Studio Etiquette

[Supernaut]

Apparently, you're not even allowed an opinion on this site anymore. Such a shame from what this place once was. 

[neepheid]

  On 03/04/2024 at 15:17, Supernaut said:

Apparently, you're not even allowed an opinion on this site anymore. Such a shame from what this place once was. 

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That's your opinion, and you're entitled to it

 

[Supernaut]

Wind your neck in!! 🤪

[nilorius]

  On 03/04/2024 at 15:20, Supernaut said:

Wind your neck in!! 🤪

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But truss rod will scream - no !!!

[Dad3353]

  On 03/04/2024 at 15:20, Supernaut said:

...

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Reported. 

[neepheid]

  On 03/04/2024 at 16:58, Dad3353 said:

 

Reported. 

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Are you being serious?  It was clearly a parody of the very rude user from earlier today telling me to wind my neck in.  I took zero offence to it.

[mcnach]

  On 03/04/2024 at 17:20, neepheid said:

 

Are you being serious?  It was clearly a parody of the very rude user from earlier today telling me to wind my neck in.  I took zero offence to it.

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That's how I read it too, that @Supernaut was bringing some lighter atmosphere by mocking the aforementioned rude user.  

[Dad3353]

  On 03/04/2024 at 17:20, neepheid said:

 

Are you being serious?  It was clearly a parody of the very rude user from earlier today telling me to wind my neck in.  I took zero offence to it.

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  On 03/04/2024 at 19:36, mcnach said:

 

That's how I read it too, that @Supernaut was bringing some lighter atmosphere by mocking the aforementioned rude user.  

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We'll let the Mods decide. Maybe I'm just having a Bad Day. 

[tauzero]

  On 03/04/2024 at 19:36, mcnach said:

 

That's how I read it too, that @Supernaut was bringing some lighter atmosphere by mocking the aforementioned rude user.  

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Indeed, a troll trolling a troll.

[tauzero]

Back to studio etiquette, and I would say that asking the engineer-cum-producer ( @cheddatom - how do you refer to yourself?) to give an opinion of your band is bad form. If the opinion is offered, fair enough (after all, they're not going to say you're shit so if they give an opinion, it's going to be good).

[cheddatom]

  On 04/04/2024 at 01:27, tauzero said:

Back to studio etiquette, and I would say that asking the engineer-cum-producer ( @cheddatom - how do you refer to yourself?) to give an opinion of your band is bad form. If the opinion is offered, fair enough (after all, they're not going to say you're shit so if they give an opinion, it's going to be good).

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If someone asks my opinion, I'll generally be nice, but will often say "I wouldn't choose to listen to it personally, but it's good stuff" or words to that effect

 

I'm an engineer or a producer, it depends what people want really. I prefer to get really stuck into the creative side of it, helping with instrumentation or extra hooks etc, or sometimes even writing most of it... but I do need the money so I'm also happy to STFU and just engineer

[Lozz196]

Must admit I`ve never really been one for asking studio people what they think of the material, if they offer an opinion or suggestion then great but otherwise I just acknowledge that they must listen to so much that that it`s probably seldom they hear something they really like.

 

That said I do like to receive input on arrangements/playing etc, on our current album which is due for release in June the producer suggested a few things on bass which I did and they certainly add to the tracks, never too old to learn.

[Supernaut]

  On 04/04/2024 at 01:22, tauzero said:

 

Indeed, a troll trolling a troll.

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I have sent you a private message. 
 

Unbelievable that you would insult someone you don't know and for what gain? 

[Mykesbass]

  On 04/04/2024 at 01:27, tauzero said:

Back to studio etiquette, and I would say that asking the engineer-cum-producer ( @cheddatom - how do you refer to yourself?) to give an opinion of your band is bad form. If the opinion is offered, fair enough (after all, they're not going to say you're shit so if they give an opinion, it's going to be good).

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I would have thought asking their opinions on the musical style would be wrong, but asking on technical issues (how to create the sound you are after in the studio for example) would be very sensible. 

[Crusoe]

  On 04/04/2024 at 01:27, tauzero said:

Back to studio etiquette, and I would say that asking the engineer-cum-producer ( @cheddatom - how do you refer to yourself?) to give an opinion of your band is bad form. If the opinion is offered, fair enough (after all, they're not going to say you're shit so if they give an opinion, it's going to be good).

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Sorry, the engineer what now? 😳

[Erax Sound]

  On 04/04/2024 at 08:51, Lozz196 said:

Must admit I`ve never really been one for asking studio people what they think of the material, if they offer an opinion or suggestion then great but otherwise I just acknowledge that they must listen to so much that that it`s probably seldom they hear something they really like.

 

That said I do like to receive input on arrangements/playing etc, on our current album which is due for release in June the producer suggested a few things on bass which I did and they certainly add to the tracks, never too old to learn.

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You'd be surprised @Lozz196. There's plenty of genres I won't touch just because I know someone will do them better. Pop or EDM for example. However, I have grown to like lots of material that I wouldn't have 15 years ago. 

 

There was a band I produced a couple of years ago who I ended up writing loads of synth and the outro bass parts for one particular song. The band's guitarist decided he didn't like some of his own parts and scrapped the best song. I had a joke that they did it to screw me out of mechanical royalties, but it really was an amazing song and such a pity they junked it.

 

Much like @cheddatom, I'll offer advice and suggestions if a band/artist wants them. If not, I won't, but I'll always ask which they prefer. Some bands want a collaborative experience, some just want you to press record and make sure they sound good. Neither approach is right or wrong.

[tauzero]

  On 04/04/2024 at 09:33, Supernaut said:

I have sent you a private message. 
 

Unbelievable that you would insult someone you don't know and for what gain? 

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No you haven't.

 

I may not know you but I have read your posts. Not taken in by your fake pearl-clutching.

[tauzero]

  On 04/04/2024 at 10:09, Mykesbass said:

I would have thought asking their opinions on the musical style would be wrong, but asking on technical issues (how to create the sound you are after in the studio for example) would be very sensible. 

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I meant along the lines of "how good do you think we are?", which I cringed internally at when Mrs Zero asked it of one engineer/producer (I'll stop saying "cum", it evidently evinces a strange reaction in those without the benefit of a grounding in Latin).

[neepheid]

  On 04/04/2024 at 12:10, tauzero said:

 

I meant along the lines of "how good do you think we are?", which I cringed internally at when Mrs Zero asked it of one engineer/producer (I'll stop saying "cum", it evidently evinces a strange reaction in those without the benefit of a grounding in Latin).

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I know what it means in that context, but I enjoy a good fnar as much as the next punter

 

[Mykesbass]

  On 04/04/2024 at 12:10, tauzero said:

 

I meant along the lines of "how good do you think we are?", which I cringed internally at when Mrs Zero asked it of one engineer/producer (I'll stop saying "cum", it evidently evinces a strange reaction in those without the benefit of a grounding in Latin).

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Yes, with you on the first bit, and even this oik dragged up in South London knew the meaning of the second bit. Some people just can't resist a bit of Frankie Howerd style humour 🤨

[Woodinblack]

  On 03/04/2024 at 09:39, MacDaddy said:

There is a difference between perfect tuning and well tempered tuning.

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And with a more than non zero selection of guitarists I have worked with, also a difference with those two and what they are tuned to!

[Stub Mandrel]

There seems to be considerable confusion between the roles of a producer and a sound engineer.

 

That said, I can imagine that inexperienced bands in a studio with an experienced engineer can get and benefit from more than just technical advice.

[tauzero]

  On 03/04/2024 at 09:39, MacDaddy said:

There is a difference between perfect tuning and well tempered tuning.

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And there's bad-tempered tuning, when the guitarist sulks because he's been told he's got to use the digital tuner too.

[tauzero]

  On 04/04/2024 at 16:55, Stub Mandrel said:

There seems to be considerable confusion between the roles of a producer and a sound engineer.

 

That said, I can imagine that inexperienced bands in a studio with an experienced engineer can get and benefit from more than just technical advice.

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I think it boils down to the engineer aspect being the recording of the instruments and voices, and the producer aspect being putting them all together in a pleasing way. Both may be subject to a degree of interference by the musicians involved, especially the latter.

[TimR]

  On 04/04/2024 at 23:06, tauzero said:

 

I think it boils down to the engineer aspect being the recording of the instruments and voices, and the producer aspect being putting them all together in a pleasing way. Both may be subject to a degree of interference by the musicians involved, especially the latter.

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Pretty much all unsigned bands will be producing themselves. 

 

The engineer is just there to capture the noise. 

 

Then there's the mix and mastering stages... 

 

In my experience just leave the engineer to do the mix. Letting the band have any input will lead to everything being louder than everything else.

 

As per my post of several pages back, the band must be fully rehearsed and know 100% what they're playing and have agreed what everyone is playing fits. Hearing the separate parts for the first time in a studio and finding out the guitarist is playing a minor chord instead of a major chord is too late. Especially when it then descends into an hour of studio time while everyone works out who is right and who is wrong.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 5, 2024 by TimR