Recording the girlfriend again...

[Sean Sullivan]

So, I need some help. My girlfriend is ready to start recording her next album, but she wasn't really happy with the last one. I mean, I wasn't either, it was mostly recorded in a dorm room on an mBox!

But, she said it sounded too "big". I don't hear that, but what I think she's saying is there too much guitar. She just can't say what she wants in a way I understand I guess. Because we were listening to Teenage Fanclub "Thirteen" and that's pretty much a guitar record, but she wouldn't mind it sounding like that

It's hard enough recording your girlfriend, but not knowing what she wants makes it a lot harder!

What should I do? I tried to ask her for examples, but she just thinks I'm going to tell her she's wrong or shot her down or going into "engineer speak". Should we just start recording and ask what she wants to do next as we go along and try to get her to be more vocal? She didn't really have much input on that last one, but she seemed more interested in getting it finished instead of being something she likes.

*sigh*

[Gentleman Jim]

It sounds like you may not be the best person for the job, although I'm sure the price is right. If the two of you have less-than-perfect communication anyway then you're both just asking for trouble with a project like this. Additionally, if you recorded the last one and she's not happy with it then you already have a weak track record with the client, I'm afraid.

Maybe even bringing in another friend 'to be in charge' while you assist would work. Sometimes just having another person around takes some of the stress off things. You two can focus on what's really going on, instead of her hearing every melodic suggestion you make as recrimination for her getting drunk at your sister's wedding and gleefully telling your mom that she sold last year's Christmas gift for $12 on eBay.

Also, I just listened to the preview clips from Thirteen on Amazon. I wouldn't call it a guitar record at all, I'd call it a vocals record. Maybe what your girlfriend means is that the vocals on the last cd should have been higher in the mix so there was less temptation to turn up the volume.

[Snarl 12/8]

http://www.moviewavs.com/php/sounds/?id ... sdonot.wav

Do you know any other audio "savvy" (I hate that word) people that could broker a discussion between you? So she can see that you're not being a dick (or stupid, or insensitive, or whatever) about it and/or you could maybe see that she's actually communicating clearly, but you have a block about it? My failed musical attempts with my wife are one of my deepest regrets in our relationship.

[Sean Sullivan]

I hear what you are saying Snarl, that's a good idea. I think the key is having someone else there besides just the two of use. She takes her music seriously and is emotionally attached to it, and I consider recording my profession and it's hard for either of use to take suggestions from each other without taking it personally. Having a friend in the studio with us would help. I've got a few friends who could fit that role.

And Jim, yes I would agree that Teenage Fanclub have always been a "vocal" band. Maybe that's what she meant.

[Snarl 12/8]

And Jim, yes I would agree that Teenage Fanclub have always been a "vocal" band. Maybe that's what she meant.

I would think for almost anyone hearing your voice back the way you want it is more important than the guitar tone, unless you're Hendrix or someone.

[Gentleman Jim]

I never considered a 'Guitar Band' to be about tone, per se. I think about it in terms of the prominence of the guitars in the arrangement and mix. That is, whether the guitars represent a significant percentage of the hooks, and how their levels compare to the lead vocal.

Just because a band has great guitarists, and/or the guitars are distorted, doesn't necessarily mean that they're a 'guitar band'... IMHO.

AC/DC = guitar band
Alice In Chains = not so much
Motorhead = yep
The Clash = nope
Cream = definitely
Eric Clapton solo = inexplicably, no.

Let the flaming begin.

[roygbiv]

I agree with Jim (except I dig the clash's Guitar, especially "Give them Enough Rope era).

anyway, OP, are you sure that "big"=guitars?

For an artistic type, it could also mean something else - like maybe too much reverb/delay, or too polished/Nashville sounding, or even too much stereo spread.

Anyway, good luck - I'm struggling with recording my own band, and that is hard enough. And I'm not sleeping with any of them!

[Sean Sullivan]

I think polished might be the key word. I think she wants something a little more lo-fi. I'll just have her be more vocal and run the show this time, and I'll act like I would with any other client and do my best to achieve what she wants to hear.

[mertmo]

Sticking with a lot of dynamic mics will help put you on the "not so polished" path.
Also, for me it helps to just make this simple rule somtimes... "no doubling anything. EVER."

My girlfriend plays classical violin, since she was 6 years old. I don't know a single bit of theory,
but I can sit in with a band I've never heard and make it sound like we
rehearsed. We come from two VERY different worlds! Combining them is delicate,
since we really don't even speak the same musical language, but the idea is
very compelling. We've been dating over a year and we are just now starting to
work together on some projects. It's pretty great, but I'm glad we have gotten to
this place SLOWLY.

Just saying I feel for you, my man. A very fragile situation, potentially. And also
potentially beyond awesome!

good luck!

[findaguitarteacher]

I think one of the two relationships might have to bite the dust. Unfortunately, if the romantic one goes out the door, that's probably the end of the other one too.

In reality if you value her as a girl friend, help her find someone whose skills you admire and step aside. No good will come from mixing the two.

[MoreSpaceEcho]

that seems a bit drastic.

[RefD]

sometimes i wish my wife was a musician.

the rest of the time i'm glad she isn't.

[snoopy23]

How about compromising? You two could focus on tracking and getting the sounds she wants, and you could have her work with another person on the mixing so that the personal conflict potential is reduced. Just a thought. I know in my experience working with my wife, it was dificult to critique her as I would another artist. For example, I can tell anyone else "that guitar was a little off-time, let's do it again", but if I mentioned I thought her vocals were a little off-key it resulted in a different sort of interaction. We were (and are) still happily married, but it is difficult taking objective artistic criticism from the one who is supposed to love everything you do. good luck!!

[Nick Sevilla]

My wife has a cheap electric guitar and a cheap acoustic guitar.
She also has 5 books worth of lyrics.
She also has 5 books full of cooking recipes.

I have a full pro studio and work full time as an engineer.
I have over 40 microphones and enough gear and plugins to choke a horse.
I've worked on over 7 Grammy nominated records.

We tried to work on one song, one time. We quickly figured out it was going to be rough going...

So, here's what we do:

She cooks in the kitchen, and I cook in the studio. We are HAPPY.

"Never mix business with pleasure"

Cheers