the vocals might be a placeholder. if they're really trash, they won't be back after their record flops anyway. if they have vast sums of money to pay you, just collect your money and trust them, since they're the creative director mostly. unless they ask you to take over and direct the show, give it time they will probably want to re-record them.
It is a common problem You don't need to be honest with the singer: it'll make him/her nervous and you won't get what you want my usual trick is say: "Your take was perfect, I just have a doubt about the position of the microphone (I pretend moving the microphone). Now let's go for another take just to be safe, ... by the way, while we're at it, let's try an experiment: try to make it less formal, try to sing more natural, as if you were under the shower.." With this method the second take is usually better When even the second is unusable you can try this same trick even a third time, but if also take 3 is terrible then it is better to say that the computer is frozen and stop recording. Thereafter, the singer must be banned from the studio.
And anyway the big majority of "artists" and "producers" are nowadays recording pure garbage and making big money of that so, what´s really your problem ? Releasing a bad song? Come on man.
Firstly, if they're a "really big act" I'd assume the role of engineer and let them tell me what they want and try to provide the best I can. Secondly, I can't imagine a "really big act" is going to give you trash vocals. Thirdly, most artists who compose and sing will be protective of their performance. Coaxing a better performance can be hard to do. Dim lighting. Reverb in the cans. Sometimes singing along with themselves, doubling the lead vocal can help. Some singers work best with only one ear covered and the other listening live. Finally, I have a friend with a studio and if I'm sure I can't help a particular artist due to their inadequacies, I say that I'm probably not the best fit for your style and recommend they call this facility.
Not at all ! Communication is only possible among like-minded people. For them it's not about real music - it's about self-expression. Don't waste your time as long as he pays you, you do your job and you're done ...! Rather, you should learn not to always have to explain yourself. Start living your life and say NO! This has to be frustrating ... stop this ... you are the captain of your ship ...!
well, bad songs are no.1 top billboards ...my suggestion is as with kids, if they want it so bad, let them bash their head on it, in the end the band/artist will figure out its their problem, or ask for permission to add your input, if he/she refuse well let them bash their heads ...on a personal note; I dont like to be asked to do that one thing as if my life will depend on it, I accept suggestions but I ask respect for my decisions too, who said its good like this or like that, in music almost anything can work
Rappers... When you are dealing with rappers, the lack of communication is even more pronounced: generally they are teenagers or in their early 20's (at that age the testosterone is very high and no compromises are made with anyone). Furthermore, there is the possibility that they come from disadvantaged neighborhoods (read ghetto), places where those who do not approve you immediately become the enemy to be defeated. I have recorded hundreds of rappers: entering into artistic conflicts never leads to a thesis/antithesis/synthesis dialogue, you will only end up being hated and having no practical result. The only way to solve the problem is to try to manipulate the issue to arrive at an acceptable result. They won't recognize it immediately, but they will gain from it, the clever artists will understand it later If I only had to work with singers I appreciate (maybe only 3 or 4 in so many years), my career as a producer would have been really short
ppl take critique better when you first tell them what they are doing good and what you like. then you say what they could do better. (and you only critique behaviour and not the person)
This is my workflow with shoddy/ego-driven singers: While he's still singing, think about the appropriate solution to save the song Now, with a communicative stunt, make him believe that this great idea comes from his soul, because he is THE ARTIST Last step, pretend to be skeptical of this innovation of him because it is too extreme and innovative Your script could be: "In the second verse you were almost alluding to a triplet metric. Yes, the lyrics would have much more flow, but I don't agree to that: no one has ever done it, it's too experimental" At this point he will do everything to defend his point (which is actually yours) I know: this is 100% dirty manipulation Actually it seems like a dirty game but the aim is noble: to turn shit into flowers. In film productions this is the daily routine that the director must carry out with his actors
Rig your studio so you can remote shock them from your desktop. Every time they lay down a horrible track... let 'em have it. Blame it on divine intervention.
I would assume if you are working with a "really big" artist then you are not a n00b! You are there because you already have a ton of people skills experience, experienced multiple personality types and are a ninja at turning any potential disaster or hold-up around. You can't buy experience. Like anything else in life you need to get out the bedroom, stop hypothesising, make mistakes and learn from those mistakes until you are all of the above. If you aren't a great people person, hire a sidekick who is!
producers who make serious money are doing a lot of stuff nobody will ever hear, i wouldn't worry about it. i usually tell people who cant sing to join a choir or something.
