The daily adventures of "Mixerman"...

[Dwarf]

[b]He pointed at Lance to dim the lights again. I understood now that it wasn’t that Willy disliked dim lights. Willy couldn’t roll a fatty in the dark. [/b] I'm loving this more and more every day. If I lived in L.A. I'd offer my services for free just so MM wouldn't have to deal with Dumb Ass any more. -- Rob

[Tedly Nightshade]

But think how literature would suffer without Dumbass.

[Dan South]

[quote]Originally posted by Lee Flier: [b]Yeah... so the user of a product is somehow not qualified to judge a product if they aren't capable of building it? Like if I test drive a car and I think it sucks by comparison to some other car, my opinion doesn't count because I can't design a car?[/b][/quote]The originators of Alsihad (the term) were not endeavoring to write a product review. Instead, they made up a silly name for it - which by their own account was inspired by the term's sonic similarity to "al Jihad" (nice, huh?) - in order to ridicule the product, its manufacturer, and anyone and everyone who uses it. They refuse to call the product by its real name in an effort to propagate usage of the crass nickname. I have seen (on other forums) their claims that Alsihad is now an industry accepted term. I believe that "delusions of grandeur" is also a widely accepted term and directly applicable in this case. So, Lee, if you would like to test drive, say, a Honda Accord and write a little review for us, by all means, I'd like to hear your comments. If on the other hand you develop a steadfast dislike for the car and start calling it the Honda A-turd on bulletin boards everywhere and try to get as many other people as you can to call it the Honda A-turd, and when two dozen other folks adopt the silly name, claim from on high that you have invented a new industry-accepted name for your despised Accord, then I'll have a great time razzing YOU, too, for delusions of grandeur, just as I enjoy doing to Mr. Felcher and his company, Missionary Audio. :D :D :D

[Wewus432]

Watch it Dan. I drove Hond A-Turds for years.

[Tedly Nightshade]

Alsihad was created in order to allow the expression of enjoyment by those who have a hard time liking something called ProTools. It's a way of shedding the previous associations (and a lot of hype) and allowing new mysterious and exotic associations. The name is misread from a Shriner's hat- oh those Shriners are sinister! What do they want with all those sick kids anyway? Alsihad is a mystery religion. I hear some Galahad in there too- ripe with non-tedious non-industry associations in a way ProTools will never be.

[Dan South]

[quote]Originally posted by TheWewus: [b]Watch it Dan. I drove Hond A-Turds for years.[/b][/quote]Me, too!!! And what a well-polished a-turd it is! :D

[loudist]

Dan South, you are inaccurate in your assessment of the origins of the name.

[Bobro]

[quote]Originally posted by Dan South: [b] [quote]Originally posted by Lee Flier: [b]Yeah... so the user of a product is somehow not qualified to judge a product if they aren't capable of building it? Like if I test drive a car and I think it sucks by comparison to some other car, my opinion doesn't count because I can't design a car?[/b][/quote]The originators of Alsihad (the term) were not endeavoring to write a product review. Instead, they made up a silly name for it - which by their own account was inspired by the term's sonic similarity to "al Jihad" (nice, huh?) - in order to ridicule the product, its manufacturer, and anyone and everyone who uses it. They refuse to call the product by its real name in an effort to propagate usage of the crass nickname. I have seen (on other forums) their claims that Alsihad is now an industry accepted term. I believe that "delusions of grandeur" is also a widely accepted term and directly applicable in this case. So, Lee, if you would like to test drive, say, a Honda Accord and write a little review for us, by all means, I'd like to hear your comments. If on the other hand you develop a steadfast dislike for the car and start calling it the Honda A-turd on bulletin boards everywhere and try to get as many other people as you can to call it the Honda A-turd, and when two dozen other folks adopt the silly name, claim from on high that you have invented a new industry-accepted name for your despised Accord, then I'll have a great time razzing YOU, too, for delusions of grandeur, just as I enjoy doing to Mr. Felcher and his company, Missionary Audio. :D :D :D [/b][/quote]Dan, even my stoned googlessment (google-assessment) of the origins of the word Alsihad came closer than the bullshit with which you at this moment overflow. Dig into GM's forum some, do some googling on the word, talk to some Arabic-speaking friends, buy the Dead Kennedy's Frankenchrist, whatever it takes to put some depth into your perception of the issue.

[Dylan]

[quote]Originally posted by Jeff, TASCAM Guy: [b][QUOTE]Am I the only 34 year old here who's edited with a blade? C'mon, there's gotta be more. Please.- Jeff[/b][/quote]I'm only 26 and even I have edited with a blade :D . So don't feel old, Jeff :p .

[mattzen]

Well, Jeff Tascam Fellow, I'm 26 and have certainly done my share of razor edits on 2" and 1/4". But....it's been over two years since I've done one as I don't have tape in my life anymore. :( I'm loving reading Mixerman's account! I hope the record gets finished for the selfish reason of reading the daily descriptions from MM. :thu:

[Trash Monkey]

[quote]Originally posted by loudist: [b]Dan South, you are inaccurate in your assessment of the origins of the name.[/b][/quote]loudist is correct, this term was created when Fletcher was helping the engineer in the studio down the street from me lost his lease and had to move and they ran across a shriners fez from the Alsihah temple here in town.

[Fletcher]

[quote]Originally posted by Dan South: [b]Instead, they made up a silly name for it - which by their own account was inspired by the term's sonic similarity to "al Jihad" [/b][/quote]No Dan... it was inspired by a FEZ in my office. The FEZ says "Alsihah" on it... but the day MM and I were talking about it, I misread the FEZ, and thought it said: "Alsihad"... so now one who operates Alsihad, should wear the Alsihah FEZ... Apparently, there is an "Al Sihah" Shriners Temple in or around Macon, GA... which would make sense... seeing as I got the FEZ with the equipment that used to be at Capricorn Recording Studios [in of all places...], Macon, GA. Take a Valium (tm) will ya.

[Eric Worthington]

Back to the story. Am I the only one who thinks they're making a huge mistake in the way they're approaching these sessions? Here they have a guy who is clearly not a studio drummer. They record one song on the first day, and spend days trying to shine shit. They completely ignore what we all know about human nature, especially people who don't have as much confidence and/or experience as seasoned pros. This diary so far--besides being a riveting read and truly funny--is a lesson in how to poorly handle a session. And the wrong way to go about producing a session, which should be about capturing a band's music, whatever that music is, and whichever the band. (Can you imagine trying to make the Grateful Dead sound like Steely Dan?) What they should have done was have the band play several songs, a bunch of time through. The next day, play 'em all again. Do it a third day if you have to. Then, you find the best drum take of each song. Chances are you end up using nothing from the first day, because he wasn't comfortable. Chances are, also, that DumbAss is capable, when it's all clicking and everyone is ON, of laying down a good take with good feel. (Believe me, I've played with DumbAss's twin brother many times; he's heavily flawed, but he's gotta have something or he wouldn't be there. He's inconsistent--but he doesn't ALWAYS suck, especially on the right song.) By running through several songs, by the end of the first week they'd have better tracks, that would require MUCH less editing, they'd have more songs ready to get moving on, the players would have been playing all that time, the vibe would have been better. The arrangements probably would have improved, too, as they played over several days; their individual parts would probably have solidified. The way they're doing it now doesn't save any time or money--because they're spending so much time laboring over one inferior take. It merely spares them all from having to do a lot more takes. But instead, they endure playing back the same old shitty take over and over. I don't see how this can be considered a preferred method of working. Are they going to record every song as they did the first one? It's certainly not too late for them to change their tactics. I would hope they will recognize that what they've done so far doesn't work--for this band, at least, and that they really haven't tried another approach yet.

[Tedly Nightshade]

Clearly it's a comedy of errors. I do believe we're supposed to learn from it- that's some redemption at least. I do think it's possible Willy is systematically ruling out Dumbass as the drummer, and I think it very likely that he is reading Mix's documentary! And enjoying his apparent omniscience, and the fatties. Politics is what it's about. Apparently futile moves are made for unseen objectives. Sad to think that the whole deal may just be a charade to mollify someone that the record was made- I read somewhere it's frequently easier to go through the motions of making a record than say no to certain somebodies.

[surfjunkie]

well, they went digital. i guess it must have been obvious that they would, if [i]I[/i] could predict it. i really love the chapter titles (like "Post subject: Day 7: 188 Ways To Kill Your Drummer"). it's going to make a great book. i've downloaded the first week, i'm going to keep collecting as each week is finished. nice that the band is getting to play, but this album is going to take forever. will it be done in two months (mm's commitment)? will the label drop the band? will there be a fistfight in the studio? (i'm betting on Eyore) will someone quit the band? will the runner remember the chocolate muffins?

[Chip McDonald]

[quote]Originally posted by Dan South: [b] [quote]Originally posted by TheWewus: [b]Watch it Dan. I drove Hond A-Turds for years.[/b][/quote]Me, too!!! And what a well-polished a-turd it is! :D [/b][/quote]You know, I actually am bugged by this, because after having a Honda Accord and having zero problems with it until it blew up after 160,000+ miles (sans oil changes, my fault) it's the best car I've owned. It's something that was designed/engineered right, actually did what it was supposed to do, and it did it well. I *wish* Alsihad was as good at what it does as an Accord is at what it does, that'd be a great thing.

[D. Gauss]

it's a great read. hope it turns out to be real and not fiction. kinda reminds me of the time i first heard the "tube bar" tapes.... -d. gauss

[soapbox]

Man, I thought I had it bad today, fighting both a sinus headache and a stiff neck. Poor [b]Mixerman[/b]! :eek:

[Eric Worthington]

OK, here's the thing I apparently have missed in this story: The part where they all sat down at the beginning and TALKED. Even though the producer wasn't there at day one, when he did finally show, I know if I was either the producer or any one of the band members, we would have spent that whole day talking. About what we're trying to do, and how we're trying to do it. Apparently, they are just now--finally!--deciding that, gee, maybe the drummer might try playing without the click, or playing more than one song all day (there's a concept, huh?) They hadn't even talked about--for this ONE song--who would play what, or amazingly, who was even gonna sing the thing. Who's record is this? Why does it always seem like, in these major label situations, that the band is put into a passive situation, and there's an Us vs Them attitude between the two sides of the glass? The technicians versus the pathetic, incompetent "talent." The best way to save this project would be to start over immediately, with a different crew. Get a cheaper producer and engineer, but ones who--while perhaps thinking the band is technically flawed--still actually like something about the band and their music. From Mixerman's perspective, the best thing to do is avoid belaboring the whole process--start getting some "live in the studio" type of takes for the basic tracks; don't try for precision over feel. Get a dozen songs in the can, and move on.

[henryrobinett]

My take is that it is either semi-fictionalized or fantasy based on a long list of real experience. Changing the names is one thing but it is simply too chancey posting real time diaries on the web. Someone is bound to find out. And it's almost impossible these days to find a band where the guys aren't plugged into the internet. Not that they'd be plugging in to that forum, but I just don't think MM would be that careless, unless he's all too willing to chuck it all in right now. It's a very good red though. Reminds my of Phill Brown's series in TapeOP. Re the drummer, in the real world a few years ago at least, they would have replaced him before they got this far. They should have replaced him unless the band insisted he stay -- and then perhaps it's either ultimatum time or back to the practice room for several months. IF it was a REAL BAND they'd stick with him, but this doesn't sound like a real band, not where the drummer's concerned. Maybe it sounds like a typical band, but not a REAL band where everyone is in it for everyone else. Without that dynamic happening dump the bastard.

[Kris]

My take is that this band does not deserve to have a record deal at all. What kind of a drummer needs 188 edits in 3.75 minutes?!?!?!?! That's approx 50 edits per minute right???? That's a complete joke... but a great story none the less.

[Henchman]

[quote]Originally posted by Eric Worthington: [b] From Mixerman's perspective, the best thing to do is avoid belaboring the whole process--start getting some "live in the studio" type of takes for the basic tracks; don't try for precision over feel. Get a dozen songs in the can, and move on.[/b][/quote]Well, I guess you've never worked on a major label session then. For one, when it boils down to it, it's the labels record. And it's not the engioneers job to "sit down and talk". That's the producers job, unless otherwise stated. Try and go into a session as an engineer with a producer, and take control. You'll be fired so fast, your head will be spinning, as your standing outside the studio, wondering what happened.

[spigotsaol.com]

I was thinking the same thing as Posterchild and Henry when I finished today's installment.

[Eric Worthington]

[quote]Originally posted by Henchman: [b] [quote]Originally posted by Eric Worthington: [b] From Mixerman's perspective, the best thing to do is avoid belaboring the whole process--start getting some "live in the studio" type of takes for the basic tracks; don't try for precision over feel. Get a dozen songs in the can, and move on.[/b][/quote]Well, I guess you've never worked on a major label session then. For one, when it boils down to it, it's the labels record. And it's not the engioneers job to "sit down and talk". That's the producers job, unless otherwise stated. Try and go into a session as an engineer with a producer, and take control. You'll be fired so fast, your head will be spinning, as your standing outside the studio, wondering what happened.[/b][/quote]I said in my original post that the producer or the band should have wanted to talk about the project. I didn't say the engineer should have. I'm not suggesting that Mixerman is to blame or should be the one to fix things. I think everyone's at fault here.

[Eric Worthington]

I agree it reads like, at best, a composite of experiences. With exaggeration to boot. Notice the other day, Willy arrives at noon. In the same paragraph, he lights up a fatty, with the time noted as being 11 AM. Hmmmm........

[Tedly Nightshade]

Fatties'll do that.

[Henchman]

There's only one person to blame. Willie. You don't blame the carpenters because the Architect frew up a bad design. Same here. Willie is the Producer, head honcho. That's why he's getting paid the big bucks. Either deal with the problems or stop trying to pass yourself off as a producer.

[surfjunkie]

i still think it's real, but maybe i just [i]want[/i] to think that. one thing i have noticed, mm seems to address in his chronicle topics that are brought up in the prosound comments thread. not directly, though. it might be better if he didn't read the comments threads. take away his prosound privileges until the session is over, he can email his diary in. ;)

[Tedly Nightshade]

'i still think it's real, but maybe i just want to think that. one thing i have noticed, mm seems to address in his chronicle topics that are brought up in the prosound comments thread. not directly, though. it might be better if he didn't read the comments threads. take away his prosound privileges until the session is over, he can email his diary in. ' But then how can we kibbitz?

[Philip OKeefe]

[quote]Originally posted by Jeff, TASCAM Guy: [b][/quote]I AM NOT AN OLD TIMER!!!! :) [/b] Me either! ;) [b]This is [i]destructive editing[/i], kiddies. You get one shot to get it right. Yes, it's still done a lot in big studios where analog is still godlike. In Mixerman's case, he'll be comping drums...taking measures here and there to make a really good section for a verse, chorus, bridge, whatever. Don't get me started on doing one-track window edits with a blade on a one-time performance 2" 24-track reel of 456. Scary ass shit!!!! :) Am I the only 34 year old here who's edited with a blade? C'mon, there's gotta be more. Please.[/b] I'm a bit older than you Jeff (I turn 40 on Sept. 30th), but most people would probably consider us to be in the same general "age bracket". Yes, I've done lots of razor edits - and even "window splices". Thanks goodness for digital editing... [/QUOTE]