🎙️ STUDIO RULES
What should you do with food and drinks around studio equipment?
Keep them away from studio equipment / only use them in approved areas.
A student walks into the studio carrying an open drink and places it beside the mixing equipment.
What is the problem?
Liquids should be kept away from studio equipment because spills can damage equipment and create safety issues.
An artist asks to hear their last vocal take again.
What should the engineer do?
Locate the take and play it back for the artist.
An artist arrives and says:
“I only have an hour today.”
What should the engineer do before recording begins?
Ask what the artist wants to accomplish and establish the priorities for the session.
Before leaving the studio, what are TWO things you should always check?
Any two reasonable answers:
Why should an engineer arrive and prepare before the artist's session begins?
To check the room/equipment and avoid wasting the artist's recording time.
An engineer runs a cable across the main walkway and leaves it there because “nobody has tripped yet.”
What studio etiquette rule is being ignored?
Studio safety. Cables should be secured or moved so they don't create a trip hazard.
An engineer notices that the artist’s vocal is clipping during a take.
Should the engineer ignore it so they don’t interrupt the artist?
No. The engineer should address the technical problem so the recording is captured properly.
An artist’s friend begins recording video during the session.
Nobody has said whether recording is allowed.
What should the engineer do?
Pause/check with the artist and make sure they are comfortable with the video being recorded before allowing it to continue.
An engineer has saved the session several times.
The artist asks:
“So we're backed up too, right?”
The engineer says:
“Yeah, because I hit save.”
What's wrong with that answer?
Saving and backing up are not the same thing. A backup provides an additional copy/version of the work.
Why should unnecessary phone use be avoided during a recording session?
It distracts the engineer and can make the artist feel like the engineer isn't listening.
An artist is recording while two guests are loudly talking behind the engineer.
The engineer ignores them because they're the artist's friends.
What is the engineer doing wrong?
Failing to manage the studio environment. The engineer should respectfully control distractions and protect the recording session.
An artist asks:
“Which take do you think sounds better?”
Can the engineer give their opinion?
Yes. An engineer can give professional feedback, especially when asked, while still respecting the artist’s creative decision.
The next artist arrives 15 minutes early, but the current artist still has 15 minutes remaining.
What should you do?
Allow the current artist to use their remaining scheduled time while making sure the session ends on time for the next artist.
An engineer is technically excellent.
They know the software, microphone setup, and equipment—but they constantly use their phone, ignore the artist, and leave the studio messy.
Are they a professional engineer? Why or why not?
Not fully. Technical ability alone doesn't equal professionalism. A professional engineer also needs focus, communication, organization, respect, and proper studio etiquette.
What should happen to the studio after a recording session ends?
The room should be cleaned/reset and equipment returned properly for the next session.
An engineer records several vocal takes named:
Audio 1 • Audio 2 • Audio 3 • Audio 4 • Audio 5
Later, the artist asks to hear the best hook again, and nobody knows which file it is.
What caused the problem?
Poor session organization/file naming. Takes and tracks should be clearly labeled so recordings can be located quickly.
The engineer prefers Take 2, but the artist prefers Take 3 because it has more emotion.
Who should normally make the final decision?
The artist. The engineer can advise, but shouldn’t take ownership of the artist’s creative performance.
You’re engineering a session and notice the artist has become quiet and uncomfortable since several guests entered the room.
The artist has not asked anyone to leave.
What should you do?
Check in privately/respectfully with the artist instead of assuming everything is okay.
WHY: Silence does not automatically mean the artist is comfortable.
During a session:
🥤 A drink is beside the computer.
📱 The engineer is texting.
🎙️ The artist is recording.
🔌 A cable crosses the walkway.
👥 Guests are talking loudly.
Identify THREE problems and explain why each matters.
Any three:
The artist recording itself is NOT a problem. 😈
An engineer finishes a great recording on time but leaves cables across the floor, trash in the room, and headphones lying around.
Was the session professionally completed?
No / not completely. Finishing the recording is only part of the engineer's responsibility; the studio should also be left safe and ready for the next session.
An artist records their best take of the day.
The engineer doesn't save because they plan to save later.
Five minutes later, the computer freezes.
Nothing ends up being lost.
Did the engineer still make a professional mistake? Explain.
Yes. The engineer took an unnecessary risk by not saving important work promptly. A good outcome doesn't automatically make a risky decision professional.
An artist keeps asking for louder headphones because it helps their performance.
The engineer believes the volume is becoming unsafe.
The artist says:
“I’m the artist. Just turn it up.”
What should the engineer do?
The engineer should not blindly follow the request. They should explain the safety concern and work with the artist to find a safer solution.
WHY: Artist comfort matters, but the engineer is still responsible for maintaining a safe professional environment.
There are 10 minutes left in the session.
The artist wants another vocal take.
The next artist is waiting outside.
The current take is usable—but the artist doesn’t like it.
What do you do?
Give the artist another attempt while clearly communicating the remaining time.
The session has 8 minutes left.
The artist wants one more take.
The computer froze earlier.
The project is saved but not backed up.
The next artist is waiting.
A drink is sitting beside the equipment.
You are the engineer.
What THREE things should you handle, and in what order?
1️⃣ Move the drink away from the equipment.
Handle the immediate physical risk.
2️⃣ Protect/back up the session.
The earlier computer freeze increases the risk of losing valuable work.
3️⃣ Communicate the remaining time with the artist.
If time permits, allow another take while protecting the next artist's scheduled session.