tbmwisdom

this list was first published on Britlinks when I was asked for a few thoughts on what advice to give young bands going into the studio for the first time, can't recall now if i ever lived by my own advice..

1. A wise old bird said to me, 'If the red light is on, and no sound is being produced, you are just spending money'.

2. Everything takes 10 times as long as you expect. The first 90% - takes the first 90% of the time, the last 10% takes another 90% of the time.

3. What you think you will get, and what you actually get may be two different things - this is not always a bad thing.

4. When you think it needs just one last adjustment - IT DOESN'T.

5. Go away from it, ideally for a week, or at least for a cuppa if you are on a one-day project. You get so song blind after the 35th run through of the same drum break at mix down.

6. Don't mix by committee. Find someone you trust, who can be honest with you, and you with them, and accept their judgement. Tracks have taken DAYS longer than they should have done because of this.

7. It's all exciting. You want to be there, because it is totally cool to be recording in a studio - you're hearing your creativity being physically manifested to stand alone once you stop playing live. It's a truly great experience.

8. Your mates will want to be there to hang out because they like you, and it's cool to hang out in a studio. DON'T. I've nearly lost even the very best of friends, when someone has distracted me just when things were starting to go right. Resist like crazy, the temptation to 'defuse' for a couple of hours down the pub (or local tea-rooms) this will turn into hours. You are there to be creative. You are there to solidify your dreams. If someone is relating the article they've just found on the number of times Father Ted says 'Mrs Doyle' in the first series, this is going to naff you off real fast. It wastes time - and you start with precious little of that anyway. You will end up with a much better product at the end of the day - believe me. I'm not a violent man, but I've been driven so close to impersonating Vinnie Jones so many times in the studio I've lost count. Having said all that, select one of your quietest, and most patient friends and ask them very nicely if they would come in and help with all of the housekeeping drudgery, like the aforementioned tea-making, cable tidying, even battery swapping/checking, guitar tuning/restringing, whatever. One outside pair of ears can also be useful for the 'show-and-tell' at the end of the day, when you really want to shout about how good you think 'Hey Baby - You Just Broke My Cat' really is.

9. Don't write, and try not to arrange in the studio - this takes much longer than in real life, as panic can set in.

10. Final one for now. Keep it simple first time out. Huge string arrangements may not be entirely possible in a small project studio in Watford (I'm not being subtle - it was the first town in my head.) Your 23 string zavroozlefridgg may sound immense, but if it is only to embellish one not at the end of the chorus - either sample it (cries of horror from across the land) or simpler to leave it out for the concept album when your career is on the skids, or you want to get the interview in Guitarist & 23 Stringer magazine.

11. My final, final point - ENJOY IT. This is an exciting time, this could be the start of something massive, or it might just help you meet people of the opposite sex. But whatever, go into it really enthusiastic, stay calm and on top of it, and you will come out with a demo full of passion, fire and energy. You can call me Mrs Doyle if you don't. Oh you can, you can, you can, you can, you can, you can, you can, you can, you can, you can, you can, you can, you can, you can...........