Final Thoughts
If you want to be respected, remembered, and recommended, pay the studio/engineer UP FRONT at the beginning of each project or day. Many studios and engineers offer some kind of discount for cash. Engineers operating on a free-lance basis must pay for the studio rental; if the engineer is left holding the bag, the band will likely be widely reported as deadbeats to every studio and engineer in the cosmos. Money is always a difficult topic; if I were in this for the money I’d have quit 10 years ago! Most engineers do this out of sheer love of sound and the satisfaction of a job well done at rates that on first blush could seem high. But bear in mind that the $125 or $150/day the skilled engineer asks usually works out to be around $7/hr, owing to the fact that any good engineer will be at the studio before you, work with you for ten or more hours, then will remain after you leave to do back-ups, cleaning, burning discs, taking notes, and prepairing for the next day.
If the engineer and studio are paid up in a timely fashion, that means less distraction and more concentration from your engineer, plus increased desire to cut some slack if your project runs a little over time. Plus, the power of Karma can’t ever be underestimated.
There may be times that your producer/engineer type will suggest a part or technique that might not make sense to you; ask for clarification any time you like, and remember that they’re only interested in helping you make your project the best it can be. Sometimes you’ll just have to trust their judgement even if their suggestion seems counterintuitive or flat-out mad! No matter how long I do this, I know I’ll learn something new from every session, and I’m always excited to explain or share tips I’ve gleaned along the way. Good Luck!
-copyright 2002 Dubh David Black
-This may be freely copied, distributed, and printed for personal use, as long as the copyright and author notice is included.
