Post by cowboycoalminer on Jul 26, 2013 7:09:50 GMT -6
That is the question.
Before I delve into this too deeply I'd like to get this out of the way. I'm looking at this from a producer/engineer stand point which is a hat that many of us wear these days. Now for myself to believe I have the knowledge and or the ability to "save" or even help an artist produce a record that is better than their own vision is probably bit presumptuous. However, I'd say we've all been in the chair before and grimaced at what is coming through the speakers.
Knowing when to keep silent or when to speak is really the topic I guess. For example, I was involved in a session yesterday with a wonderful artist, Meg Cavanaugh. You can check You Tube for a reference. I was not producing or mixing this one so I had no voice in the recording process. Through several warmup takes the producer was very frustrated that the snare wasn't right, the bass line wasn't right, the piano mic placement wasn't right, on and on and on. The whole time this guy is ranting about this or that, I'm thinking it sounds perfect, just hit the damn record button!! For one thing, this was a room filled with A list musicians who KNOW what their doing. Meg could sing an angel to sleep and I know the whole thing is going to print with out the need for editing. So WHY torment talent like this with trivia?
The above is one instance of what I feel is a good time to stay out of the way and just let the music happen. But we all know it's not like this in every case. More often than not, outside of major market recording, a band will set up, mics get placed, and when recording starts, there are MANY production tips that need to be made to help out the process, else it just plainly sucks. I for one won't put my name on a record that I think sucks. I tell people that up front so there's no question later.
So where do we draw the line? How do we know when it's right to make changes and when to leave stuff alone. THIS to me is probably the hardest question to answer in recording.
Before I delve into this too deeply I'd like to get this out of the way. I'm looking at this from a producer/engineer stand point which is a hat that many of us wear these days. Now for myself to believe I have the knowledge and or the ability to "save" or even help an artist produce a record that is better than their own vision is probably bit presumptuous. However, I'd say we've all been in the chair before and grimaced at what is coming through the speakers.
Knowing when to keep silent or when to speak is really the topic I guess. For example, I was involved in a session yesterday with a wonderful artist, Meg Cavanaugh. You can check You Tube for a reference. I was not producing or mixing this one so I had no voice in the recording process. Through several warmup takes the producer was very frustrated that the snare wasn't right, the bass line wasn't right, the piano mic placement wasn't right, on and on and on. The whole time this guy is ranting about this or that, I'm thinking it sounds perfect, just hit the damn record button!! For one thing, this was a room filled with A list musicians who KNOW what their doing. Meg could sing an angel to sleep and I know the whole thing is going to print with out the need for editing. So WHY torment talent like this with trivia?
The above is one instance of what I feel is a good time to stay out of the way and just let the music happen. But we all know it's not like this in every case. More often than not, outside of major market recording, a band will set up, mics get placed, and when recording starts, there are MANY production tips that need to be made to help out the process, else it just plainly sucks. I for one won't put my name on a record that I think sucks. I tell people that up front so there's no question later.
So where do we draw the line? How do we know when it's right to make changes and when to leave stuff alone. THIS to me is probably the hardest question to answer in recording.
