In this article, experienced professionals Karen Down and Mike Exeter, share their experience of how to avoid projects and sessions from turning bad and how to resolve conflict if it arises.
From a producer's perspective, most projects may have the odd hiccup, but these can generally be resolved efficiently with good communication between the various creatives involved allowing it to be brought it in on budget and time, and to everybody’s satisfaction.
However, even with the best intentions, planning and preparation, some projects can become the stuff of nightmares. Things can quickly unravel and become overwhelming, with toxic feelings and resentment engulfing the client/producer relationship.
The impact of this on one’s mental health can be significant. For many of us our reputation and future work prospects are dependent on recommendation. Because of this we tend to be accommodating and do ‘whatever it will take’ to get the work done, but we also need to remain mindful that we do not ‘break’ ourselves doing it.
By learning to recognise the signs that something is not right, leaning into coping strategies, and defining boundaries, the potential for a session to turn irretrievably toxic can begin to be mitigated.
Coming To An Agreement
Prior to the start of any work, whether it be using a bespoke contract or via a series of points in an email, expectations as regards the scope of work, price, deliverables, timescales and costs need to be agreed and made known to all parties involved.
It is also important to make very clear, in writing, that anything requested in addition to what has been agreed, is an extra that will be charged for.
Getting these points formalised from the outset is vital in avoiding potential conflict at a future date.
Budget Vs Timescale
With any working relationship, be it building work or mixing an album, both parties require an understanding of the relationship between timescale and budget, including what can reasonably be delivered, when and for what price. In the studio cutting corners and working monstrous hours to get the job done should never be the default expectation on anyone involved in the session.
Being realistic, rather than optimistic, about what can be done in the agreed timescale will help in managing band/manager expectation and lessen the pressure on the producer/engineer. It will also highlight whether the budget for each of the processes - recording/mixing/mastering - has been identified to ensure funds are available.
We are all aware of the following Venn Diagrams. Although often referred to in forums with a little humour, they allow us to visualise conflicts that are present in all walks of life and work. It would do us well to take note as it will help us manage expectations.
Bottom line: the cost of each part of the production process and the time it will take needs to be discussed in writing prior to the start of work. This will provide peace of mind to all parties involved.
That said, there will be occasions where things take longer than they should to complete, or are not able to happen at the planned time. Ways to handle such eventualities need to be considered before one finds oneself ambushed by a situation you were unprepared for.
Plan The Work
As with many areas of life, balance inevitably comes down to good communication and planning.
With all sessions there must be an end goal - such as tracks or mixes to be delivered by a certain date. Gone are the days where studios were booked for weeks on end with a vague
target. Today, key to delivering a successful single/album is to plan and share that plan with everyone involved. This schedule can include what days will be spent recording, mixing, or writing, what will be delivered when, to whom, and in what format. These are all concerns that the producer will attempt to juggle whilst dealing with changing demands from artists and their managers. Making a plan, revising it and keeping the client in the loop is an essential session management task, which may feel uncomfortable, but is useful when trying to avoid potential conflict.
Expanding on that thought, another area of contention for the producer/engineer is mission creep or the expectation to deliver any undefined extras requested. For example, it is not uncommon to be asked out of the blue for bad language to be removed on versions of a mix, or for processed multitracks of the mix to be supplied at session end, or for the creation of stems. The assumption often is these tasks are quick and simple and included in the agreement. If it has been made clear to the artist exactly what is and is not included in any contract/agreement it becomes easier to stand one's ground over payment for additional time and deliverables. Speaking to the nominated representative of the band or the manager can also reduce stress levels of dealing with conflicting, multiple person requests.
Communication
There is a lot of passion in our industry and this can translate into everyone involved in the creative process having an opinion - from which mics should be used on the snare, to whether the guitars are too loud in the chorus. And everyone will want their voice heard. For a producer or engineer, having clear lines of communication with the band or their management is essential in avoiding communication breakdown and a loss of trust. From the onset, the establishment of comms channels is an essential part of the process of building a working relationship.
Cultivating good relationships allows us to get the best performances from everyone involved in the creative process. Bringing the various bandmembers into conversations about your approach and actively encouraging them to be a part of the process when dealing with their sound is a great technique for establishing trust and communication. Trust is a byproduct of working together, and this works both ways with the artist themselves needing to consider the experience and talent that the creative team brings to the session.
Of course, there is always that chance that personalities will clash - people have different ways of working, tolerate different behaviours, and have different values. Setting boundaries will provide a clear message and aid in keeping the session intact.
Roles And Responsibilities
Next, aligning role expectations early will go a long way to avoiding misunderstandings that cause session toxicity.
In any new creative relationship there may be individuals that do not fully understand the production process. This can include understanding the technology, the roles of the individuals involved, who will make decisions, and how long the process will take. Everyone's ideas will all be different and not all of these ideas will align.
Taking time to explain everyone's role and responsibility at the outset, will aid in smoother interactions, calming nerves, building trust and in creating a productive working space whether you are recording, mixing or mastering.
Setting Boundaries
As much as it can be a privilege being part of the creative process, it should not dominate your life to the extent that you are neglecting your needs and those of the people important to you. At the beginning of defining a working relationship you can make it clear the hours
you will be available to answer a call, the communication channel you prefer - WhatsApp, email, messenger etc, the hours you will work, and whether you will work weekends. You can let people know the language and behaviours you are comfortable with and those which you are not. Setting boundaries promotes self respect and asks that from others.
Without respect, trust or experience the artist can, either intentionally or not, start to second guess, or attempt to micromanage, the production process. This can inadvertently call into question the engineer or producer's ability, often triggering negative self talk and impacting
mental health. This stressor will impact not only that part of the creative team but also the result of the production and future opportunities to work together.
Conflict - How To Manage It
Whenever a group of individuals are working together in a creative space there is the potential for disagreements and sometimes emotions can escalate to unhealthy levels.
Checking in, reading the room and adopting practices to deescalate the situation is key to maintaining a positive working environment.
It is worth keeping in mind actions one can take to help ease a situation. ● Take breaks - when tensions are high taking a short break will allow everyone to cool off. Take a walk, wrap up for the day, create space physically and mentally and breathe.
● Identify potential triggers - these may be schedules or an artist/manager's way of communicating. Planning and establishing good practice will mitigate the impact on the session.
● Mediate disputes quickly - do not let them fester.
● Recognise different personalities - not everyone thinks the same way, everyone has something going on - take a breath before reacting to consider the situation or a point of view
Remember Self Care
When dealing with stressful situations, a heavy workload or personality clashes, it is not easy to put aside time to check in with how you are doing.
A little exercise, eating healthily, quality sleep, taking time to breathe will help us feel good and put us in a stronger frame of mind. Making these as much of a priority as finding the right reverb in something we should all be aiming to be better at.
It is also essential to not forget about one’s network - family, friends, partners - to lean in when life is hard, to talk about whatever challenges you are facing, to take the offer of a shoulder to lean on or hand to hold.
Lastly
At the end of the day, we all need to remember that toxic situations have a significant impact on our creativity and productivity. Finding balance and avoiding conflicts during sessions is crucial to maintaining a positive and productive working environment and promoting good mental health.
Planning, communicating, setting boundaries are all aspects of our working lives that we have a degree of control over and hopefully can be used to mitigate session conflicts. Using these tools and shifting the focus back to the art will remind all involved that the primary purpose of the session is to create great music.