Producers: Being dominant but very like-able

[IzzyRock]

This topic came to my head after seeing another post here, about people skills etc.

Actually, this is something very tricky, and I've struggled for years how to achieve the perfect balance and I still find myself in trouble when dealing with different personalities that you're not used to.

Sometimes I'm hired by people who trust in my taste and skills, so whatever desition I made they accept it no problem. Sometimes I get more picky people that wants to get involved in every stage, and then you enter in the never ending game of triying to make them understand that you have more experience than them. but thats pretty hard to say without sounding like an a$$

Obviously if you suck at people skills, when you have 10 platinum records behind your back, people will most likely shut their mouths when you are in charge. In my case, I'm young and there is always smart asses arround. "Age" has been againt me so far. If i were a little bit older I might be much "dominant" to them

Can you all share your experiences about this?
How do you , as a producer/engineer whatever, deal with being the "alpha male", but without being an a$$hole.

I know it has to do a lot with people skills, like discussed in the other topic. but in this case, lets talk about when its YOUR game.

Cheers

[The MPCist]

Never had that problem even when I was 20 years old and in charge of producing an entire album!

Of course there will be smartasses around but the way I dealt with it was to kick everyone out of the control room and into the lounge (providing food and lots of drinks did the trick. Then the control door would have a huge sign on it that said NO ONE ENTERS! I'd tell them all to stay there and have a good time -- that was it.

That left the control room to me, engineer, and artist.

Worked every time so there was no need to show who's the boss(alpha male)etc.

[88fingerz]

Do the best job you can do, keep negative comments to yourself (spin them into hopefull constructive comments) and keep to your values 100% at all times! Your work will speak for itself as well as your handling of people.

If this approach fails in a given scenario, you can take some solice in knowing you aren't the problem and gave your best.

[joeq]

I do not think it is necessary to always be "dominant" to be a good producer

sometimes the artist's ideas are just as good as your ideas

when they are not, it is often less time consuming to try them out, and see that they don't work, than it is to argue about "why" they won't work.

With a strong willed artist, you need to be less of a director and more of a collaborator. Anyway, so much of our "knowing better" is ego, and we need to leave our own ego behind just as we attempt to separate the Artist's ego from his creation.

FWIW, I am talking ONLY about accommodating the Artist. Friends, hangers-on, posses, "managers", and lovers are not even allowed to come to my studio, as I don't have a lounge to banish them to.

Should one make it through my elaborate Security checkpoints and make a "suggestion" out of turn, they are simply ignored or silenced with a withering glare.

[blackcom]

Of course, if the artist have he's/her's/their shit together you won't need to take control, just strum along and be helpful instead. I'm talking about clients with poor studio-experience that needs to be protected from them selves.

Tell the client that as they are paying you , you feel its your responsibility to let them know they are doing something completely wrong and you strooongly and sincerely advice them to do different. Also tell them why!!

Drummer: "I wanna use my bassdrum as a snare drum to get more depth to the snare sound, cuz I usually don't hit the snare so hard"

You: NO! We are not going to do that, cuz it'l just sound really stupid. Well find the right snare, tune it perfect and then I'll kick you in the ass until you hit that snare a like a motherfuc_er. I'll tell you why well do this instead: blablabla bla common sense bla blabla....

(yeah very stupid example, but you get the point)

I'm never afraid to tell an artist what he does sounds like shit, but I ALLWAYS tell him how to do things differently so it will sound good. Don't bring that person down or ruin the state. Constructive critics only! I've had quite a few clients hating me the first days to later having them ask me for advices how to do stuff all the time plus telling me i',m the best studio-dude they ever worked with.

ANYTHING (socially) CAN BE DONE AS LONG AS ITS DONE WITH ENOUGH AUTHORITY.

However, don't abuse this. Just use it to make sure the band does not commit a production-suicide. There is a lot of bands out there that kinda suck but are able to make great recorded material when just guided the right way.

Your reputation is on the line here, just make sure the band does not fuk up your rep.

About the like-able thing.... be cool and funny when you do this stuff....tell crazy jokes all the time to bring up the state, treat everyone with respect, make'em feel they are under your wings.

[BLueROom]

I don't really have that problem either, but I think my bedside manner is pretty good. You have to let the band know that it's THEIR album not yours. Decisions are up for debate at all times (unless there is an ass in the band). You have to get the band to buy in to your methods and decisions. Constant encouragement and excitement about their work is paramount to them trusting you. Once they trust you, decisions won't have to be up for debate... the band will just tend to nod in agreement and get excited about how their parts are evolving. This only works if the band has material that you can work with and get excited about. If I can not, then I don't accept the project; it simply will not work out, in most cases. Let someone else who has a different ear take on the producing duties- that is always better for the band.

[Ahellam]

This is why a great producer/engineer has the ability to read the artist and go from there switching on or off the "dominance" to evoke the best performance/ideas for that particular band/artist.