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Post by indiehouse on May 18, 2014 9:49:25 GMT -6
So, I've got this band coming over to track in a few minutes. Usually I'm pretty stoked about these things. But today I find myself thinking that I would rather be enjoying the beautiful day with my wife and two year old baby girl. I don't want to say that I'm dreading the session, just that I'd rather not be with a bunch of dudes in a dark studio today. I feel like I'm missing out on family time today.
Am I losing my drive?
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Post by tonycamphd on May 18, 2014 10:02:23 GMT -6
look at it like you're providing for your family on Sunday, and you'll hang out with them on Monday? we all gotta work, seems like you have some good peeps to work for, carry on my wayward son lol
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Post by Johnkenn on May 18, 2014 10:14:16 GMT -6
Yes...you're losing your drive. I think it's just a part of getting older. There was a time that you couldn't get me out of the studio. I would stay up working on something till 4:00 in the morning. I just don't have that kind of drive anymore. I decided a while back that I wouldn't write or do any work on the weekends. (Unless it's a can't miss prospect)
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Post by tonycamphd on May 18, 2014 10:16:39 GMT -6
Yes...you're losing your drive. I think it's just a part of getting older. There was a time that you couldn't get me out of the studio. I would stay up working on something till 4:00 in the morning. I just don't have that kind of drive anymore. I decided a while back that I wouldn't write or do any work on the weekends. (Unless it's a can't miss prospect) if your running a small studio, most of your clients have day jobs, and the weekends are your work days. |
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Post by keymod on May 18, 2014 10:17:19 GMT -6
Count yourself blessed that you have a wife and child to hang with
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Post by Johnkenn on May 18, 2014 10:22:35 GMT -6
Yes...you're losing your drive. I think it's just a part of getting older. There was a time that you couldn't get me out of the studio. I would stay up working on something till 4:00 in the morning. I just don't have that kind of drive anymore. I decided a while back that I wouldn't write or do any work on the weekends. (Unless it's a can't miss prospect) if your running a small studio, most of your clients have day jobs, and the weekends are your work days. Ugh... |
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Post by cowboycoalminer on May 18, 2014 11:01:44 GMT -6
I completely hear you on this one. I run my place as a side business and business is actually too good at the moment (and has been for a good while). Never have enough time. And yes, it is a drag. I've got a local coming in here today that's been pestering me for weeks and I just keep putting her off. Working on other peoples stuff is a grind sometimes. Sometimes it's really good materiel and is fun to work on but this is the exception and not the rule in my experience.
I tell people no these days more than I tell them yes. I honestly don't think I could handle doing this full time as my sole income. No matter what level I was working at, be it Nashville label stuff or local demoes.
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Post by keymod on May 18, 2014 11:52:31 GMT -6
I wish I could tell my day-gig clients "no" more often so that I could devote more time to music/studio-related things, but it's just too expensive to live any more.
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Post by wiz on May 18, 2014 17:19:00 GMT -6
I basically closed my doors due to this.
I really do limited outside work now.
Most of my income has always come from performing live anyways... but the hourly rate I can get is just not worth it, unless I like the person and their material.
cheers
Wiz
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Post by Johnkenn on May 18, 2014 17:42:21 GMT -6
I completely hear you on this one. I run my place as a side business and business is actually too good at the moment (and has been for a good while). Never have enough time. And yes, it is a drag. I've got a local coming in here today that's been pestering me for weeks and I just keep putting her off. Working on other peoples stuff is a grind sometimes. Sometimes it's really good materiel and is fun to work on but this is the exception and not the rule in my experience. I tell people no these days more than I tell them yes. I honestly don't think I could handle doing this full time as my sole income. No matter what level I was working at, be it Nashville label stuff or local demoes. I couldn't either...I've done some tracks for people before and honestly, it's not worth the money. I don't know how these studio guys come in and do it every day...Of course, a lot of them are burnt out. I try and let them do whatever they want to do in my demo sessions...it's rarely the wrong thing, actually. Lets them be creative and they are much more engaged. |
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Post by indiehouse on May 19, 2014 8:15:54 GMT -6
Well, the session went well. The band was good, which made it more fun. I do run a small studio. I wish it was bigger, but it's mine. I built it, I own it. I used to work for a commercial studio, but barely made more than flipping burgers. So I quit and went to grad school. I now work for a University as a multimedia designer. So, I have a day job and run my studio on the side. The studio barely makes anything right now. But the people that come are always impressed and leave with a smile as well as a recommendation to other locals. I try to find a good work/life balance, but it's hard sometimes working a 40 and then studio time on top. The day job allows me to afford new studio tools from time to time.
I can't imagine NOT being involved with audio engineering. It's just something that I HAVE to do, if that makes sense. I just don't want to miss out on my daughters childhood and yesterday was the first time I felt like I missed out on a day I'll never get back. Maybe I'm at my limit with the amount of projects I can handle at one time. I'm working on five different records/EP's, and I'm feeling a bit thin. Maybe that's it.
I dunno. Thanks for letting me vent, fellas.
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Post by tonycamphd on May 19, 2014 8:44:39 GMT -6
Well, the session went well. The band was good, which made it more fun. I do run a small studio. I wish it was bigger, but it's mine. I built it, I own it. I used to work for a commercial studio, but barely made more than flipping burgers. So I quit and went to grad school. I now work for a University as a multimedia designer. So, I have a day job and run my studio on the side. The studio barely makes anything right now. But the people that come are always impressed and leave with a smile as well as a recommendation to other locals. I try to find a good work/life balance, but it's hard sometimes working a 40 and then studio time on top. The day job allows me to afford new studio tools from time to time. I can't imagine NOT being involved with audio engineering. It's just something that I HAVE to do, if that makes sense. I just don't want to miss out on my daughters childhood and yesterday was the first time I felt like I missed out on a day I'll never get back. Maybe I'm at my limit with the amount of projects I can handle at one time. I'm working on five different records/EP's, and I'm feeling a bit thin. Maybe that's it. I dunno. Thanks for letting me vent, fellas. my suggestion is, if you play music and that's why you got into this in the first place? and you have a good 40 job, close the doors and do it for yourself, that's what i'm doing, and i'm totally inspired and happy about it to this day. I used to own a commercial facility in the 90's in SD, i went into it guns a blazing! within a year, i realized the talent pool was at a ratio of about 100:1 when it came to interesting competent artist who wanted to track, the rest was torture too inhumane for the most heinous of Al Qaeda terrorists lol |
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Post by tonycamphd on May 19, 2014 8:47:57 GMT -6
I completely hear you on this one. I run my place as a side business and business is actually too good at the moment (and has been for a good while). Never have enough time. And yes, it is a drag. I've got a local coming in here today that's been pestering me for weeks and I just keep putting her off. Working on other peoples stuff is a grind sometimes. Sometimes it's really good materiel and is fun to work on but this is the exception and not the rule in my experience. I tell people no these days more than I tell them yes. I honestly don't think I could handle doing this full time as my sole income. No matter what level I was working at, be it Nashville label stuff or local demoes. I couldn't either...I've done some tracks for people before and honestly, it's not worth the money. I don't know how these studio guys come in and do it every day...Of course, a lot of them are burnt out. I try and let them do whatever they want to do in my demo sessions...it's rarely the wrong thing, actually. Lets them be creative and they are much more engaged. This is fantastic advice IMV, especially considering most of us have great equipment at home, we can always get the expertly tracked stems and do our own thing at home if it ain't quite right. |
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Post by matt on May 19, 2014 9:04:38 GMT -6
and I'm feeling a bit thin. Maybe that's it. I work a 40 and then compose/play/engineer my current project on nights and weekends. I can't imagine tracking and/or mixing someone else, no matter how good they are. I feel thin working on my own stuff! Just this morning I had the talk with my mates, telling them that sessions should be limited to 2-3 hours if practical, with 4 hours max. Anything longer than that, and I start to feel burnt out. The concentration it takes to do it all is mentally taxing, and affects my attitude in negative ways at times. |
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Post by tonycamphd on May 19, 2014 9:58:58 GMT -6
and I'm feeling a bit thin. Maybe that's it. I work a 40 and then compose/play/engineer my current project on nights and weekends. I can't imagine tracking and/or mixing someone else, no matter how good they are. I feel thin working on my own stuff! Just this morning I had the talk with my mates, telling them that sessions should be limited to 2-3 hours if practical, with 4 hours max. Anything longer than that, and I start to feel burnt out. The concentration it takes to do it all is mentally taxing, and affects my attitude in negative ways at times. Sounds like you've been working hard on this for a long time Matt, i'm really looking forward to hearing your stuff man! |
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Post by matt on May 19, 2014 10:20:23 GMT -6
I work a 40 and then compose/play/engineer my current project on nights and weekends. I can't imagine tracking and/or mixing someone else, no matter how good they are. I feel thin working on my own stuff! Just this morning I had the talk with my mates, telling them that sessions should be limited to 2-3 hours if practical, with 4 hours max. Anything longer than that, and I start to feel burnt out. The concentration it takes to do it all is mentally taxing, and affects my attitude in negative ways at times. Sounds like you've been working hard on this for a long time Matt, i'm really looking forward to hearing your stuff man! Thanks Tony. We are putting together a preliminary mix tonight of our first tune, "On and On". Once upon a time, it was a simple little ditty that got completely out of control production-wise. And both myself and my vocalist have realized that we are legends in our own collective mind. Three sets of vocal takes, two of 6 and 12 string acoustic, etc, etc, it's been an endless cycle of dissatisfaction and re-discovery of latent talent. As performers, it has been a humbling experience. Thank God for Elastic Audio and Melodyne. My right hand just swings too hard these days, always behind the beat. And my vocalist, Jake, has problems with raspiness and lyric inflection (he has a tendency to swallow certain consonants) resulting from a lifetime of singing on stage. But us old guys are a stubborn bunch, we don't accept failure, even if it means our initial efforts are mediocre. So be it. We will get better, we have to. Throw in a bunch of PT-related crashes/hangs and it's been quite a ride. And We've Only Just Begun (hey, that's a song title!) |
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Post by svart on May 19, 2014 20:20:46 GMT -6
I do the same as you. I give 40-70 at the day job a week and then I've had around 3-5 evenings of recording a week for months. There are definitely days I've just wanted to fire a client and say SCREW THIS SHIT. Usually I just keep going and get into the session. Once I'm there I feel a lot better about it.
What really really burns me up is when bands don't practice and they come in and waste time. Sure, it's money, but it's not worth it at that point. Those are the times I wish I could just check out and send everyone home, but I can't. Since I'm a little guy, I can't really turn down anyone until I get my demo material built back up.
I have to keep telling myself to stick with it, or else what I've built up will fall apart.
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Post by Ward on May 23, 2014 8:32:32 GMT -6
Just think of it as 'working on your studio tan'!!
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Post by matt on May 23, 2014 9:09:35 GMT -6
Just think of it as 'working on your studio tan'!! I am quite sure that too much sun negatively impacts my status as a Rock and Roller |
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