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Old 04-08-2004, 08:41 AM
Bazzle Bazzle is offline
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Default OT.How to break it to them gently.

I've got a girl coming out today to pick up her mixes.They tracked them on a Yamaha AW4416 and I have mixed them.This girl is soooo bad,I've done what I could to make the tracks sound good,but man, she is a frightful Singer/Songwriter.Not only that, but her brother is a quite successful Singer/Songwriter...how do I tell her that she SUCKS bigtime without destroying her.I did this as a favour to her brother, who himself doesn't have the heart to tell her.I really don't think she can hear how bad she is.What would you guys do? ..I feel obligated to suggest she save her money.
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Old 04-08-2004, 09:00 AM
soundsurfr soundsurfr is offline
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Default Re: OT.How to break it to them gently.

Unless you are her producer or are somehow responsible for her success/failure musically, I would not tell her anything. I've long ago given up on trying to figure out who is good enough to make in the music business and who isn't. Whoever this girl is and whatever she sounds like, I bet I could point to a signed act that sounds worse, so who am I to tell anyone that they'll never make it?

Would you have encouraged the B52's to pursue a music career? Yoko Ono? (She had the number one selling dance hit of the year in 2003, and the vocal sounded like a cat wailing in pain.) How about Jah Rule or Biz Marky?

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Old 04-08-2004, 09:04 AM
xeetstreet xeetstreet is offline
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Default Re: OT.How to break it to them gently.

I'm sure there are tons of untalented people that buy vintage guitars, high-end recording gear, or other things that they don't need or could never utilize. I am not sure that it is neccessary to tell people where they should or shouldn't spend their money. Maybe when it's all said and done she'll realize what she needs to improve. Sometimes people have to learn that stuff on their own.
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Old 04-08-2004, 09:11 AM
waxnsteel waxnsteel is offline
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Default Re: OT.How to break it to them gently.

Don't offer advice/criticism unless she asks for it, and if you do have to say something, just be prepared to say something other than,"You aren't very good." Try to be as specific as possible, and ooffer advice on how to improve specificallly. Especially if you're trying to do business, a reasonable person would be much more likely to be a repeat customer, and to recommend your services if you are honest, knowledgable and constructive. Unless of course, you don't want her to come back, then there are TONS of ways to do that.
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Old 04-08-2004, 09:15 AM
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Shan Shan is offline
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Default Re: OT.How to break it to them gently.

You got hired to mix and did your job the best you could with the tracks you were given. You were hired as a mixing engineer and thats it. Looking back on my own career in the begining I have some recordings of live shows that just SUCKED. I practiced 8 to 12 hours a day. I now get hired for pro work.

If you look really hard I'm sure you can find at least one thing that is good. A melody, groove, lyric, phrase, loop etc. Just acknowledge the things you feel were well done at her level if asked for.

I have an engineer friend who started recording a major label band in a big studio. They asked him what he thought of the first song they were tracking. He said he didn't like it. They packed up right on the spot and went somewhere else to spend thier money. They thought that since he didnt like it he wouldn't give them his 100% as an engineer.

If your client likes your work you will have a repeat customer.

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Old 04-08-2004, 09:23 AM
Roy Howell Roy Howell is offline
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Default Re: OT.How to break it to them gently.

Quote:
...how do I tell her that she SUCKS bigtime without destroying her...
Well, one thing I would NOT do, and that's to leave this thread in full view when she arrives... ...I can see you trying to explain this away...'Oh that?...yes, we were discussing this other girl I mixed recently...you should hear her...just awful....what? Yes, she does have a brother in the biz just like you......an amazing coincidence, huh?..hehehe....'
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Old 04-08-2004, 09:32 AM
Aoede Aoede is offline
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Default Re: OT.How to break it to them gently.

You can just break it to her gently. For example, like Simon Cowell. --"That was extraordinary. Unfortunately, extraordinarily bad." or --"There are only so many words I can draw out of my vocabulary to say how awful that was."

Seriously though, putting myself in your position I don't know what I would do. I would probably take the advice of not saying anything.
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Old 04-08-2004, 09:46 AM
Riad Riad is offline
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Default Re: OT.How to break it to them gently.

Quote:
I'm sure there are tons of untalented people that buy vintage guitars, high-end recording gear, or other things that they don't need or could never utilize. I am not sure that it is neccessary to tell people where they should or shouldn't spend their money. Maybe when it's all said and done she'll realize what she needs to improve. Sometimes people have to learn that stuff on their own.
So you've seen me in Guitar Center and heard me play

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Old 04-08-2004, 09:47 AM
A2D D2A A2D D2A is offline
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Default Re: OT.How to break it to them gently.

My real concern would be if her brother is so talented then why can't he work with her to improve her song writings? To help her understand the limits of her vocal capabilities?
Just because she writes bad or sounds bad doesn't mean she is bad.
I find a lot of song writers have trouble writing songs because they think you have to write a certain way instead of understanding that you are trying to portray a thought or express an emotion so it gets lost.
As for her voice think about people who have a very usable voice but it's not the one they try to sing with because they are trying to sound like _ _ _ _ _ (fill in artist of choice).
If she does ask for your opinion tell her you would like to try recording a couple of verses yourself.
Take one last listen to her best song, note what kills the song, try tracking a verse to that song (or any song) yourself, while doing so possibly coach her on one point.
If she makes improvement on that one point then your opinion will have some merit with her.
Never just try to destroy a person's world you will probably be burning a bridge you will need later.
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Old 04-08-2004, 09:50 AM
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lemix lemix is offline
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Default Re: OT.How to break it to them gently.

Hey Bazzle,

>what does she look like ?
>say nothing...suggest she could cowrite/collaborate w/the brother or with you if..
answer to above is = hot..
>you are the engineer, not the producer

good luck,
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