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CHAPTER 11

People Skills. Recording Isn’t All Technical!

NO KNOBS OR FADERS REQUIRED

In this chapter let’s talk about something that is not technical, is often overlooked, and is usually underrated: people skills.

It will be helpful to you as a recording engineer if people like you. You will work with all types of people and personalities and it will benefit you if you are somewhat likable. When an artist shares their songs with you, they are putting their very closest emotions out to be judged. A good engineer will be sensitive to the vulnerability that this can create. One of the easiest ways to influence a recording does not require a knob or fader, or any technical skills at all. It requires you to be positive and supportive of the artist(s). Not to mention, a bad attitude can negatively affect a recording session or performance.

Other non-technical skills such as time management and organization can come in handy. In addition, showing up on time and keeping track of your own schedule will be necessary skills for your success. After all, if you decide to become an audio engineer for a living, much of your competition will be musicians, who aren’t known for being punctual! Show up on time – or better yet, show up early – and you will only increase your odds for success.

WORD OF MOUTH

You are likely to get hired in the recording field through word of mouth. If the word is that you are difficult or unpleasant to work with, then you may not get a lot of returning clients or references for new clients. If an artist has a positive experience working with you, they are likely to share their success story with other musicians and return to you the next time they want to record something. Often musicians play in more than one band or quit and move on to other musical projects. A friend of mine, John, who owns his studio and is an engineer, says that he attributes his first three years of clients all to the first band he recorded. The band realized that they didn’t really like each other enough to continue their initial project. Members of the original band went on to create several other bands, which chose to record with John, because they had such a good experience with him the first time around.

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I have clients whom I have continued to work with over the years and clients who moved on to record with other people for a variety of reasons: they wanted to record in a new studio, they were looking for a new vibe, they were won over by studio hype, or they needed some new inspiration. When a client moves on, whatever the reason, you can’t take it personally. Many of those clients will return at some point. Again, if they initially had a good experience working with you, they are likely to suggest working with you again when it is time to record their next project, or to recommend you to a friend’s band. This is also why it is important to get to know your local music scene. Your local music scene is where you will find most of your future clients and contacts.

  TIP

You never want musicians to guess what you are thinking, especially if it is negative. Look and act positive.

While recording AVOID:

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VIBE

One of the intangible qualities that occur during a recording session is the “vibe” of the recording. Vibe is that underlying feeling that exists with the music and the people surrounding it. It is often up to the engineer to keep a good vibe going during a session by saying positive things, encouraging people to go for it, and maybe even smiling more than usual. Some musicians will light candles, put down a special carpet, dim the studio lights, or do a variety of other things to enhance the mood for a particular performance. An artist needs to be in the moment to perform the song at his or her best level, and creating a good atmosphere assists with that. If you can capture this higher level, or good vibe, it will make the recording that much better.

Pointing out things you like during a recording session contributes to good energy being captured. Don’t focus on the negative. Always tell an artist what they are doing well if they ask. For instance, “that vocal take had great energy, but I think you can do it even better” instead of, “you were kind of pitchy, try again.” Keep the mood light and accentuate the positive!

When designing a new studio, the designer often keeps the idea of vibe in mind. Elements that can assist in creating a good vibe are not limited to the recording space. A comfortable spot in the studio or outside that welcomes the musicians to relax, hang out, and get out of the studio can go a long way. A comfy couch, an espresso machine, a box of percussion toys, mood lighting, vintage equipment, or anything that says, “Come and hang out here, and create music,” can enhance the vibe of a session. A studio should be a place to escape from the world and create music. As an engineer, don’t bring your personal problems or issues into a session. You never want to risk bringing the vibe down on a session. Besides, it isn’t about you, it is about their music.

The vibe can influence how the music comes across. After all, you are recording vibrations. Are they good or bad? This is something that can’t be controlled with a knob or fader or the latest technology. A good vibe always creates a better recording. As in life, if you stay positive and move forward, good things happen. This also holds true when recording music.

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WHAT ABOUT MY OPINION?

There are two areas where opinions can be offered: the technical and the creative. You shouldn’t be afraid to express your opinion on technical matters, such as if the guitar player is asking, “Which guitar amp sounds better, the Vox or the Marshall?” Equipment choices, tone selection, and technical aspects of recording are typical areas where an engineer voices an opinion. As an engineer, your primary job is to record the music as best you can and not to put your personal preferences ahead of those of the artist or band. Some bands may demand or expect your opinions about the creative areas. If asked, choose your words wisely. It is possible that the honest opinion the band is asking for isn’t the honest opinion the band wants to hear! Don’t forget that you work for the band and not the other way around.

It really isn’t your place to give your opinion on things like song selection, song structure, band politics, or picking good takes. Those are the responsibilities of the band and the producer. However, many recording sessions do not have a producer so you will get stuck with some of those duties. If you are asked your opinion, you certainly want to remain positive and at the minimum remain neutral. Always be encouraging. If you do have an opinion on something you really feel passionate about, present a good argument and don’t get emotional. It helps to know the skill level of the artist or band you are recording, so you can accurately give them feedback. Don’t get caught telling the band or artist that they could do a better take unless you actually know what that band or artist’s “good take” sounds like. I made that mistake early on in my career, telling a band, “You can do that better,” and they came back saying, “Really, that was the best we’ve ever performed that song.” My opinion ended up crushing the band’s momentum. A good take for one artist may not be an acceptable take to another.

THE INSECURE ARTIST

Artists can often feel insecure. Can you blame them? They are sharing something very close and personal with you and a potential audience. This is especially true of singers and actual songwriters, if they are performing. Put yourself in the artist’s shoes: imagine singing and feeling like everyone is judging your choice of words and melody. For some artists this is a nightmare, especially for the inexperienced! If you aren’t engaged with the session, and you are texting your buddies, offering a big yawn, or a glazed stare, at the end of a take, you run the risk of affecting everything from the artist’s delivery to their attitude throughout the session. They may think you are sitting in the control room, bored with their performance. You will never create a good vibe this way. Even if you aren’t fully into the music, the band is still owed your full attention and support. This isn’t to say that all artists need special attention. You will learn over time to recognize the clients who do need special attention and provide it.

Some vocalists perform better with a small audience in the studio: friends, family, band members, and fans. One band I recorded had between twenty and thirty people hanging around for most of the performance. It pumped them up and inspired their recording. I was willing to go along with it because it did positively affect the band’s performance. They fed off the energy of friends and fans, plus it gave their music the party beach vibe they wanted to share with listeners. On the opposite end of the spectrum, some singers appreciate a low-key environment, preferring to work with only the engineer or producer in the studio. You may have to ask guests or even band members to leave the studio while a singer performs so that the singer doesn’t feel intimidated or too nervous. Feel it out. If the singer seems affected by other people listening and watching, politely ask the offenders to find something to do outside the studio. In general, an insecure artist will require more positive reinforcement than a more confident artist.

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PATIENCE

A high level of patience will be required from you, if you decide to become an engineer for your career or even if you are just helping record your friends. You may have to listen to a song over and over again (sometimes a song you don’t want to hear over and over again), or you may have to listen to fifty takes of a vocal that makes you want to scratch out your eyes, but you will need to take a deep breath and push forward. Exhibiting your impatience may make the artist feel even more pressure to finish up, which may make the performance worse. I once listened to a drummer attempt a drum fill for three hours! Being a drummer, I wanted to kick the person off their drum throne and do it in one take, but I didn’t, and the drummer eventually got it. More inexperienced players will generally require more of your patience as they are learning how to control their instruments or voices.

Of course, there are just some people that require additional patience to deal with in general. Patience is a great life lesson and invaluable skill and will help you tremendously in studio situations.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Communication skills are key to being a successful recording engineer. You need to be able to clearly communicate a variety of things, ranging from listening to and understanding what the artist(s) or band is trying to achieve in terms of a “sound,” to understanding when to punch in on a particular track, to how to coax the best performance out of the band.

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Since communication skills often involve verbal cues, it will be helpful to have a vocabulary that musicians and other engineers understand. Chapter 1 provides you with some of the necessary technical vocabulary, whereas Chapter 3 provides you with descriptive terms often used in audio engineering.

To communicate well, you will have to be a good listener. You will also have to choose your words wisely. Gaining the techniques and language to deal with clients will come with time. Many artists, and people in general, aren’t the best communicators. It may be up to you to get an artist to express what they are thinking to keep the session moving forward and on the right track. The only thing worse than too much feedback on a session is when an artist says little or nothing. You may have to be more animated and extrovert than normal if your client isn’t providing the necessary feedback for you to better perform your job. Maybe the artist is intimidated by the process, or by you, or just doesn’t know how to express their opinion. Encourage them to speak up. Use tact, be patient, and don’t be a jerk when you are trying to communicate during a session.

SONG STRUCTURE

Recognizing song structure is a common area where communication skills are necessary. It can be a tool to help effectively communicate about a client’s music. Being able to recognize song structure will not only give the band confidence in you, it will help you locate punch-in points faster. If the guitar player wants to overdub a solo and says, “Take me to the solo section, after the second chorus,” it would benefit you to recognize and quickly locate that section of the song. Don’t be afraid to take notes. Write down the time next to each section. Most recording software gives you the option to lay down markers in a song and label each part accordingly. You should do this to identify the different sections. Songs are typically made up of three distinct sections: verses, choruses, and a bridge or solo section.

A verse is usually at the beginning of the song. It generally isn’t the hook but more of a section to set up the hook or chorus. The hook is generally the catchiest part of the song and like the chorus is often repeated throughout. The lyrics of many verses aren’t repeated. This may also be referred to as the “A” section.

Some songs may start off in the chorus and typically end on a chorus. Choruses are often bigger in spirit, and lift the song to a higher point. From a dynamic standpoint, choruses typically are the loudest, fullest sections. A chorus typically appears more than once in a song and may also be referred to as the “B” section.

Some songs have bridges. Bridges are usually not repeated in a song and occur once. A bridge often occurs between two choruses but can occur almost any place in a song. A bridge is used to connect two sections of a song. This may also be referred to as the “C” section.

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  TIP

Quickly memorizing song structure is an effective tool to help communicate during a session. If this isn’t one of your strengths, you should practice the following exercise until you can easily memorize song structure.

After a few listens, you should be able to identify the song structure. A good engineer can listen to a song once and know the general song structure.

Since music production usually involves recording songs, you will need to understand basic song structure to be able to effectively communicate with musicians. Austin Community College, along with other colleges and universities, offers classes in songwriting to learn these basics.

BODY LANGUAGE

Body language is the non-verbal way in which we communicate. As an engineer, be aware that musicians are interpreting your body language, whether positive or negative. Make a conscious effort not to give off pessimistic or indifferent body language, such as rolling your eyes, avoiding eye contact after a take, or shaking your head in disgust, as this can heavily influence a studio performance. Though you may be mulling over your bad choice of microphone, the musicians who just finished recording a take do not know this, and may interpret these negative cues as a reaction to their performance. Musicians should never have to worry about you being on their side. Don’t give them an opportunity to create scenarios that don’t exist.

You need to be not only aware of your own body language, but also cognizant of the body language demonstrated by the musicians you are recording. Being able to read this non-verbal language is an important skill to develop if it doesn’t come naturally. Recognizing gestures, eye movements, and postures may help you interpret an artist’s true feelings. For instance, a singer with an averted gaze may indicate he or she is unhappy with a vocal take. If you are focused and pick up on this cue, you can positively encourage another vocal attempt. This may take pressure off a musician who is too intimidated to make the request.

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  TIP

Specific body language to watch for:

SCHEDULING, TIME MANAGEMENT, AND ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS

Good scheduling, time management, and organizational skills can help a session run smoothly.

Below is a typical schedule for a four-piece band recording a few songs at my studio.

Although every session is different, this should give you a general idea of the time frame of a recording session, which in my case is usually about twelve hours. In most recording sessions, more experienced musicians get more done in a shorter period.

a.   Everyone takes a quick break, the drummer breaks down the drums, I re-patch, and then rest my ears and brain.

As stated, every recording session is different. The schedule for a hip-hop or an EDM project may look very different. It is common for a rapper or electronic artist to book just one or two hours in a studio. These artist(s) typically bring in a pre-recorded stereo mix or stems of their songs. Often their main goal is to cut vocals on an excellent studio mic with a knowledgeable engineer. If the artist(s) is expecting you to also mix their song or project, make sure the artist(s) provides you with a high-resolution file and not with a low-quality lossy file.

Recording music is like preparing a meal – it’s very much about timing and organization. Just as a good cook must organize and prepare to have all dishes on the table at one time, so must a recording engineer prepare and organize to produce a finished project. Being prepared for what comes next keeps the session and the creativity flowing. Musicians aren’t thrilled when they are ready to go and you are not. Mild tantrums could ensue and spoil the session’s good vibe. Remember that you work for the artist as an engineer, and be ready to record.

It is unlikely that your audio engineering gig will be a Monday-through-Friday nine-to-five situation. This is why you want to make sure you keep some type of work calendar. As an independent recording engineer, you will be in charge of your work schedule. No one is going to remind you that you work Friday night at the club and Saturday morning in the studio. Keeping a work calendar will ensure that you don’t double book yourself or forget to show up for a gig.

Knowing what comes next is another essential element that isn’t often discussed but can make a real difference in how a recording session transpires. The more sessions you run, the better you will become at keeping a session moving forward. Since most bands have a limited budget, being efficient can benefit you as an engineer. The band will be happy that they didn’t go over budget and they are likely to feel more satisfied with the outcome of the session. The ways to be efficient are to plan ahead, be organized, and communicate effectively.

HOW TO MEET PEOPLE TO RECORD

Another benefit of having decent communication skills and being a likable person is that it will help you make connections and meet people to record. A great way to meet bands and musicians is to run live sound. This will be discussed further in Chapter 13. Running live sound gives you access to potential clients every night. If you aren’t running live sound, go out and see local shows and get to know some people and musicians in your town. If people get to know you and like your vibe, they may trust you to record their music. As mentioned earlier, this is a word-of-mouth business. You have to get out there so that people know you and will want to record their music with you. It will be hard for people to discover you and your audio skills if you never leave your bedroom!

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Playing in a band can also help you meet other musicians and bands. I met many bands that I ended up recording this way. Your first clients, or guinea pigs, may be your own band, if you play in one, or maybe a friend’s band. Offer to record your own band or a band that you know for free. Get the experience and don’t worry about the money. Your bandmates or your friend’s band may be a little more understanding of your limited skills and would love a free demo while you learn the ropes. Don’t be afraid to tell people what you do but don’t act too anxious, cocky, or pushy about it.

You may be lacking in technical skills when you first get started, so having these other skills can compensate for your lack of technical prowess. Don’t underrate people skills! Good communication skills, time management, knowing your local music scene, and patience can only add to your value. Remember that recording is more than turning knobs. I can’t stress how important it is to make a recording session run as smoothly as possible. Don’t forget that your reputation is built by word of mouth from your clients and your job is to serve the client. If even just one client has a problem with you or your attitude, that could affect your future business. Bite your tongue if necessary and don’t take things too personally. My former band manager gave me some good advice early on in my career, “Don’t burn bridges, no matter what.”