Jump to content


Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

Shooting the Messenger


Recommended Posts

Having recorded quite a few live performances for local musicians, I'm beginning to feel the wrath of the blaming of the engineer for a poor performance. It seems that most people believe a poor performance is the fault of the engineer and many times I have had to break it to the "talent" that it was not ME that determined the performance, I merely recorded exactly what the audience heard. I've always been very particular about my live recording methods and many people who "know" have had many positive comments about the recording quality and mixing of the final product. My question is this, How do you handle the client who is determined to bad mouth your services, talents, gear and belittle your efforts, while still keeping your professional integrity in tact ?
Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Replies 9
  • Created
  • Last Reply
I once played a gig at a decent venue with in house PA. The drummer was asked to use the kit that was there, 5 shells, but wanted to use his own 10 shell kit - much buggering about and one very miffed engineer. Our live tape was AWFUL, no make that SHIT, no make that ABSOLUTE DIRGE. The engineer had got his own back on the drummer by putting a delay on the kick drums and taking out the dry signal so effectively the top half of the kit was out of time with the bottom half. The drummer learned a valuable lesson about upsetting sound engineers.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was in my teens, I recorded with a Gospel Band in Carlton Studios in McComb Mississippi. The guitars sounded so thin and lifeless and I know for a fact my Super Six wasn't lifeless, so I blamed it on the engineer as well. Though if I had more knowledge, I could've averted all that by suggestions of mic selection, placement, etc. I had no clue and just went with what was...not knowing any better. So hopefully engineers are open to experimentation and suggestion and not sewed into a set way or the highway. Live recordings from a pub are also alot more difficult than it may seem, so I feel for you.
Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in
Link to comment
Share on other sites

dagadget, What I've discovered, is that being a live engineer has required me to 1. Learn a lot more than I use in any given instance. 2. Become more forceful, more aggressive, yet more receptive to outside ideas, thus more "humble" 3. Don't give a shit who I'm working with. 4. With all of the above, treat every man like a man. 5. Don't piss on a club/venue/system/engineer just because their gear or expertise may fall below what I'm accustomed to. 6. Always strive to be a professional. 7. Clearly understand and be able to likewise articulate back to the client what they are expecting etc ************************************************************************ I can (thankfully) state that a fair majority of the people I've worked with have requested some of my HOUSE L&R mixes to tape/CD have requested such material for some type of release. For me, that was my foot in the door for doing lots or live multitrack recording. I've never been a "studio" engineer. I consistently deliver excellent results when I'm mixing FOH, or monitors - or with the tape / media feeds. In your case, I suspect the caliber of your work is (not yet!) standing head & shoulders above the stuff the acts are doing - otherwise, they’d recognize in a heartbeat on which side of the fence the shit resides. So, my advice.... 1. Go back through all the work you've done...listen, be critical of your work. If you feel there is little or no room for improvement on your part, get a 2nd & 3rd opinion. If they also agree, the next time some act wants to piss all over you about crappy shit...your work will speak volumes for itself. A few years ago I was doing FOH/ tour mgmt for a female act, we were on tour with four other groups in Europe & Africa. At one of the larger shows in Paris, one of the "big" guys from the other acts went to my act and made some disparaging (spelling?) comments about the quality of my work, etc etc... the artiste was very concerned, and against her better judgment, approached me. Of course I blew up in the worst way, wanting to confront this...DICKHEAD - since I thought I had done a good enough job in a venue with 12,000 designed to fit 18,000.... Long & short of it...? I was recording all the shows to my laptop (with burner built in). On the next "off" day, I had the band and act evaluate the 7 or 8 mixes to date. All picked (without exception) the "Paris" show for best engineering, AND best musical performances. Based on the opinion of one "drunk" or high "big name" act, I could have been facing my last tour with that act. So to conclude...1st check yourself through & through, then if your thing is "proper" go out and kick some ass. [img]http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] NYC Drew This message has been edited by NYC Drew on 10-17-2001 at 09:50 AM
Link to comment
Share on other sites

While working a seasonal TV jazz show, we would record (live) about 50 acts in a six week period. Same gear, same engineers, same venue, same sound system. Some acts would sound incredible, others like shit. The only thing that was changing was the bands. It's the weakest link thing. It doesn't matter how good an engineer is, it the music performed that first determines how good a mix is. An good engineer can make a good act sound good, but never a bad act sound good. You can't get there from here.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can personally attest to the fact that NYC Drew's mixes are phat. I saw one of his shows and it was killin'. ------------------ Mac Bowne G-Clef Acoustics Ltd. Osaka, Japan My Music: [url=http://www.javamusic.com/freedomland]www.javamusic.com/freedomland[/url]

Mac Bowne

G-Clef Acoustics Ltd.

Osaka, Japan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote]Originally posted by TinderArts: [b]While working a seasonal TV jazz show, we would record (live) about 50 acts in a six week period. Same gear, same engineers, same venue, same sound system. Some acts would sound incredible, others like shit. The only thing that was changing was the bands. It's the weakest link thing. It doesn't matter how good an engineer is, it the music performed that first determines how good a mix is. An good engineer can make a good act sound good, but never a bad act sound good. You can't get there from here. [/b][/quote] Tinder, I know EXACTLY what youu mean sir! Sometimes I'm working (meaning: FOH mixer) with a act and it gets so bad, I have to actually LOOK at the console, the inserts, the eq's the processors, I look at the lED's on the eq, the board, everywhere, I look at the cassette deck/CD/MD/DAT/Laptop.....cuz sometimes I can't believe the SHIT I'm hearing.... Soemtimes a bad group of guys (cause you can have 4 or 5 very talented people that can't play a 4/4 together) will make you feel that you've "lost" it.... NYC Drew
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote]Originally posted by gtrmac@hotmail.com: [b]I can personally attest to the fact that NYC Drew's mixes are phat. I saw one of his shows and it was killin'. [/b][/quote] Mac, All, Anybody want a good laff can email me and I'll send you a piece of a song or so - and thanks for the thumbs up mac. Did you catch Marcus Miller in August? His engineer and I go back a ways... NYC Drew
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...