Producing Tricks Pros Don't Want Their Clients to Know

[@thomasfokas]

I cannot tell you how many times I had a guitar player come back at night or the next morning and play all the bass players parts, and every one of those bass players complimented me on how great I made their bass sound. 😂

[@samsonlovesyou]

Are we bassists a joke to you??? 😤

[@dougleydorite]

I wonder how many of them eventually told the bassist the truth

[@ProducingInTheBox]

@@dougleydorite I always do but the conversation sucks and it’s hard telling them they need to play better hahaha

[@dougleydorite]

@@ProducingInTheBox yeah… 😬 I’m not a bassist but I know how to record myself to sound like a pro, and it still sounds much better than midi

[@notsure1135]

Bass players need to be multi instrumentalists in order to play tight.

[@Pulse2AM]

I'll add a tip, nice video by the way. When I'm working on a final mix I will put Ozone on the mix bus and run the mix assistant on the loudess part of the song then go back and listen to the entire track to make final level adjustments to the mix. In my experience that saves having to re-mix and master the tracks because when you master things certain parts will stick out more than you expected. I do not master on the mix bus and when I make the final stereo bounce down I take Ozone off. One more thing is to look up the Fletcher Munson curve and how we perceive frequencies at certain volumes.

[@ProducingInTheBox]

The Fletcher Munson curve is fun hahaha it’s a “phon” way of trying to measure something that’s subjective, but the concept remains strong. There’s a massive difference between loudness and perceived loudness.

[@Pulse2AM]

@@ProducingInTheBox It's an odd phenom that you can hear differently day to day too especially if you get audio fatigue while working all day on music. I did read a long time ago there is a sweet spot in decibels to mix at, the jest is not too loud not to quiet.

[@julianmorrisco]

@@Pulse2AMwhere I worked (record company studio) it was 85dB on the meters we had in every control room, IIRC. Having such meters was not usual, nobody really thought much about hearing damage in those days. I believe the meter was C-weighted, but I don’t recall the exact integration time. I assume it was some longer-ish average and we read the LED meters, the needles weren’t used for this purpose. I was taught to do most of my balancing to this, with an occasional sojourn higher for the vibe and the obligatory switch to ‘Horror’tone in mono and low volume. Nearfields were NS10s by default (this was their heyday - I still have mine, gathering dust) with soffit mounted Tannoys for full range and louder listening. Of course, many engineers would bring in their own nearfields (or hire some). Dynaudio comes to mind, as do Genelecs but I may be wrong on the timescale. Of course, what we were taught to do and what we did might differ. Depending on the musicians, the time we’d been mixing and any optional chemical enhancement that might be around. I usually felt a little left out - I preferred to listen sober. It was all fun and games until everything started to wear off!

[@Pulse2AM]

@@julianmorrisco LOL! Yes, I remember the days of studios like that! Thanks for posting the db level I had forgotten what it was. I also had NS10's for a decade or more, if you could make it sound good on those you were on the right track. I also have read and experienced the first thing to go is high end hearing if you're at high volumes or just working long hours. Don't mix high! 🤣 Oh yeah another thing I learned was to turn the volume way down and listen for things that might be too loud or soft. I admire the guys that make top 40 mixes they're really good, much better than me, I'm a musician first engineer last.

[@Dane_Riazer]

1:26 I love your advice for bass. I would also say (to save more time) is to process the bass as two split frequencies (low, high) and use DynAssist on the low end, and you can dial in the low end in less than 5 minutes without recording new midi in. Thank you again for your tips! 🙌🏾

[@DrProgNerd]

The Intentional Mistake Trick reminded me of selling a condo I used to own. There was a GFI plug that wasn't working. I told my realtor that I was going to fix it. He told me not to - until after the buyer's inspector came. He said that the buyer has spent a lot of money hiring the inspector - and he's going to want to be able to justify his fee. Letting him find the faulty outlet helped him do that - plus - he wouldn't go nitpicking other things. Worked like a charm. He found the faulty GFI. I fixed the thing I was going to fix anyway. The buyer was happy. I was happy. The inspector was happy. Lol !!!!

[@ProducingInTheBox]

@@DrProgNerd hahahaha yes 🙌 that’s awesome. A lot of it is justification of price. They want their moneys worth, and I totally understand that. But sometimes you can make things worse by constantly changing things

[@makemusicordie]

Just a little tidbit: the software called Session recall is a godsend if you do need to recall some hardware. No more picture taking or paper slid over the gear/tape with markings. You can download modules for the hardware in your rack and literally build a virtual version of your session with all of the knob’s positions saved. Obviously the modules don’t function as plugins or anything, but they’re basically a one-to-one visual of the hardware so that you can just have a simple database of session recalls in a folder on your computer, or simply save a JPEG image, etc. of the settings and put it in the actual Session folder. Boom, no more complication.

[@ProducingInTheBox]

@@makemusicordie yo…. WHATTTTTTTT?!? Gonna check this out immediately

[@makemusicordie]

@@ProducingInTheBox yeah, a genius tool and idea! Not only good for mix recalls, but also the easiest way to save chains for different instruments/artists if you’re working with outboard pre-amps and compression before converters / DAW like myself! No more mess of Apple phone notes with photos tucked in! 😅

[@ianandrew1997]

The retracking thing is downright evil, I love it. Funny enough, my former guitarist had a really trash tone (it genuinely sounded like dumping a pile of gravel) so I tried to retrack it. He got SUPER pissed at me when the guitars were suddenly audible in the mix. Then we tried having the same song produced by a Grammy-awarded pro, who did the same exact thing, and the guitarist loved it. Bands are a whole different breed... lol

[@spammburgers78]

Guitarists, sheesh. I learned myself not to mention to my guitarist that I had rolled off his low end to make room for the bass when producing our album. If there were only a way to do this during practice....

[@ianandrew1997]

@spammburgers78 duct tape the knobs so they can't keep turning their stuff up 🤣

[@rskityaev]

I used to fix timing incosistencies right while tracking. I got the take, quickly adjust things, went on recording another take etc. Works fine with guitars, vocals, bass.

[@highsocietysongchannel]

This tell-all video pretty much validates a bunch of what I suspected as an artist scrambling to get a grip on that ghost in the machine. It's a wild and cray-zee ride, and I don't mind getting tricked along the way, brah! If we get the take. Thank you!!!

[@ProducingInTheBox]

I know right?! Haha. At the end of the day we’re both after the same thing. A great song!

[@AFRoSHEENT3ARCMICHAEL69]

That's a great approach man. The positivity to get the best takes from the artist. Genius thinking.

[@ProducingInTheBox]

I appreciate that!

[@BlueMethzxy]

Hey Man, You Made Me Not Blame My Clients AnyMore, and I'll Try to Encourage them instead.

[@ProducingInTheBox]

@@BlueMethzxy let’s go!!!!!!! Producers are meant to be encouragers, not discouragers!

[@wyelqo]

Thanks a lot for your info man, always useful videos !

[@ProducingInTheBox]

Thank you For watching!

[@shaft9000]

Some of this is fine, a lot of this amounts to "A Race to the Middle" though. A matter of style and goals.

[@Pulse2AM]

True, there isn't a right or wrong there is only a choice or choices. Some of today's POP music is way to samey for my tastes, it's just boring and has a short shelf life. It's an art form, knowing what to leave in is as important as what to fix or take out.

[@dreamscuba]

Great video. Thanks for sharing these tips.

[@ProducingInTheBox]

@@dreamscuba thank you for watching!

[@torosuave]

about the last tip, using digital plug ins instead of analog expensive gear: A pain in the butt made the best music I ever heard.....I think analog studios make you WORK....makes you come out of your chair...walk,, bend, sit, standup , bend some more in your studio. that's a lot healthier for your creative brain and als for your body.....I dont like to be that musician anymore always sitting in his chair starring at screens. I am a standing , playing guitar standing up, moving around musician again! like a child in his room.. feels better...is better I think...

[@rmdguitar]

this channel is perfect thank you

[@ProducingInTheBox]

@@rmdguitar thank you for watching!

[@mnash3]

I felt your content in this video was strong enough that u did not have to clickbait us. I did not thumbs down, but I was close. Lol.... But I understand....small businesses do whatever is necessary. Buuuuut in this case....the clickbait really was not necessary. In either case.... Cool content and happy holidays!

[@ProducingInTheBox]

Honestly not sure what the clickbait is?

[@MG53v8]

Im always trying to get that 1st 'practice ' take without them knowing I'm recording.

[@AFRoSHEENT3ARCMICHAEL69]

For some reason I thought this was going to be production tips shown and demonstrated in the DAW.

[@ProducingInTheBox]

Literally showed some of them in the DAW. like the bass example.

[@rorypotatochip1373]

I haven’t worked with you, but I feel amazing now!!!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@ProducingInTheBox]

Hahaha that’s because you are amazing 🤘🤘🤘

[@goldnugget8350]

John Lennon said that quote, NOT Buble.

[@samsonlovesyou]

How the hell did Vig manage 6 guitar dubs in the mix without causing a muddy, phasey mess (not quite the 30-odd guitar tracks on Smashing Pumpkins - Soma) I love the idea of doing a lot of dubs for thinkness, but would be curious to hear of any strategies to manage them?

[@ProducingInTheBox]

@@samsonlovesyou phasing isn’t always bad. It’s only bad if it sounds bad. Great example is the Fender Strat. The middle and neck pickup played together create phasing issues that scoops out frequencies but it’s sounds amazing. It’s the fender, stratty, spanky tone we all know and love. If you blend multiple layers together and it sounds good, it is good. Even if there’s frequency masking and phasing. A great producer knows what problems are real problems and when to fix them!

[@AutPen38]

It probably WAS a phasey mess until genius mixing engineer Andy Wallace got involved. He has a very good ear for what works and how to mix, match, phase correct, and pan things to sound much better than the rough mix. The attention to detail on 'Nevermind' is incredible.

[@EmperorKamikaze]

Trick #4: I'd call that steering the initial perception, or , self-fulfilling prophecy

[@prevailstudiob793]

IM Pusher is my secret weapon also, shhhh!

[@ProducingInTheBox]

@@prevailstudiob793 DONT TELL TOO MANY PEOPLE 😉😏😂😂😂😂

[@everyonexist]

Cheers -PREXENTS

[@GesnerMercado]

7:20 😂

[@ProducingInTheBox]

I know ahahahahahahaha

[@GesnerMercado]

Manipulation at it's finest lol btw great content bro!

[@GesnerMercado]

Manipulation at it's finest lol

[@GesnerMercado]

@@ProducingInTheBox Manipulation at it's finest lol btw great content!

[@rrmin437]

The minor differences in player timing, dissonance, and "loose" playing is what makes music "feel". These are a requirement for rock and roll. Using quantize and sample overlays, and pitch correction removes so much feeling.... I won't let a drummer/rhythm section record to a metronome.

[@matenorth]

Good luck editing in unison kicks/guitar chugs/bass chuggs

[@rrmin437]

@@matenorth My point exactly. These things shouldn't be totally in unison or you don't really have a feel/groove.

[@matenorth]

@@rrmin437 Some people quantize them so they can delay the guitars and bass away from the kick about a few milliseconds so the attack of the kick comes first. Non quantized, sometimes it's the kick first and other times the guitar.

[@kimseniorb]

stacking bass like that would only lead to phase issues

[@ProducingInTheBox]

@@kimseniorb not in my experience! As long as you don’t have any frequency overlap you’re good most of the time

[@MG53v8]

It's a very common thing to do , I don't think you'll hace any big problems as long as it's not the same sound .

[@alienspacecraft1000]

Entry level.

[@regortex3364]

Yes, how to be a "professional producer"

[@ProducingInTheBox]

@@regortex3364 this is what I do for a living, so by definition I’m a professional producer! But please, if my music doesn’t sound good to your ears, don’t take my advice!

[@regortex3364]

@@ProducingInTheBox - don't take it personally, I have no idea who you are or the artists you produce.

[@MattStretz]

There’s some harmless lies I tell my clients. One being “that’s totally the bass player on the album & not the guitarist coming in after the bassist left to redo the bass lines” or telling the guitarist “that’s totally your amp on the track. I totally didn’t reamp your tracks after you went home”. Or telling the drummer “ya man your kit sounds great!” knowing full and well I’m about to sample replace the whole kit. And my favourite is the vocalists bragging to someone about how good he sounds on this new record and I’m just thinking about how I comped the hell out of the 50 takes we did & tuned the hell out of it

[@aeko]

Your camera angle makes you look like you’re 3 feet tall

[@ProducingInTheBox]

@@aeko I’m actually 2 feet tall irl

[@aeko]

@@ProducingInTheBox In that case, your camera needs to be aimed WAY LOWER. ;)

[@rabarebra]

This is why todays music sucks.