Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson. George Martin and The Beatles. Nigel Godrich and Radiohead. In the studio, musicians make the magic happen. But behind the curtain is the producer, deftly engineering the magic with their sleight of hand. 

When you’re producing a session, you’re the conduit for musical greatness to happen. Make sure to follow these collaborative do’s and don’ts for a successful session, whether you’re in-person in the studio or creating remotely.

Do: know your studio.

Say a singer hears a track and they’re ready to pour their heart out to it. However, you’re busy fumbling cables, setting up the vocal chain, leveling the stems. All the while, you see the boredom and impatience in their face set in and suddenly the moment has passed. 

Learn your studio as you would an instrument. Know how to quickly sketch out an idea, set up your microphones, how to troubleshoot your interface, pre-amp, microphones in a bind, and what to do in a pinch. As you get to know an artist, learn what microphones, vocal chain, and recording settings best suit their style and sound.

In addition, create a comfortable working environment. Have refreshments like snacks and beverages on hand. Be tidy, and clean up before an artist arrives. They’re your guests, so practice good hospitality. 

If you’re working remotely, fix and address any audio or video issues in advance. Test your equipment beforehand or with a friend. Make sure when it comes to session time, there are no distracting technical problems you have to fix. You’re going to want to be ready to write from the jump. 

Don’t: introduce negativity into your session.

As a producer or engineer, you set the tone of the collaboration. Imagine you’re at a restaurant and the waiter comes by. Maybe they’re having a bad day. What if the waiter starts telling you how much they don’t like the job and how much the food sucks. That’s not going to make you want to eat there! 

Keep it positive in your session. If something is not working, whether it’s a piece of equipment or you can’t crack a certain part of the song, don’t get frustrated or impatient. Understand that the artist follows in your stead. If you set a tone in the studio that’s warm, open, and constructive, you will foster a great collaboration. 

So for instance, say a vocalist is struggling to hit a certain note or is taking the song in a direction you disagree with. Don’t tell them they can’t sing this song right, don’t tell them you don’t like how the track sounds, don’t sow doubt or discontent in their head. Always keep it positive. Gently nudge them in a direction you think is best for them. Encourage them to make their best efforts. Remember that making music is work, but it should also be fun. 

You can always tell as a listener when an artist had fun recording the song. 

Do: your research. 

Maybe you’re having a session with an artist before ever having met them. Perhaps a friend introduced you, or an A&R set up the meeting, or an artist cold DM’ed you on Instagram. Suppose your first session is your first time ever interacting with them.

Research the artist. Listen to their discography and study. What kind of music do they like to make? What are the musical qualities - tempo, chord progressions, keys, complexity, that they gravitate towards? What kind of styles do they write in? What kind of styles do they not write in? Imagine a Venn diagram of your sounds - what do you like and what are you good at that would suit the artist as well? 

If you have time, do a quick Google search and look up any press or interviews they’ve done (it’s not weird, everyone does it). Maybe you’ll stumble upon a video where they talk about an artist you also really love. That could inspire the next session and drum up some creative ideas. 

Don’t: be close-minded. 

Making music is a creative muscle. Look at every collaboration as a stretching of that muscle, rather than a flexing of that muscle. Collaborations will make you grow as a producer, and every session you’ll learn something new about yourself.

Don’t go into your session with a closed mindset. Be open and flexible to trying new things and doing things differently. Perhaps you’re a producer whose main focus is hip hop instrumentals. What if an artist you admire comes to a session and says “hey, I’d like to try a rock song today.” You don’t want to say “no, I don’t do those, session canceled!” Be open-minded to try something different.

The more you go out of your comfort zone, the better a producer you will be. 

Do: discuss rates. 

Money is an uncomfortable topic for many people, especially in creative fields. But hey, you gotta eat and pay rent, right?

Be sure to always discuss your rates for engineering, production, mixing and mastering work. Whether that’s beforehand, during the session, or once the song nears completion depends on your comfort level. Regardless of the situation, address how you will be compensated for your work. Tell them your hourly rate, or your rate per track, or your rate per project. Be open, communicative, and honest about your business. You provide a valuable service to creatives, so remember that!

Don’t: lose track of feedback and notes before your next session. 

Organization is crucial to a successful collaboration. Perhaps after your session is completed, you want to keep track of any changes and notes to the song as you prepare to meet again. You’re going to end up wasting a lot of time if you go into your next session without the artist’s notes.

Thankfully, tools like Highnote exist to organize your collaborations. Highnote is the all-in-one file organization and messaging platform for audio collaboration. You can upload each of your mixes and discuss revisions, changes, and feedback in real-time with the Spaces function, as well as A-B test different versions with your mix engineer. 

With all of this in mind, get ready for a great session! And be sure to subscribe to the Noted blog for more news, articles, and advice on creating your best work.