Own up! What is your worst quality as an engineer.

[paul999]

I think it is valuable for anyone that pursues an art worth pursuing to know and face their weaknesses and strength's. I tell my students when I'm teaching that not facing weaknesses is the formula to get stuck. Equally important is knowing and improving strengths for this is where your true character is found. Not honing strengths is the formula to be average.

For this thread I want people to dig deep and share there biggest weaknesses. I think hearing other people perceived weaknesses helps up deal with our own better

I'll go first.

I am not good at playing it safe with a mix. I sometimes think if I played it safer with most elements in a mix and only tried to do something special with one or two I would get a more outstanding result. I am also terrible at pulling back and getting some perspective. I am trying to do this more but I am a stubborn "old bat".

The list goes on!

[TonyB]

I'm too nice to the clients no matter how bad they are! No matter how big my sign is (see below), they still don't get it.

Good Song +
Good Arrangement +
Good Performer +
Good Performance +
Good Acoustic Environment +
Good Recording Chain +
Good Monitoring Chain +
Good Engineer +
Good Luck =
Good Product

Some think:
Good Song +
Any Ole Arrangement +
Any Ole Performer +
Any Ole Performance +
Any Ole Acoustic Environment +
Any Ole Recording Chain +
Any Ole Monitoring Chain +
Any Ole Engineer +
Any Ole Luck +
AutoTune +
Guitar Rig +
Drum Samples =
HIT SONG & STARDOM

[String7th]

I am the first to admit a lack of patience some days with some bands. If the band is good and I feel it, I will demand a retake, double up, try this, try that, and so on.
But if the band is average and below, or if I'm just frustrated with the 1 perfectionist in the band I will chime in and say, "Sounds great, moving on!"

[willjrockstar]

Trying to rush so others dont feel as if im wasting theyre time or money.

[TonyB]

Originally Posted by willjrockstar

Trying to rush so others dont feel as if im wasting theyre time or money.

Very true.

It's also the converse (or is it the inverse?). The clients will be rushing to save a dollar or two on the clock. Well, then performance goes right down the drain!

[bozmillar]

I know for myself that I always like to have control over the way things are recorded/tracked/mixed on my songs and I always assume that people coming in want the same control with their, so I try to give it to them.

Instead of telling them how to stand, how close to be to the mic, whether or not the take was good, etc, I tend to let them do it the way they want to do it, which isn't always best. I don't think I push them enough or give enough direction.

I also think that too often I'm too obvious about things that I don't think matter. If a car drives by during a take or my computer fan is too loud, I usually tell them that it doesn't matter because their not going to hear it. I usually get a funny look. I should probably do more things for show to make them know that I'm doing everything I can to get it to sound as good as possible.

[brandondrury]

My biggest weakness is my necessity to compromise. No client can afford to quit their job and focus on nothing but a record for 1-6 months. So we let things go.

Brandon

[Vulconizer]

My failure of memory and lack of patience would be what I consider to be my worst traits. Both in engineering and in other aspects of life these have adverse effects for me.

[String7th]

Oh, and a big one I forgot. Getting drunk and offering my studio for waaaaaay to cheap.

[Danny Danzi]

Biggest weakness for me....I'm the most anal perfectionist on the freakin' planet. Even when something sounds good, I'm thinking of and experimenting with ways to make it better when I should just leave well enough alone.

Second weakness is I'm very strict and turn down way too many jobs due to my honesty. It would be all too easy to take on a job and take someone's money....I just don't feel that's the right thing to do so I tell them "I'm sorry, but your project is not something I feel I can work with as is and the price I would charge you would probably be something you'd laugh at."