Best Practices for Editing Submitted Tracks

[DangerousDave]

How far is it acceptable to go in manipulating the tracks others have submitted for your song?  I think most people would expect the mixer to adjust volume, eq, reverb, etc on a track.  Is it acceptable to cut and paste sections of a track (such as to cover up a badly played verse with another verse that is fine)?
Or, if you have two leads and want to cut one or another out here and here so they don't play on top of each other.  Ideally, I would prefer to ask the submitter to re-take the track, but it might be less trouble in some circumstances to just cut and paste or do other major surgery on the track.  What's your expectation?
Dave

[NickT]

Dave,

Good question. I mix a lot of tunes. By the time we get to seps/apes being uploaded, they are pretty clean. I don't slice things up as much these days, but I used to. Most people don't mind, but a few do. If you are going to change the content of a track like a solo, I would ask first. But for things like replacing a part with the same part done elsewhere in the song like a bass line, rhythm guitar, BGV or Keys...I will cut and paste to save time.

If you are slicing and dicing to re-arrange the tune, Then I would do it for example and ask if the person wants to take a shot at the new arrangement.

Like I said, Some musicians are very touchy about this while others will say whatever works.

When in doubt, PM! 

Nick

[CosmicDolphin]

My own view is if someone's submitted a track to your song then as the producer you should pretty much have carte blanche to do whatever you need to with it to best serve the song.  Production has changed with the advent of the DAW , there's an awful lot you can do either in a corrective or creative way.

If you check back on the thread for my first collab ' Beautiful Game ' the drummer initially wasn't too happy about what I did with his parts, but I think by the time it appeared in the finished thread he understood what I was trying to acheive.  The guitars have also been heavily chopped & processed if you listen but Dave didn't seem to mind.

I guess style of music makes quite a difference.  I wouldn't expect to do much editing on a country song compared to an Alt.Rock track where you expect all sorts of ear candy.

CosmicD

[NickT]

My own view is if someone's submitted a track to your song then as the producer you should pretty much have carte blanche to do whatever you need to with it to best serve the song.  Production has changed with the advent of the DAW , there's an awful lot you can do either in a corrective or creative way.

As the producer - writer, I would agree. If it is your song, then you have the vision of that song in your head.

But if you are the mix engineer it is different. If it is someone else's work, you are making an educated guess at what is best.

Things I do without permission.

Tune and edit BGV's
Adjust track timing or just a note or two
Tune lead vox if they don't need to much work.
Cut and paste a repeated region where it was done well in one part and missed in another.
Compress, EQ, pan and FX to my taste
Cut parts to make room in a busy mix.

Things I ask permission for:

Cutting up and rearranging a solo
Hard tuning a vocal
Cutting up drum performances
Supplementing drum-tracks with samples
Looping drums or bass
Moving a solo

These are just some examples. But a PM is always appreciated when altering a track. Of course I would be remiss if I said I haven't done things without permission. 

Nick

[CosmicDolphin]

My own view is if someone's submitted a track to your song then as the producer you should pretty much have carte blanche to do whatever you need to with it to best serve the song.  Production has changed with the advent of the DAW , there's an awful lot you can do either in a corrective or creative way.

As the producer - writer, I would agree. If it is your song, then you have the vision of that song in your head.

But if you are the mix engineer it is different. If it is someone else's work, you are making an educated guess at what is best.

That's what I meant....in the writer/producer seat

Taking on someone else's track to mix is a different kettle of fish altogether !

CD