Getting credit where credit is due.

Recording Techniques, People Skills, Gear, Recording Spaces, Computers, and DIY

Moderators: drumsound, tomb

Post Reply
omari jamal
audio school
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2012 10:05 am

Getting credit where credit is due.

Post by omari jamal » Thu Jul 10, 2014 9:57 am

i worked as a co-producer on some tracks for some friends of mine. they put the songs up on their bandcamp page with no credit to me or the guy from their label i worked with.

i volunteered my time because i love working in the studio, and i'm tired of so many bands i know making crappy records, but i don't think it's asking much to get a little credit as a producer. we all know that credits lead to more work which is what i'm really interested in.

anyone else have this happen to them? who's the asshole here? should i tell them what's up or let it go?

User avatar
vvv
zen recordist
Posts: 10139
Joined: Tue May 13, 2003 8:08 am
Location: Chi
Contact:

Post by vvv » Thu Jul 10, 2014 10:25 am

Easy enuff to amend those pages - I'd ask 'em to, and be prepared to explain why.
bandcamp;
blog.
I mix with olive juice.

User avatar
digitaldrummer
ghost haunting audio students
Posts: 3476
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 9:51 pm
Location: Austin, Texas
Contact:

Post by digitaldrummer » Thu Jul 10, 2014 10:39 am

Mike
www.studiodrumtracks.com -- Drum tracks starting at $50!
www.doubledogrecording.com

lyman
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 671
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2004 5:14 pm
Location: Plymouth Rock City, MA

Post by lyman » Thu Jul 10, 2014 11:23 am

I see nothing wrong with dropping them a polite note asking to be included on the bandcamp page alongside the other people who worked on the recordings.

User avatar
Nick Sevilla
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5555
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:34 pm
Location: Lake Arrowhead California USA
Contact:

Post by Nick Sevilla » Fri Jul 11, 2014 7:43 am

Hi,

Is there credit given to other people on that page?

Is it a band page that has NO one else mentioned on it?

FYI, in most every single bandcamp page / band website / online presence of any band famous or not, it is about the ARTIST, and I actually do not expect my name anywhere. It is their advertising of their product and of their public image.

It is NOT an opportunity for anyone behind the scenes to get a little limelight.

If you want your credit, and they DO have a page where the behind the scenes is talked about, or a credit page, or a link to imbd or allmusic etc. and yet YOUR name is not on this part of their page, THEN I would ask for you to be on there as it is appropriate.

But, in defense of the artist, YOU are not important in the big scheme of things. I have never ever had a fan of a band ask who produced / engineered / masturbated on the console. Ever. Because the fan does not care, and they should not care. The fan is there for the ARTIST.

Cheers
Howling at the neighbors. Hoping they have more mic cables.

User avatar
Nick Sevilla
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5555
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:34 pm
Location: Lake Arrowhead California USA
Contact:

Post by Nick Sevilla » Fri Jul 11, 2014 7:46 am

And one post-rant note:

Every time the production of an artist A is admired by another artist B, if artist B really wants to work with you, they WILL find you.

It is not at all hard. And how most of us get new work.

Word of mouth. It is still the best advertisement you can get.
Howling at the neighbors. Hoping they have more mic cables.

omari jamal
audio school
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2012 10:05 am

Post by omari jamal » Sat Jul 12, 2014 12:52 am

They gave credit to the engineer and the studio, so I don't think I'm being out of line here.

omari jamal
audio school
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2012 10:05 am

Post by omari jamal » Sat Jul 12, 2014 12:56 am

If you solely relied on word of mouth then let's just go back to the days when no one got credit on records. There's a reason why that practice has been abandoned.

User avatar
Gregg Juke
cryogenically thawing
Posts: 3544
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:35 pm
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA
Contact:

Post by Gregg Juke » Sat Jul 12, 2014 8:56 am

I agree OJ (?!?, Doh!), if others were credited so should you. But, this brings up an important point-- your role(s), whether engineer, AE, producer, co-producer, arranger, etc., and any fee(s), royalties, or lack thereof, and even details of credits, should all be worked-out ahead of time, and sealed with a nice, legible, intelligible contract. That discussion needs to occur, and agreement arrived at, before note-one is played and button-one pushed in the studio.

Not for the OP, but for general instructive purposes-- "co-producer" is definitely great resume, but not usually a royalty-bearing credit (just something to be aware of).

GJ
Gregg Juke
Nocturnal Productions Music Group
Drum! Magazine Contributor
http://MightyNoStars.com

"He's about to learn the most important lesson in the music business-- 'Never trust people in the music business.' "

User avatar
tjcasey1
takin' a dinner break
Posts: 164
Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2005 4:10 am
Location: Boston
Contact:

Post by tjcasey1 » Sat Jul 19, 2014 6:27 am

A semi-successful 70's punk band got back together and recorded some stuff, then imploded again. They only had 30 minutes of music done. I did three killer remixes of some of the stuff using just the vocals, and the album finally reached 45 minutes.

One of them did an interview in the newspaper - a huge two-page spread. He waxed eloquently about everyone including the pizza delivery guy and didn't even mention me. I wrote/performed one-third of the whole album. Without me, that would have been an EP.

Some people just suck....

User avatar
vvv
zen recordist
Posts: 10139
Joined: Tue May 13, 2003 8:08 am
Location: Chi
Contact:

Post by vvv » Sat Jul 19, 2014 10:41 am

Must have been some awesome pizza. :twisted:

But yeah, that does suck.

As suggested above, do you have anything in writing? I'd certainly take a hard line on any $ due ...
bandcamp;
blog.
I mix with olive juice.

User avatar
tjcasey1
takin' a dinner break
Posts: 164
Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2005 4:10 am
Location: Boston
Contact:

Post by tjcasey1 » Sat Jul 19, 2014 1:10 pm

vvv wrote:Must have been some awesome pizza. :twisted:

But yeah, that does suck.

As suggested above, do you have anything in writing? I'd certainly take a hard line on any $ due ...
They owe me nothing but respect. Let's just say they're on their own in the future.... :twisted:

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 48 guests