Dusk had settled in, and I was on my way to the studio. Excitement ran through my veins like high-octane fuel through a well-tuned engine. I had been invited by a student at a local recording and audio production school to come in for a free recording session…
Upon arriving at the studio…
The engineer wasn’t anywhere to be found, nothing was set up, and I sat in a less-than-plush lobby. “Wow…” was all I could meekly muster in my mind.
To make what could be a very long story shorter, it took hours to set up for the session, the engineer didn’t have a good grasp on anything audio related, and I never heard anything regarding final mixes.
BUT WAIT! Some good did actually come from this experience. After the first take, I looked into the control room and through my microphone, I asked the engineer what he thought … silence … the mood was almost uncomfortable, when the engineer finally piped up, he said, “Oh, were you talking to me? Sorry… I wasn’t listening…”
At that moment, I realized I could be a far better engineer and producer, by simply becoming a better listener. From that moment, I made it a goal, and began taking the steps to start my own studio and production company.
Not Listening!? Absurd…
Can you even think of a worse thing to say, sitting in a control room, behind a console? I think not! And so, listening first has always taken priority in my work. Everything you choose to work on, all of your music, every production, will be better if you just listen first.
And even more importantly, everyone you work with will appreciate you much more than “the other guy.” Whether it’s friends or professional clients, listen first and you will have more than you ever dreamed.
