Producing Like A Pro

[Jared MarsdenParticipant]

Hey Warren. Thanks for all the work you put into this site. It has been very helpful.
The following are some things that I think would be helpful.

1. I would like to see an actual session. I don't know if you have any clients that would feel comfortable with this, but it sure would be educational to see how you solve problems in the middle of the session. I also think that it would help to see how a producer actually interacts with a client as opposed to just commentary after the fact.

2. I would like to hear a little more of your opinion on why you think some producers/engineers/mixers are successful and some are not; what career mistakes to avoid etc. I know a few musicians/engineers in my town, and it seems as though the most successful ones are the "cool kids". Some I know that work extremely hard and have an amazing talent just don't seem to get as much business as the others. Maybe it's just the overall state of think or it's just my ill-formed impression.

3. Feedback Friday: I don't know if others in the group would be comfortable with this but I would like to know how far away from a professional mix are the mixes we're doing. Would someone pay for whichever particular mix? Could you indicate whether the problems you see are a matter of taste, not appropriate for a specific genre, or just not up to snuff. Like I mentioned, I don't know if others would be comfortable with this. You are extremely polite and kind when you're giving feedback, and I'm thankful for that. At some point I would like to get an idea of how far away from an actual "Pro" am I.

4. More stuff about the business end of things. I don't know anything more specific to ask because I don't know what I don't know.

3. How was it that you actually met people to work with when you started out.

i'm sure i'll think of other suggestions but i think that's good for now

thanks
jared

[Steve AParticipant]

^^^^ +110% ...

[Alex WilsonModerator]

Jared,

I have been trying to wrap my head around what I wanted to see and I think you said it much more clear than I would have. I would really like to see a "production" through the entire process. Especially since we spend a lot of time talking about how important it is to get it right on the recording side.

As for the feedback Friday, I would be all for hearing some feedback like that, although I also get how difficult that can be, considering even with the "professionals" you can have vastly different takes on a concept.

I would love to know a lot more about the Business portion as well!

Thanks for the post!
~Alex

[Anders IsbergParticipant]

Great stuff! I want to know more of all the above. Especially the business side of things, since it's extremely important, but often get overlooked. Creating contacts, dealing with management, A&R, record companies, artists, writing contracts, legal matters, shopping around recordings and artists, releasing material etc.

[JD]

Hi Jared and others,

I think your suggestions are fantastic.

I would also love it if Warren uploaded the absolute raw tracks of a song he has recorded and for all of us (or whoever's interested) to produce that song alongside Warren to a fully mastered and releasable single.

I know we all have varying types of gear available to us, but after tracking, the DAW's offer pretty much the same features in sound production.

The way I see it happening would be for Warren to produce each part and put it up as a video series. For example; Warren might firstly sort out the drums (compress, EQ, etc...) in the first video, then sort out the bass guitar in the second video, then vocals third etc... to the point of a fully mixed and mastered version of the song.

Please forgive me if this has already happened, and if so could someone please point me to the video's and threads for this.

Thanks.

John

[Lukemacneil]

I too would like to see the way you handle clients.

Eeeeeh... are you suuuuure you want that 9 minute solo there? You guys know this song has absolutely no structure whatsoever right... It is ok for the bass to play something different than the guitar... etc.

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