crazy long post
Top of my head, his input in "We Are Not The Same", the choruses and the bridge as well, really made a lot of difference. He knows how to better engage the listener and how to bring songs to another level.
How were the harmonies? I helped him out there lol
I think Matt gave nearly about everything you'd generally go through with Ced.. I haven't recorded with Roland (or maybe I did? I can't remember lol) but I've recorded with Ced for years and I'll share a slightly more detailed insight on the experiences.
On a general musician's perspective:
- He's a crazy perfectionist, and in my books that the best you could get during the recording process (especially when you're not paying by the hour, leaving time for getting details refined perfectly).
- He'll nag and nag at you (either directly or by dropping polite hints) to keep trying until he's captured the absolutely best out of your instrument, regardless of whether you can do it or not (like what Matt said).
Sometimes even when you say it's good enough, he won't be satisfied and tell you to try again. Based on personal experience, there were times when I knew for a fact I couldn't execute the parts / ideas, but he keeps bugging me to try until I actually managed to do it in the end. I think that's the one thing you're gonna get from him; He's completely anal with his work, like what Matt says, and he's a great motivator to get the best outta ya (die die don't wanna settle for second best -_-). In the end, you'll actually end up progressing within your own musical standards.
- I didn't know he charges per project but personally that's a bonus for me if I were to record, cos I don't like to rush during creative projects. Shit happens when you rush, and you end up compromising on what it should sound like because of that ticking / kaching sound booming in your head and distracting you. Personally, I have no idea how anyone can work their music out under that kind of pressure..
- Mmz what else.. Unlimited amounts of breaks included, especially for chainsmokers. lol. Personally I notice that when we take breaks, he takes that time to listen through and brainstorm. Either that or when he's stressed he'll join you and pop a drink. Damn chill fella most of the time, given the shitload of work he has to do when you're done lol.
- My bassist (who has never recorded before at that time) got his sound fixed up and "enlightened" after a recording with Cedric. Well he was definitely happy with the output, from what I gathered from his first recording experience, especially when he had problems getting his sound right initially. Just one of the ways to second Matt's quote to Ced having a wide knowledge of things.
- Personally I think he's weird in the sense that he doesn't make your band sound like your band's got a set of songs in an album waiting to be recorded and shared to the world;
He makes your band sound like it's been around for some time and already got some recording label somewhere, lol. That's the impression I get anyway.
- Ced's a very patient guy to work with (esp when I keep screwing up my parts and swearing at the end lol).. he doesn't have this screwed-up, eye-rolling "god hurry up and get that part done right damn it i'm missing soccer" look, he has this "thinking" look. He doesn't wait for a musician to get their parts right; He keeps brainstorming on how he can improve it to the best of their abilities -whilst- you're recording, ears always on alert (tho he looks like he's daydreaming), and think of different recording methods or parts to suggest making it easier for you. I guess all I'm saying is that he doesn't judge you as a musician (I know some recording studios give that vibe and it gets pressurizing sometimes), but focuses on getting new ideas all the time to make you sound awesomepossum.
To sum it up, it's a very comfortable recording mindset and experience to work with on a creative level.
- I'd have to second Matt regarding his advice and ideas, which is the next thing I hugely admire him for. Sometimes I have no idea what he's thinking when he's suggesting little bits of this and that, but once the whole song is complete and mixed, everything fits in perfectly like a song you'd hear off the radio. He tends to surprise you like that.
I think one of the ways he works is that he has a strong sense of how things should sound overall before you start, so he works to fit the pieces in instead of working with only what instruments / musician capabilities / time he has or ideas you have (unless you die die wanna keep your ideas lah..). And that means calling for different ideas to happen instead of tossing them away to buy time.
So you'll end up getting a song polished up to the slightest detail, which doesn't seem to matter on its own at first but makes a tremendous difference in the overall sound. Yeah, that's his style lah. His head's like some dark secret abyssic music hall playing music that apparently only he hears until the song's complete.
- On recordings, sometimes when he thinks it's good but you're not convinced, he'll immediately take that as another chance to hear your best, no questions asked.
- He's a humbling character. Sometimes when we're not looking, he asks others for opinions and advice from people who have more experience in its calibre (be it by instrument or recording diff genres, etc) so that he doesn't miss anything out.
- Personally, I don't think he's motivated to work like crazy because he's being paid; His only concern is the output.
Just to be fair, I've tried reaping out some cons out of the experiences but it's hard to think of any because I feel there's more pros to them. Off my head, all I can recall is that I have to crawl under a blanket clipped over a hanger stand thingy to get to the mic (quite fun, like commando liddat) because it's recorded at his house's rooms, not a professional studio (one day perhaps!), and that his fridge sometimes runs out of non-gassy drinks (which I prefer..
) but nothing else so far. I'll update this section should I recall any negatives.
