You're having good mixes when you believe in the performance

[Ruudman]

It's Saturday, you'd supposed to take some time off.
But this mix is killing you, haunting you even when you're at the movies.
Why won't the vocals come through? I've done every trick in the book and then some!

Then you remember:
The lead singer reading the lyrics from the sheet while he was singing. The guitar player who never got satisfied with playing in the control room. The drummer who treated his hats like it was Hitler or something....

And it strucks your mind: I don't believe in this!
I don't belive the performance. It could be a smashing band that had lots of energy when you watched their gig.

But you didn't catch the moment.

Any good tips on making the band/artist doing their best?

ruudman

[Gie-Sound]

That's an easy one
Do it the Phil Spector way:






........ with a gun!

[Ruudman]

Hoping to use a non-violent approch!

ruudman

[Gie-Sound]

nah,

I would send them back to the rehearsal room. Tell the singer to learn his lyrics...
Visit them while rehearsing, check out if the vibe is back... then record them all together in the studio. Like a live-band.
(And maybe... I would tell them that we're recording just to listen back to it for adjustments.... so they play with less pressure).

0.2

[Jules]

Ah thats production!

Mental trickery
Bully boy tacktics
Bribery
Visualisation suggestions ("get this right and girls will dig your band")
Artist manipulation


Eample - I got a drummer to imagine a huge stadium jumping up and down to his drum track - it worked! It got the steady groove I wanted.

"sing it like you belive it?"

"play that guitar like a man not a little girl"

"you sound like you are acting, not singing, be yourself!"

"hit those toms harder or it will sound shit when it comes to mixing time"

"your past double tracking of evertyhing sounds like you are trying to hide weak singing - SING BETTER - the whole project will stand or fall on this issue"

"if the lyrics dont mean anything f**king go and re write them so they do!"

Etc....

[Ruudman]

Originally posted by Jules
Ah thats production!

"sing it like you belive it?"

"play that guitar like a man not a little girl"

"you sound like you are acting, not singing, be yourself!"

"hit those toms harder or it will sound shit when it comes to mixing time"

"your past double tracking of evertyhing sounds like you are trying to hide weak singing - SING BETTER - the whole project will stand or fall on this issue"

"if the lyrics dont mean anything f**king go and re write them so they do!"

Etc....

You have to write a producers guide one day, Jules thumbsup

ruudman

[Jules]

We all do!

[ProFool]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Jules
Ah thats production!

"sing it like you belive it?"

"play that guitar like a man not a little girl"

"you sound like you are acting, not singing, be yourself!"

"hit those toms harder or it will sound shit when it comes to mixing time"

"your past double tracking of evertyhing sounds like you are trying to hide weak singing - SING BETTER - the whole project will stand or fall on this issue"

"if the lyrics dont mean anything f**king go and re write them so they do!"

Etc....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


write all this down on the bathroom wall, so they dont get angry if youre telling them.
they all go to the loo dont they?

[Ruudman]

thumbsup

Some special info:

The origin of the "writing on the wall"- thing comes from the
Bible. But the catch is: the men who read that writing, supposedly died after reading it.

Sure hope that Gearslutz' bathroom floors don't get that messy!

ruudman

[thaddius13]

Originally posted by ProFool
quote:

write all this down on the bathroom wall, so they dont get angry if youre telling them.
they all go to the loo dont they?

That is the best idea. I have always wanted to say some of this stuff, but sometimes I can't.

I think that it would be better reading material than the pile of Maxims that are in the can now.

Sweet.