I need to build up my portfolio, and I hate to sound picky but I only want experienced people. This is because I want something that I can be proud of. Inexperienced people often make mistakes recording, usually due to metronome or nerves. I'm hoping to go and do a good Audio Technology course and want to impress some university people. So bring on the requests

Well let me be the first to say that you're going about it the wrong way. I'm sure you do want experienced people but have you ever thought that perhaps getting inexperienced in the studio will help you to develop and learn more?

Besides, this is not an industry where we can pick and choose and ultimately even when you are experienced you will still have to put up with metaphorical baboons in the studio. It's an industry hazard and you'll just have to get your head out your bum and get out there and record anybody - that's how you get proper experience!

If YOU'RE the one that's inexperienced, why on earth would an experienced act come to you and lay their career in the hands of someone like yourself? If all you want to do is impress some "university people" you will be kicked into touch pretty quickly by both your peers and the tutors.

Sorry to be so harsh but if you really want to progress (NOT IMPRESS!!!!) in this industry you have to start at the bottom and work your way up.

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James McFadyen
PULSAR/3

Heh I'm learning a lot from this website and I usually learn from my own mistakes. I figured maybe there'd be some people who are experienced who wants a nice free recording. I'd rather that than a person that is satisfied with a crummy take.

I guess I just want to see what I can get away with first before lowering my unrealistic standards.

I might well be going about it totally the wrong way, as I know NOTHING about the business side of things or demands, so I appreciate the input and it's ok, I'm good with harsh

hi yah, what sort of stuff you want to make? i play live and arrange music as well and i want to come and record stuff for you if you want it. i got a few materials if you need some as well. email me: ejlaps@hotmail.com

check demo recordings. all i have arranged myself but if you need a keys player for live recordings then thats easy. cheers

www.myspace.com/bahayrecords

hey skywalker,

would you shoulder travel expenses and a bit of food? cheers mate. lets play in the studio.

Quote Pulsar/3:

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If YOU'RE the one that's inexperienced, why on earth would an experienced act come to you and lay their career in the hands of someone like yourself?

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It is a classic catch 22 position.

The problem with recording 'amateur' musicians is that their performances can often be very variable, and as a result a learning sound balancer is left wondering whether the problems they encounter are down to poor engineering in some regard (mic placement, balancing etc) or whether the musiciana are doing things differently for every take.

It is for this reason that when training radio and TV sound balancers for the BBC, I always ensured that they got to work with professional musicians as often as possible during the training and considered it essential. Of course, we were in a position to pay a reasonable fee to the musicians and they were usually happy to come to the BBC and walk away with a free CD of their pieces (for their own portfolios, often). Sometimes we managed to get people in purely on the basis that they walked away with a disc (and, I suspect, so they could right 'performed at the BBC' in their CVs ).

In a similar vein, I well remember a session many years ago now recording some incidental tracks with a big band. I set up or the first track and really struggled to get a balance that worked properly. As I worked at it through several takes I could see the producer was getting frustrated, but by take four I got something that was usable and I conforted him with the knowledge that it was all going to 24 track, so we could revise it later if he wanted to.

Then we moved on to the next piece on the list and without touching a thing on the desk from the last entirely so-so take, the sound that came out was just magical. It was a huge sound with a full bottom end (rather than the weedy sound I'd be struggling with before) and great dynamics and rhythm -- everything we had wanted and expected from the previous piece. And I hadn't done a thing to get it -- the band just delivered it to me on a plate.

I learned a huge lesson that day. It is really all about the music arrangement and the musicians enthusiasm to play that music. What you do in the control room has little effect in comparison. I can't remember all the details now, but I know that all but the first piece were arranged by an American big band specialist adn they were just fantastic. The first piece was by a Brit, and although it was okay, it just lacked that magic. The band sensed it and we all heard it!

Hugh

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Technical Editor, Sound On Sound

Wow this thread is still going!! I thought it had died haha, thanks for that last post Hugh, that was an interesting read

EJ, sorry I didn't reply, like I said I thought this post was dead, I'm giving you an email now



This offer is still open to anybody wanting some stuff done.

Quote Pulsar/3:

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Well let me be the first to say that you're going about it the wrong way. I'm sure you do want experienced people but have you ever thought that perhaps getting inexperienced in the studio will help you to develop and learn more?

Besides, this is not an industry where we can pick and choose and ultimately even when you are experienced you will still have to put up with metaphorical baboons in the studio. It's an industry hazard and you'll just have to get your head out your bum and get out there and record anybody - that's how you get proper experience!

If YOU'RE the one that's inexperienced, why on earth would an experienced act come to you and lay their career in the hands of someone like yourself? If all you want to do is impress some "university people" you will be kicked into touch pretty quickly by both your peers and the tutors.

Sorry to be so harsh but if you really want to progress (NOT IMPRESS!!!!) in this industry you have to start at the bottom and work your way up.

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Pulsar,

I think you're being unhelpful here: the guy wants to get experience, and why not ask to record people that are competent and experienced players themselves? My college years were plagued with recording bands that were completely shite and, as Hugh rightly said, I was never sure if it was me or the players that were at fault. I often had really good ideas about how to make theses bands sound 'better', whether that be simple performance suggestions or arrangement changes. This was never possible, though, as the musicians were unable to act on my suggestions due to either not being technically proficient enough OR not appreciating the advice of someone that (regardless of tangible 'experience') had a lot better ideas than they did.

Just because you've not got experience and you're starting out doesn't mean that you don't have a good idea in your head - isn't that one of the reasons WHY people want to move into production, because they want to be able to articulate their ideas through a medium that sounds great?!

Also, we all know very well that there are plenty of excellent musicians that don't know the first thing about recording...

Tomas

Quote Hugh Robjohns:

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I learned a huge lesson that day. It is really all about the music arrangement and the musicians enthusiasm to play that music. What you do in the control room has little effect in comparison.
Hugh

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Amazing, what Hugh wrote in his reply is just so true.
One of the problems for some bands in a studio is also the fact that they don't play infront of a public, which in some cases takes the musicians enthsiasm down. This is also the reason why it is important to work with experienced musicians though back to Hugh's words: "It is a classic catch 22 position".

Now, Skywalker, are you looking for recording acustic / electric instruments? what kind of facilities do you have in your studio? Maybe getting in touch with some musicians from a music college in Cambridge wouldn't be a bad idea, I imagine some of them can be good.

Good luck!
Jonathan

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Pro. violinist who likes some experiments...
www.myspace.com/pagannini

Hi,

I'm a pianist, keyboardist, guitarist, banjoist, accordionist, mandolinist, physicist, podiatrist, and several other -ists with more decades of experience than I care to admit. My immediate repertoire includes all the music of 1959, including TV themesongs, 101 Strings, and the Reptilian scale in Eb.

I'd be glad to record at your studio. My only problem is that I'm in Western Canada and haven't the means to get over there. Does your offer include transportation? Surface travel is fine as long as I'm allowed to bring my own food.

I can provide my own picks, and, for piano, coasters. Please note that I do not play anything in the upper 3 EQ bands, leaving those frequencies free for piccolo, chair squeaks, etc. I speak a derivative form of English that you should have no trouble understanding when augmented by grimaces and hand gestures. I can also say "man" a lot.

Cheers, ander

P.S.: If this post reaches you too late and all actual music has been discontinued, I'm prepared to read hip-hop lyrics like Sylvester Stallone.

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Okay, I found the little 'a'... Now how do I add the circle around it?