Originally Posted by Colin Ward
Sue and all,

The reason I asked this question is that I have a friend who is a studio owner and excellent producer. He typically puts his stamp on the work from his studio pretty aggressively. I have often seen him take a very lame song from an artist and make it into an excellent sounding product which almost overwhelms the lameness.....


Interesting. I was just out of high school, I had a band and song I wrote, that when played around town or in school, it got a very favorable response from people, people would stop over and listen to us play and they wanted to hear this song.

Anyway, school ended, band broke up, but i still had my song that wasnt going away quietly.

A friend reccomends a studio not far from me, with a producer who owns the studio and runs it out of his then parents house. he was known and is still known as a big shot in the business of production and recording, a genius really.

I go in with my vision of the song. The guy hears the demo of the song I had, and hmmms and hahs. Then says, Ok I think you have a really good melody and you leave enough room for me to do something with.

At first I dont want him running the show, but when i heard him banging out parts to the song, I was like holy [naughty word removed], I know nothing this guy is incredible.

he says, right now the Phil Collins ballad with the gated drums are mainstream and I think this is how you should produce this.

He/I make an UNREAL recording, and this was 1988 ish, I had never heard anything like i was hearing, from the arrangement, the sound and instrument choices, and the way the song was building and hitting on an emotional level.

In short he owns the place, does all the instruments, records, mixes and masters everything.

It was my song, my voice and a basic guitar track. I also did a solo, anyway, yes producers do everything, not just sit there and figure out what reverb you should use.

It was an eye opener. I realized I wasnt as good as I had though, especially then. And I realized I didnt know anything about making music or producing.

To date, it was the greatest prudction I have ever been involved with, never made a record quality recording like that before, it was ready for radio.

It got college air play, and then dies a slow death after about 6 months.

ironically, I HATE what the song became. I wasnt that type of writer or singer, but I went commercial because the producer had control of his studio and I realized I was out of my league.

Anyway, great learning experience, and it cost alot of money by the time it was all done.