# God damn producers/ engineers



## Cam (Aug 28, 2010)

So, I created a new demo for my first album that my label is having me work on..

A couple months ago, I created what was going to be the lead single of the album

This is what I had in mind what the song would sound like

[video=youtube;kQ2qa_BntK8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ2qa_BntK8&feature=channel[/video]

I was totally in love with the beat, so I called my manager and she set me up for a studio date for that weekend

So after 2 short days of recording, I sent my recordings and some samples to my producer and engineer

3 Days later I receive *THIS* in my email

[video=youtube;cV0eeeiZ3VA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV0eeeiZ3VA&feature=channel[/video]

... what the hell happened? ;~;

Its totally different from the epic song I thought I was going to have on my minds

But I got trolled pretty hard...

Is my new recording really that bad? Or am I just flipping a pansy because its not the right sound?


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## Ffzzynxnynxxyninx (Aug 28, 2010)

Whoa...I'm sorry that happened o.o

Always better to do it yourself and not let other people mess with your music.


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## Fiesta_Jack (Aug 28, 2010)

Yeah, the new shit is... Not good. The audio for the vocals doesn't sound very clean, and the back beat seems dumbed down. 

Have you worked with these people before? Whether you have, or you haven't, make it clear that you're not satisfied with it. Shit can be done, otherwise you're capable of letting out the word that they are not the people to work with. They don't want that, so hopefully they're willing to fix that shit.


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## Cam (Aug 28, 2010)

Well I cant spend all this time in a studio, so I normally let my manager take over and she'll send it to some engineers and whatnot

But this is the last time I let that happen... 

Although I do admit I should have spent more time in the studio just recording cause I REALLLY dont like the way my voice sounds in this one ><



Fiesta_Jack said:


> Yeah, the new shit is... Not good. The audio for the vocals doesn't sound very clean, and the back beat seems dumbed down.
> 
> Have you worked with these people before? Whether you have, or you haven't, make it clear that you're not satisfied with it. Shit can be done, otherwise you're capable of letting out the word that they are not the people to work with. They don't want that, so hopefully they're willing to fix that shit.


 
No, I have no idea who the hell my manager sent these samples too... Im gonna kill her

The vocals are bad on my part though, I didnt spend enough time working on them


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## Fiesta_Jack (Aug 28, 2010)

As an honest critique, yeah, they don't sound good. I know how working in studio can be though, time is money, and money is limited. I'd honestly suggest trying to work with them on fixing this shit up. Hopefully that can clear up the beats themselves, but the vocal track does need some work. Either a pitch-shift to ensure you're on your notes, or a chorus effect or something to blend it in a little. Something's definitely sounding off on it though.


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## Cam (Aug 28, 2010)

Fiesta_Jack said:


> As an honest critique, yeah, they don't sound good. I know how working in studio can be though, time is money, and money is limited. I'd honestly suggest trying to work with them on fixing this shit up. Hopefully that can clear up the beats themselves, but the vocal track does need some work. Either a pitch-shift to ensure you're on your notes, or a chorus effect or something to blend it in a little. Something's definitely sounding off on it though.



Oh trust me, im _very_ aware its bad xD

Im probably just gonna end up re-doing it all by myself, cause i've noticed when I work completely by myself, not only do I get the sound *I *want, but it always jsut sounds awesome and the majority of people that listen to it are blown away..

Like this for example

This is the first thing I ever made in my home studio

[video=youtube;L9uJ7RSa7U0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9uJ7RSa7U0&feature=channel[/video]


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## Fiesta_Jack (Aug 28, 2010)

That was much better than the sample they gave you. If your home studio is capable of work like that, you could just redo it yourself. However, if you already paid for studio time, and that's the product they gave you, I'd definitely say to make it clear you're unhappy with their work. If they aren't willing to work with you, they are people to avoid in the business. Be sure to let them know you're aware of this.


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## Cam (Aug 28, 2010)

Fiesta_Jack said:


> That was much better than the sample they gave you. If your home studio is capable of work like that, you could just redo it yourself. However, if you already paid for studio time, and that's the product they gave you, I'd definitely say to make it clear you're unhappy with their work. If they aren't willing to work with you, they are people to avoid in the business. Be sure to let them know you're aware of this.


 
I paid to record my voice, so I definitely didnt use my money's worth on it

However, I gotta find out if my manager laid any money down to whoever these jokes are, if so then looks like I gotta force her to talk them them... 

If they can give me a sampl without the vocals or drums beat then I can definitely re work it, because the synth and guitar are fine imo


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## LLiz (Aug 28, 2010)

I hope that you sort it out, they certainly changed it a lot... not good


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## Commiecomrade (Aug 28, 2010)

God, I loved yours so much more. The bass beat they had in theirs was annoying. Yours is better; continue it your way!


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## Cam (Aug 28, 2010)

Commiecomrade said:


> God, I loved yours so much more. The bass beat they had in theirs was annoying. Yours is better; continue it your way!



Thanx

I even sent them that first demo so they could get an idea on what it should sound like

But they put their troll faces on and totally warped my song <_<


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## Aden (Aug 28, 2010)

The job of a good engineer is to be a transparent augmentation - it should sound better technically while retaining the artistic vision. Vocal badness notwithstanding, they changed the feel of the piece drastically. The new tone is that of a song that would be featured on the Disney channel. The generic rock percussion loop is the thing that gets me most (did they just use a stock loop or something?) along with the rhythm guitar that's entirely too major. Not to mention the mixing job is so standard that you could have done it yourself.

You, as the artist, should have creative control (unless you were dumb and signed it away in some contract). Tell them that you're not happy, and tell them why. And for fuck's sake, be your own music producer.


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## Cam (Aug 28, 2010)

Aden said:


> The job of a good engineer is to be a transparent augmentation - it should sound better technically while retaining the artistic vision. Vocal badness notwithstanding, they changed the feel of the piece drastically. The new tone is that of a song that would be featured on the Disney channel. The generic rock percussion loop is the thing that gets me most (did they just use a stock loop or something?) along with the rhythm guitar that's entirely too major. Not to mention the mixing job is so standard that you could have done it yourself.
> 
> You, as the artist, should have creative control (unless you were dumb and signed it away in some contract). Tell them that you're not happy, and tell them why. And for fuck's sake, be your own music producer.



Knowing who my manager seems to hire for these things, they probably used drumcore from sonar -_-

Thank god my contract allows me in control of everything except booking and advertising, so this should be easy to change.

Im thinking next time I hit the studio, Ill probably just make the instrumental myself before hand than use the studio to simply record my voice, since I only having mizing softwatre, i dont't own a good enough mic for recording


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## Jude (Aug 28, 2010)

God, the mixing was horrible. You should definitely find someone else to take your work to.


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## Cam (Aug 28, 2010)

DrumFur said:


> God, the mixing was horrible. You should definitely find someone else to take your work to.



Im taking it to myself, they can lick my scrum xD

Seriously I think im the only person that knows how to produce good beats in the whole company im with


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## Jude (Aug 28, 2010)

That's true. Do whatever you think is best man, that's all I can say.


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## Fenrir Lupus (Sep 3, 2010)

Wow...
2nd one...  over-processed.  too much filter.

You can never trust someone else with your stuff...  ever.


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## Cam (Sep 5, 2010)

I saw my manager today and totally flipped a bitch on her

I told her that Im planning on using the studio for mixing and recording only.... I can produce a beat *SO* much better than the fucks she hires :v


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## The DK (Sep 6, 2010)

cmrnmrphy said:


> I saw my manager today and totally flipped a bitch on her
> 
> I told her that Im planning on using the studio for mixing and recording only.... I can produce a beat *SO* much better than the fucks she hires :v



i would have dont the same, god, i mean they butchered it big time. it really is better to do things for yourself cuz your the only one you can truly count on


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## Lyxen (Sep 6, 2010)

It's different. It kind of reminds me of a HXC Backstreet N'Sync vibe lol. Keep up with it you'll find your sound


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## Cam (Sep 6, 2010)

GAHHH it sounds like Jonas Brothers :'(


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## Lyxen (Sep 8, 2010)

lol. Where/who are you passing these out to? Just to have them online or some venues in your area


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## Cam (Sep 8, 2010)

You mean the engineers or the fans who buy my music? xD


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## kamunt (Sep 10, 2010)

Yeah, I gotta say, the vocals don't sound very good...There's only so much that can be done to fix that. Without adding, like, vocoders, phasers and such. There's something missing from both the songs, really. They feel somehow "empty". The only time your original track feels "full" is with that panned phaser hit effect. Your version uses far too many stock sounds for my liking. I can hear the FLness pouring out of it. (The guitar sample made my brain groan.  ) The engineered version sounds more...better. The drums I'm unsure of, at times they sounds great and at others they don't. There's like no bass throughout half of it though, so that's a large part of why the track sounds "empty". Whoever engineered the track really doesn't know how to make beats flow. The verse beat gives a bit more of a "full" feeling to the track, and then it disappears for the chorus. So there's problems with both versions, if it makes you feel any better.


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## Cam (Sep 10, 2010)

kamunt said:


> Yeah, I gotta say, the vocals don't sound very good...There's only so much that can be done to fix that. Without adding, like, vocoders, phasers and such. There's something missing from both the songs, really. They feel somehow "empty". The only time your original track feels "full" is with that panned phaser hit effect. Your version uses far too many stock sounds for my liking. I can hear the FLness pouring out of it. (The guitar sample made my brain groan.  ) The engineered version sounds more...better. The drums I'm unsure of, at times they sounds great and at others they don't. There's like no bass throughout half of it though, so that's a large part of why the track sounds "empty". Whoever engineered the track really doesn't know how to make beats flow. The verse beat gives a bit more of a "full" feeling to the track, and then it disappears for the chorus. So there's problems with both versions, if it makes you feel any better.



My version is nothing but a cheap little demo, usually what I submit to my manager before I begin professional studio quality work

And yes.... its bleeds FL9 xD


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## maywire (Sep 17, 2010)

Wow did they add in a ton of 250 Hz somehow yuck


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## Cam (Sep 17, 2010)

oo0o0o0o0o0o0o Just got an email from my manager 



> hey Cam..
> 
> I've been working on your song 'Rapture', did some pitch correction, added bass
> and mixed it a little differently.  Hopefully we can start another song soon.
> ...



Yea... I totally wasnt ready for the track vocally... so in the second version the shitty singing is on my own part for rushing the recording proccess...

So now it seems shes trying her own methods to fix some parts of it... I wonder how that could go ;-;


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## Jude (Sep 17, 2010)

cmrnmrphy said:


> Yea... I totally wasnt ready for the track vocally... so in the second version the shitty singing is on my own part for rushing the recording proccess...
> 
> So now it seems shes trying her own methods to fix some parts of it... I wonder how that could go ;-;


 
Nice.

If you have the range for it, I highly suggest singing an entire octave up on the verses. The way it is now just kinda feels lazy.


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## Cam (Sep 17, 2010)

DrumFur said:


> Nice.
> 
> If you have the range for it, I highly suggest singing an entire octave up on the verses. The way it is now just kinda feels lazy.



Yea I totally fucked up on.... err well the entire track

On my next trip to the studio I plan on keeping the verses in the same octave, but I have to deliver the words more powerfully...

Also gotta make sweet, sweet love to a good synth and MIDI controller â™¥


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## Jude (Sep 17, 2010)

cmrnmrphy said:


> Yea I totally fucked up on.... err well the entire track
> 
> On my next trip to the studio I plan on keeping the verses in the same octave, but I have to deliver the words more powerfully...
> 
> Also gotta make sweet, sweet love to a good synth and MIDI controller â™¥



Yeah, now that I listened to it again, that's true. You can still sound good in the same octave.


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## Cam (Sep 17, 2010)

DrumFur said:


> Yeah, now that I listened to it again, that's true. You can still sound good in the same octave.



I know I can, I just gotta totally give a very powerful delivery, and then life will be good for the time being


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