Help: Studio Survival

Subject: Help: Studio Survival
From: Kim C
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 01:30 PM

Well, the time has finally come, and tonight we start recording our next project. I'm excited and nervous and downright scared, although I'm not sure why.

I've done this before. I've played about 100 or so live performances since then. I know the drill. I've got an excellent engineer at the helm. So why am I wound up tighter than a two-dollar pocketwatch!!!???!!

Subject: RE: Help: Studio Survival
From: MMario
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 01:32 PM

anticipation - anticipation is driving you wild

Subject: RE: Help: Studio Survival
From: Kim C
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 01:41 PM

Yes, I believe it was Tom Petty who said something about the waaaaaiting is the hardest part...

Subject: RE: Help: Studio Survival
From: Spartacus
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 02:23 PM

I'm working on a new record myself. I've been recording all of the potential tracks to a four track recorder, and converting them to cd before I go to the studio. This allows me to listen to the recording, work out glitches, add melodies or other instruments, and saves me the money of figuring all of these things out at the studio, which saves money. Good Luck.

-Spartacus

Subject: RE: Help: Studio Survival
From: Spartacus
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 03:56 PM

I just realized..."to save money, which helps me save money"...i'm losing it.

-Spartacus

Subject: RE: Help: Studio Survival
From: GUEST,Kim C no cookie
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 09:55 AM

Well.... we managed to get about 4 songs in just one take! Tonight we have some do-overs, but I expected that. I realized, one thing I am doing is over-singing. I don't have to project to an audience, all I have to do is sing to the microphone and relax. If we can get a few more done tonight, we'll already be half-finished! :-)

Subject: RE: Help: Studio Survival
From: Cluin
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 04:29 PM

This may come in handy:

StudioSpeak-to-English translator

Musician to engineer: "Could we have more band in the phones?"
Translation: "The singer is too goddamn loud in the phones!"

Singer to engineer: "I can't hear myself".
Translation: "I don't want to hear anyone but myself".

Musician to guitarist: "Can you hear yourself okay?"
Translation : "You're too goddamn loud in the phones!".

Bassist to band: "Can everybody hear the drums?"
Trans: "The groove is entirely absent."

Drummer to bassist: "Can you hear the kick drum?"
Trans: "The bass player is rushing."

Bassist to producer: "Could we have more steel guitar/fiddle/accordion/bodhran in the phones?"
Trans: "I will punish the band for rushing."

Musician to producer: "Could we have more piano in the phones?"
Trans: "The singer is off key."

Musician to writer: "This song has nice changes."
Trans: "It's amazing what you can do with two chords."

Musician to producer or artist: "This song sounds like a hit."
Trans: "This song sounds like another song".

Musician to producer: "I don't think we'll beat the magic of that first take".
Trans: "Please don't make us play this piece of shit again."

Drummer to band: "Should we speed up the tempo a couple of clicks?"
Trans: "Do you all intend to keep rushing?"

Musician: "Could we listen to one in the control room?"
Trans: "I'm hungry and I need another doughnut from the booth."

Producer to band: "Let's take a break and come back and try one more."
Trans: "I need some artificial stimulants to help me get through this session."

Musician to producer: "Were we booked for two sessions today?"
Trans: "Another 3 hours of this and I may have to kill myself."

Producer to band: "We're supposed to be done at six, but we've got only one more tune... why don't we skip our dinner break and work straight through?"
Trans: "You'll be lucky to be done at nine, and you'll be hungry as hell."

Artist to producer: "This song really sucks."
Trans: "I didn't write this song."

Producer to artist: "Trust me, it's a good song. Radio will love it."
Trans: "I own the publishing on this song. Morons will love it."

Singer to musician: "Can you play something more like (so-and-so) would play?"
Trans: "I really wanted (so-and-so) on this record, but I couldn't afford them."

Subject: RE: Help: Studio Survival
From: Kim C
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 04:39 PM

Heehee! Our situation isn't quite that complicated... it's just me and Mister and the engineer.

Subject: RE: Help: Studio Survival
From: Cluin
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 04:53 PM

Whoa! You're mixing family and studio??? Brave lady.

Subject: RE: Help: Studio Survival
From: Kim C
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 05:05 PM

It's better than that. I almost married the engineer in a previous life - he was my boyfriend in college! That was 15 years ago, though. While that didn't work out, we did manage to remain friends, and admittedly he IS a very talented musician and sound man. What I find sort of amusing is that he and Mister have a very similar sense of humor.

Subject: RE: Help: Studio Survival
From: Cluin
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 05:08 PM

Uh oh... Is he charging by the hour?

Subject: RE: Help: Studio Survival
From: Kim C
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 05:10 PM

Yeah, but I trust him. :-)

Subject: RE: Help: Studio Survival
From: Cluin
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 05:26 PM

So he's turning off the meter when the giggle sessions start? Good.

Subject: RE: Help: Studio Survival
From: Kim C
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 05:57 PM

Hey, I don't giggle! Well, okay, that's not true BUT when it's time to get to work, I'm all about getting to work. I don't like to waste time in practice, or onstage, or in the studio. Once the Work Switch gets turned on, it's ON. And I'm about to flip it Right Now. ;-)