ok, i need some advice here...

[Fragle]

ok, this is the deal....my band is gonna head to the studio in september 06, for at least 3 weeks, rather 4, so basically the whole month. btw, this is not gonna be some crappy demo recording, this is the real deal.
now, as i'm gonna do my A levels next year, the graduation trip is scheduled for 06....SEPTEMBER 4th - 15th, to be more precise. obviously i can only do one, either studio or the trip - which is basically 2 weeks of party, beer, and girls (duh!). i guess you can see why this is a crappy situation for me.

so, basically i have 3 possibilities:
-fuck the trip, go to the studio
-fuck the studio, do the trip
-do the trip, and quickly head to the studio afterwards - would limit my job to a few leads only.
now, the thing is, i really want to do the whole studio thing....because of the experience, and the chance to do something that's "for eternity". another point is that this might be my only chance to actually record an album, and if it really turns out to be my only chance i'd fuck myself in the ass for ages if i missed it.
however, as far as the graduation trip is concerned it DEFINITELY is my only chance, and to miss something like that is not exactly great, either.
as far as the 3rd possibility is concerned, i have mixed feelings...of course, i would record some stuff, but i'd miss a whole lot of experience and knowledge, because i'd pretty much just go in and do my leads, that's it....sure, when the other guys are recording their stuff i'd basically just sit there doing nothing, but i think it to be very interesting anyways.....
last but not least, if i wanted to join another band i could point to my studio experience, which i guess would be quite a plus. (of course, i don't plan to leave this band anytime soon, but you never know...see below)

also, there's one more thing that makes the whole situation even more fucked up. my lead guitar player is a dick. on par with malmsteen as far as EGO is concerned. right now i'm FIGHTING real hard to contribute some stuff to the new record (luckly with the support of my drummer who kinda is the inofficial band leader, and a nice guy to deal with), and i'll also have to fight even harder as far as playing a few leads goes. i mean, it's insane, when i joined he told me that they're looking for somebody who's gonna contribute some stuff, unlike the former 2nd guitar player who just played rhythms during gigs and that's it. however, i guess he's thinking i might "push him out of the spotlight", as he used to be the only songwriter and the lead guitar player (when i joined i asked him whether he wants me to play a few of his leads in order to make the pseudo lead tradeoffs on the album sound better in a live situation....guess what he said...right now i'm rhythms only, except for one 10sec harmony lead part) and therefore is the one who gets all (or most of) the attention right now. plus he already tracked the last 3 albums so he got some experience, unlike me who's a total studio newbie (although i've done some scratch track recordings using my POD in order to practice playing to a click and recording multiple tracks).
bottom line is that i might even end up without the chance to record one single note. and the crappy thing is that i don't know yet, but i have to decide NOW what i'm gonna do, trip or studio. obviously, it would suck pretty hard if i ended up recording nothing AND didn't do the trip.

long story...well, what would you guys suggest? (other than kicking the other dude's ass )

[charvelguy]

Let me ask ya this.. was the band aware of your taking this trip before they booked the studio time? Or was the trip made known to them after they had book the time in advance?

[Fragle]

"Or was the trip made known to them after they had book the time in advance?"
that's how it went. they already booked the studio time last year, whereas the trip was made known like 3 weeks ago.

[Soloist1]

Screw the trip. I foresee more than 2 weeks worth of parties, beer and girls, if you do the studio time, down the road. Long term planning dude. Think long term.

[charvelguy]

so whats their slant on this? you're welcome to record? It sounds unclear as to what your role is at the time in the studio but its obvious you want to have one and are likely having to endure some restrictions.

Do you think taking the trip might jeapordize the position in the band?
or are they accepting and understand of what you want to do either way..it can be worked around.
Hey if you ever saw "Rock Star" where the singer goes into the studio during the new recording and offers up all these new ideas and concepts and the basically tell him, "here's your corner and your dish".. the only thing you're hired to be is a singer... sounds like a similar situation.

I'm sure if you did hang about, you'd get to record something, but as far as recording leads go.. given your role at the moment, how much of a shot do you think you'd have at laying down some leads?
If they want a guy who will contribute some ideas, I'd say..you go on the trip and use the time to also compile some new ideas and maybe present those to them when you come back.. course that depends if you have a small portable recording tool/setup.

Me personally? I was kinda in a similar situation with a band when I had a trip planned and was going to mexico, it was in the midst of having to learn a bunch of tunes as I was one of a couple new members that was brought on board and they wanted the band to be prepped for some good gigs in the coming weeks. I would basically spend part of my vacation learning the songs and have a rehearsal or two when I came back before doing the first gig.
Unfortunately, its a poor comparison because it was a cover band....so instead of being put under the gun..I took a bow out...which I held some regret about..but in the long run.. 'the band' I knew wasn't destined to go beyond the clubs and playin' covers.

I gather the importance to you of how you want the experience in the studio...but really, studio is a matter of getting a good feel in a polished form onto tape/disc. When the red light goes on, its hit or miss. I'd cram two days of studio time in laying down rhythms before the vacation and hit the beach and then come home to do the same to whatever role you may have.. which will likely be the backseat. That's my honest slant on it.
If the other guitar player did most of the recording in the studio beforehand? then it likely is going to play out that way again..he'll do the majority of the rhythm work and leads you'll be there to learn the parts for the live backing, some songwriting..some leads when given the biscuit.
I honestly am not trying to be harsh here.. so if I come across a little too direct.. I am not one wanting to dash your expectations upon the rocks.

Its a tough choice... do you want to go on vacation? can ya pay an extra 75.00 and take another flight at a later time? or is it a no sub type of flight ticket?

[fett]

I would take the trip. This is a one shot deal that you have earned. You will regret missing it later on. Why can't you add your licks later?

[Fragle]

"Why can't you add your licks later?"
as i said, i could do the trip, and lay down a few tracks during the next 2 weekends....i assume.

"so whats their slant on this? you're welcome to record"
that's the question right there as far as i've been told, the producer would definitely let me lay down a few tracks, see how it goes.
tomorrow i'll talk to my drummer about the whole situation...should be interesting.

"Its a tough choice... do you want to go on vacation? can ya pay an extra 75.00 and take another flight at a later time? or is it a no sub type of flight ticket?"
actually we're going by bus
do i want to go on vacation? hell yeah! would i rather go on vacation than go in the studio? that's a better question...right now i'm thinking like vac:studio 40:60 or something along the lines of that

[charvelguy]

dude.. you're going by bus? may I ask how many hours away if the vacation point from where you are at? Do you have a car?

[horns666]

Nah, Fragle TCB in the studio...heck yeah.

Then go on a trip and have a good time..then you have some of your own new music to take with you...that will make your trip even better!!!

I think!!

That's a good band man...on a good "metal" label..and you already got your foot in the door man..now go make that music and maybe some money!!

TTL..

Bill

[fett]

Scheiss or get of the pot. Go on the trip. You are only young once. You can band on forever.!!!!!!!!

[Fragle]

"dude.. you're going by bus? may I ask how many hours away if the vacation point from where you are at? Do you have a car?"
16hrs, about 1000 miles i'm from germany, and we're going to spain.

"You are only young once. You can band on forever.!!!!!!!!"
that's exactly what i'm not so sure about. yes, as far as the trip is concerned it's a once in a lifetime thing, but then again it's just 2 weeks of party. last year i was on tour for 3 weeks which was 3 weeks of kickass party (plus i could listen to "good" music rather than the rap/house/techno crap i'll have to endure in spain), and we're surely gonna do a tour to support the upcoming record, likely in spring 07 so there's more party to come.
on the other hand, if things go wrong with this band chances are i might never get another opportunity.

[Monster]

i agree with others stuidio time is way more important, if the trip mores to you then , maybe making music and beeing in a band is not really for you. beeing ina band aint all about girls beer and parties 24-7 theres also alot of hard to work. just need to make sure you are commited to this hard work , for the big pay off latter on down the road were then there will eb plenty of time for all that....

[Fragle]

ok, just got home from band rehearsal.
studio is scheduled from september 6th to 30th. my drummer said he usually needs 5 days to record drums, whereas tracking rhythm guitars should take 6-8 days. so, basically, drums will be done on september 11th, and rhythm guitars will be finished around september 18th. as i said, i'll return from spain on sept. 15th.
the other guitar player is definitely gonna track all rhythms for his songs (that's fine with me, i wouldn't want it any other way), and i might be able to do mine, depending on how many songs of mine will end up on the record, and how long it´s going to take for him to record his rhythms.
after gtrs and drums are finished, they'll track vocals and bass, and at the very end the leads.
given these facts, i think i can do both. i'd miss the experience of seeing him track his drums as well as most (if not all) of the rhythms, but i will be able to do some leads (my drummer told me that should be possible, after all i'm no worse than the so called lead guitar player, but my style is totally different....slayer/death in contrast to me being more of a yngwie/loomis/skolnick guy...well, wannabe ) and maybe even my rhythms.

cool....the thing is, originally i was under the impression that they'll start tracking on september 1st, but as they're gonna start almost a week later it might work out.

[Endrik]

wtf? a guy who plays like Slayer can play more solos? that is seriously fucked up shit

[charvelguy]

well, it doesn't sound bad after all.. except for 16 hours in a bus. Go on the road trip/vacation, have fun, practice, come bad and lay into it...hopefully they will stay on schedule and won't be done. Ya got two days to watch the drums get tracked...one day will be likely setup and miking.