How do you avoid bad things happening to your studio?

[Big 3rd]

Many of us work out of our homes. Many of us, the majority of the time, do rap over any other genre. Some have a complete commercial studio, meaning any joe shmoe and his boyz can come in and "work." And others have only a selected few that are welcomed. Now... having a studio and working with predominantly rap artists, as many of you know, there is a greater potential for the unwanted crowd to find there way into the studio, whether it's homey with the wondering eyes, sticky fingers, and empty pockets, or it's the d-boy spending his drug money on studio time while bringin Craig n em' that ain't doin nothin but takin up space and eventually plottin to be back when you ain't there because "you got that G5 wit 2 HD cards and dat bomb ass 1073 datz all worth about a good 17-20Gs alone."
Now... understand that I am black and I'm not just some racist bastard that's stereotyping rappers as mostly black male thugs. And I do understand that this CAN happen with any crowd of any genre of music, but, rap music has an image and SOME of its artists fall into the profile. Now with that out the way.....

what do some of you do to "filter" out this type of crowd or situation? What rules, if any, do you establish in your studio? And do you practice or have some sort of security plan or system?

I ask this because I'm about to have my studio up and running very soon, I'm in the hood, I got all high end shit and I do want to make money out of my craft but don't want any and every mofo in my shit. But you know how fast word travels and plottin just seems inevitable.
Anyone feel me? How do you run your setup? Holla back.

[Jules]

How about a sign up by the exit door that says these premises are proteted by .******* armed responce security company..

Some fake security cameras?

[Big 3rd]

Originally Posted by Jules

How about a sign up by the exit door that says these premises are proteted by .******* armed responce security company..

Some fake security cameras?

Got that. What else?

[Sobe]

you must have real insurance that will cover all your stuff (and I am not talking about renters insurance ) it is just the cost of doing biz if you are going to be renting your place out .

[Methlab]

I know some guys in the hood that have their studio in those secure storage facilities. Everything is temp controlled, and I believe their stuff is insured.

Have you considered an artist's only policy? No hangers on in your place. I know the vibe isn't the same, but I like that because as a producer, I like to have 100% communication with no distraction.

[Sobe]

the "Hip Hop" crew is just the worst ...sorry ... go with Lloyds of London .

[drockfresh]

On this topic - how do you guys keep records of your gear? I just started scanning the receipts for all the gear purchases so I can have an electronic copy for backup (in case my files are destroyed). My insurance broker told me its also important to take pictures of your gear.

[XHipHop]

Get a big ****in dog.

[Big 3rd]

Originally Posted by Methlab

I know some guys in the hood that have their studio in those secure storage facilities. Everything is temp controlled, and I believe their stuff is insured.

Have you considered an artist's only policy? No hangers on in your place. I know the vibe isn't the same, but I like that because as a producer, I like to have 100% communication with no distraction.

Actually, that is exactly what I was going to do. You're right it isn't as fun BUT I definitely don't want the studio to be misconstrued for a hang out spot. I have been to a couple of spots where mutha****as are just comin and going at any time on any artists time slot, interrupting. I hate to be a dick, but I will have to let it be known from the jump that if "you homeboy ain't on the song, he gotta kick rocks."
I do believe in having fun but it more about business.

[djui5]

Screen your clients and keep the place very low profile. Get a security system and cameras.

Or move your studio to a more reasonable neighborhood.

[robmix]

In the past I tried all of the suggestions mentioned above, but in the end, after a break-in, a fight, and ruined gear the only solution was no more hiphop or rap in my room. I'll still do sessions elsewhere but I just can't do it at my place.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by Big 3rd

Anyone feel me? How do you run your setup? Holla back.

When you book the sessions let them know the minimum of people at one time should be no more than 3-4(producer,manager and artist/girlfriend).

If they want more "heads" there than they have to pay an extra $20-$25 per head.

They either:

1) Agree and pay it.

2) Agree and let the "heads" know the policy.

So basically they take turns so there is never more than 3-4 people in the studio.

3) Disagree and don't book and in the end its better for you.

This policy instituted works pretty well and you'd be suprised how the artists and management are mostly in agreement.

[rickrock305]

lol@$25 a head. No offense thrill, but if a studio told me that, even if i didn't plan on bringing that many people, i think i would be finding another spot. Just me though.

Most of the time people are pretty reasonable, most professionals know that nothing is gonna get done if you got 10 or 20 people hanging out. But you always got the idiots who wanna show off or whatever, so i feel ya. I can't really say because i've never run a studio with my own stuff or out of my house or anything like that. And this is precisely why!!! Just so i don't have to worry about it.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by rickrock305

lol@$25 a head. No offense thrill, but if a studio told me that, even if i didn't plan on bringing that many people, i think i would be finding another spot. Just me though.

Rick,

I hear that.

Like i said it works sometimes and sometimes it doesn't.

Most people i noticed don't care because their concern is getting their project done.

But if you have to hire someone else just to watch your back,the place and make sure the sessions go smoothly at least you can now pay them.

[XSergeantD]

Well, I'll try again, my thorough thought got lost when my connection to here was hung up..
You can try a few things. First off, the producer should control who comes in and who doesn't - or the artist if it's their bill. So speak to him/her and get a count before the session of expected guests. When he asks why, tell em it to keep track of the heat load in the room to see if the AC can handle it (hey, I'm just a tech nerd, thats my first thought) after you dismissd mentioning that option to him, you can note that you have a policy of X amount of people in the studio, after that amount you have to charge him for security (guard). Now you can bluff a security guard, or speak to the local PD and see who's available on what nights. Worried about hiring from the PD, see what else is available, but we found that hiring someone that is trained to handle themselves...blah blah blah, and they're getting $ from you, so thy're not going to be hanging in the control room/lounge while you're clients are rolling up and smoking out.
Another thing, you can go back to the old days when we used to hold the clients tapes till the record label paid the bill before releasing tapes to them or the mastering facilities. But nowadays, it's kinda iffy about the drives, clients usually bring theirs in and you'd be responsible for securing the drive and keeping it safe. This way, they are responsible for anything that got damaged/missing during the session, and that gets added to the bill. This doesn't sound too feasable, but in the old days of tape, this was the only way the major studios could be assuered of getting paid.

[jibarosoul]

Two big ass pit bulls, a big ass pistol and a big ass fence. Also might not be a bad idea to have a sign in/out sheet for your own records/security.

[putney]

This is a topic I am familiar with. I'm in a less than desirable 'hood' in St Louis.

The first thing is to work with producers and hold them responsible. Confront them with issues, not the guest. They are also the ones that help spread your rep, (both recording and social). Let it be known that this is your home first and your studio second. I always tell 'em to treat my house like they would their grandmother's home. If they're not sure, they should ask (herb, head count, alcohol). It's about respect and demanding it from everyone, or shutting down a session and refunding money.

Also for the "wondering eyes, sticky fingers". It's good to let them know what you got, without offending them. If an artist is coming over with equipment, I walk them to and from their car with my 16 on my shoulder. This lets 'em know what I've got,(1 slug followed by 4 Buckshot) and puts them on the right side of the gun. I have cameras on my clients cars, and if there's any street action around the car, I stop the session and 'visit' the situation. It also has helped my rep to have had to use my gun on two occasions in the last 10 years.

Attitude is everything. I started out with comp candy dishes and soda only to go through $15 worth a night. Then I learned to be rude. Being an ass has gotten me the most respect, (go figure). I don't even offer water anymore. "You know you were coming to the studio, bring your own sh!t"... At the end of the session I allow a half hour of casual chatter before I announce that their on my wife's time now. You need to hold a hard line and not let anyone cross it.

My favorite is late and no-shows. These are worse than being robbed. To get my point across I tell 'em, "God isn't going to add two hours to the end of my life just because you showed up late." I've had pharmaceutical entrepreneurs put down a sizable deposit and schedule sessions. I let them know that they're paying for no-shows, and they have no problem. But on two occasions I refunded their money and let them know their money doesn't spend here anymore. Both times the response was, "what do you care, you're gettin' paid ?" Both times my response was, " In five years when I look back to see what I've accomplished in the biz, I don't want 'sitting on my ass' to appear on my discography.

Remember, at $60 bucks an hour you can't afford to have a pair of headphones disappear. In ten years I've lost nothing. It also helps to be good at your craft. People will protect your interest in order to protect their own. Your integrity is your business. I managed and engineered a studio bus on a national tour and the guy who leased the gear feared loosing his equipment if I wasn't sleeping with it. I let him know things don't work like that here, and after 8 weeks, 10 days of which I had gone home to deal with a family illness, we were only missing 3 pair of headphones. Not bad considering that he said Jay-Z's 'people' took everything.

Anyway, to sum it up: screen through producers, be an ass, and do good business........oh and the gun thing.

[putney]

Originally Posted by jibarosoul

.................... Also might not be a bad idea to have a sign in/out sheet for your own records/security.

I don't think I've ever gotten more than a street name from my clients. Do you ask for I.D's ? Record check ? That's insulting to anyone and creates a hostile working enviroment. That's when unwanted guns appear at sessions. Don't insult anyone. You can put them in their place, but don't insult 'em. Street mentaility takes over quickly if a client gets insulted. It wouldn't be worth doing business IMO.

[putney]

[QUOTE=Big 3rd].....BUT I definitely don't want the studio to be misconstrued for a hang out spot. [QUOTE]


Remember the three H's.

Ho's and Homey's are for Hotels

"Get a room for a night for what I charge for an hour"

Oh and NO phone! Make them bring cells.

[Duffster]

I worked for about 6 months engineering at a rap studio. The gear closets and cabinets all had locks on them. During the session the gear that was not being used was a put away. The owner of the studio told me that he had only lost two heaphones in 3 years of recording by implementing this. This gave the assistant more to do and also helped gave him the ability to keep track of everything.
The owner also had a lounge that had nothing worth stealing. The policy as far as studio goes was guests were not to leave the carpeted area of the control room, keeping them far from the gear. Guests were also not aloud to enter the live room or vocal booth under any circumstances. those who did would be asked to leave, and the session was on hold until they did. If any of these rules were a major problem for the client the session ended. The thought was that if you can't follow and respect some simple rules that are only there for the well being of the studio, you have other ideas in mind that aren't welcome in the studio.
When s%^t did go down I simply had the police on speed dial. You are a studio owner not a security gaurd and your gear is not worth dying for.

Get a mach 11 and a 45. Make SURE your clients see you leave at the end of the session with the Mach 11, and keep the 45 in holster that is taped to the bottom of your console or some other convenient spot. Part of deterring a theif from the street is to make him know that you are from the street also. Some time ago, I noticed Asian guys who opened corner stores in New Orleans hoods almost never got robbed. then one night I saw an owner leaving the store with Tech 9 in hand, and I grew to understand it.

Limit the number of folk in sessions, and also keep cables and the like in a locked environment. Keep out only enough pairs of headphones for the session invest inn cameras and lock up mikes and the likes until they are needed.

Also Try to find a place with few windows and one that is hard to break into

[Big 3rd]

The gun thing is taken care of. When the studio is up and running, my H&K will be at my hip at all times during sessions.
I'm planning on having cameras installed and able to be monitored from the computer screens.
One problem that I worry about is having to deal with street idiots that don't know how to act and when you tell them to leave or that they aren't welcome, they want to bring guns into the picture. See it's situations like that that makes running a studio a pain in the ass. I mean.... this is my f#ckin crib.
But I figure I have a good judgement of people's character and if I feel the slightest bit of uncomfort with any client, he or she will not be back.
Man ...just thinkin about this shit makes me want to get my ass back at the range. Gotta brush up on my target practicing.

[putney]

Originally Posted by Big 3rd

The gun thing is taken care of. When the studio is up and running, my H&K will be at my hip at all times during sessions.
I'm planning on having cameras installed and able to be monitored from the computer screens.
One problem that I worry about is having to deal with street idiots that don't know how to act and when you tell them to leave or that they aren't welcome, they want to bring guns into the picture. See it's situations like that that makes running a studio a pain in the ass. I mean.... this is my f#ckin crib.
But I figure I have a good judgement of people's character and if I feel the slightest bit of uncomfort with any client, he or she will not be back.
Man ...just thinkin about this shit makes me want to get my ass back at the range. Gotta brush up on my target practicing.

Let the producer baby sit. It's your job to engineer. If a crew comes deep, make them walk. DON'T insult anyone. A gun on the hip could bring drama. I'd rather let them know I'd bite their eyebrows off. That one can at least be laughed off. If you know you don't wanna do business with someone, again don't insult, tell them they have to work through a producer or just double your quote. They'll leave and tell their weak azz friends to go elsewhere.

You have to be somewhat street savvy first realize having them know that you wouldnt hesitate to shoot someone who steals your shit is a good thing. Most cats even street cats know how to act. You just have to avoid confrontation with them directly. Hell tell a story about how you had to shoot at someone who stole from you before and point to your 45 and talk about how you dont know what you would do without it.

You wont offend anyone and everyone will get the picture. Set some rules from the moment guys walk in the door. and make them understand not only is this the studio, but also it is your crib. YOU Lay down the law

[robmix]

I don't know, all this talk about caring during sessions makes me glad I put an end to rap in my studio. It's just ain't worth it. I'd rather mix polka and feel safe.

[putney]

Originally Posted by robmix

I don't know, all this talk about caring during sessions makes me glad I put an end to rap in my studio. It's just ain't worth it. I'd rather mix polka and feel safe.

Yeah, but you could get hurt falling asleep from a standing position and hitting your head on a sharp object. I definitley felt the need to shift gears, so now I just mix. I haven't tracked in almost a year. Much more productive and I don't have to share my beer with anyone.

I see you have an EAR 660. How does it compare to a Fairchild 660 ?
Reading about the design, it would seem to be a very musical device but perhaps 'cleaner' than a Fairchild ?

[robmix]

Originally Posted by putney

Yeah, but you could get hurt falling asleep from a standing position and hitting your head on a sharp object. I definitley felt the need to shift gears, so now I just mix. I haven't tracked in almost a year. Much more productive and I don't have to share my beer with anyone.

I see you have an EAR 660. How does it compare to a Fairchild 660 ?
Reading about the design, it would seem to be a very musical device but perhaps 'cleaner' than a Fairchild ?

I haven't actually played with a Fairchild 660, they seem about as rare as hen's teeth.

[putney]

Originally Posted by robmix

I haven't actually played with a Fairchild 660, they seem about as rare as hen's teeth.

I calibrated one for a client who just had to have one because he read that Dr Dre used one. Three weeks later his $25,000 investment had the transformer go out. I had been pushing him on an EAR 660 based on design philosophy and not actual experience with the item. I found that with the Fairchild no matter how hard you attenuated, the signal remained musical. I was very impressed, even though I didn't want to be. The Ear has a realistic price point for me.

[adrianex]

The way I work is pretty simple:

Before I let anybody book a session I ley down the rules:

- No Smoking, Drinking, Drugs or Guns inside the studio. If they need any of that to get "inspired" they can do it out side. (except the guns, I will stop the session).
- I got a camara in the Control room and another one in the booth and they are recording ($200 security VCR 1 tape a weeK) and let'em know I'm recording everything. And also have 1 camara at the lounge. Plus Alarms connected to several motion detectors arround the studio.
- We make donationts to the local police every year and we have stickers all over showing that we are VIP police supporters.
- and Of course I let the producer or who ever is paying for the session, that they are responsable for their guest and any damages made by the guest, artist, etc.

So far I've been 2 year working that way and I've never had any problem or any stolen items from the studio and I've got respect from my clients. Because they know my head is 100% in making a good recording or mixing session.

And I let them know that this a fun business, but its a business and if you wanna waste your money on getting a bunch of drunks in front of the mic or just showoff in front of your girl, friends or whatever, then you see this as a business, this is just a hoobie to you..

[putney]

Originally Posted by adrianex

- We make donationts to the local police every year and we have stickers all over showing that we are VIP police supporters.

I can top that...I actually record the cops.
They all are rappers too!