Assistant engineers: who needs 'em?

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knobtwirler
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Assistant engineers: who needs 'em?

Post by knobtwirler » Wed Jan 25, 2006 8:57 pm

I just have to get the forum's opinions on this one from the perspective of what happened to me today. I do work in studios in NYC, and there are some where I've been on staff as either an intern, assistant engineer, or engineer. Currently I'm a staff engineer and have been for years at this particular spot, and I've been "put" on a multiple-day tracking session. First day comes and goes, great. Second day, the studio manager tells me there will be no assistant on the session and I will have to simply deal with it. Now, if I had no assistant on the first day, my stress levels would have been greatly amplified, something I don't think is good unless my job title included the word Masochist. Without getting into too many details at this point, I'm thinking that the manager doesn't seem to think an assistant engineer is integral to a session paying full rate for our services, or I am fully capable of doing two people's jobs at the same time while getting paid for only one. I'll save the meaty bits and say that I refused the job, and based this decision solely on my position in the situation, which could have set a bad precedent for any future repeat situations. What say you, and what questions do you have to clarify your understanding of this before I end up writing a studio psychology compendium?

knobtwirler
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Assistant schmassistant

Post by knobtwirler » Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:58 pm

I guess assistant engineers aren't really needed and I'm just spoiled for expecting one.

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seaneldon
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Post by seaneldon » Tue Feb 07, 2006 2:37 am

we go with the two-engineer-approach when we have a client that wants/needs to do a lot of work in an amount of time that isn't so "a lot". as long as both engineers are on the same page throughout the session, it goes pretty smooth. it's handy to have one guy handling routing and mics and such while the other guy is doing mixing/computer/tape machine stuff.

Shawn Simmons
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Post by Shawn Simmons » Tue Feb 07, 2006 1:15 pm

I regularly work without an assistant. I sometimes have another engineer help me out with the setup on the first day but never after that. Budgets just aren't big enough anymore to pay for assistants to be around. It's a sad reality.

shawn

knobtwirler
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Post by knobtwirler » Tue Feb 07, 2006 8:53 pm

So what happens to the guy getting out of recording school and thought he was gonna be an assistant? Do they just go straight to being engineers with Pro Tools LE and a laptop and charge 50/hr instead of getting $7.25/hr?

NoClass
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Post by NoClass » Wed Feb 08, 2006 10:12 am

knobtwirler wrote:So what happens to the guy getting out of recording school and thought he was gonna be an assistant? Do they just go straight to being engineers with Pro Tools LE and a laptop and charge 50/hr instead of getting $7.25/hr?
Nope. They get jobs as audiovisual technicians and set up LCD projectors and easel stands all day. At least that's what happens around here. Otherwise they go to university and get a real job.

knobtwirler
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Post by knobtwirler » Wed Feb 08, 2006 1:58 pm

NoClass wrote:go to university and get a real job.
That should be Full Sail's new slogan.

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I'm Painting Again
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Post by I'm Painting Again » Fri Feb 10, 2006 10:06 am

i think you did the best thing for you..

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JGriffin
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Post by JGriffin » Fri Feb 10, 2006 3:25 pm

I used to be an assistant, then I quit and they replced me. Then that guy quit and they didn't replace him. So my old boss did all his sessions solo for the next eight years.

Meanwhile, I started here as the only engineer, then after five years got an assistant, then this year she quit and they're not replacing her. Right about this time my old boss just got himself another assistant. Go figure.

Sometimes around here it's good to have someone else to do patching, dial-ups, setting up mics, documenting, log sheets, ordering food, etc. But I did it all myself for years, I can get used to it again.
"Jeweller, you've failed. Jeweller."

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knobtwirler
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Post by knobtwirler » Fri Feb 10, 2006 10:31 pm

Thanks for all your experiences and views. Now that some time has passed, it seems painfully obvious that the previously predetermined and stable workforce associated with recording studios is being wittled away to its core structure just before it collapses on itself. When one toils as an assistant for years and hopes to be that engineer one day and reap the rewards of having that assistant by your side just like you were for everyone else, it is very disheartening for the system to tell you, "No, I'm sorry, now that you've made it, you will not be given that luxury. Good luck in there, soldier." It's ok, I just wish I had a boss who knew how to communicate these concepts on a level higher than a Southern Hairy-Nosed Wombat.

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Post by Spark » Sat Feb 11, 2006 9:07 am

But as an assistant you got the learning experience that someone who is just dumped into sessions wouldnt get. On some levels consider youreself lucky.

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trodden
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Post by trodden » Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:18 am

knobtwirler wrote:
NoClass wrote:go to university and get a real job.
That should be Full Sail's new slogan.
Along with all of us who went to a four year and got a BA or BS and are still trying to juggle "reality" with our need of time for artistic/creative endeavors as well as rent/bill/health insurance paying slavery.

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@?,*???&?
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Post by @?,*???&? » Fri Feb 24, 2006 7:57 pm

I've worked with some rotten assistants. Guys who did not know how to align a tape machine, I've had to stop sessions to re-align them myself. Always a great moment explaining to the artist that you're working with that the other guy in the room is not to be trusted. Does this make me a control freak?

Part of me says, why would I possibly need an assistant engineer when I could just as well do the work myself? Getting a taste of strictly producing these days, I still think I'd rather also engineer my own projects as well as produce. I mean, if I can fix the hum faster than the engineer- why should I use one?

But for your situation, I know those kinds of sessions. The assistant becomes invaluable for monitor mix cds at the end of the night, good documentation and excellant team play and comraderie. I would hazard a guess you're studio manager is booking under the going rate at your studio though- that's the only reason I've ever seen for not putting an assistant on a session. Even on some of the lowest paying gigs, studio managers will typically make the client pay for the assistant engineer out-of-pocket.

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trodden
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Post by trodden » Sat Feb 25, 2006 12:34 pm

I've never been taught how to align a tape machine.

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Brian
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Post by Brian » Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:19 pm

I have forgotten most of what I learned about aligning tape machines because I don't use them much. They have a sound and a "requirement" that I'm not married to having, anymore.
Anyway, I like to have an assistant. Especially a good one that knows the room.
Maybe the manager couldn't get one that knew your room? I dunno.
I like a good one.
Maybe all the audio engineers in the world should talk to each other and form an ethic: no taking shit from the manager. If the manager gives even one of us this kind of hassle we all walk.
Dreams.
Harumph!

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