Are you digging your own grave?

[loudist]

It seems to me that more musicians are putting rigs together, then coming here to pick out brains so they don't have to hire us.

I think we are foolish.

MW has the right idea... hold workshops and get paid to transmit hard earned knowledge.

Just a thought.

[Drayon]

Im not so sure bout that man. Boyz like e-cue and thrill are highly skillful and very experienced, gigs come to them for those reasons. It would take the average musician who put together a stoodio quite a few years until they gained the experience these boyz have attained. Not only that but the av muso would not be able to attract clients of the same league like the said guys above. In that time peeps like e-cue and thrill would have moved into bigger and better things in addition to their skills advancing way beyond others.

I think its also a financial thing. I mean, id love to rinse out in the studio for a coupla days with one of these guys and run thru some technics, but the reality is, their high profiles demand amounts of money id not be able to afford (well maybe i could but many others wouldnt) so in reality id doubt the average muso with gear would take any work away from them.

Those are purely my thoughts on the subject.

[Telecastr]

i agree with loudist. i can't tell you how many friends i've got that are doing the commercial music major thing, or are done with school but still never got any real experience while there and come running to me to pick my brain about stuff because i quit "regular college" to go to technical school instead and also get some real experience. In a way I want to help them out, and i do help them, but at the same time it can get pretty annoying when they pick your brain about stuff only to go record their album themselves after doing so. i have a friend who is a comm mus major, and in a band that wanted me to record his band's album. everything was good to go and then next thing i hear they are doing it themselves b/c then it wouldn't cost any money. oh well. it's their loss. as the old saying goes...you get what you pay for.

[Jules]

A few random thoughts in no particular order.

Although I am sure some people try to, I don't believe it's possible to pick up 'personality' via the internet and when dealing with artistic endevors, personality counts for a lot.

In times of slowdown, wanting to lock down ones assets to secure them can be an understandable attitude.

Several times I've picked up a (perhaps wrong) vibe about the New York studio scene as one that is rather 'stingy' or a little unhelpful to strangers, new arrivals or folks struggling... But this ain't N-Y-C BAY-BEE (or Iowa)- THIS IS THE WORLD-WIDE NET!

Perhaps my views are colored by the fact that I deal almost exclusivly with bands - I am hired because they like the assistance in making descisions and it stops them arguing amongst themselves. I can see that solo based artists could skip off with some recording tips and never require my services again - but fortunately for me, as I say, it's all bands round here.....

[Teacher]

I'm one of those People you are talking about, but speaking for myself no matter how much I like mixing(which I do like alot ) if I had the bread or was signed to a major I'd much rather hire some experienced engineer to worry about the mixing while I worry about the Music. So in my opinion you got nothing to worry about loudist the musicians cutting there own LP's 9 out of 10 times are demos to try and shop to majors

[Jules]

One thing to add..

Often there IS NO 2nd album.

So perhaps the first album of stuck together "vibey demos" and a few producer tracks is ALL THAT EVER GETS RELEASED!

Thats a whole isue in it'self..

I think I may start a thread!

[zboy2854]

It's really no different than back in the day when I was an assistant at a big studio, and I'd learn ideas and techniques from the engineers I assisted. Sure, from time to time there would be a jerk engineer who would make sure I didn't see how he was tweaking a reverb, or not have me do a recall so I wouldn't see all his gear settings, but in general most engineers were cool. They knew, as I know now, that just because you show or tell someone a technique, doesn't mean it will work in every situation. And that's what it comes down to. Being a great engineer is not about the techniques, it's about the judgement and the ears, and you can't teach that so easily.

I've heard recordings from long time engineers, guys who have been at it for 10+ years and know all the "tricks", and the recordings stink. I also recently heard some recordings from a neophyte who did a project on Cubase and did his monitoring through some old ratty consumer stereo speakers, and it scared the crap out of me how good it was. The kid just has the judgement.

Ultimately, I've found that the judgement quality is what wins out in the end, and yes, people will try to go off and make their own cheapo recordings with "techniques" they picked up here and there. But most of them end up coming back to the better people who have the intangibles that make for great recordings, because it's about so much more than just "techniques".

[Dave Martin]

Originally posted by Teacher
So in my opinion you got nothing to worry about loudist the musicians cutting there own LP's 9 out of 10 times are demos to try and shop to majors

Teach, that means that he's got EVERYTHING to worry about; very few studios subsist on major label accounts. For most studios, demos of one sort or another are what pays the bills and keps the doors open. Whether they're songwriters demos, band demos or sessions that the local wedding band does to send out to prospective brides, they aren't major labels. And losing THOSE accounts are what has hurt the professional studio business - much more than the shennanigans going on at eh 4 surviving major labels.

[heinz]

Originally posted by loudist
It seems to me that more musicians are putting rigs together, then coming here to pick out brains so they don't have to hire us.

I think we are foolish.

Yep, I am here to pick brains. Pick Pick Pick.

You are not foolish, you are generous.

And all the text wisdom imparted means JACK until you actually do it in the real world and gain real experience.

[Teacher]

Originally posted by Dave Martin
Teach, that means that he's got EVERYTHING to worry about; very few studios subsist on major label accounts. For most studios, demos of one sort or another are what pays the bills and keps the doors open. Whether they're songwriters demos, band demos or sessions that the local wedding band does to send out to prospective brides, they aren't major labels. And losing THOSE accounts are what has hurt the professional studio business - much more than the shennanigans going on at eh 4 surviving major labels.

touche....retire loudist and become a carpenter

[flexoffset]

The same problem can be said for any online forum to a particular trade or profession.

You can 'tell' someone how to do it, but unless they have a natural ability, or have had some sort of formal training, they probably won't be able to put much into practice.

I spend some time at some forums in a different discipline than audio engineering and I give out some tips and techniques. In my heart of hearts, I know they're not gonna even come close to touching what I can do and I don't feel the least bit threatened by helping someone who asks for it.

I'm confident enough in my own abilities to not be intimidated by some wannabe who hasn't spent the last 15 years honing their skills.

If the musicians want to have their own rigs, that is certianly their prerogative. More than likely they'll see the error of their ways and if they really have to get famous, they'll sniff out a real pro and record with him/her.

You've gotta find a way to adapt. MW is an expert at adapting. He has established an additional source of income through his workshops.
(...not that a steady supply of clients would ever dry up on him since he is so talented, but he always could rely on the workshops to buy more cool gear and vacation time. )

my 2 cents.

[enharmonic]

I was taught engineering by Bill Mueller and Drew at Sheffield a few years back...and while they both helped me get my "land legs" in a real room, I barely scratched the surface of their knowledge and ability.

I know for a fact that I could pick Drew's brain or Bill's brain every day for the rest of my engineering life...and none of it will matter when they get behind a console...they will still wipe the floors with me.

Picasso can talk to you about colors or brush strokes, but at the end of they day, he can't paint the picture for you...know what I mean?

(and yeah...I knwo Picasso is quite dead...just needed to borrow him for the analogy)

[Telecastr]

"The same problem can be said for any online forum to a particular trade or profession.

You can 'tell' someone how to do it, but unless they have a natural ability, or have had some sort of formal training, they probably won't be able to put much into practice.

I spend some time at some forums in a different discipline than audio engineering and I give out some tips and techniques. In my heart of hearts, I know they're not gonna even come close to touching what I can do and I don't feel the least bit threatened by helping someone who asks for it."

flexoffset- i agree with you there. i think you should help people out to an extent. there have just been times when i feel like someone will call me up for a "consultation". by the end of the conversation the thought sometimes runs through my mind - "man should i charge them for that last hour of my time? becuase i know i definately didn't learn anything from them." these forums are great for learning from each other, but i think loudists point may be that there comes a point where when someone comes just to leech around for info and never contribute it's time to just go pay someone who knows what they're doing.

my reasoning for this thought process is simply this...like Dave said, "For most studios, demos of one sort or another are what pays the bills and keps the doors open. Whether they're songwriters demos, band demos or sessions that the local wedding band does to send out to prospective brides, they aren't major labels. And losing THOSE accounts are what has hurt the professional studio business "

I know I'm definately in that boat, so when you consult a potential client only for them to find out some techniques and/or gear used just so they can do it themselves you can kiss that project goodbye. in the end the project won't sound as good as if a real engineer had done it, but it will still sound better than it would have had they not went to someone for some tips, all while the band didn't spend much money to get it done. it seems like for a lot of unsigned bands if it sounds better than a garage recording, but isn't quite as good as a real studio recording it's ok b/c it's their "indie" release and besides that it might sound slightly better than the next local band's release. i don't know, on the other hand maybe i'm just a babbling idiot.

bottom line is this. those demo albums and are what keeps a lot of us in business so we can do the really fun projects.

[crypticglobe]

Hmmm.... yes.... I can see the logic. I think there is only once answer for those that want to continue be an AE, and get paid for it. Let's see... how to get to it?

Ok... let's start with.... I am a guitar player. I still think of myself as a guitar player. I toured, played in some signed bands, made money doing it, etc. I started engineering.... so I COULD record my own music better. And... I did learn a LOT of what I know... while in the fish tank, and not on the wise side of the glass.... by WATCHING what those guys were doing.

These days.... I am older... with most of the hopes of my rekindling a dwindling music career fading in the twilight, and I am mainly and engineer and producer (which I love almost as much as playing guitar... but not quite). Though, I have a steady stream of clients... I still think of myself as a hack, and I KNOW my limitations. Mix... is not my best thing. Guitar, Bass, and Drum sounds.... Look out... I will impress you! Turning a rough song into something that really shows it's full potential... THAT's me! Strings, piano, and other non-rock instruments... are a weakness of mine... I don't feel confident about getting great sounds there quickly... though I usually can if I have enough time to mess with stuff. So... what's the point? The point is... almost every single one of my clients comes to me because of my reputation, or because they have worked with me before. And... here is my Reputation: Steve is a REALLY fun guy to work with, and he will help you pull the very best out of yourself......

Yup... that's it. Not.... he get's GREAT guitar sounds (which I do, becuase.... ya know the... the whole guitar thing). I think as Audio Engineers/Producers that we do have to turn out a high quality product, but more importantly... we have to give our clients a GREAT experience. They will not get someone to encourage them in their basement (probably more like the opposite from an angry wife upstairs). They will not get honest, but gently delivered suggestions on how to improve their music. They will not get a "GREAT HANG"... and isn't that SOOOO important?

So.... we can't stop the masses from gleaning our secrets. It's the internet...and well all LOVE to talk gear right? But..... there will always be the crew out there that KNOW's the music will ALWAYS be better if someone ELSE they trust is twiddling the knobs. I know who to go to for for a REALLY amazing mix, and I do whenever I, or my client can afford it. I do that because though I have much of the same head knowledge as those people.... they have a different gift... and mixing IS a gift... just like any other form of creation. It's VERY rare for a musician to be a GREAT writer/player/arranger/engineer/producer/mastering engineer, and be able to apply ALL those skills completely objectively to their own music! Well, damn near unheard of if you ask me.

So... we just have to rise above the crop... and give people more than one GREAT reason to come see us for their next amazing sounding recording (that was a HELL of a lot of fun to do).

That's just my 2 cents...


p.s Good thread Loudist... and it was cool to meet you, albeit briefly up at Michaels!

[bloodstone]

I agree it kind of sucks some newbie will try to come on here and glean enough to side step paying any dues. On the other hand, a lot of "advice" offered on these boards seems more like opinion to me, and sometimes needs to be taken with the proverbial grain of salt. Ultimately, any information we get will have to be tested in the actual workplace, and might not pan out. Sorry to use so much slang. That's "lame".

[Midlandmorgan]

If I may...

I started out with a Soundblaster, Cakewalk Guitar Studio, and a mic about 10 years ago...it has grown to my full time business, thanks to some luck, some more luck, and guidance from pros that hang out on this and other threads. So in that aspect, I am one of the guilty.

Same side of a different coin: I've had former customers solicite advice so they could set up their own demo level rigs...usually without any offer of compensation.

Now, I have about as much chance to work on a major label deal as I do giving birth to a herd of mastadons...but that doesn't change the notion that for what I can do, I would like to make it as competitive and quality as possible...combine that with the idea that out here, demoing/renting high end gear is an absolute impossibility...therefore I rely on the input (pun intended) from people I know of either by reputation, name, or what I perceive as valid from what is posted on the internet...

Besides...how many people here or anywhere have lost a major label gig to me or any other lowball competitor?

Just my opinion...sorry if it doesn't fit in.

[axeman69]

Well, let me chime in here.

I'm mostly a lurker on this board. I'm not an AE. I'm a part time musician with a project studio that I use to write songs. I have a Beer-ringer console, an M-Audio interface, Sonar PE, an RNC/RNP (thanks Fletcher) and some inexpensive mics. I'm not trying to take anyones job or clients away. If we (my band) come up with songs that we wish to demo, we go to a local studio. That's the way we work. I'm not advertising. I don't record anyone else. I would never even think about that.

I can understand your issues. I'm facing the same issues now in my profession. I'm a application developer, and we've lost more jobs to India and other third world countries than there are SM57s in major studios. I belong to a few AD forums. If someone asks advice that has a name that sounds funny, I bite my tounge and give the best advice I can. That's because I'm a professional. I'm very good at what I do and sorry if this sounds conceited, but, I'm proud to be able to possibly mentor a more unseasoned programmer.

This being said, if because I have a project studio in my home threatens you, then tell me now and you will never hear from me again.

In advance, thanks for all the help you've directly and indirectly given me in the past couple of years making me better at cultivating my musical ideas. I hope I have the oportunity to work with some of you fine folks some day.

[Ted Nightshade]

OK, so I'm a brain picker par excellence, and I've been hanging here for a few years, getting my ass kicked around the block trying to record an album or ten, and having one 10 minute masterpiece under my belt- the 9 days wonder I did in sheer joy after getting a couple nice mics and a DA78.

So, I am really beginning to understand what kind of gear and facilities and skill and knowledge and taste and ROOM are necessary to do what I want to have done, and how hard it is to play several instruments and sing and write and do all that too.

So, chances are high that before long I will be hiring one of you real-deal guys to button monkey while I play, and these forums are giving me a very clear idea of which of y'all has tastes and experience up my alley and might be the right guy.

Because I've understood from the beginning, it's got to be the right guy, and they have to be totally down with my vision- I didn't know of anybody anywhere who would fit that bill. Eddie Kramer came to mind, but didn't seem likely I'd be working with him, and since then my vision has changed enough that Rudy Van Gelder might be more appropriate- only, I'm thousands of miles away and wouldn't begin to know how to get hooked up.

So, somebody here is gonna be getting hired by demonstrating their class and humor and taste and experience, and sharing it in a warm good-natured spirit. If I were a rawk band guy in the UK, it would be Jules.

A large part of all this can be letting people know what good recordings are really about, and what you can and can't accomplish in your bedroom. I didn't know jack until I checked in here. I did know that nothing I ever heard anybody coming back from the studio with sounded remotely like I wanted to sound, so with a little consumer-hype misinformation I set out to get my ass kicked around the block by this very demanding occupation!

[StefanColson]

I've learned alot of what I know from lurking at this, and a dozen other forums. I'm currently an intern at a good sized studio, I'm in school, and I've got a 15k or so project studio. I do band demos (3 or 4 tracks) for friends and friends of friends for a couple hundred bucks a pop, people that can't afford to do 4 tracks in even a modest pro room. When they have a bit more money, I rent out a big room for drums, and I do overdubs at my place. I'm probably taking business from some smaller places around here, but I have to work for pennies in order to get some word of mouth going, and to get some real experience working on my own. And over the last few years as my work has gotten better, I've charged progressively more money.

I would like to earn a living as an AE after I get out of school, but I know that building up the depth of experience that one needs to have to call upon, and honing my ears will take years, and I'll probably end up building my place one piece at a time. I'm not looking for free information to avoid paying my dues, hell, if what I'm doing isn't paying my dues (80+ hours a week between school, interning, working to pay the bills, working in my project studio, being a trumpet player, etc) then I don't know what is.

I understand the feeling that by sharing information on a forum you're giving away trade secrets or something, but the truth is we all can learn so much from each other (even newer guys like me can add sometimes), and I doubt that because Joe Blow guitarist sets up his Nady mics like some AE said he should on his drum kit you're really losing anything. Sure, he'll think it sounds fantastic at first, but as soon as he hears it side by side with a quality recording, reality will take a big shit on his head.

As far as the phone calls, that's a problem in any industry. My fiance's mother is a Dyslexia correction facilitator, and she gets calls all the time from people who pester her with questions for an hour or two, and then tell her that they are wanting to try and become facilitators themselves. And think about how often people go into Banjo Center, or call up Slickwater to learn all that they can about a product, then go order it for 5 bucks less on the internet. It's a part of business.

[StoneinaPond]

Generosity.

"The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit."

-Nelson Henderson

[Angelo M]

I have been teaching an audio production class in a community college for over 20 years. In the beginning it was an academic sort of thing but nowadays half my students have a home studio rig of some sort and there are always a few that are actually "opening" a place. Sometimes with a bigger budget than mine.

Not only do I teach them in the class, but I am quite free with the advice outside of class. I am still in e-mail contact with students going back years.

I have been asked (and I have asked myself) aren't I just training my competition? Or as Loudist puts it, digging my own grave? Well, I suppose on one level I AM - but what is the alternative? Is the trend for home studios and bedroom computer rigs going to go away? Not likely, and certainly not due to MY efforts to be stingy about my knowledge. Might as well try to hold back the tide.

Here are some side benefits of being a mentor to others and being percieved as a "guru" if even on a modest scale:

I get paid to teach my classes at the college- the rate is less than I make for studio time- but it is money I can count on

I have a steady stream of potential assistants and interns - and I am confident about who they are and what they know.

I often get hired as a consultant to come over and help someone set up their new studio. Former students who are musicians or rappers and DON'T have their own studios (an increasing rarity these days!) sometime actually book time in my studio - though I have a policy that I don't book currently enrolled students.

I get hired to do one-on-one Private Lessons - usually for mixing and Pro Tools editing. Sometimes for drum tracking or something.

When the student realizes how hard mixing is- that they aren't going to learn how to Mix in 2 easy lessons- I often get handed over the job of mixing the "important" stuff

Former students are always hooking me up- with a gig, with a cool idea, with a deal on new or used gear.

Now admittedly these things are all happening for me on the local level- the internet is different story but I believe that good Karma is Good Karma.

Recently I even got contacted by a fellow engineer who wants to go into the Teaching thing and wants to pick my brain. Should I draw the line?

I come to the internet forums and learn a lot from MY gurus. You have to network Down as well as Up.

Like Produceher says: "Come on, hiding your tricks just stops you from learning new ones."

[radiospace]

If you don't have anything to offer your client beyond what can be picked up by reading this forum, then you don't have any business charging money anyway.

[Renie]

Originally posted by loudist
It seems to me that more musicians are putting rigs together, then coming here to pick out brains so they don't have to hire us.

I think we are foolish.

MW has the right idea... hold workshops and get paid to transmit hard earned knowledge.

Just a thought.

I think you have a valid point. The internet, with it's information sharing, combined with the cheap virtual high end technology available is having it's impact. The impact will be felt more strongly over time.

However, for talented, skilled, experienced, creative and adaptive minds there are and will be more new potential avenues for creating money. MW has the right idea, he gives on the forums but he's clued into the climate.

[2leod]

I think Renie is right about MW... it could probably be argued that without his presence on forums like this the workshops wouldn't generate as much interest. I'm just not sure that everyone who has the experience to, could do what he does at the workshops (typing hypothetically of course, not having attended one). Not everyone is a teacher or can really involve those willing to learn in what they do, and I'm willing to bet that no amount of advice (opinion) found here comes close to seeing and hearing it happen in front of you.
JMHO, YMMV, ETC, NTTAWWT, IYKWIM...

[jazzius II]

You can give someone your best, hardest earned trick, but if they're not ready for it, they can do nothing with it.

Maybe only in ten years they'll think: "****, that's a good one".

It's like gear........there's plenty of people who buy Manley, Cranesong etc and they're stuff still sounds like crap....

..same with info......it's what you do with it that counts.

I'm with slippy......give it up!

[Thermionic]

It seems to me that more musicians are putting rigs together, then coming here to pick out brains so they don't have to hire us.

Glad you started this thread Loudist, fascinating topic. However, I will respectfully disagree with the above conclusion for the following reasons:

If you don’t have the experience in the first place, most of what you read here will be gobbledegook to you.

I would argue that most audio forums pose more questions than they answer for someone without aptitude (not to mention one or two that hand out scary advice…) , and probably create more work for professionals. I have experience to support this tutoring people; when sending them links to web-discussions they often reply “WTF?” Without passion and practice it means nothing.

There probably are exceptions of lurkers plotting to replace us old bastards, but they would have studied the shit anyway whether the internet existed or not.

I’m with Mr Slipper on this one, try and hand it down - you don’t want a whole generation to think the pinnacle of studio apparatus is FruityLoops do you?

Cheers,
Justin

[steins]

Originally posted by slipperman
Ahhh.... Fark it.

We're here for a minnit and then we're gone.

Have fun. Stay busy. Pass the torch.

Give it away. Give it all away.

Then it will not be lost.

Best to all.

SM.

I share that philosophy! You got to look at the big picture

But then again......I'm drunk at the moment...

Stein Tore

[LTA]

Originally posted by loudist
It seems to me that more musicians are putting rigs together, then coming here to pick out brains so they don't have to hire us.

In all honesty, i think the rise of MDMs back in the early '90s was a bigger detriment than picking our brains. I was an up and coming musician in a band at the time (high school of course), and there were ADAT "pro" commercial studios popping up everywhere. Cheap prices made them attractive. Not one album we ever made at 15 dollars an hour was worth the effort. I even managed to track down the original adats, and i can say it wasn't the mixing that made them crap. Keep in mind, the engineers we dealt with were career people, and these were made in their studios.

I always felt i could do it better if i had the opportunity. So i picked people's brains, read books, asked questions, and overall just payed attention and listened. It didn't take a quick purchase and a day reading the manual to figure it out. If these boards had been available, i would have asked how to eq this and that, and probably gotten 20 answers that all canceled out in the end, and since i wasn't ready to understand them, i would have dismissed them all.

I do feel these boards (not just GS) are bad for another reason. It is really hard to tell the experience somebody has judged on their online persona. There are plenty of urban legends that get passed on as fact here, but they are easy to sort out if you've heard them before. I believe these boards cause a homogenization of ideas, a series of safe answers. People don't tell their mixing secrets, because they don't make sense to other people that haven't figured it out already. Its not that they won't, but rather it just isn't feasible. People think the secret is the exact value of Q, threshold, ratio, gain, delay time, RT60, panning, etc. It's not. Its what you do with all those available parameters that is the secret, and that can't be understood simply by reading a post or two. Same thing goes for mics and pres, and even mic positions. Now, what the problem with these boards is, some approaches don't have the results the user thinks they do. Opinions become fact. Opinion creates a paradox with fact. If the readers don't try it out for themselves and make their own opinions, you end up with opinions based on opinions, and a dilution of the knowledge actually being presented.

Plus, i don't think "newbies" really listen. I've seen threads were a "guitarist" asks advice about what to get, and gets plenty of valid opinions. Then they go out and get something completely different. I'm pretty sure that works for tricks and techniques too, as i've seen established engineers here dismiss valid techniques too.

My job isn't being compromised, because i know i can work faster and go deeper than somebody with less experience, and that ability manifests itself in the final project. It is my dedication to my art, and not my surface knowledge, that makes me desirable at my trade. As a "craftsman," i don't fear being replaced by a calculator being run by a monkey. The engineers that became engineers because they could afford MDMs 15 years ago might be in a different boat.

[Brenton]

I have always shared and explained what ever the musos were interested in going way back before home studios were a possibility. It was part of the process, the more they learned about the studio operation the better they were at working in and preparing for the studio and for me at least the ones I have taught the most are the ones that keep coming back. Its a part of the vibe, part of the reason they come back.

Just my perspective

[loudist]

Originally posted by Teacher
touche....retire loudist and become a carpenter

Does Fender make a good buzzsaw, Marshall a chainsaw?

Does wood have 'undo'?

Good replies..all.

I have been instructing a seminar for Full Sail graduates this week in a studio (its like a graduate school concept). The amazing thing is how much money these folks paid (its up to 39 thousand) and how much they weren't taught.

What prompted this thread was the in person aspect of answering a question.
I could tell whether they 'got' the answer or not, and would try to explain it in different terms. Quite a mental excercise for me as well. I could see the light bulbs going off in their heads when they got it.
They were asking very specific questions about getting this sound or that.
I told them the old chinese proverb "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime."
I would try to steer them into the concepts of gear, not the specifics. Try explaining compression to someone sometime, it's function isn't mainly level control. I went for the voodoo, the why, the feeling, the results.
They were astonished. They never considered gear as extentions of emotional responses.
EQ/compress a snare drum so its a happy sound, or an angry sound... like that, and them showed them examples in real time on the console and patchbay. I showed them with different compressors and different eq's that very similar emotional results could be achieved.

So my point is two fold. Text can't really teach fishing, and as others have pointed out, the bread and butter gigs are being diverted away from well appointed staffed rooms.
When I was coming up, I did tons of those gigs and learned from every one of them because of the osmotic education I was getting assisting great and wonderful engineers. Also, I had a safety net where if I was in a corner, I had a consule in the building that I could show my conundrum and have a one on one voodoo instruction on the spot... deep concepts learned.
It's the assistants that are not getting the bread and butter mileage as once was.
I believe this will/is making less accomplished engineers overall... the conumdrum/mentor opportunities are much much fewer.

I spent 2 days helping this guy in the MP3 forum (marcellus, good band and song). Some of my suggestions sucked as I couldn't hear the results of those suggestions immediately. Its the nature of the beast.
If we were in the same room, it would have taken 10 minutes to help him, teach him a concept, and he's on his way. If I were still in the building, he could call me for an ear check and props (we all need props) to carry on, hopefully with a deep lesson in his pocket.

About the best instructive thing I've ever seen in text was slippys distorted guitar encyclopedic posts on PSW. Epic!

I just don't have the typing skills.
This post took me 45 minutes.