THIS IS YOUR SHOW AND YOUR VISION WHICH SHOULD BE REALIZED YOUR WAY BUT HERE'S A FEW TIPS FOR
A PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTIVE SESSION.
1) MUSIC IS NOTHING MORE THAN NOTES AND BEATS IN TIME! TUNE UP CONSTANTLY AND HAVE NEW DRUM HEADS (AT LEAST
ON THE SNARE), HAVE NEW, BROKEN IN STRINGS AND THE INTONATION SET. IF THE DRUMMER KNOWS THE SPEED (BPM)
AND CAN PLAY TO A CLICK TRACK (METRONOME, LOOPED-KICK, HIGH-HAT, BEAT, WHATEVER, IF I HAVE IT, I CAN LOOP IT) THAT WILL HELP
WITH A PRO SOUND. EVERYBODY SHOULD BE PSYCHED BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO SOUND RUSHED AND AT THE RACES.
2) PRO ALBUMS DOUBLE (AT LEAST SOME)VOCALS AND GUITARS IN TIME FOR A THICK STEREO MIX.
3) KNOW YOUR MUSIC WITHOUT VOCALS AND SOLOS WHICH ARE ADDED LATER. A STUDIO IS NOT A GOOD TIME TO LEARN PARTS,
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!
4) BRING MUSIC, NOTES, LYRICS, DRINKS/JUICE, FOOD, GIRLFRIEND'S PICTURE, YOUR FAVORITE
TEDDY BEER WHAT EVER!!! DO WHAT IT TAKES FOR A SMOOOOOOOTH SESSION.
5) BE PREPARED, EXTRA STRINGS, STICKS, DRUM TUNING KEY, WIRES, WALL WORT, FUSES ETC...
6) MAKE SURE THAT THE HI-HAT, KICK PEDAL(S) DON'T SQUEAK, THERE'S NO RATTLE IN THE
DRUMS, INSTRUMENTS AND SPEAKER CABINETS. CHECK WIRES AND AMPS FOR HUM/NOISE ETC...
7) BE ON TIME ! "FASHIONABLY LATE" ISN'T FASHIONABLE, AND IT CAN RESULT IN YOUR SESSION BEING RESCHEDULED
OR EVEN CANCELLED. DRUMMERS SHOULD PLAN TO SHOW UP AT LEAST AN HOUR BEFORE THE SESSION IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN. EVERYONE
ELSE (INCLUDING THE VOCALIST) SHOULD ARRIVE WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF THE PLANNED START TIME.
8) I'M SURE THAT YOUR FRIEND'S, FAMILY, AND SIGNIFICANT OTHERS ARE REALLY COOL PEOPLE, BUT
UNLESS THEY'RE PLAYING ON YOUR PROJECT, THEY SHOULD PROBABLY STAY HOME AND NOT CELL YOU EVERY 2 SECONDS.
9) COME TO WORK! WE DONT CHARGE BY THE HOUR BUT THERE IS LIFE OUTSIDE OF THE RECORDING STUDIO.
BE PREPARED TO GET THINGS DONE. ITS NOT TIME TO CHECK YOUR E'MAIL,TWITTER AND MYSPACE. THERES A WELL DEFINED PROCESS
FOR GETTING THE PRODUCT TO YOU QUICKLY AND COST EFFECTIVELY SO BE READY TO FOLLOW IT. THE ENVIRONMENT HERE IS VERY LAID
BACK...AS LONG AS PRODUCTIVE WORK IS GETTING DONE!
10) DON'T PANIC. THE STUDIO IS A NEW ENVIROMENT FOR MOST PEOPLE AND WE
WANT THE EXPERIENCE TO BE A POSOTIVE ONE. EVERYONE DROPS A NOTE HERE AND THERE. NO ONE GETS TO KEEP THEIR
FIRST VOCAL TRACK (REALLY, NO ONE DOES!). YOU;LL HAVE A GREAT TIME IF YOU JUST RELAX AND PLAY!
11) DRUMMERS, REHEARSE KEEPING A STICK CLICK TRACK GOING ANYTIME YOU'RE NOT PLAYING (INTROS, BRIDGE) SO THAT
THE OTHER MUSICIANS CAN OVERDUB THEIR PARTS LATER.
