Over the past two decades, Jesse Cannon has worked in nearly every aspect of the music business. At 15-years old, he entered a recording studio with the punk band he played drums in; but when the record didn't sound exactly the way he wanted, he decided to buy some recording equipment and take matters into his own hands. At 17, he started recording bands in exchange for food and beer. By the time he was 18, bands from nearby New York City were hiring him to produce 7-inch singles and CDs. Running live sound at local shows attracted the attention of esteemed radio station WFMU, where he went on to record live on-air performances for nine years, working with groups like The Magnetic Fields, The Sea and Cake, Spoon and others.

After a job at NYC punk label Go-Kart Records, as well as working as a concert promoter, he went to work at West West Side Music under mastering engineer Alan Douches (interviewed by Jesse in Tape Op #31). Over the years he got to record groups like Animal Collective, The Misfits, The Menzingers, and Lifetime. Working under producer Steve Evetts he got to make records with Say Anything, Senses Fail, and The Dillinger Escape Plan. He also traveled the world with producer Ross Robinson to work on records with The Cure, Limp Bizkit, and Chase Pagan. In 1999, he opened his own Cannon Found Soundation Recording Studios, a two-room facility that has remained steadily booked for 15 years. This is also the facility where he efficiently churns out productions for a wide variety of bands. Along the way he took on management duties for two groups he was producing, Man Overboard and Transit. Along with myself, he formed the blog, Musformation; filling a void on the Internet regarding how artists can empower themselves and promote their music. The advice from this blog went on to become our new, 700- page book, Get More Fans: The DIY Guide To The New Music Business.

Why write a book on how bands can promote themselves instead of one about recording?

I noticed with a lot of the bands that I'd made great records with, they would get done and have no clue on how to promote their music. Even their managers didn't have a clue. I would write out a plan for bands of what I thought they should do, and eventually it made sense to turn it into a blog. After we started the blog I saw people responding to the music business tips much more than the ones on recording or musicianship. Along the way I started managing Man Overboard and Transit. You were promoting Sensual Harassment. Whenever I'd pick up a book on promotion it would be a lot of legal mumbo jumbo, or a bunch of information that was either obvious or ridiculous. The goal was to create a book on building a fanbase that would help musicians understand their goals, as well as the resources available. Many are imitating the bad habits of established artists instead of learning smart, new ways of doing things. There needed to be a guide for those ideas and resources.

The book gets very deep into how a band should choose a producer.

I have discussed making records with about a thousand bands. Most of them choose to make a record with me for reasons that aren't very well thought out. As a producer, many musicians [come to you via] a record you've done, are local to you, or they got a recommendation from a friend. Then they roll into the studio hoping you can do the same for them. I think there is a much smarter way to make this decision. It's important that you like the tones a producer/engineer gets, as well as the vibe of the performances they go for. (Are they capturing a band in a room, or making it sound super-tight and edited?) But what's important is that the producer fills in your blanks and can come up with a great vision of how to present your songs. Walking into your record, if you know that you're going to need help with vocal performances — say because your singer is a little weak — if you choose a producer who isn't great at coaching vocals, no one is going to want to listen to your record. The same goes for how involved in your songwriting you want a producer to go. I will mess with an arrangement and tell you when something is off, but I don't do co-writes or totally rewrite their songs. I'm the wrong producer if you're looking for that. Bands should figure out what their weaknesses are and try to find a producer who can fill them in. If your band is good at policing your own performances and you just need someone to get you good tones and a mix, why hire a producer who is good with rewriting songs instead of one who is a great engineer? If your drummer overplays and you need help reining him in, you better not work with a producer who has little input on drum beats. You have to find someone who is a good fit for your weaknesses in order to make a record that presents your songs in a compelling way.

What if a band doesn't understand what their weaknesses are?

Find someone who makes great records with whoever they work with. I always try to be like J. Robbins [Tape Op #13] — he makes an amazing version of that band's songs, any band, in any style I hear him work with. Granted, I think I overproduce way too much for me to be like J., but a band should find someone who has consistently made good records. Any producer can find some great bands, follow their lead, and make a pretty damn good record. But some producers really bring the best out of everyone. Do some research on who's made some great records, and whose name comes up in your record collection often, and then seek them out. Don't just settle for the person that's within 25 miles of your home, or one that your buddy really likes working with.

In the book we advise artists to release more music, more often. How does this affect you as a studio owner?

While I see this technique helping musicians to grow their fanbase every day, it's a serious pain in the ass for me as a producer. The biggest problem is recalling your settings and matching sounds later. The majority of bands who take our advice and put out one song a month, will later want to then collect it at the end and put it out as an EP. Often times they record two songs, over three different sessions that take place months apart, and then expect it to sound consistent in the end. Mike [Oettinger, Jesse's co-producer] and I have gotten really good at taking pictures of our settings (using an iPhone and the Evernote app) so that we can always recall them. It also forces me to print many of my outboard effects as I mix. It's definitely smart to record an EP or LP all at once and then trickle out the songs if a band's on a budget.

You record in two rooms at once at Cannon Found Soundation.

About seven years ago we got so busy that I was losing a lot of records that I wanted to do. My wait time was three to five months. I had some of my favorite clients end up booking their records at other studios. The solution I came up with was to hire Mike and have him start recording the guitar and bass (as well as doing editing) on projects, while I mixed and recorded the vocals. Bands get twice as much done here in the same amount of time, and for a lower rate. While I record drums, Mike edits them. Once drums are done I may edit some drums; but mostly I get to take my time working on the songs, getting good vocal performances, and mixing while Mike takes care of all of the other instruments.

How have you seen home recording affect your studio?

So many producers are bitter about musicians recording themselves, but I decided from day one to embrace it. I was on a panel in 2000, and this same question was asked. Five producers (some of whom I really like) were all very bitter about it — and I didn't get it. I have so many groups who just record drums here, and then I mix or master them. This is how you and I met, which shows [this practice] can go on to form bigger relationships. If you're cool to the bands that just want to come in to record drums or mix, odds are they're going to tell their friends to record with you. Why would they recommend you if you're bitter and trash bands who record at home? I also offer to bill by the hour. I'll listen to rough mixes, do pre-production, and give advice while they produce at home. I simply listen back to a vocal, call them on Skype, and have a conversation about what I hear. Then everyone is happy, and I often end up mixing the record.

You worked for Alan Douches at West West Side Music. How have you seen mastering change over the years?

As people have less money to spend, and are less experienced with recording, mastering becomes more important; yet it seems to often be skipped. Good mastering can really help compensate for flaws in a mediocre recording. Turning to someone like Alan can really take a record into a much more listenable place, especially for the price. Not making the investment in mastering, especially when you are doing things yourself, means you miss out on an objective perspective, as well as a creative touch that you can't get any other way.

You also have a business where you master YouTube videos.

So much music is now made singing into a laptop, or some sort of small recording device, and then uploaded to YouTube. Some of us hi-fi nerds turn our noses up at this because it doesn't give us chills like our Music Hall turntable does, but these videos affect kids on an emotional level. There are millions of people watching kids do honest covers, or their original songs in a room, and they know there was no recording manipulation, editing, tuning, etc. — just pure talent. They want a no-frills performance. At the same time they do want these videos to sound good; a little EQ, compression, and loudness maximization can go a long way. I charge a small fee and touch-up the audio so it is more pleasant to listen to.

You often proclaim this is the best time to be making music.

If you were a musician with a unique vision who was doing something a little different 15 years ago (i.e. not making pop songs), you had to hope to find some sort of gatekeeper — a label, manager, or booking agent with enough connections and time to try to push you out to the world. You'd need to spend thousands of dollars, press CDs, and get them to stores. Now if you have a unique vision, fans can choose to elevate you for a minimal investment. It doesn't need to be just one person who allows you through a gate; the world can allow you through it by boosting you with a Kickstarter campaign or word of mouth. Music has been democratized. Thousands of bloggers curate to small, specific audiences and spread the word. It's easier than ever. Musicians have barely learned how to tap into the tools of the Internet, as well as the support from audiences. There is an amazing flattening of the music world happening. I even see it with Spotify and all these apps that provide recommendations; everyone can see what their friends, or people they admire, are listening to. It's no longer just what is heavily promoted. As far as the money, most artists don't tap into many of the opportunities available. There was that famous article [in New York Magazine] where Grizzly Bear basically said they were impoverished, but some of it is because they aren't using the best practices. When their latest release came out there was no direct-to-fan method to purchase it — they missed an opportunity to make a relationship, as well as a sale. It puts you at a disadvantage when your label's distribution arm is the only way you're selling music. Many artists are tapping into selling music, experiences, and merch directly to fans. People need to be educated on the numerous smart methods they can use to profit from their music. They may not have Jacuzzis in the back of their limos, but I am positive nearly everyone can do better than what they're doing now.