Friday, February 09, 2007

Inspiration and Motivation

Imagine you are a band recording their first album. You needed to be inspired when you wrote those songs, back when you were starting out. Some days you are motivated, some days you aren't.

Do you need to be motivated to make a good album?
Do you need to be inspired?
Surely its just motivation? because the inspiration is already locked into the songs?
Or is it 75% motivation, 25% inspiration?
what % is the quality of the studio got to do with it?
Should I track studio experience?
Should I have nervous personalities that need more takes?
Do I care about the quality of the producer? the engineer?
Would a lazy musician not show up / be late in the studio?

My own experience of big expensive studios is fairly limited. I recorded at some posh studio in Fulham, London once. It was a huge place, lots of gold records on the walls, a big bar with pool tables etc. I love the way studios charge £200 an hour, and then include pool tables and arcade machines to make you waste time. (I was a hired gun, so it didn't bother me :))
My two overwhelming memories of the studio were:

The producer waving a big wad of cash at me from the control room to encourage me to play a faster guitar solo.
Having an evening meal in the studio, which was the only time I have ever eaten brussel sprouts and thought they tasted really nice.

Rock n Roll baby!