At what stage of a albums planning do you get the call?

[Jules]

As a dedicated "Mixer" that is not doing any recording these days...

What percentage of your mixing services are:

Pre planned BEFORE the project is started?
Decided on 'mid project'?
A 'take over' or a 'remix' from a producer who hasn't managed to deliver?
Or another scenario....?

Any insights on when you come to the forefront of A&R / Management & artists final decision?

As far as you can tell....when do you usually "get the gig"?

Thanks very much in advance,

[Michael Brauer]

It’s a bit of everything really. Sometimes I put time on hold to mix a record that hasn’t yet been recorded, but most of the time I get a call as the project is finishing. I do a lot of work remixing radio singles (more for London than here) which generally takes place after the album is out and they are deciding what’s going to radio and for what format.

I also do a large amount of work remixing albums. The record is turned in and they don’t like the direction, sonics or it’s not sounding current etc. They may reproduce some of it and then bring it to me to remix. I don’t do additional production. I can, but I don’t want to. I just want to mix. I’m pretty good at refocusing the direction of a song with what I have to work with. These last minute calls come in a form of a controlled panic that sound like this; “I need it mixed next week, ppppleease! And ooh by the way, we blew our budget mixing the first time around”….”gee I’m sorry to hear that…do I know you?”.

Much of my work is mixing on the first go around. I get the call about a month before completion. The call comes to my manager a lot of the time. But, often it’s also from Producers or A&R that I’ve been working with for a long time and have become friends. I prefer they call me first, and my manager encourages it. When they feel free to call me, it establishes a much more direct line of communication. Too many times in the past, I find out I missed a cool project because they were told I was too busy for them or some million other reasons.

As to why they come up with my name over someone else? I offer to pay them to mix instead of the other way around..no,no,no. (I can see this quote being taken out of context someday). Actually, what happens more now than ever, is it’ll be a “shootout” mix meaning they’ll give the same song to three different mixers. The one that sounds most like the direction they want, gets the gig. All three mixes can be great, it just depends on which one the band wants to sound like, which leads me back to my highly paid group of thugs that visit the band…no,no,no froggy.

So, I guess the answer is I’m happy to get the calls before, during or after the project is finished, just call me.

[djui5]

Originally Posted by Michael Brauer

Actually, what happens more now than ever, is it’ll be a “shootout” mix meaning they’ll give the same song to three different mixers. The one that sounds most like the direction they want, gets the gig. All three mixes can be great, it just depends on which one the band wants to sound like

This question might be a little "out of line", but do you get full rate for something like this? Do you charge them at all?

Or is it a thing like "If you like my mix, and I do the record, then you'll have to pay me for it" or "If you use the mix on the record, you gotta pay me for it"?

I hope I'm not intruding too much...I'm a mixer myself and am always curious of these things.

[studjo]

Michael what was your number again?


thanks for all your insight


Jo

[Michael Brauer]

Originally Posted by djui5

Or is it a thing like "If you like my mix, and I do the record, then you'll have to pay me for it" or "If you use the mix on the record, you gotta pay me for it"?

My manager takes care of those issues but yes, I'm paid my regular rate. I'm not the one coming to them.

It would be short sighted thinking to turn a gig down if a situation came up where no one is being paid in the shootout and it's worth going after. If that were to take place, the deal would be structured so that i would be paid if I got the gig.