the trouble with being nice is ....

[TapeOpLarry]

Back to an earlier problem: When you need an ADAT tape and the band ain't springing for it, it'd be a sweet thing to grind the session to a halt so that they have to go buy one. Even if that means it's over for the day. Then you tell them if they buy a handful this will never happen again. They'll probably buy a few extra.

Regarding beer: Beer is the currency of young bands. Go to the sessions with no money in your pocket. Do not supply them with beer. They should be buying you beer. If you do a great job they will really be the ones who benefit. You will be left with an album credit that no one reads. Believe me, this is true. I had an intern buy a band a 6-pack once. I was horrified. That's the band's problem - why should we supply them with beer? Plus the legal aspects (less so if you don't have a commercial studio though). Imagine someone gets caught drunk driving and you supplied the beers. Uh...

[JGriffin]

What are the legal aspects exactly? Are they the same as when someone gets into a wreck driving drunk home from a bar? Or a party? Are the bar owners or party hosts in any way liable? Would you be if someone got in a drunk-driving accident after drinking at your studio?

It's an important question, as I work at a few places that offer amenities --generally snacks and brought-in, billed meals, but occasionally beer --and I'd like to know what people's experiences are, and what the law actually states if anyone knows.

[kayagum]

The general rule is called "Dram Shop" law... if you supply booze to someone, and they break stuff or hurt people, you are equally liable.

Specifics vary from state to state, but it will suck wherever you are.

[JGriffin]

Aha. Thanks.

[tubejay]

chris - not having a space isn't a big deal. not having a space AND bringing ALL of the recording gear is a big deal. Does a 70s Tascam board, an ART pro vla, one ADAT, 4 cheap mics, and SOMEBODY that knows how to use them warrant a bill?

jim!

Well, maybe not a big bill, but you should have at least gotten free beer out of the deal. When I did my first few recordings for free, I always made sure that free beer was part of the package. I spent 9 months recording a band when I started out, not solid, but a couple nights a week, and part of the condition was that they bring enough beer for the night. I usually only had a couple over the course of a night, because drinking and engineering don't mix very well, but still.

Next free project you do, make sure you get free beer. Also, if the band is good, and is going to help get you business, then doing a free recording isn't such a bad thing at all. Once you do a few good recordings, people will start lining up expecting to pay. The key is to find popular and at the same time good bands to record for free. Meaning, no Nickelback clones.

Another good way to get payment, is to say you'll record a band for gear. Ask them what they have that they're not using, and make them include that. Then, if you don't need the gear, sell it and buy what you do need.

Another smart thing to do, to protect your recording, is to make them master it with someone that's good at mastering. Because again, payment for you in the beginning is getting a good recording to bring in new business. If they have some joe schmoe do the mastering, it can ruin all of your free hard work. A lot of guys will master a project through an L1 or L2 in about 2 hours, after you've spent weeks or months on the same project. That's a good way to ruin and waste your time.

Do all of it up front, and get it in writing...even if it's on a napkin.

[sthslvrcnfsn]

you are speaking truth tubejay.

this band is getting more popular around here, despite their wierd sound, and have been opening for some decent national acts lately. those shows are a good place to have a cd with my name on it! that in itself is enough to make me happy. i've thought alot about what i typed at first on the night of the session.

the problem with beer-barter is that they don't have money. the problem with gear-barter is that they don't have money. and as a corrallary to the gear issue i passed on a sweet piece of free gear i got to them, so there might be some sort of wierd precedent. it was something i found and could be put to much better use by them, so ...

i'm not talking about big bucks here, that's for sure, but something along the lines of beer or gear, etc. at least the beer! and, no i'm not chugging all session long. i might have one after i get all set up, and start in on the rest once we have a keeper of the last song. i think we all know what beer does to your ears, ha.

thanks for all the comments folks. i needed a little direction.

now i need to wait for sinus fluid to drain so i can actually HEAR and start mixing.
jim!

ps - there won't be any mastering going on, except maybe running the stereo mix gently back through my compressor. if they'd spring for the bill, i'd go in for free (my labor that is) to just about any studio with a nice dual-parametric EQ and a nice pair of limiters so i can just polish it up in a hurry. it'd sound better and reflect better on me. that isn't gonn happen though, heh.