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Author Topic: A crisis of consensus or how to tell a client he sucks!  (Read 13088 times)

Thomas W. Bethel

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A crisis of consensus or how to tell a client he sucks!
« on: May 04, 2010, 07:30:35 PM »

I have a long time client that has recently added singing to his repertoire - unfortunately he sucks doing it.

He brought in some material for me to master and I have to say that I was amazed at how bad it sounded. I tried for over two hours to do what he wanted done. In the end I told him to redo the singing or find someone who could do a lot of editing and pitch changing to what he had already done. It was that bad.

This is a long time client and I have done a lot of work for him in the past but it has always been instrumental and now that he has added singing it no longer works. He is all over the place in pitch and his voice sounds like a choked chicken.

I just wanted to tell him that but I did not. I could have just mastered it and forgot about it but I had a crisis of consensus and told him that since I could not do any mastering for him I was not going to charge him for the two hours. Not my first choice but how does one tell a long time client that they cannot cut it vocally???

Any suggestions?????
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-TOM-

Thomas W. Bethel
Managing Director
Acoustik Musik, Ltd.
Room With a View Productions
http://www.acoustikmusik.com/

Doing what you love is freedom.
Loving what you do is happiness.

aleatoric

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Re: A crisis of consensus or how to tell a client he sucks!
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2010, 08:13:54 PM »

I would suggest not getting involved with what you think sounds good or does not sound good musically.  Sonically is a different story.  If the vocals were to low or had to much reverb or whatever feel free to express your professional opinion.  Now if you simply think your client sucks at vocals I would keep that to yourself.  I have worked on some pretty bad music before.  The way I see it is that the artist made it that way for whatever reason they did and it is simply my job to correct/enhance it from a sonic stand point.  Also keep in mind you always have the option of accepting or rejecting any job.  

masterhse

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Re: A crisis of consensus or how to tell a client he sucks!
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2010, 08:44:13 PM »

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Tom Volpicelli
The Mastering House Inc.
CD Mastering and Media Production Services

Darius van H

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Re: A crisis of consensus or how to tell a client he sucks!
« Reply #3 on: May 05, 2010, 02:36:49 AM »

Just do the job and send the invoice. It's that complicated.

tom eaton

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Re: A crisis of consensus or how to tell a client he sucks!
« Reply #4 on: May 05, 2010, 09:38:48 AM »

Seriously... It's impossible to produce a recording at the mastering stage, and unless you've been hired as producer your job is to address the SONIC content.  If you can get connected with the artistic vision, and help that along, so much the better.  But if you can't make it SOUND better than when it arrives, pass on the job.  

tom

Gold

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Re: A crisis of consensus or how to tell a client he sucks!
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2010, 10:07:37 AM »

I would just keep the golden rule in mind. How would you like to be told your mastering sucks? Tell him in the same manner.
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Paul Gold
www.saltmastering.com

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Viitalahde

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Re: A crisis of consensus or how to tell a client he sucks!
« Reply #6 on: May 05, 2010, 11:10:47 AM »

If I were a hairdresser, I wouldn't tell a customer that "I can't your hair because you're ugly".
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Jaakko Viitalähde
Virtalähde Mastering, Kuhmoinen/Finland
http://www.virtalahde.com
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MoreSpaceEcho

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Re: A crisis of consensus or how to tell a client he sucks!
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2010, 11:31:04 AM »

thomas, has a day ever gone by where you weren't complaining about your clients?
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rankus

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Re: A crisis of consensus or how to tell a client he sucks!
« Reply #8 on: May 05, 2010, 02:08:54 PM »

MoreSpaceEcho wrote on Wed, 05 May 2010 08:31

thomas, has a day ever gone by where you weren't complaining about your clients?




For real.  Maybe you are in the wrong line of work?

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Rick Welin - Clark Drive Studios http://www.myspace.com/clarkdrivestudios

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"There is no crisis in energy, the crisis is in imagination" ~ Buckminster Fuller

cass anawaty

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Re: A crisis of consensus or how to tell a client he sucks!
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2010, 04:34:40 PM »

Thomas W. Bethel wrote on Wed, 05 May 2010 00:30



Any suggestions?????


You could send him the link to this thread.   Smile
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Cass Anawaty, Chief Engineer
Sunbreak Music, LLC
High Resolution Stereo Mastering
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dave-G

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Re: A crisis of consensus or how to tell a client he sucks!
« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2010, 04:44:14 PM »

Viitalahde wrote on Wed, 05 May 2010 11:10

If I were a hairdresser, I wouldn't tell a customer that "I can't your hair because you're ugly".

Well, now we know why you shave your head.

(hides)

-dave
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DAVE GREENBERG
SONOPOD MASTERING

Thomas W. Bethel

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Re: A crisis of consensus or how to tell a client he sucks!
« Reply #11 on: May 05, 2010, 05:25:28 PM »

MoreSpaceEcho wrote on Wed, 05 May 2010 11:31

thomas, has a day ever gone by where you weren't complaining about your clients?



I really have had a lot of problematic clients lately. Since no one else ever seems to get any I guess I want to know what to say to them or, better yet,  how you keep them away. Maybe it is the water or the UFOs over Lake Erie attracted by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame???  http://lewiscounty.goes2find.info/forums/showthread.php?p=17 6543

Sorry if I am bothering you.
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-TOM-

Thomas W. Bethel
Managing Director
Acoustik Musik, Ltd.
Room With a View Productions
http://www.acoustikmusik.com/

Doing what you love is freedom.
Loving what you do is happiness.

Thomas W. Bethel

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Re: A crisis of consensus or how to tell a client he sucks!
« Reply #12 on: May 05, 2010, 05:28:09 PM »

rankus wrote on Wed, 05 May 2010 14:08

MoreSpaceEcho wrote on Wed, 05 May 2010 08:31

thomas, has a day ever gone by where you weren't complaining about your clients?




For real.  Maybe you are in the wrong line of work?




I am in the right line of work it is just the clients I have been getting lately are really starting to bug me. Sorry if I am bugging you. Please go back to what ever it is that you do.


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-TOM-

Thomas W. Bethel
Managing Director
Acoustik Musik, Ltd.
Room With a View Productions
http://www.acoustikmusik.com/

Doing what you love is freedom.
Loving what you do is happiness.

Thomas W. Bethel

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Re: A crisis of consensus or how to tell a client he sucks!
« Reply #13 on: May 05, 2010, 06:05:58 PM »

About a year ago we reduced our rates for indie non signed artist. That seems to be when all the problems started with some very strange clients finding us and asking us to do work. As of July 1, 2010 we are going back to our normal rates. We may not get as many clients but hopefully they will be bringing in more well done materials. Only time will tell.
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-TOM-

Thomas W. Bethel
Managing Director
Acoustik Musik, Ltd.
Room With a View Productions
http://www.acoustikmusik.com/

Doing what you love is freedom.
Loving what you do is happiness.

Alécio Costa - Brazil

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Re: A crisis of consensus or how to tell a client he sucks!
« Reply #14 on: May 06, 2010, 10:42:31 PM »

Bingo!! You got it, man!
The cheaper we go, more bullsh!! we get.



Rolling Eyes
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Alécio Costa Studio
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