We had a metal band that had specific goals they wanted to accomplish – they wanted the overall sound of the album to compete with bands like Pantera, Slayer, and Testament. After hiring Jim to produce their project, we spent roughly two weeks discussing these bands to see what they did and did not like about them. Jim didn't alter the song arrangements by much, but spent many hours dictating the type of instruments, amplifiers, and even the type of drum heads they needed to use. Additionally, Jim hired a keyboardist to add some intro lines, and was the final word on whether or not a particular performance was good enough to keep. After all that, and a few weeks of mixing, we had completed the project. The entire album took a total of six straight weeks to complete.
The comparison in these samples is shocking. The Before sample is an actual recording after 12 hours of setup the first day in the studio. The After sample shows that we ultimately surpassed the band's original goal for overall sound.
Do you Hear the Difference?
Hiring a producer can make a huge difference on your project too. Take a look at our Production Services for more information.