Perhaps the most vital person involved in making your record next to you, the artist, is your producer. When it comes to selecting the man/woman for the job, you want to make sure they’re on the same page as you musically-speaking, and most importantly, that you know what you want before you even start laying down tracks.
Just because a producer may have a long list of creds doesn’t mean he/she knows what’s best for you. The fact of the matter is they have an agenda (which is totally cool and understandable of course) and, if left to their own devices, or if you never said anything, they’d probably produce you however they saw fit.
I can’t tell you how many producers I’ve come across with who want to make me into some super-slick pop star at first glance/listen. That would be totally fine if that’s what I was going for, but the fact of the matter is, I’m a rocker at heart who plays guitar like a dude and whose favorite bands are silverchair and Stone Temple Pilots. Same goes for you. Know who you are and where you want to go before you let anyone else put their own two cents in.
If you can, try hashing out some ideas of your own on your home recording software before you step into the actual studio. This will cut your expenses way down, and it will also give you a better idea of what you want sound and tone-wise. Then, when you actually do lay down the cash to make your pro record, you won’t be wasting anyone’s time, and you’ll continue on down the path that you set for yourself.
This is not to say that producer’s are unnecessary or don’t know what they’re doing, because they definitely play huge roles in the execution of an album. Some arguably make a lot of the records that you hear today. However, if you’re using one to help create your vision, make sure you both see eye to eye, that you’re the one who is ultimately in control and that you are the head decision-maker. Take some suggestions, constructive criticism and direction if you see that it is helpful and really adds something to the recording, but don’t be lead astray, or so far away that you don’t even recognize yourself when you hear the end result.
The most important thing at the end of the day is that you’re satisfied with the finished product. Remember: this is your record. It’s the culmination of all those feelings, emotions, blood, sweat and tears that you experienced and endured during its creation. Don’t you want to be proud of it?
Ultimately, just make sure to stay focused, and true to yourself. Don’t keep your mouth shut because you feel you don’t know as much about production as your producer (you’d be surprised how much you do know) or because it seems so much easier to sit back and let someone else take the wheel.
Believe me, you will pay for it emotionally and financially if you don’t take charge of your own career and/or you let someone else dictate who you are or who they think you should be.
Production I think could be considered analogous to “makeup.” Makeup is meant to enhance beauty, not create it. Conversely, when it’s caked on, you notice. Let your producer enhance your sound. Don’t allow him/her to give you a “makeover” and turn you into something you’re not, unless of course, it’s not too far of a departure from who you already are, and you’re okay with it.
Otherwise, you may just end up looking like a clown… 
~Alexx Calise
If you ever find yourself becoming overwhelmed by all the various tasks and roles associated with being a Do-It-Yourself musician, make
it a point to PRIORITIZE. You’re only one person, and one person can
only do so much. You have to accept the fact that in order for certain
aspects of your career to improve, some other things may have to
suffer until you start acquiring some more hands and/or capital along
the way.
For instance, if you spend all your time promoting on Myspace, then
your playing will suffer. If you spend all your time in the garage or
the studio, no one will know who you are. It’s all about finding a
happy medium and PRIORITIZING the things that are truly important in
your life and career. Instead of trying to do everything at once and
becoming frustrated that nothing is moving forward, schedule times for
promoting, practing, rehearsing, etc. Not only will you be perfecting
the art of time management, you’ll also be able to gauge just how much
time you’re spending on a certain task. You may come to find that your
playing is suffering because you’re focusing too much on the business
side of your art, or you’re not taking enough time to exploit it.
Luckily, there are some things you can do to take some weight off your
shoulders. Don’t ever be afraid to ask for help, especially from those
who believe in you and your art. This is HUGE, especially when you’re
first starting out and/or don’t have the means to faciliate your
music. If you don’t have enough time to effectively promote your band,
employ one or several of your loyal fans, friends, or family members
to help you. Make sure, however that they’re trustworthy, willing to
put in the time, are knowledgeable about the local music scene and
know how to work all the social networking websites, forums, etc. If
you can’t pay them, offer incentives like backstage passes or free
schwag, or, you can always just give them the tried and true sad puppy
dog face Works like a charm.
You should also at some point draw up some kind of business model for
your project. After all, having a band is the same as owning a
business. You’re your own CEO, just remember that. Figure out your
plan of action, what it will take to execute your plan, and what
strategies you’ll take to make your plan known. This will not only
force you to think outside of the box and come up with unique ideas on
how to market your music, but you will also be forced to PRIORITIZE,
and list in order of importance all the things neccessary to make your
“business” a success.
Once you figure out what’s most important, you’ll cut all the
unneccessary stuff out of your life and save yourself some huge
headaches. Think of it as trimming the fat.
So, do yourself a favor. Make prioritizing your highest priority (I
know, such a profound statement…) Good luck and godspeed my
friends…
Ok, so as i started to write last time, the whole “getting everyone together” thing had just gotten out of hand. Once upon a time, I had people who showed up at my house once a week (theoretically) and we played music and were (theoretically) ready for gigs.
But, with the move to Vegas and a couple of people in L.A. and several “pros” in the band, regular rehearsals became a problem. (We can get into the pros and cons of rehearsing for the sake of rehearsing another time.) But, at the same time if we were going to be gig-ready we needed regular rehearsal. So along came the Big Idea.
If you are older than… Well, if you are my age, you might remember something called “Music Minus One.” These were recordings that had all of the parts except yours one one side of the stereo field and your part on the other. it allowed you to listen to just your part or to play along with the recorded band without your part playing. We decided to try to make music minus one mixes for everyone in the band. That way everyone could rehearse our arrangements in our keys without having to be in the same physical location.
Our first thought was to do it as a real live recording. I have an Alesis HD 24 which allows me to record up to 24 tracks at a time and i have used it to record gigs. We figured we could get everyone together for one big session and then make the individual mixes. But the catch-22 was that following that plan meant getting everyone together which is what we were having problems with.
SO, recordings seemed to be out. Next idea.
We could get the rhythm section together so how could we get the rhythm section used to playing with the horns without having the horns in the room? Here is where the tech stuff starts and i will be bringing our MIDI guru David Alessandri in for some how-to insight. First step–taking the horn charts in the book and turning them into MIDI files with a click track.
For this We turned to a really great program that many of you may already be using called Reason. More next time on Reason, what it can do and how we used it…
There comes a time in every musician’s life when he/she asks his/herself, “Why the hell am I doing this? I’m broke, I’m starving, and I’m nowhere near where I want to be or should be…”
It’s definitely a valid question. As artists, we constantly struggle and sacrifice. We constantly experience rejection. We constantly need to validate ourselves and our art. We’re no picnic, and neither is this business for that matter. Ultimately, you have to decide for yourself where it is you want to go, how far you’re willing to go for it, and above all, if you’re in it for the right reasons…
Having a dream is truly a beautiful thing (and by all means, follow it!), but the reality of this business is, you could have all the talent and drive in the world, and you may never be able to make the connections you need, or sustain a confortable living doing what you truly love to do. If you think that becoming a rich, famous rock star is going to be the answer to all your problems; emotional, financial, what have you, then you’re sadly mistaken. Your personal success should not be determined by how much you can make or how famous you can get, but by how you feel inside. If you know in your heart that you won’t be happy doing anything else, and there is no other path for you, then you’re free, and there’s no need to read any further.
Also know that what you do is not who you are. Never in any way, shape or form should you attach your career pitfalls or plateaus to your person. I still struggle with that to this day to be truthful, but I’m learning to accept the fact that having a “bad show,” not landing a certain opportunity or not being at a certain level (playing or career wise) is not a reflection of me. I know that I’m a good person, I know I’m doing the best that I can, and I know I do what I do because I love it. Not because I expect anything from it. If you expect nothing, it’s always a lovely surprise when the universe actually throws some candy your way.
The only thing you really can do is what you’re doing. If, however, what you’re doing isn’t working, fix it. A major reason why the industry is crumbling right now is because the powers that be are operating the machine with an old manual. You’re an artist. Be creative. There are ways to get yourself noticed so long as you put forth the time and effort to find out what those ways are. Don’t give up. Just keep on trudging on and remember why you’re doing what you’re doing.
The key is having patience. Some people spend ten years playing dives and getting shafted before they achieve any kind of success. If you were to experience success instantly and without having to work for it, you wouldn’t appreciate it nearly as much as if you had truly bled for it anyway. While you’re “waiting,” be productive with your time. Get involved in a project you can believe in, write, practice, find out as much as you can about the business.
I’m telling you from personal experience that the only way you will be happy and successful in this industry is if you know in your heart that no matter what the outcome, you will always have your music…and yourself. Don’t let other people define “success” for you, and certainly don’t ever “quit” because it’s not paying the bills or it hasn’t yet earned you a plaque on the wall. When you picked up that guitar as a little kid, were you really thinking, “Oh man, this thing is gonna make me some bread!” or, were you thinking, “I love this instrument, and I just wanna play"? Maybe your luck will change, maybe it won’t. One thing that should always remain constant is your love for what you’re doing, and
if it means eating Ramen noodles and peanut butter and jelly for a while, so be it. Just play with heart and you’ll see that the stars will align for you, promise.
Wishing you much success!
Love,
Alexx Calise
I moved from Altadena, CA (near Pasadena, that town known for little old ladies and parades) to Las Vegas three years ago. I have had a band together working under the same name–Rev. Bill and the Soul Believers–since, wait for it… 1984. Yeah, I’m old. But i look good and I am in better shape than most of you twenty-somethings so freakin’ deal with it.
I kept the band together and for the first year traveled back to Cali for monthly rehearsals. But, inevitably and even though we got a few cool Vegas gigs, I lost members and replaced them with locals. But three years on, I still have two members–long-time, core members–living in SoCal. Rehearsals have been hard mostly becasue it took us forever to get decent-by-Vegas-standards promo material together and gigs have been scarce. That looks to be changing slowly but the rehearsal situation has stayed the same.
So we have been searching for a solution and will be giving you a glimpse of how it works out from time to time in this space. Details to follow but it involves Reason, Pro Tools and Skype…. Stay tuned.