Sometimes we get caught up in unwanted games while doing our engineering thing...
I have been in situations lately where artists screw up in a big or expensive way and try to hide it from the (major) record company. The problem begins when they want you to cover their butt by lying to the record company and/or the producer...to questions like "are they on-schedule?" or "have they finished tracking vocals yet" or "all that's left now is to mix, right?"
Now, I have a tough time with lying, so I usually try to say nothing or reply without words...and hope that the truth eventually comes out...though in one case, it never did and the A&R and producer were asking "why did it take you 3 days per track to mix the album, pushing us way over budget?"... when in reality the artist was re-doing and autotuning his vocals most of the days that we were supposedly "mixing".
It's nice to be cool with everyone, but in real life in this business blame for screwups tends to fall either on the studio or the engineer...unless you speak up and blow the guy's cover (and your relationship with them).
What do you all think...how do you all handle these situations when you get caught in the middle? And if you think the screw-up won't land on you, do you side with the artist or the label?
Jon
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Originally posted by Jon Atack: Sometimes we get caught up in u
Originally posted by Jon Atack:
Sometimes we get caught up in unwanted games while doing our engineering thing...
I have been in situations lately where artists screw up in a big or expensive way and try to hide it from the (major) record company. The problem begins when they want you to cover their butt by lying to the record company and/or the producer...to questions like "are they on-schedule?" or "have they finished tracking vocals yet" or "all that's left now is to mix, right?"
.though in one case, it never did and the A&R and producer were asking "why did it take you 3 days per track to mix the album, pushing us way over budget?"... when in reality the artist was re-doing and autotuning his vocals most of the days that we were supposedly "mixing".
It's nice to be cool with everyone, but in real life in this business blame for screwups tends to fall either on the studio or the engineer...unless you speak up and blow the guy's cover (and your relationship with them).
Jon
Sorry, That's the producers responsibility. If the album is going overtime etc, then it's his problem to deal with. That's part of his job. And I suggest next time you are put in a situation like that, make sure you talk to the producer.
It's very important to make sure the chain of command is very clear. Do not take that responsibility upon yourself. And if it's understood that you are in effect co-proucing, becasue they want you to help get things done on time, THEN you make it clear to the artist that you can't spend all day re-doing vocales etc.
If they want to redo stuff, then tell them that they need to talk to the producer, that you were instructed to start mixing etc., but that you have no problem fixing stuff, as long as the producer ok's it.
So it's fine and dandy if that artist should f' up your relation
So it's fine and dandy if that artist should f' up your relationship with the label, who might have otherwise given you a lot more gigs than maybe he could personally supply for you? What kind of relationship is that?
Since he's the one putting you in this position, you should approach him and let him know how it makes you feel. Give him an opportunity to correct the situation. If he chooses not to, he knows you have no choice but to talk to the label.