 

[leddy]

Any help on procedure, methods, flow, ect?

Thanks

Get the rhythm section on all tunes done first. If the vocalist can't finish, at least only one person has to come back.

 

[bennychico11]

out of curiosity, what band?

just want to see if they're from my area.

 

[chessrock]

So here is the deal I have a band coming from kansas for 3 days of tracking. They originally said they wanted to do 3 songs... fine. However, now they want to get 10 songs done in three days!!!! Is this even possible to get decent production quality in 3 days for 10 songs?

I have 8 ins and i'm working on getting another 8 so i can track the whole band at one time.

Any help on procedure, methods, flow, ect?

So help me understand this better.

You have a band coming in to do 10 songs. And you're not sure if it's possible ... you're asking for advice on procedure, methods and workflow. You don't have all of the necessary equipment (You're "working on" getting more track count).

Now if this project is pro bono or just for fun and laughs, then I completely understand. But if there's any level of seriousness or expectation on anyone's part, then I would sincerely hope that before you take on such a project, that you would already at leat have some idea as to how you would go about tracking a band; i.e. method, workflow, etc. I would also sincerely hope that you would be adequately equiped with the very basics like adequate track count.

Again, if this is just for fun or experience, then I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just roll with what you got ... experiment and trouble shoot. Let yourself make mistakes and learn along the way; that's what this should be for.

Otherwise, you're probably unprepared and in over your head, and I'd cancel the gig.

 

[xstatic]

I agree completely with Chessrock here. If the band has high expectations it seems to me that you are really putting yourself and your reputation at a big risk of taking a giant step backwards. If you do not already know the answers to these questions, than there is a good chance you should not be taking this job, unless of course the band already knows this and understands this. 3 days could mean 36+ hours and with a preapred band, great stuff can be done in that time. It worries me though that you are doubling your track count right before a session like this. If you were doubling from 64 to 128 tracks I would assume that you have the experience to manage this. 8 to 16 though means that you are already starting with a small setup and I can think of lots of issues (some of which can be seeion stoppers) that could and are even likely to occur.

 

[Ironklad Audio]

without getting into details or being discouraging or any shit like that, i would set a solid time-table for the production, and tell the band right off the bat that it MUST be met for everything to to get done...maybe drums on day 1, guitars day 2, bass/vox day 3

 

[scrouch]

If they're good and prepared you could pull it off. It's just the tracking so as long as they don't take 100 takes to get it right you could be alright. If you're planning to track them all at once it gives you 57 tries per song if you have an average of 5 minutes per song and don't mind working 16 hour days. If they can't get it right in 57 takes I think their poor live shows would overshadow a poor recording. If you split it up, assuming there are 5 people in the band that gives them each 10 tries per song. Some might get it right the first time, someone else might take 15. If everything's pretty much setup before they show and they're ready to go I think you can do it.

 

[xstatic]

If they're good and prepared you could pull it off. It's just the tracking so as long as they don't take 100 takes to get it right you could be alright. If you're planning to track them all at once it gives you 57 tries per song if you have an average of 5 minutes per song and don't mind working 16 hour days. If they can't get it right in 57 takes I think their poor live shows would overshadow a poor recording. If you split it up, assuming there are 5 people in the band that gives them each 10 tries per song. Some might get it right the first time, someone else might take 15. If everything's pretty much setup before they show and they're ready to go I think you can do it.

Have you ever been in a studio session before? Your time table here is way off. It basically assumes that at all times tape is rolling and someone is laying a track with no breaks at all. This is FAR from realistic.

 

[Track Rat]

Chester is correct. If this is for free, just go with it. If it's for pay, you're going to have a long weekend.
Everytime I talked to cilents about the time frame to do X amount of songs, I give them my guesstimation, they ALWAYS counter with "ah man, we're tight. We'll go through these tunes in two hours". I've NEVER been wrong.

 

[MCI2424]

I agree completely with Chessrock here. If the band has high expectations it seems to me that you are really putting yourself and your reputation at a big risk of taking a giant step backwards. If you do not already know the answers to these questions, than there is a good chance you should not be taking this job, unless of course the band already knows this and understands this. 3 days could mean 36+ hours and with a preapred band, great stuff can be done in that time. It worries me though that you are doubling your track count right before a session like this. If you were doubling from 64 to 128 tracks I would assume that you have the experience to manage this. 8 to 16 though means that you are already starting with a small setup and I can think of lots of issues (some of which can be seeion stoppers) that could and are even likely to occur.

Any band that has high expectations, calls a studio asking for 3 songs and calls back wanting 10 songs in the same timeframe is a really hack band. I will tell you from experience that you will probably get maybe 1-2 songs in reguardless of track count. These types of bands were thrown together yesterday and will waste your time competely.They tend to think if they can PLAY 10 songs in 3 days, they can RECORD 10 songs. The dissatisfaction starts at the first song. They will redo it over again. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. Tell them to stick to 3 strong songs and practice them.