How do you keep your clients from getting frustrated?

[Ryan Silva]

I keep costumes around, and when things get tense or stressful I encourage everyone to put on a funny hat, or maybe some weird sunglasses, the Superman Cape is always good.
If they refuse I put on a dress and wig, and continue working. If they can stay angry watching me set up mics in a sundress, something else is really wrong.


Next.

[trodden]

I keep costumes around, and when things get tense or stressful I encourage everyone to put on a funny hat, or maybe some weird sunglasses, the Superman Cape is always good.
If they refuse I put on a dress and wig, and continue working. If they can stay angry watching me set up mics in a sundress, something else is really wrong.


Next.

That rules.. .fucking awesome.

[Rodgre]

My beagle keeps my clients in a good mood.

I worked with David Lowery and Brian Paulson on a session last year and one evening, a slightly tipsy Lowery went to the basement looking for a guitar slide for me to do some overdub, and he came back saying "I couldn't find the slide, but I did get these life vests" so for the rest of the night, both he and Brian wore fluorescent orange life vests.

Later, we were trying to make a decision about a part and David says "yeah, I'm not really sure about that..... but really, don't trust me. I'm wearing a life vest."

It was a great memory and a great tension breaker for sure.

Roger

[Dr. Sausage]

I rent a clown during my sessions, he dances and makes balloons in such in the control room. So whenever the sessions going bad all the artist has to do is look next to me.








*this is a lie, I have no studio

[Everybody's X]

Last time a drummer was thinking too much, and not nailing down his part . porno on the big screen distracted him just enough to nail it.

Of course then I couldn't pry the rest of the band away from the TV

should've charged by the hour

[Kilroy]

^ lol


When people were upset and shit where i interned, they go smoke some grass, usually worked.

[joel hamilton]

I keep people from being stressed by making them sound better than they do in real life....

[Rigsby]

I keep people from being stressed by making them sound better than they do in real life....

[cgarges]

Humour is such a beautiful thing.

If you can start with a relaxed atmosphere where the technical aspect of the recording doesn't get in the way of the musicians playing their instruments, it's much easier to maintain a relaxed atmosphere. When things start to go south, I find that it's a good idea to try to keep things light. If the tension is starting to kick in, suggesting a break is sometimes a good idea. Even if the artist doesn't want to take one, sometimes getting that idea in his or her head is enough to get them to relax or at least realize that theres nothing wrong with taking a break if they need to.

If all esle fails, make fun of the bass player.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[joel hamilton]

I hardly even talk about what I am doing in a technical way to people. I like to use oblique/obtuse answers to every question.

If someone says: "wow, what did you just do???" I will smile and say: "made it better."

That type of thing makes people relax in my experience. If you say "I am compressing the christ out of your bass so the low end stays consistent, but it is only the mult so I am not-killing-the-performance-and-Iamusing-a-vari-mu[gasp]-compressor-so-even-the-VU's-dont-tell-you-much...[pass out].

That just freaks people out. Imagine a doctor telling you every step of the process, like "now I am cutting stuff that you dont really need out of your abdomen." I would freak out!

[cgarges]

If someone says: "wow, what did you just do???" I will smile and say: "made it better."

That type of thing makes people relax in my experience. If you say "I am compressing the christ out of your bass so the low end stays consistent, but it is only the mult so I am not-killing-the-performance-and-Iamusing-a-vari-mu[gasp]-compressor-so-even-the-VU's-dont-tell-you-much...[pass out].

I think more people are genuinely interested these days, though. I have no problem explaining something to someone if they want to know. Of course, if it's a long and detailed explanation and I'm not sure that they'll get it anyway, I'll often say something like, "I could tell you, but the answer's pretty involved," at which point they'll either still want to know or not.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[nacho459]

Usually people will take 5 and go to Wendys for a Frosty?

If that doesn't work they'll usually quit for the day, or play the Nentendo.

[joelpatterson]

There's ways to let them know you are fantastically interested in this project turning out magnificently, and one way is to create enthusiasm. I don't know exactly how I do it. It just happens.

[Rigsby]

Usually people will take 5 and go to Wendys for a Frosty?

If that doesn't work they'll usually quit for the day, or play the Nentendo.

Sorry, but surely nobody has an ? key on their keyboard?

[Scodiddly]

Usually people will take 5 and go to Wendys for a Frosty?

If that doesn't work they'll usually quit for the day, or play the Nentendo.

Sorry, but surely nobody has an ? key on their keyboard?

I was more perturbed by nacho's spending extra time putting in the Registered symbol, and then mispelling "Nintendo".