First, I would like to thank my colleague, Anton Berrios for his input on my blogs. He’s a real friend who knows the struggle of getting situated in this industry. Give him a look on his YouTube site: X-CESSIVE BEATS. I’m certain that he has something you like, and if not, leave him a message and he’ll get back to you. Understand that he lives in Puerto Rico, and the time is different from where you are.

Now, I would like to talk about work flow, and what I mean about work flow, I’m actually speaking about time management. It is very important to you and the artist to be able to get through a session, smoothly. That means, you as an engineer should have everything ready before the client gets there, because you are on their time, and time is money. Because it’s your studio, there shouldn’t be a problem with work flow, unless you are that person who waits til the last minute to prepare. And if you are, then no one wants to work with you. Always have a smooth routine for getting things accomplished before, during, and after a session. Once you’ve set the vibe in the session, keep it going, with periodic breaks (if that is what the artist wants). Unless the artist brings additional persons to the session, the fewer the distractions are, the better. Have everything set so that when the client gets there, you can get started right away. There should not be anyone in the studio making negative comments about whatever is going on in the studio. If they are not with the artist, they shouldn’t be there. Also, unless the artist asks for your input, there is nothing for you to say or do, but record. And I’m not saying that you shouldn’t assist, but if you are not the manager, allow them to flow in the manner that is comfortable to them. You are there to record the artist, and if asked, mix and master (which are two additional jobs and they need to be clarified before recording). Overall, make the session an enjoyable experience for the artist and you.