Unprepared to Record: Deadline Stress

Viggo51

Viggo51

Oct 26, 2012
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Portland Oregon
#1
I've recently joined a band a few months back, It's a three piece with guitar, bass, and drums. The guitarist (singer songwriter) had a commitment for a 5 song EP with an album release gig in mid February. This was before the Drummer and I started. The style is percussive acoustic guitars with polyrhythms. We've had 5-6 Pratices and everything seemed to be coming together nicely...

We are attempting to record the album by tracking. Main guitar/ vocal mix was recorded at the songwriter's house. I went to the Drummers and recorded his part on my MacBook and then had to wait for the singer to make me a mix to record bass to. The Songwriter decided to re record his parts, taking extra time and changing the mix and some small parts in each song, he then decided to "Quantize the drums" and I presume his guitar.

I've finally started the process of recording in my home studio. I'll finish my part and send a MP3 for approval. My bass parts have been criticized (I was expecting some) and I'm having to rewrite basically all my parts. I fell that I'm expected to play perfectly d/t their parts being Quantized, therefore perfect, and my playing is requested to be "more simple". I'm disheartened to this because I've been playing these bass lines since the beginning and now I'm under the gun with a deadline approaching in under 10 days. I don't even have one song "in the can". Anyone been in a similar situation, what did you do? How was the outcome?
 
#2
No, i haven't been in this situation but will comment anyway.

It sounds like part of the problem is the piece meal method you all are using to record. Is it possible for you and the guitarist to meet and record the parts together? You can then receive on the spot feedback before anything is even converted to MP3 to ensure it gets done right.

There a few other things that don't sound pleasant about this situation that i won't go into(ie. why does this deadline even exist).
 
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#3
Frankly, this doesn't sound like a band. It sounds like the guitarist's pet project, and he needed drums and bass done for free.

I think the three of you should sit down and talk about expectations. If he wants session musicians to do hid bidding, he should be paying them as such (not to mention your engineering work).
 
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#5
You shouldn't be expected to play perfectly, nor should you be expected to change all your parts on such short notice IMO.

I also would never want to work with somebody who takes recorded parts and quantizes them... could be just a personal thing, but a "pro" musician should be able to keep time...
 
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#8
Viggo51 said:
Well problem solved, request to rewrite bass lines on all the songs has given me the answer I was looking for. I've quit this project! Chicken sh$t had the drummer call me! The difference between Boys and Men
Click to expand...

Sounds like that was your best move. How can they accept your playing before but now would of wanted you to redo the bass lines. Funny thing is I had a similar situation. I joined a pretty decent originals band and played with them for several shows. All was going well until one day they asked for the drummer and me to re-write our bass parts that we were to busy. We both looked at each other and laughed citing all the kudos they gave us on our playing and bringing there old songs new life. We both refused and quit the band.
 
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