Man...I'm wiped out after recording 22 bands this past weekend at Bonnaroo.
Some really incredible acts came through the door this year: WALK THE MOON, Old Crow Medicine Show, SOAK, and Caroline Rose, to name a few.
We also recorded Republican Hair which might just be my new favorite band. Not only were they cool to work with in the studio, but their set at the Who stage blew me away. Check them out!
The only way we could successfully record so many diverse bands, all with different input lists and requirements, came down to one thing:
Preparation.
Brian Tracey, author and motivational speaker, has a great quote that sums up our work at Bonnaroo:
“Every minute you spend in planning saves 10 minutes in execution; this gives you a 1,000 percent return on energy!"
A normal session might be a full 8-hour workday and you're only tracking one song. We're ready to knock out three in an hour because we're prepared long before the band walks in the door. That's why it takes us two full days to prep the gear, set up the studio and plan the sessions so that we are ready for anything.
That way, when Old Crow shows up unexpectedly with a couple of extra singers and no instruments, it's not a problem. We've got extra inputs, mics and a selection of instruments for them to choose from.
Plan with the contingencies in mind so that when they inevitably happen, they're simply part of the plan.
Björgvin
P.S.
When I returned to my online endeavors yesterday I came across this comment from a Step By Step Mixing reader that I wanted to share with you:
"Bought the book a few weeks ago. Great book. All of the information in the book can be found online, there’s no secret key in the book. But the book takes all of that information and puts it into a clear and concise order, like a mixing handbook. which reduces the need to search the web for every step of the mixing process if you’re a beginner. Definitely a great buy." -Mike Acevedo
