In this article Steve DeMott shares three pieces of advice on the ‘intangibles’ of running a session. You might have all the gear, knowledge and studio chops but are your clients relaxed and do they trust you with their session? Those are things which really leave a positive impression…
When I have clients point out something that makes them feel like they made the right choice by working with me I am often surprised by how these things are “intangibles”. They rarely point out impressive gear or projects I’ve worked on that have been notable, though that may have been a factor in getting them in the door to begin with. What clients comment on most are these three things:
Creating A Comfortable Atmosphere
I absolutely love when an artists says, “this feels so comfortable”, while we’re working together in the studio. Being an artist and exposing your innermost emotions in your art can be a very intimidating process. When I work with people in the studio I try to make the atmosphere as comfortable as possible. I always tell assistants and interns that a huge part of being the engineer is reading people and playing psychiatrist. Knowing how someone needs you to respond is a huge part of being a successful engineer and/or producer. It’s a skill that doesn’t always come easy, and requires being a student of human behaviour.
A lot of creating a comfortable atmosphere comes from being attentive and positive. It’s not rocket science. Smile. Make casual banter. People are far more likely to loosen up if you can get them to laugh a little. The other side of it is to protect the studio space. Don’t allow negative things into your work environment. This is especially true if you bring in studio musicians. Make sure they are as friendly as they are skilled. In fact, I’ll take the friendly player who is solid and can do the job over the virtuoso who’s personality brings things to a halt every single day of the week.
When the artist feels comfortable they will be in a better place to create at their highest level. That makes them happy, and translate to them wanting to work with you again.
Staying Calm When Something Goes Wrong
Equipment doesn’t always behave they way it should, and that is even more true when so much of our equipment is technology-based. No matter what goes wrong, never let the artist see you get flustered. If you start showing signs of things not going well you will quickly lose the confidence of the artist.
I’m not saying you have to hide problems that arise. You simply need to embrace the whole ‘grace under pressure’ mantra. The artist is trusting you to take care of all of the technical aspects of your session so they can focus on their art. Don’t bother them with the details they don’t need to be thinking about. I find it’s always best to smile and say, “hold on just a minute while I take care of this”, you don’t need to go into detail about what you’re going to do (unless they ask, of course), because they don’t need to be bothered with technical details. In fact, I often go so far as to add “feel free to grab a drink in lounge and I’ll be ready for you in just a few minutes”.
If you stay calm they won’t feel like anything out of the ordinary is happening. Not only that, it expresses an air of professionalism that they will appreciate.
Working Quickly And Confidently
If there is one thing I’ve learned it’s that being able to hone in on a sound quickly, wether it’s during recording or mixing, leaves a huge impression on artists and clients. There’s simply no delicate way to say this so I’ll just be honest: we are in an industry where there are many who say they can, but fewer who truly are what they claim to be. Good equipment has never been more accessible, and it seems everyone has a decent setup. What you can’t buy is talent and experience. Show them they’re in good hands by being the professional you say you are.
Being able to grab an EQ or compressor and make something go from “meh” to “oh yeah!” in a couple of seconds leaves an indelible mark that screams ‘professional’, and clients find that very comforting. When you know what to do, and can do it quickly, the client responds with relief. They feel like the investment they are making in you is beneficial.
Conclusion
While an equipment list and a bunch of impressive credits may get a client in the door, what happens after that is completely in your control. In my experience the best way to sell yourself at that point is to conduct yourself like the professional you are. Keeping artists and clients happy is not just good for the workflow, it’s good for business.
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