Preparing to work in a un-familiar studio?

[logic]

How do you guys prepare to Track and or Mix in a un-familiar studio?

1. Look at rooms?
2. Gear list?
3.???

How do you get best prepared for un-expected circumstances?

[mpr3]

1. Learn the patchbay asap
2. Listen to a few of your reference CDs
3. Walk around the studio banging a drum shouting 'Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Oklahoma!' and when your left nut raises a bit, mark that spot.

[7rojo7]

PM Fletcher he has the method down, he should probably publish something on it but royalties being what they are these days.
It involves checking everything from phase, alignment, what kind of coffee, the menu folder, what do they let you smoke, water, hums, rattles, RFI, bring your own case of adapters for quick fixes and more

[malice]

Originally posted by 7rojo7
PM Fletcher he has the method down, he should probably publish something on it but royalties being what they are these days.
It involves checking everything from phase, alignment, what kind of coffee, the menu folder, what do they let you smoke, water, hums, rattles, RFI, bring your own case of adapters for quick fixes and more

The good thing when sending a udge fax or email asking tons of details, checking and double checking everything, ask if some of the gear listed are not available (etc ...) is that the studio manager might shit in his pants when you arrive in the studio and ask why a bulb is dead in the rest room.

seriously, take your reference cds, that would be #1 in the list with the type of coffe machine

malice

[Jules]

Make FULL use of the studios fulltime staff.....

Only an idiot would walk in and say, "OK I will take it from here, you can all disapear"

People skills (engineering detective work, "where do YOU guys put the drums?") comes first, the practical phyical engineering practice follows on later.....

Be firm and get what you want, but dont discount advice from staffers...



P.S. if you want to be regarded as a total moron, moan that you have a perfect / better ____fill the blank______ but your left yours AT HOME! BRING THE SHIT YOU NEED!

(phone in advance to see what they have)

Assumption is the mother of all f**k ups

"oh I thought you guys would have a bass rig here....." tutt

[BevvyB]

Put the assistant in charge

Then gradually take over

Take everything you possess. Even that egg shaker thingy. 'Cos you know one of your friends will end up playing it at 3am thus 'making' the track. If you had only brought it.

[Wiggy Neve Slut]

My short list of stuff to take and things to do when going to a new studio:

CD's of work that i know backwards including stuff i have engineered and others that are just faves for me.

Bag of dats.. stuff that i have worked on in the past etc.

Rack of gear.

Phone before hand to known exactly how many extra patch points there are to insert my rack into.... and more importantly if they have the right sort of leads/cables to get my rack into the patchbay.

Phone/email mic selection and outboard if they have to come from a pool stock of gear before hand to find out what is and what isnt booked out.

Get to know the assistant and dont be a **** to them cos they will and have the capacity to make or break the session.--refer to assistant section.

Find out what else has been tracked or mixed their and bring the finnished cd into the control room and listen for differences/similarities.

Find out where the food and booze are... booze not mandatory buthelps to keep bands happy!

Load in the day before if at all possible.. makes it easier on the day.

ASSISTANT SECTION:

Be honest with them!

ask what the funky channels on the mixer are and what the faults of the 2" etc

When it was last aligned and to what spec.

How fast does the 2" drop in and out.

Find out where they think the best spot for drums is DO NOT ASSUME the best spot.

Ask about the mics.. which ones sound the best etc and let them now what you are planning so they can pull out the mics which you want and let them have input into the mic selection as thier mics may be different from ones that you ahve used or owned and work well in that particular studio. (assumed that they have an idea of what is what and sounds good etc)

Get there early as possible.

Good parking that wont mean u need to move it to avoid parking cops grudge

coffee and beverages.

Bring everything u have and i mean it even if u dont think u will use it.... better tot be prepared than lacking..

Cheers
Wiggy