Video of Elements used in the ' Businessman Bandit or Bum Project '
I - January 2008: I was finished with a project, 14 songs, to be mastered in East Wing Recording & Entertainment now known as King Music Vision, LLC
I met a young musician at a ASCAP event in Virginia Beach The receipts read 01/15/07 & 01/17/07 but the actual dates weren't written correctly on the receipts. The true dates were 01/15/08 and 01/17/08. It was a simple mistake.
* It took 2-3 sessions to mix and master the project. I paid before I recieved any service as usual, back then.
We worked out a deal where he would re-mix and master my work, because my mixing job was horrible. I put effects directly on the tracks in a manner that couldn't be adjusted and I paid dearly for that mistake.
King Music Vision, LLC:
http://www.reverbnation.com/robbinking
" Originally, I went there to get my music mastered but my mix was too terrible. So he suggested that he re-mix it first, before he master it. He said he'd give me a deal on the price and I took it."
The Result:
The music came out terrible. I'd give it a
The problem was my original mix:
- I used Audio Suite effects on tracks rather than auxillary effects
- Too much effects, over satuated with effects
- Location: recorded next to a room with Parakeets and a Lovebird
- I bit off more than I could chew: instead of doing a full CD, I should have did an EP [4 songs]
....................................................................................................................................................
II - March 05 2008: So I tried mixing it and sent it to Disc Makers maybe 2 times...
I'm going to all of the music stores: ALM, Guitar Center.. and another one Off of Virginia Beach Blvd that may have went out of business, asking for advice. I met a few people. I set a meeting up with an engineer, rented a motel room, brought my equipment and he gave me some good advice.
1. On how to use a certain plug-in, microphones and utilities.
2. We spoke on where the music sound in the industry was going..
*He travels to New York frequently and assisted in engineering Hip Hop studio sessions.
3. He told me ' never let the person mixing your work master it. '
*I met this good brother at Pizza Hut. His partner Darius drew the artwork to my ' First Blood ' CD.
www.DiscMakers.com
I sent the music [minus 2 songs] to Disc Makers 3-05-2008.. got the music back and I got the same results which meant I had to upload all of the music and mix everything again.
" I'm talking to Eric Moor, owner of Martian Lab Media, at the same time about the design for my projects.. "
While this is going on I'm chatting with Eric - lightly, but most of the time I'm alone mixing, researching, paying bills with the credit cards [like a Hip Hop artist with a deal]: rent, storage, phone, food ect. I'm feeling confident the project will be finished soon.
Credit Card limits were being reduced
The 2008 financial Crisis was in effect. Because of the financial crisis the bank reduced the credit lines drastically.
 |
| The Reason Behind the 2008 Recession |
III - [ Summer ] of 2008: I went to Suitland, MD/DC to see if my brother Jerry could mix it.
I asked him on the phone, " How much do you charge to mix a song? " He said, " I usually charge $100.00, but I will charge you $50.00. " I said, " I will pay you $100.00. "
I got a rental car because the Lebaron I had broke down on me around the summer of 2007, so I immediately purchased a car from a very small car lot for $1,000.00, because I didn't have the time for an auction. It was simply a work car. I tried not to drive it on the interstate.
 |
| This car died, but it served its purpose. My car looked exactly like this one. |
 |
| This looks exactly like the car I had at this time. Including the dent on the door, rims, paint color.. |
* When I handled serious business I paid for a rental because the car had issues. It was solely a work car.
I arrived around 5:00 PM
I paid him the $100.00 as soon as I seen him, while no one was looking because I didn't know his situation. I brought my computer and external hard drive and such out there to his lady's house and while we were there, artists were there, so I was like.. " you guys can do yal thing, we can work later. "
We got started about 12 or 1 AM
It was just like the last time I tried to do something with him - absolutely no results. It was almost as if it was intentional. I could be wrong but damn man! We started work at 12 or 1 AM.. and immediately started arguing about head phone volume. I never had issues with anyone - e v e r in mylife inthe recording process. Nothing happened that night.
The next day
I paid for breakfast for all us, rode in the backseat, so him and his lady sat together - we argued, because of his driving - speeding. We argued when we got back.. squashed it. I wrote together with him, for him and his people, after his lady requested it.. and during the process we argued again because I asked him about what he was writing to tighten the song, instead of everyone creating different worlds.. The dude covered his papper up like someone was trying to bite... Earlier when I was trying to do my project, I was producing, now since it was his work, he was considered the producer, he said something like " See this is how you produce. " Nothing happened that day.
That afternoon
I left without my hard drive, and I had to drive all the way back the same day.
We simply can't work together...
....................................................................................................................................................
IV - July 31, 2008 I went at it again with an engineer with a name that is too difficult to read, from Norfolk.
I was charged $150.00 to mix a song, not record but mix, 1 song. And this time I gave him the music on friday and he alone worked on it over the weekend.
The problem was he re-edited the vocals, changing the way they were arranged. I wanted the overlays to be offbeat.
I explained to him how I wanted it mixed before I left but he didn't see my vision, he simply forgot or he probably felt he knew best. I paid and took the loss.
* note: His price for mixing was $150.00; my brother was $100.00.
This time I just came with the external hard drive. I've been mixing for sometime because in between me going to the people, I was mixing, going to sites, groups, studying information.. reading on levels with each instrument or track. I got much better, so after a while I started liking my work better than other people's work. I developed an ear.
I wrote new songs, kept uploading everything, kept re-mixing everything.. searched on the internet for information.
From this brother I learned the importance of grouping vocals, and instruments. I asked him if he was interested in doing a unified project and he refused the offer and I accepted and respected his refusal.
....................................................................................................................................................
VI - August 1st, 2008 - I decided to mix my music myself like I originally did near the beginning of the year and get someone else to master it.
I paid him the $100.00 as soon as I seen him, while no one was looking because I didn't know his situation. I brought my computer and external hard drive and such out there to his lady's house and while we were there, artists were there, so I was like.. " you guys can do yal thing, we can work later. "
We got started about 12 or 1 AM
It was just like the last time I tried to do something with him - absolutely no results. It was almost as if it was intentional. I could be wrong but damn man! We started work at 12 or 1 AM.. and immediately started arguing about head phone volume. I never had issues with anyone - e v e r in mylife inthe recording process. Nothing happened that night.
The next day
I paid for breakfast for all us, rode in the backseat, so him and his lady sat together - we argued, because of his driving - speeding. We argued when we got back.. squashed it. I wrote together with him, for him and his people, after his lady requested it.. and during the process we argued again because I asked him about what he was writing to tighten the song, instead of everyone creating different worlds.. The dude covered his papper up like someone was trying to bite... Earlier when I was trying to do my project, I was producing, now since it was his work, he was considered the producer, he said something like " See this is how you produce. " Nothing happened that day.
That afternoon
I left without my hard drive, and I had to drive all the way back the same day.
We simply can't work together...
....................................................................................................................................................
IV - July 31, 2008 I went at it again with an engineer with a name that is too difficult to read, from Norfolk.
I was charged $150.00 to mix a song, not record but mix, 1 song. And this time I gave him the music on friday and he alone worked on it over the weekend.
The problem was he re-edited the vocals, changing the way they were arranged. I wanted the overlays to be offbeat.
I explained to him how I wanted it mixed before I left but he didn't see my vision, he simply forgot or he probably felt he knew best. I paid and took the loss.
* note: His price for mixing was $150.00; my brother was $100.00.
This time I just came with the external hard drive. I've been mixing for sometime because in between me going to the people, I was mixing, going to sites, groups, studying information.. reading on levels with each instrument or track. I got much better, so after a while I started liking my work better than other people's work. I developed an ear.
I wrote new songs, kept uploading everything, kept re-mixing everything.. searched on the internet for information.
From this brother I learned the importance of grouping vocals, and instruments. I asked him if he was interested in doing a unified project and he refused the offer and I accepted and respected his refusal.
....................................................................................................................................................
VI - August 1st, 2008 - I decided to mix my music myself like I originally did near the beginning of the year and get someone else to master it.
From the beginning I mixed my music, but originally I was just going to upload the music into Pro Tools, and pay someone else to mix it for me. I ended up employing Robbin King [East Wing Recording and Entertainment], and I took a loss. Next I went to CD maker to get my music mastered twice with no success. Then I went to DC to see what my brother could do, and again nothing was done. Last I went to a Hip Hop Vocalist editor specialist from Norfolk, an engineer, at a reputable studio where he was responsible for mixing vocals exclusively, and he did a good job, but he did it drastically different from what I instructed, so I had to can that mix, So I decided to do the mixing myself.
Video of ' Businessman Bandit or Bum Project ' Conclusion for 2008'
The Conclusion
At this point I figured I was ' close ' to being qualified to mix music compared to what I was seeing. I figured, I just as well put another notch on my belt by mixing the music as well. At this point, I decided I was not paying anyone, anymore money for mixing. I would charge people for mixing their project.
No comments:
Post a Comment