I wanna change sound engineer... possible?

[lhang]

I have recorded some stuff with a certain sound engineer but am dissatisfied with his (lack of) proffessionalism and skills. Hence, is it possible for me to change engineer/studio?

will certain guitar effects, plug-ins that have been used be affected? Can i still preserve those if i were to change sound engineer?
Basically will i be able to keep all that has been done and transfer my recorded stuff as it is now to the new place? Or do I have to start mixing the music from scratch?

 

[mikemann]

We have to see what you have, if you have the final master (after post edit). We cannot do much to it anymore. You'll have to accept it as is.

If you have the raw format, which is individual tracks of different parts and instruments, normally on an ADAT tape or other format. (normally only possible if you supply the tape yourself) This is where almost everything is possible, unless the original take itself is too crappy.
Please note that as the post editing is done by someone else, full editing charges will apply and surcharge possible with different studios.

In SG, most recording is done in digital format, and plenty of studios uses low cost equipment (less than $200K setup). So the quality wise we cannot expect much. Also really good skilled engineer is actually far and few.

That's why it's better to choose a reputable studio before embarking on a project. It's easier to correct mistake as it happens, tough when you reached the final stage product.

Very subjective issue.

 

[lhang]

Thanks a lot for the reply.

Actually it's more of the lack of professionalism that i am cheesed off with. Basically the guy has a couldn't-care-less attitude, was unprofessional in his handling of the recorded material, and breached obligations.
Apart from lodging a formal complaint with CASE, i would also wanna take my business somewhere else as I do not wanna work with the sound engineer any more.

But my main concern is to save the effects and stuff done. I have the recorded material in raw format and I don't mind paying for any additional charges. But it would be quite a problem if i can't get the same effects anymore.
And if i infer correctly, i won't be able to keep whatever has been done, and have to start editing from scratch...?

 

[rottenramone]

.

wah... how much did u spend man??

 

[mikemann]

The thing with CASE is not really reccomended as I doubt they will help much. Also in this field, CASE will not have a knowhow on this industry to help you much anyway. The engineer can present his own side of story, and he surely have a lot of way to twist the story. CASE is much verbally overrated, mostly just mentioned to play bluff with the other party.

My suggest is cut loss and get out. Dragging do no party any good as I guess that there is already bad blood mixing already.

Most important is being careful yourself, if you ask yourself that you believe there people who drive and "hit & run". It shows that black hearted people do exist, not a fantasy, and the numbers are actually startling. I was a victim of one and I am very lucky today to be alive as my vehicle became airbourne as a result and crashed resulting in the veh body becomming banana shaped, totally wreaked.

 

[veganbleu]

You should try to take both effected and non effected versions, especially if you're going to comp different parts together, since the next guy might not be able to replicate the same sound.

 

[ad]

Who's the dude, bro?
Maybe others have suffered the same fate, then you all can go to CASE together and beef up your complaint.

 

[lhang]

Re: .

wah... how much did u spend man??

way too much....

ad: if you wanna know who, PM me... i don't wanna be slamming the sound engineer openly... don't think it's nice to do that....

 

[bernardgoh]

i think if you got your raw data format (aiff,wave). then it shouldn't be a problem to go to any studio for mixdown and re-record some parts. you just need to know what the other studio is using and what format they can accept. personally, i think when you are startinga project and stuff, go to the studio you wanted to record in and talk to the engineer, see whether they can help you with it. and ofcause do your own research on the studio. if you think that the enviroment of the studio and the engineer is ok. then arrange a pre-production meeting and see whether you budget is fesible and see what the studio can help you. i think most studio engineer is more then willing to talk to you unless they're not interested in your project. just my 2 cents worth of comment. PM me if you need help.

 

[sound_designer]

post to mikeman..!!

ur kinda talk is pretty much crappy dude... anyway... wic studio r u refering to..?
to have dat 200k worth of eguipments..?
my exposure is international n have been touring with lotsa international production.. n been working with sony austrlalia n MTV japan studio as well..!!
n the great deal of working with the biggest concert company in australia called jands.. n also a senior from esplanade...
so watever equipment, u name it... i did have my hands ard those toys aite..!!i juz wanna stress out...
a pretty much decent eguipments minus off beringher could do a pretty cool job aite..!!!
of coz a good engineer is an essential to enchance the whole production...
think it simple dude... of coz having those submit, tac, focusrite, neve preamps n all dat would be a bonus..!!
n good dynamic precessors like those dbx would be absolutely cool..
n effects like those eventide r juz marvelous... but the whole these deal.. . DUN NEED 200K DUDE...!!!

anyway, where is ur studio.. watz ur website... unless u talking abt lion studio, then i would believe those equipments would pretty much cost quite abit..
so u have whole rack load with lot of those submit, focusrite, neve, xxl, eventide, dbx n all dat or wat dude...!!
if juz talking abt less than 10 of those product.. a good evaluation of most 80 grand would be reasonable..!!!

 

[sound_designer]

yo mikeman.... i've seen ur website dude... well, mabye u juz provide a place for practise session....
but i guess u dun noe much abt sound dude.. n making a remarks about sound engineer in sg or eguipment wise... doesn't make a sence at all...
how much do u noe abt the industry dude...
forgive me to say this...
but all the crap u say... plzzz save it....!!!

 

[bernardgoh]

studio setup

mmm.... 200k.... if you put renovation, acoustics design, startup... actually alot of studio is really over 200k. for me, mics alone cost me 20 over k and software itself cost me 10 - 20 k too. that's just for the software and mics only, not including my pres, mixer, DAW, recorders, A/D/A and things like that.

 

[Uncle]

There are a lot of good engineers in the country...the saying of graduates who can't do a good mix compare to engineers who started out cutting tapes and pouring coffee no longer true in this era...no studio engineers would claim to be one if they can't do a decent job just trying to make some money out of you...the way you rate a engineer is way too subjective......why don't you think that the cocky ones shld be the experienced ones while you shld then be wary of those that are way too helpful....How many of the studio engineers that are still around shld know it better...this is not a place to diss abt anybody...if you are in the industry you shld know who is who....so what if you have been to where and worked at where...your experience shld be helping out those that are new...this is the place to share ideas and solutions...and not to bring anybody down!!

 

[audio]

wats up wif u guys?..to me all sound engineers are good..hey come on guys..im juz 17..hoping to get into Dip in Music and Audio Technology in SP..i got no experience but i believe all audio tech/engineer or watever u call it, they will never produce the same mix if they were to record The Beatles in their respective studios..got it? i see audio as an art of workmanship also...nobody is wrong..different engineer have different taste and style of doing things..they all have their own preferences in the equipments they use...even a beginner can produce excellent pro studio quality work with equipments less than $1K...its the creativity that matters..y not u guys post ur work of art here rather than.............&^%MTV)()(*&^^%^%$#%$SOny^%*^$%................prove dat u are reali 'sony australia n mtv japan' good

and u Ihang...before u go record ur stuffs in a studio..ask for samples to hear so u can roughly know whether or not he can produce wat u exactly want...discuss things wif him 1st...

 

[sound_designer]

yo bernard.... wat mic do u use mann... the most expensive mic i've ever used is the soundfield wic have 4 capsules n u can control these capsules via a protocol of rs 232.. n yeah dat cost 20k... n the range of the most expensive mic like the neuman, will cost an average of 10k..
n software alone 20k..?
wat u have full range of those native instrument, spectrasonics, plugsound n all dat softsynths..
also those waves plug in n all dat...
the most expensive plugin in town is those waves... the diamond bundle is 2500 bucks..
wow.. ur evaluation of 20 k for software.. is kinda weird dude.. coz if i put everything together.. with all the pro software.. it wun cost dat much...
n yeah is all software original or juz from limewire dudes.. hehehe

unless u talking abt u using a tdm or hd system for protools.. mabye a core system would cost a good 15k.. n a hd.. at least full configuration is 50k..

wat i am saying or pointing out is.. DO U NEED A 200K TO PRODUCE A QUALITY SOUND..?
common, lets face it guys..
n also I BELIEVE THERE IS QUITE ABIT OF LOCAL ENGINEER WHO CAN PRODUCE REALLY GOOD FAT QUALITY SOUND WITH AN AVERAGE EQUIPMENT..
couple of dbx, some good preamps.. good eventide.. n all dat would be cool...
oh well, i wun wanna debate more on this... so be it if u guys think otherwise..
have fun dudes... hehehe
NO HARD FEELINGS AITE ..!!
cheers

 

[mikemann]

yo mikeman.... i've seen ur website dude... well, mabye u juz provide a place for practise session....
but i guess u dun noe much abt sound dude.. n making a remarks about sound engineer in sg or eguipment wise... doesn't make a sence at all...
how much do u noe abt the industry dude...
forgive me to say this...
but all the crap u say... plzzz save it....!!!

Mr Molecules,

Everyone has their own opinion. Yours I observed is very closed one. Yes, I'm newbie in this industry. Yes, unlike you I am illerterate in audio field. Yes, I am not a 'qualified' audio engineer at all.

BUT....NO, I do not run my mouth about how 'fantastic' I am. NO, I do not invite flaming from other forumers. Yes, I try as best my limited knowledge to help the fellow forumer, by giving constructive comments. Yes, what I do is what comes from my heart and feeling, with no expectation of returns.

I believe many fellow forumers will agree with me, that it's comments like yours which give good audio engineers a bad reputation.

When I said 200K, I meant a full setup, including complete band recording kind + studio room building renovations. Not just to a voice booth kind.

If based on what you said, you expect me to "....save it". I will let our fellow forummers to decide.

(Sorry, James. I feel I have to at least reply once.)

 

[bernardgoh]

Hi dude, i got a u87, couple of 414, re-20, couple of rodes nt series and ofcause sm57 & 58. for software, i'm running on nuendo ver 2, waves diamond, cubase sx 3 and all other plugs. i'm just saying software cost me 10 - 20k not 20k and over. updating my nuendo soon. don't forget, recording equipments is only part of its. there's still musical instruments. always remember SHIT IN, SHIT OUT. if you don't get the proper sound in your starting stages. nobody can help you in the mixdown. unless there's something call the "BETTER SOUND" plug in.

yo bernard.... wat mic do u use mann... the most expensive mic i've ever used is the soundfield wic have 4 capsules n u can control these capsules via a protocol of rs 232.. n yeah dat cost 20k... n the range of the most expensive mic like the neuman, will cost an average of 10k..
n software alone 20k..?
wat u have full range of those native instrument, spectrasonics, plugsound n all dat softsynths..
also those waves plug in n all dat...
the most expensive plugin in town is those waves... the diamond bundle is 2500 bucks..
wow.. ur evaluation of 20 k for software.. is kinda weird dude.. coz if i put everything together.. with all the pro software.. it wun cost dat much...
n yeah is all software original or juz from limewire dudes.. hehehe

unless u talking abt u using a tdm or hd system for protools.. mabye a core system would cost a good 15k.. n a hd.. at least full configuration is 50k..

wat i am saying or pointing out is.. DO U NEED A 200K TO PRODUCE A QUALITY SOUND..?
common, lets face it guys..
n also I BELIEVE THERE IS QUITE ABIT OF LOCAL ENGINEER WHO CAN PRODUCE REALLY GOOD FAT QUALITY SOUND WITH AN AVERAGE EQUIPMENT..
couple of dbx, some good preamps.. good eventide.. n all dat would be cool...
oh well, i wun wanna debate more on this... so be it if u guys think otherwise..
have fun dudes... hehehe
NO HARD FEELINGS AITE ..!!
cheers

 

[seekz]

well... i believe there are pretty good engineers around.
But its just that Singapore a quite an unforgiving place when it comes to music, but never come to appreciate how difficult it is for other fellow Singaporeans to actually "make" music, even if its shitty music...

not taking any sides. yeah but thats how i feel.

 

[soft]

the most expensive mic i've ever used is the soundfield wic have 4 capsules n u can control these capsules via a protocol of rs 232.. n yeah dat cost 20k...

wow! what did you use that mic for?

 

[Colarndo]

Touchy issue indeed. I believe that if a band is good, the sound naturally sound great. Any engineer will than need to do minimal tweaking cos the sound is already so good.

Of course on the other side, there are so called "Pros" cause they have all the good stuff yet no skills to back on. Or lost their hearing along the way.

Don't worry dude, I'm sure there are better engineers out there.

On the other hand...
If there was no connection between the musician and the engineer, it would be very hard. There are bands who are biased and prefer their own sound enginneer, and would use the same one whether or not another engineer can do a better job. Cos, the relationship they built up is important. All part of HR too.

Hope my view is unbiased. I don't wanna get flamed by anyone.