A Few Musings
As some of you know, I run a nice recording studio way out in the sticks. My son Alex basically runs Studio A (the big room), while I switch off with our second engineer, running Studio B (a low cost, more affordable room for newer bands and singer/songwriters). So far, I’ve recorded blues bands, Zydeco, Christian funk, metal, hip hop, rap, country and new age stuff (as well as the aforementioned singer/songwriters). While most of the people that come through here are outstanding, I’ve also noticed some common problems:

1. Band Member Commitments
Some band members are just not very committed to the band. It’s like they’re in the band only till something better comes along. And, not so oddly, they don’t give 100% effort when they record. Hell, some of them don’t even know the song, let alone what they’re gonna play. Now, that’s not a problem for me if I’m calling someone like Jeff Barnes (of Brave Combo) to come in as a session musician. He “gets” the song instantly and adds just the right touch to make it sound great. But some others either need to really practice the songs, or get the hell out of the group.

2. Arrangements and Purpose
One size doesn’t always fit all. A really great arrangement will always sound good but may not be right for the purpose. A long intro (even if it’s great) and an extended solo may be fine for an album, but if you’re trying to interest a label or get jobs, get to the heart of the song quickly. And an eight-minute epic ain’t gonna get a new band much airplay. Ya want airplay? Write a song that’s clever or topical or funny, and keep it UNDER 2-1/2 minutes long!! Why? Because radio stations (that are coming up to the top of the hour news) are more likely to play a short, filler song.

3. Expectations
You get out what you put in. When we mix and master songs, we try to make them better, but that can only go so far. There’s an old saying in the recording industry: “You Can’t Polish A Turd!” There’s another saying that goes along with that one: “You CAN Polish A Turd, but You’ll Just End Up With A Shiny Turd!” “Good” starts with the players and the music.

Sometimes I wish that recording studios had the same code as doctors: “First, do no harm.” (Harvey Gerst), ITR Studios, http://ITRstudio. com