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[Lone Arranger]

I wanted to tell you guys about what I've been doing that I didn't know I was doing...

I'm behind the desk this past weekend, tracking a young thrash band. They write their own tunes, most of them complicated, lots of stops, tempo changes, kind of concert grunge.
Good music, delivered with power and rigtheous headbang.

So, there are a number of places where its not so easy for them. They're stopping, I blow those tracks off, we start again. The energy at this point has the chance to go down. I've
been in sessions where the energy left at these points, and never came back...and bands blame this on the vibe of the studio, or the recording process being a real bitch.

It can be.

I come to a conscious decision at those times to (this is hard to describe) be IN their vibe, their groove, because it REALLY MATTERS. I'm behind a desk and in another room, and yet I guarantee you it REALLY MATTERS that I'm back there, my head bangin', dancing to it, yelling when the lick goes right, etc.

..instead of a) hanging on every note, HOPING they stay in the groove this time, or b) worrying about levels, chains, transients, etc

I mean, at some level I'm still there in the tweaking, riding the faders mode, but I've gone to to this place where I'm in the band.

you know...?

[Karl Winkler]

Absolutely.

-Karl

[Fig]

Kimosabie,

Quote:

you know...?

Yup.

The bands like it that way, too.

Osci-later,

Fig

[waxnsteel]

It's either that, or hire a cheerleader.

[brandondrury]

Every situation is different.  I refuse to fake it.  Sometimes the fact that I've been listening quietly and intensely makes it all that more dramatic when I show overwhelming enthusiasm.  If it's gonna happen, I like to do this when the vocals come together.  It's important to keep the singer expressing theirself and positive energy is a good thing.

I'm not completely gung ho about this "energy" thing.  Energy is an illusion.  I don't know how many times this "energy" has ended up being sloppy songs played too fast when I put the rough mix into my buddies Playstation 2 played through TV speakers.  

The biggest problem I have is knowing if things are what they appear to be and having the time to correct them if they are not.  

It's easy to say that energy is good.  Will your enthusiasm make the tracks better?  I would guess sometimes.  I like when drummers are pissed off and tired.  They play more controlled, keep better time and are usually way less sloppy.

Just a thought.  There are a million opinions of how to get the most of the musician you are recording.  I'd like to hear more of them.

Brandon

[Kennyd03]

Giving the band extra energy is a great value-ad to their experience if you are up for it. But doing it all the time, with every project that comes in the door, good or bad, can suck the life force out of your soul and cause severe burn-out. Do it at your own risk!

If you are lucky, and I mean, really lucky, you will only work on projects all the time that you are into. Most of us have to eat and pay the rent, though.

-KD03

[ted nightshade]

I prefer not to record unless everybody present is in the band zone or the fan zone. You can tell on the playback.

[Lone Arranger]

Yeah, faking it is really bad, and that's not at all what I'm talking about. I'm a midwife for their music, (if you will).
I have to be in the vibe or it can sound like poo at the end.

..and back there in the control room, they don't even know I'm in their vibe, but I am and it really matters. In that regard its kinda cosmic, aligning with their vibe.

btw, I've tracked maybe 30 clients in my time, and only one was
a pure drag. I mean I could NOT get the vibe or see any redeeming quality to help birtyh. Oh well..in that regard I've been very lucky..

ciao