the Producer's always right...

There's an old saying in business...the customer is always right. I've been having an ongoing discussion with some of my younger fellow engineers about studio demeanor, bedside manner, what ever you want to call it. The demise of the traditional studio system has left many young engineers and mixers wondering what they should be saying, or not saying in the control room. Many think that the producer they are working with is "an idiot, doesn't know anything about music, or worse, doesn't care." What do you do when you think you know better than the man (or woman) in the producer's seat.

Well, I answer...Who's the producer? If it's the person who hired you, you are lucky indeed...You have a chance to help your producer achieve what he/she wants to by helping them through the decision making process. But that can only happen if they trust you. How do you gain their trust? Well, for starters, you're not going to even be on the session for more than a few minutes if you alienate your producer by telling them how stupid and tasteless they are, even if that's what you're thinking. Tact and a gentle demeanor can take you a long way in the business. There are always ways to get your ideas into the mix without alienating people. For starters, you're probably going to be in that room for hours, days, maybe even years! I was in room at Puffy's studio for years...Because the producer is busy with other things besides being in the room constantly poring over the sn drum eq, there are abundant opportunities to make creative decisions in the mix. You need to absorb all the feedback you're getting from the producer, produce those changes quickly, be responsive to the producers needs, and keep the mix moving forward as quickly as possible. People's ears get tired quickly, and most musicians and producers don't have the Ear endurance that we do. I have also found that in my years as a mixer working for many legendary producers, I sometimes thought I knew better..."that vocal is way to fucking loud, why so much reverb, who's idea was that drum machine part?" only to find that those changes the producer made at the end of the mix were often part of what made the song a hit. Producer's *(good ones) think MACRO. Good mixers think MICRO, massaging every detail until it's a finely honed ice sculpture, but are able to absorb MACRO ideas, and still have the mix be slamming, with a great vocal, and loud drums. It's a balancing act, but just remember, jsut because you've been sitting with the track for three days doesn't mean you have the answer. Like film making, mixing and producing records is a group experience. The more you can help the producer to realize his dream without interjecting your own ideas, the happier he/she will be, and the better chances you will have of being called again...and again, hopefully!