Between the most troubled economy since the Great Depression and allegations of fiduciary mismanagement by the AES’ outgoing Executive Director, the 131^st convention saw lower levels of manufacturer enrollment than in recent years.

But if there a smaller exhibition floor than in the past, it didn’t stop the crowds from coming. The first two days saw especially heavy traffic through all nine rows of booths, and the convention’s flagship panels made their presentations to a packed house.

Underneath the surface of the show were a smattering of innovations. One of the largest players in pro audio made a surprising announcement, and a handful of dark horses brought promising new designs to market. While huge developments from major manufacturers were few and far between, seemingly everyone had a new little trick for the 500-series lunchbox. Here’s a small a handful of the most notable designs from this year’s convention:

AVID LAUNCHES PRO TOOLS 10 AND HDX

Whenever the industry leader in Digital Audio Workstations makes an announcement it’s hard not to notice.

For anyone in the market for a new commercial-grade studio system, Pro Tools 10 and HDX should be a welcome development. The latest cards and software allow studios to harness more power at a lower price point than ever before.

Pro Tools 10 has arrived

In the new software, session-loading speed has increased, editors can slide around cross-fades and pre-fader gain in real-time, the system architecture and mix bus have both been improved, and a powerful new Channel Strip plug-in has been thrown in for good measure.

But the announcement of PT 10 hasn’t made everyone happy. Longtime users who upgraded to PT 9 less than a year ago will have to shell out $300 if they want to upgrade immediately, while HD studios could pay upwards of $999 to make the switch in software.

While this release may not have all studio owners jumping out of their seats for an immediate upgrade, the new feature-set may appeal to some of the busiest commercial facilities, and new installations could benefit from the lower cost-of entry.

Whether an upgrade is right for your studio, and what Avid’s change in system architecture and plug-in protocols will mean for users in the long run is enough fodder for a whole separate article. Stay tuned for that story soon.

Aside from the introduction of PT 10, many of the most innovative new designs came from smaller operators, some of whom are new to the scene.

THE DARK HORSE DEVELOPERS OF AES

One of the most striking new standouts was the Pegasus large-diaphram tube condenser microphone from Ronin Applied Sciences.

Ronan Pegasus

With an eye-catching mother-of-pearl inlays and a power supply the size and shape of a high-tech toaster from the Jetsons, it was a difficult piece to ignore.

If you were willing to wait on line for the opportunity, you may have had the chance to talk to the limited-edition mic’s sharp young designer, Dimitri Wolfwood.

How does it sound? Initial impressions from engineers on the showroom floor suggest “pretty damn good.” We’ll have the whole story, and a more comprehensive review for you, in the coming weeks.

A veteran designer who recently struck out on his own had several new pieces to announce. Dennis Fink of Fink Analog Audio worked with UREI and Universal Audio on some of their best-selling designs before building his own designs.

Adding to his recent CS2-FA Vacuum Tube Dual Channel Strip are fresh new units including a 4-channel limiter, and an 1176-style compressor with a tube signal path, all of which are built right here in New York and New Jersey.

Fink Audio CS2FA

THE BOUTIQUES ARE BACK

Vintage King Audio and Studios 301 Manufacturing showcased their new Custom Series 75 Console, a Neve-powered desk that promises to deliver both clean and classic-sounding signal paths in the same frame.

This analog desk is available in 16 through 64-channel configurations with a powerful automation system.

The designers at Dangerous Music have been hard at work on a new product called the Liaison, an inventive new box that might change the way many of us think about analog routing.

Dangerous Liason

This new box helps users to audition, compare, and recall complex signal paths at with the flick of a switch. For the first time, engineers can directly compare hardware effects chains without having to patch and re-patch several pieces of gear, and even recall analog routing “presets”.

We also saw the introduction of the Black Box Tube Pre the first release from Black Box Audio. This tweak-friendly all-tube design features continuously variable triode and pentode stages, which puts the tonal character of the preamp in the user’s hands.

SWEDES KNOW AUDIO

Sweden is one of the world’s eminent producers of finely-honed pop music, and now, one of the major players in Pro Audio.

Golden Age Pre-73 DLX

Lindell Audio’s new line of 17X Compressor/Limiters sound unbelievable, according to a rep from the company’s Suffern, NY-based U.S. distributer, RAD.

This FET-based unit is a fresh new take on the classic 1176, and includes a wet/dry mix knob and 5-position electric guitar-style switches that the select between finely tailored attack and release settings.

The Swedish-based Golden Age Project has expanded their line of affordable 1073-inspired preamps by announcing their new PRE73-DLX. This version adds a 5-position high-pass filter, Active DI input and an output attenuator that allows users to milk additional overdrive out of the unit when desired.

Also new to the Golden Age line is the half-rack EQ73 new selections for 500-series users.

500 SERIES MODULES. PEOPLE STILL LIKE THEM.

Also on display at AES this year were a slew of handy new 500 modules, priced to give gear-fiends a quick and affordable fix in a sluggish economy.

Even Moog got into the game. Along with the Animoog, the first “professional-level iPad synthesizer”, this veteran company revealed their first 500-series offering, a flexible analog resonance filter called The Ladder.

The Ladder by Moog

Neve too had an unexpected 500-series module on display – its 2264A compressor/limiter is now available in the Lunchbox format (2264ALB)  via Vintage King.

al.so expanded its line with the new “British-style” Q5 EQ and the Komp5 compressor (which comes complete with a miniature 500-series VU meter).

The Sennheiser-distributed True Systems announced the pT2-500D Precision Dynamic Preamp, while Chandler debuted Little Devil 500-series preamp.

John Klett’s nonlinearaudio announced two new 8-channel preamp designs – the FlexiGuy and the Orson - both which should be available in 500-series soon. He also revealed an esoteric and inventive module called the Blenda 500 which uses the auxiliary i/o in Purple Audio’s Sweet Ten rack to “give the user a split to any external processor and a reblend function, with phase reverse, for parallel additive or subtractive re-blend within your outboard rack.”

WIRELESS WITHIN REACH

The WL40V has been adapted in wireless capsule form from the SR40V Vocal Microphone

Earlier this year, Shure introduced the PGX Digital Wireless series which promises to bring new levels of fidelity and stability to the field.

And while the PGX series makes digital wireless mics affordable, Earthworks decided to make them upgradeable. During AES, they announced the WL40V, a wireless microphone capsule based on their recent SR40V handheld vocal mic design.

This high-definition capsule can be quickly screwed onto any handheld transmitter that receive a 31.3mm/pitch 1.0mm threading, like the ones from Lectrosonics, Line 6 and Shure.

HOLDING STEADY

Plenty of older products were worth playing with. Who can resist putting together an impromptu mix on an API 1608 or listening to the entire line of ADAM monitors?

While there were new and recent products to be seen and heard, for many attendees the biggest highlight of the convention was the people.

Even when the pickings are slim, AES represents a meeting of the minds that’s rarely seen the rest of the year. We met some of my favorite designers and mixers, walking the floor, speaking on panels, eating dinner, and hitting the after-party circuit for the better part of a week.

At AES everyday engineers meet the people who build their favorite tools, write their favorite stories, and make their favorite records. New relationships inevitably form. Some of them can last a lifetime.

- The SonicScoop Staff

I just had the most wonderful experience recording a band. They’re called Diamond Doves. We did a few tracks together for their Myspace/demo…

You might know Diamond Doves as Elvis Perkins’ band “in Dearland.” These guys have been around the bend, touring the country with everyone from My Morning Jacket, as well as playing famed festivals such as Bonnaroo and New Orleans Jazz Fest.

These guys are seriously pro but they’re creating this new side project sans Elvis (although Elvis Perkins in Dearland is still around), so they’re starting from scratch… I got to know these fine folks after they brought one of my bands, The Woes, on the road…

From an engineering perspective, I had a blast. We did basics to 1″ tape and I would freewheel dump into Pro Tools LE, where we would proceed to go nuts with overdubs…Tracking the drums to tape definitely got us going on the right track. I actually set it up so that we were able to compare the drum sounds on PT vs. Tape. Tape won all three times.

I would say these were the defining features of tracking to tape: less brittle, warmer on cymbals, snare pronounced much more, and the kick just booming. Sorry PT (my gut tells me tape would have still won if we were using a better converter than a 003)… I also got turned on to the Beyer-Dynamic M160 for just about everything. This is a hyper-cardioid ribbon mic, so very different from Royer or Coles. Found out it was a favorite of Hendrix’s and also was the lone drum mic infamously used at the top of the stairwell for Zeppelin’s “When The Levee Breaks.” I used it as a single drum OH, vocal mic, and right on the grill of our guitar amps… You can get them for $300-$700.. Seriously, bang for your buck…

But from a production standing, what a wonderful experience. This band (Brigham Brough, Wyndham Garrett, Nick Kinsey, Mike Irwin, and the lovely Odetta) are such wonderful souls. Rightly intense about their creative ideas and egos checked at the door… Brigham, Wyndham, and Nick each had a song to track… and everyone was super supportive of each other’s track. I wish recording was always like this…

The best part was there was zero passive-aggressiveness in the studio. This is extremely rare. A lot of people come into the creative process with agendas and the like, but the only agenda this bunch had was to make music and have fun doing so.

I tell you all this because this is something we should all strive toward. I was very lucky to have this experience but you can too. If you let your guard down, surrender to the flow of music and creativity, then all sorts of thrilling possibilities can come about in the recording process. — Jesse Lauter

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Jesse Lauter is an American record producer who has worked with such acts as James Blood Ulmer, Ingrid Michaelson, Elvis Perkins,Marco Benevento, Smokey Hormel, The Miamis, The Woes, and Alana Amram & The Rough Gems. In 2008 he received critical acclaim for his recording of the Low Anthem’s Oh My God, Charlie Darwin in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, and NPR. Since the release of the Low Anthem’s album Jesse has been featured in Mix and Tap-Op Magazines.

Indaba Music is an international community of musicians, music professionals, and fans exploring music creation. Manage and share your recording projects with Mantis, our in-browser digital audio workstation. Win cash and exposure from remix contests with artists like Weezer, Snoop Dogg, Matisyahu, and Peter Gabriel. Sign up is free.

I met Bill Meadows (the subject in the interview below) when working for a music house trying to get their music placed in film and TV.  Placement is very difficult but Bill offers up some great insight.

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Bill Meadows

Bill Meadows is the Executive Integrated Producer of Music, Celebrity Talent and Public Works at the very successful advertising agency Crispin, Porter & Bogusky.  By way of being a frustrated lawyer who offset his discontent by being in bands and DJ-ing Bill has been working with the agency’s creatives and clients to integrate music, celebrity and brands for the last eight years at Crispin.

Bill has placed music in far too many successful campaigns to list here.

Music Consultant: Tell me what a day in your life is like. You do more than just music. You’re really looking to incorporate music celebrity with the brands the ad agency’s clients – correct?

BM: Yes. My job involves everything related to music and then I do celebrity talent negotiations as well. To a degree I get involved in events with the “Public Works Team.” If the event involves music or celebrities, or if we want to book a band or a DJ or a new venue owner, I might get involved with that. I’d say 99% of our content has music or sound involved with it and I’m involved in procuring the appropriate music for TV spots, interactive work, etc., everything from national campaigns down to award shows.

There’s a creative element to working with the ad agency’s teams that are involved, to try to find what they’re looking for and perhaps make suggestions, but ultimately get them what they’re looking for, because it’s their baby. I’m there to help them and hopefully help them make their work better under their guidance, as it’s their creative project. Certainly a big part of everything I do is the business side to negotiating the terms of the deal.  That can be anything from hiring a music house to compose a musical score or licensing a track by an existing artist from labels and publishers or even stock library music.

Music Consultant: Could you estimate what percentage of the music you use is by original artists?

BM: I hesitate because it’s cyclical. It’s rather unpredictable. This doesn’t exactly answer your question, but my instinct is that the more dialogue-driven the spot is, the less chance there is we’re going to use a known artist.  I am fortunate to work at a highly creative agency, and there is a lot of dialogue-driven content. Certainly less than half of what we use is from an existing artist – meaning a vital, working artist.  Yes – more than 50% of our stuff is composed for the spot.

Music Consultant: You’ve been a musician, so you know about running around with a demo and trying to get arrested with it. What would you say to somebody who is an aspiring artist or an artist who is a work-a-day artist and not a known quantity yet to get your attention?

BM: I’ve never worked at a major label, but it’s probably not too different.  I get loads of demos and stuff in the mail every day. I fully respect everyone that’s sending me stuff and the music they’re sending me, but it’s just that there aren’t enough hours in the day to give the stuff I get the appropriate attention. Blindly sending stuff isn’t necessarily the worst thing you can do, but it’s hard to prioritize listening to things when there’s so much coming in. I think one comment I made on a panel last year was that basically think about what would you do to get on the radio before?

People nurture their relationships with radio. An artist would go to radio and get interviewed and play a song in the studio and nurture that relationship on a personal level. I think in a way I’m contradicting myself because I certainly may not have enough time to meet everyone personally but there are a lot of people like me out there.

There are a lot of ad agencies and a lot of ad agencies that don’t have music producers. Letting people out there know about you and that you’re great is best done in person. I think touring artists should certainly make efforts. For example, I’ve had a lot of people – even platinum artists – perform in our lobby for people at the agency because they want to get to know us. It’s certainly well appreciated and starts a dialogue and a relationship amongst the parties. Even if something doesn’t happen immediately and we don’t license a song the next day, those people are always at the front of our mind because you had a personal connection with them.

If I were in a band right now and my focus was to promote my band, I’d figure out where there were advertising industry conferences and try to go play shows on site during the day acoustic or try to play the after party and get in front of the decision makers and influencers in the system, with reasonable expectations of the results – not expecting necessarily that there will be a meeting within the next week to bag a giant national ad campaign. But starting a grassroots network of those people and staying in touch with them and working it on a personal level is really important.  So, say you’re at a show and you’re playing at a show in Atlanta. Figure out what ad agencies are in Atlanta and figure out who are the creatives there – the writers, art directors and the producers or people who have music in their titles.  Try to go by there during lunch and bring five pizzas and an acoustic set, and invite everyone to your show that night. Put them on the guest list and send them all zip files of your tracks. Nurture that network of people, because it’s not likely that you’re going to get on the radio.

You have a much better chance of getting exposure through the platform of advertising and media buys than through the platform of radio. Also, there’s nothing speculative about the cash flow. If they like the song, in 30 or 60 days you get a check. It’s not like, “I’m going to make an album and hopefully someone downloads a song or buys the album.” It’s real money in your pocket. It’s really mostly about the personal relationships and developing that network, in my opinion.

Music Consultant: Tell me about third-party aggregators. The companies out there like Pump Audio who is part of Getty Image and there seem to be more of them every day. Do you ever use aggregators like that who develop relationships because they have a wide catalogue and stuff that’s easy to clear? Is that a viable way to get heard?

BM: If you want the honest truth, I did business with Pump Audio for the first time this week. I think we licensed a song from there. Nobody’s ever promoted it to me. I’m aware they are a big entity and do tons of business so I’m sure they must have something great going on. To a degree, I tell people that come to me – make no mistake, I hope you print this – I don’t hold myself up as some music industry expert, because I’m not. I’m just an educated outsider to the workings of the industry of selling music. But a couple people have come to me – artists I know – and have said, “Hey, I got a publishing deal with a big publisher. What do you think?”  If someone is asking me that, I want them to get the most attention they can from the people that are working on their behalf.

My instinct would be to assume that if you are with big aggregator with hundreds of thousands of songs maybe you would get lost in the shuffle and not the individualized attention that you need to promote your music. But I don’t know that to be the case, because as I said, I’m not on the “music industry” side of the equation.

Music Consultant: My philosophy is, if they’re non-exclusive and you still promote yourself, sign up.

BM: Yeah, I like the idea of non-exclusive but I don’t think you can rely on aggregators alone. If it’s part of a number of things you do to promote your music, then that’s the call. Perhaps it leads to other things. Someone likes the songs, and maybe the person that licenses it comes back and says, “You know who was great? So-and-so.” And then they go back to it and it opens the door to a relationship. So perhaps to that end, have a comprehensive approach with the aggregator being one part of that.

Music Consultant: Tell me about the decision making process. You like a song, and how many people chime in at the ad agency? How does that decision usually come about?

BM: There’s a creative approval process that has multiple levels. I might suggest certain songs, but ultimately it’s somebody else’s creative project, I’m there to facilitate someone else’s creative vision. My role is slightly creative and deal making and hustling. I want to be creative, but you’re always deferential to a creative’s opinion, because in their mind they see it a certain way or hear it a certain way. I’m there to try to interpret what they’re saying and to get what they want.

There are various levels of approval. When the agency has an agency-approved, internally-approved song, it is extremely rare that the client has ever disagreed with our music choice. There’s only one time in eight years that  a client ever brought up a discussion about music we had chosen. The only way it may be an issue is if after we’re in the process we decide we really like this one song that’s by a super famous artist that exceeds our budget, and we have to go back to rework our budget and get more money to get another song. They might push back on that because of budgetary issues, but creatively it just never happens that a client pushes back. It’s strictly an internal process.

Music Consultant: Speaking of budgetary constraints, how often do you have a call for sound alikes? How often do you conversation with someone and say, “Hey, I need something that sounds like ACDC because I don’t have the two million dollar budget?”

BM: The term “sound alike” is problematic and is never a term I want to hear anybody use at Crispin. When you’re creating a sound alike, presumably you are trying to create something that sounds like something you can’t afford, and you’re asking for a whole list of legal issues. It’s a creative and legal minefield. I never endeavor to sound just like any other song. First of all, I want to open up our minds to different types of music and not say, “We have to have one thing.”

By the same token, you don’t know what people are going to do. If you made the mistake of saying, “We’re looking at certain song A,” it’s really easy for someone to go into the studio and try to rip that song off and say, “Oh, we had this song lying around.” I don’t want that kind of situation. I don’t want to be put in a situation where I’m involved in trying to get close to sounding just like any other song so I do everything I can to avoid tainting the process.

For the rest of this interview, including advice on how best to approach agency music producers like Meadow, visit http://musiciancoaching.com/music-placement/music-in-advertising.

Rick Goetz is a music consultant, who after a career with Lava/Atlantic Records and Elektra Entertainment Group, founded Rick Goetz Consulting LLC. Since the creation of this company Rick has done everything from music supervision for national TV commercials, to procuring financing for entertainment companies and building audio and video libraries for television networks and technology companies. In mid 2009 he decided to build out an educational website and consulting service providing music business expertise and marketing for artists which lead to the creation of MusicianCoaching.com.

Indaba Music is an international community of musicians, music professionals, and fans exploring music creation. Manage and share your recording projects with Mantis, our in-browser digital audio workstation. Win cash and exposure from remix contests with artists like Weezer, Snoop Dogg, Matisyahu, and Peter Gabriel. Sign up is free.

Rick Slater

By now, the decision of which tracking facility to use has finally been made. In a delicate balance between vibe, gear, and cost, the ultimate studio for the task at hand has been chosen.

OK, let’s take a reality check here and say that there will always be the likelihood that something will go technically wrong on occasion. The mark of the better studios is the response to said issue and how quickly everyone can get back on track. Those are the studios I try to work in. The key character in this whole plan is the assistant engineer. He/she has probably the toughest gig of the day.

An assistant has to know what everyone has done, is doing, and will be doing in the immediate future. As an assistant to Michael Brauer, it was my job to make sure all the tapes were sent to us and that all songs were complete, all details filled in on the paperwork, etc. before a project. I learned to be really critical about documentation when I once (early in my career) let Michael mix only 24 of 48 tracks because the song title was not changed on the slave reel by the tracking assistant. As it turned out, I should have questioned a slave reel with a song that didn’t have a master even when it did not appear on the list of songs to be mixed. It’s ok to make mistakes but brother you better learn from them!

I just finished a gig with Derek Trucks featured on a song for Dr. John where the song title had changed and every new person involved had a moment of panic as they thought we were working on the wrong tune. Fortunately my moment came earlier and I had quickly gotten a handle on what was going on.

Now, as the engineer on a date it is very important that I convey all session details to my assistant. If you don’t have an assistant, it’s important to take a moment and document what you are doing along the way. As a mixer there is nothing worse than pulling up the track labeled “Audio 11”!

BE PREPARED, BE VERY PREPARED

Before the session, I speak with the client and I find out what it is we are looking to accomplish. It’s important that all of the artist’s gear is in top shape for the session. Sometimes additional rentals are involved and it’s important to use a reliable company with quality gear (i.e. Jim Flynn Rentals or Dreamhire for audio gear, Arty Smith and SIR for musical instruments.) Be sure that the studio is expecting a delivery of equipment and that everyone knows what time delivery is expected. I will often bring along my own gear to supplement the equipment as well.

For drums I have a spare key and moon gel to dampen the heads. For guitar I bring along a Little Labs PCP Distro to route to multiple amps, re-amping etc. I also have a rack of outboard with some vintage compressors and EQs. My “vibe bag” contains a few candles, a lamp, and a handful of vintage pedals too. I try my best to get to know the personalities of the people I will be working with and create an atmosphere that puts them at ease, yet gets them motivated to do their best.

On the day of the session I want to make sure that all the mics and outboard as well as cue systems are set up and tested before the client walks in. I once had to record Maureen McGovern live in the studio with her whole stage band for a children’s album. At the time Maureen was playing on Broadway and it was made very clear to the producer and me that she must be in her make-up chair at 5pm.

I had chosen Quad NYC’s Studio A for its spacious studio, control room, and three large iso booths with a great line of sight. As it turned out, one of the Pro Tools I/O boxes malfunctioned and caused the cue system to fail during the session. This meant that I had to calm the musical director’s nerves who was in turn making the young assistant nervous which led to the producer being agitated, while the entire process was being filmed. We were able to calm everyone down, identify the problem, replace the I/O and get rolling in about thirty minutes. I tracked the entire song, got an extra vocal pass for any fixes needed and had Ms. McGovern off to the theatre by 4pm. Phew! It was critical that day that everything was set-up and working prior to the session so that when the unexpected happened we were still able to accomplish our goal.

DRUM TRACKING – KIT & MIC PLACEMENT

When working with drum machines and synthesizers, the sounds are pretty much there to begin with, so a little subtle EQ and or compression to fit the song is usually enough. When working with live instruments, however, you will need to really get down to work. For drums it is critical that the condition of the drums are in top working order and that they are properly tuned. I use Moon Gel to dampen the heads if needed. They sound much more like the true nature of the drum then all the strange things which have been taped to drum heads in the past.

Fig. 1

The first question is where in the room to put the kit. Assuming that you don’t have other instruments that require the use of the main live room, I like to put the drums in the main room and the other instruments in isolation.

I start by deciding if I want a tight or an open sound for the drums. I’ll walk around the studio talking, listening to how the room sounds and pick my spot.

When getting sounds, I start with kick and usually use a dynamic mic like the Senheiser MD 421 or AKG D112 inside with a condenser like the Neumann U47 FET or Shure KSM44 out front. When I’m looking for a big bottom sound, I’ll add a sub-kick mic, which is actually a speaker used as a mic [Fig.1].

Fig. 2

At times I have also used another drum as a resonator and miked that drum [Fig.2]. I use this technique when I want the kick drum to have an extended bottom end. When using a resonator, I mic it with a Large Diaphragm Condenser (LDC) fairly close to the head. (Remember it’s not being struck it’s just vibrating sympathetically.)

Next up I go for the overheads. This will capture the overall sound of the kit so I get the overheads right after the kick. The live kit is a whole so it is important that the overhead mics show the whole picture. I once had a tech comment on my good snare sound when in fact he was only hearing kick and overheads! I tend to like tube mics on the overheads, my favorite being an AKG C24 but LDCs work well too.

For snare, I always make sure that the drum we use is not occupying the same frequency range that the vocal will be in. This keeps the two most important elements of a mix (melody and rhythm) sounding big and up front. One of my secrets to great snare sound is to place the snare stand on a small piece of wood so the snare reflects up into the mics. I usually just mic the top with both a Shure SM 57 and a small diaphragm condenser (SDC) bussed to a single track. The 57, I mult to a gate and compressor and print to a separate track. This gives the drums a more finished sound right off the bat and gets everybody excited as the overdubs take place.

For toms, I usually go for an LDC and if printing to tape I slam it hard. If going to digital, some compression with medium fast attack and fast release are in line as well. For the room mics I prefer ribbons but LDC’s work well too. If you are experienced in the art of compression I say apply liberally to these tracks.

TRACKING BASS & GUITAR: MIKING AND SHAPING SOUNDS
A great bass sound comes from the player’s fingers and that’s a fact. I try to use a high quality DI, which I compress with either an LA3A or an 1176 and print to a track. If we are using an amp I listen carefully to the relationship of the DI signal and the amp as I slowly move the mic around. (OK the assistant moves, I listen.) Of course, you can address this issue inside your DAW, but I’ve had better luck getting a great bass sound by sticking to the basics of mic placement.

Acoustic basses may vary so you need to listen and consider the arrangement to make sure you are getting what you need from the recording. Often miking closer to the fingerboard is necessary to get the attack, other times the player might have a decent pick up that works well for this approach. I often combine a couple of mics. To get body, listen for the sweet spot — usually near the f-hole — and for attack I find a spot near where the fingerboard attaches to the body. I seem to have gotten my best results using condenser rather than ribbon mics. I follow a similar approach on acoustic guitar, using ribbon or condenser mics.

At this point I always have the bass player and drummer play together to make sure there is plenty of sonic space for each instrument.

Fig.3 Tracking Derek Trucks' guitar, I used a blend of the Altec 633c and Neumann U87 on the Fender Super Reverb, which was fed from my Little Labs PCP Distro box, as was a Fender Deluxe miked with a Shure 57 and Neuman U87, which in turn were bussed together to a second track.

When recording electric guitars, I rarely use EQ except on the amp. Rather, I use a combination of ribbon, condenser, and dynamic mics to create the sound of the guitar. (Fig. 3) Rarely do I compress while recording a guitar amp as it already sounds compressed coming from the amp. One can get an edgier feel by miking closer to the grill, but I tend to back off 4-6” to allow the sound to bloom a bit.

If there is a mic up somewhere else in the room, I always throw its fader up and listen. Sometimes a splash of ambient mic really adds the right dimension to the part.

I’m a big fan of printing effects on the guitar if it’s part and parcel of that part. Like the gated and compressed snare track, it excites everyone as the recording continues and shapes the direction of the material.

One new technique I’ve tried successfully is to let the guitar player nail the performance at home with a direct signal and re-amp that. We used that approach with Cherry Suede. We booked time at The Clubhouse Studio, up in Rhinebeck, NY, where they had a gazillion amps and — in two and a half days — we re-amped 55 tracks of guitars. Of course, as we speak the state of amp simulators is advancing and using a real amp isn’t always necessary for re-amping.  Again it is really important to take time to document your set-up; you never know when you might want to recreate a sound.

VOICE EXERCISES & SPACE EXPLORATION
I always record a scratch vocal while tracking. It helps the rest of the band mark its place and tends to elevate the energy level of the entire band. I go for the best vocal sound I can get in hopes of capturing the magic performance.

In my mind there is no go-to set-up for vocalists. I try a couple of things quickly so not to burn out my singer while keeping in mind how the vocal works with the track. Whenever possible, I try to set the right ambience for the singer in the space where we are working. (Remember the vibe bag?) I want the performance to transport me to the same place that the song originally took them when they wrote it, and sometimes you need to set the stage.

Now if the gear needs to be in top shape for the recording, imagine what a vocalist must do. Their voice is the instrument and that, too, has to be in top shape! If I am producing the singer, I like to have them involved with cardio-vascular exercise at least three times a week. I used to use a studio down on the Jersey shore where we would swim or jog for an hour in the morning before recording vocals. It speeds up the warm-up time in the studio and makes the end of a vocalist’s range much more stable.

Earlier, I touched on adding a little ambient miking and, truth be told, I am always looking for spaces that musicians sound particularly exciting playing in. If the space is exciting and it fits the song, then I make sure that I capture that sound in my recording.

My most favorite unusual spaces to record in over the years include: the elevator shaft at the original Sigma Sound, recording a Marshall half stack in the fire stairs of Quad NYC (that had the staff at Unique calling on the phone!), and the front over-hang in the drive way of Milkboy Recording in a residential neighborhood of Philadelphia.

OK, well that’s all for my approach on tracking — it would be great to hear about some of your more interesting set-ups!

Creating a great experience for musicians and capturing the magic that they produce isn’t an easy job but it is rewarding. Hopefully some of you will share your stories here as well.

Rick Slater is a NYC-based producer/engineer who’s recorded and/or mixed with Chuck D, Robben Ford and James Chance, and worked in NYC studios such as Mediasound, Quad and Sony. Meet him on Myspace: www.myspace.com/rickslater.

So you’re a band or musician that needs to record. Cheaply. You have a rehearsal space with a reasonable level of isolation and some basic recording gear. It can be done, but as easily as it could sound great, it could also come out sounding terrible.

Josh Clark

It’s hard to know what you’ll get when you’re embarking on these projects in your cramped rehearsal space for the two-hour slot you get each week while waiting for your neighbors, Head X-Plosion to finish playing their 10 minute metal opera.  There are a lot of variables and in this case the most important is experience, the one thing you’re most likely lacking.

I’ll assume you’ve already got a digital setup like Pro Tools or Cubase and know enough to get in trouble.  Most of you can get this far with few problems and have successfully recorded and combined some tracks to form a completed recording but you’re wondering why it doesn’t sound cool.

My premise is basically “if you can’t do it professionally, make it interesting and unique.”  Here’s some advice on how to do that.

Keeeeep it cheap and simple.

If you are looking for mics to buy, the best bet is to buy older, used dynamic mics as they are plentiful on Ebay or Craigslist, cheap and are usually in great working order since they need little maintenance. Old EVs are great and really anything under $100 is going to be worth it somehow.

A weird sounding dynamic is probably going to be a lot more useful than a new $200 overly bright, harsh condenser made in China. Condensers also need phantom power.  Maybe you knew that, maybe not. Now that you’ve got four “new” mics for $150, add a couple SM57s and you’ve got the important stuff.  Feel happy that you didn’t buy a $300 mic that you couldn’t sell for $150 when you realize that another works best for you.

Find a good sounding space or modify the space you’re in.

There’s so much advice on acoustic treatment and I’d guess that 50% is bull and the other 50% probably won’t apply to you.

If you’re like most of us, your space is small and covered in drywall.  If the walls are bare, spread everything out in the room so every wall has something in front of it. Grab some heavy curtains and cover a wall or get some office cubicle walls — they’re on the street in the city or on Craigslist all the time. You basically either want to absorb the sound with heavy fabric or fiberglass insulation covered in fabric, or diffuse it with items spread around the space.

Another easy and cheap treatment is regular R-11 insulation hung from the ceiling with fabric draped over it for a billowy “cloud.” Hopefully your room is a bit more manageable for recording now.

The SM57 is your best friend.

You can use it on anything and it can sound perfect. Be aware that anything closer than 6″ or so will have an increased bass boost so if you’re singing, you are best off to stand about a foot away depending on what you’re going for.

For drums, two [Shure] SM-57s about the height of a kick drum and maybe 2-4 feet in front of a simple kit in an X-Y pattern can get a really balanced sound.  Experiment. Adding two overheads for 4 in total — one over the hats/snare and one over the floor tom can really make for a great sound. You might be surprised.

Now try some of the other cheap mics you bought and see what they do.  You’re best bet with any tracking if you don’t have good monitoring (you’re probably using headphones) is to keep some distance from your source.  Really close mics can get a drastically different sound than what is being produced in the room so it’s better to start further away, like a foot or two and move in.

Skip any compression before going into the recorder.

Most people don’t have enough experience with compression, most pro-sumer compressors are junk and most home recordings I’ve worked on that used compression (going into a digital audio workstation) were quite compromised.  Play with plug-in compressors after you’ve recorded. You’re not going to need a hardware compressor for a long time.

Hopefully this is enough to help you lay some tracks down in a way that represents what you and your band want to show the world.  I always tell people to either buy cheap or buy expensive. You’ll quickly outgrow the middle of the road gear and won’t be able to resell it easily.

That’s all for now — next time I might let on why your bass tracks sound horrible and impossible to hear in the mix.

Long live tape and fun!

Josh Clark is a Brooklyn-based musician/producer/engineer and co-owner of Seaside Lounge Recording in Park Slope. Clark has recorded and/or mixed for Antietam, Federale, Beirut, The National, The New Pornographers and his own psychedelic roots-rock band, Rope. Rope’s “Montagne” is available on 7″ via www.allhandselectric.com.

Ross Dackow is a singer/songwriter and producer/engineer based in NYC.

The vibe in this legendary Ludlow Street club is vintage downtown NYC. The Living Room makes for a great destination for the off-the-street wanderer and/or music lover, with cool bartenders, great music and lots of low lighting.  But to me the real attraction, as a musician (and listener alike), are the acoustics and intimacy of the performance spaces — the sound can be quite good here and they hire talented mixing engineers, to boot.  A seasoned troubadour who has dealt with more dysfunctional bar/house and cafe situations than I care to recall, I assure you that the acoustic treatments, studio-quality sound system and live engineering at this establishment remain worthy of mention.

So there’s my plug for The Living Room/Googie’s Upstairs as a venue — now onto the songwriter’s round itself.

Created by singer/songwriters Remy de Laroque and Dan Strauss, the concept of The Four Corners Songwriter’s Round is as follows:   singer/songwriters showcase their songs one at a time, in the round, to an audience who are seated around them.  The audience and songwriters are then encouraged to comment on songs during the show.

Dan kicked off our event by explaining this concept to a full audience, who then attentively listened to each song and responded at will.  After playing many a show to crowds who feel they should talk throughout your set, I can’t tell you how refreshing this showcase format was from a performer’s perspective.  The audience benefited, too, as song dynamics weren’t lost in a din of conversation, lyrics were heard and a peaceful camaraderie enveloped the room.

Jenifer Jackson’s lilting, evocative love songs and pure voice washed over the house, while Evan Felt’s smooth vocals and tunes about his travels through life and the South soothed the crowd. Dan Strauss serenaded the space with a song about the moon and dug into some heartfelt strumming. Remy de Laroque lulled us into a dreamy mindset with his exceptional finger-picking, delicate crooning (well complemented by Strauss’ harmonies, I should add) and imagery.  I, Ross Dackow, (hey, I played too, so I can’t leave myself out…) performed some love-gone-wrong/right tunes and, with eyes closed at times, almost felt as if I were playing in my own living room – with the exception being the sweet applause that followed.

A communal escape from the seasonal hubbub, it was one of those rare shows you can only find in NYC – a night where five songwriters from various origins came to share their craft with folks who came to truly listen.

— Ross Dackow

The Four Corners Songwriter’s Round is held at Googie’s Upstairs at The Living Room, at 154 Ludlow Street, New York City.  For more information about show times and booking please see: www.myspace.com/4cornersongwritersround

Ross Dackow is a singer/songwriter, producer, engineer and resident of New York City.

MUSIC BLOGS:

5Acts

Brooklyn Vegan

FreqControl

Create Digital Music

irockiroll

AUDIO POST:

Outloud Audio

PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS:

Audio Pro Network

MUSIC SUPERVISION:

Music Supervision Central

The SongHunters

Geoff Sanoff at Stratosphere Studios

Don’t get me wrong, Bruce Swedien is a legend, and Thriller is a classic record. But I thought to myself, “Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones and Bruce Swedien are going to make a great sounding record no matter what board they use. Do I really want (or need) another EQ plug-in, specifically one modeled after this console I really haven’t heard much about?”

UA has modeled several classic-sounding EQs including the Neve 1073 and 1081s, the Helios EQ and the Pultec EQP-1 and MEQs. Additionally, their Cambridge EQ is a very solid, clean sounding digital equalizer. Then there’s the UAD Neve 88R channel strip and alongside the Harrison EQ, UA has also released the UAD 4k channel strip modeled after the SSL E/G series EQ and compressor. And there are so many other EQs out there in the world at large to choose from that I had to wonder: what makes the Harrison worthy of  UA’s expertise and effort?

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

What I noticed first about the Harrison is that it’s fully parametric, which makes it unique in the UAD lineup of classic EQs  (with the exception of the 2 channel strips, I suppose).  Each of the Harrison’s 4 frequency ranges: lo, low mid, high mid, and high, as well as its high and low pass filters, have variable frequency knobs so you can dial in the spot you’re looking for.

Now, you can do this on many other EQs, not the least of which is the Digirack EQ3 that comes with Pro Tools.  But within the UAD family, the only parametric EQs are the UA4k Strip, the Neve 88R Channel Strip and the Cambridge EQ. So in that context, the Harrison — which is not a channel strip but is certainly “classic” — suddenly makes more sense.

But that still doesn’t answer the two key questions: How does it sound? And, is it worth the $250?

PLUGGED IN ON BASS TRACKS FOR BLK JKS

Over the course of mixing the new record for South African avant rockers, Blk Jks, for Secretly Canadian Records, I found out what this EQ is about. As a starting point for comparison, I’d say it sits in the API-ish neighborhood as far as color and punch go.

Geoff Sanoff mixed Blk Jks record, After Robots, out September 8, 2009 on Secretly Canadian Records.

Blk Jks music is very dense, ranging from Afro-beat funk jams to metal riffage and even some psychedelic and goth-y elements. [Stream their new record, After Robots, on JamBase] The Harrison was a great tool allowing me to cut through the murk while emphasizing the character of the sounds that producer Brandon Curtis [of The Secret Machines] had worked hard to create. It was a subtle navigation between keeping the production alive and atmospheric while maintaining the punch of their rhythm section. The 32C helped chart the course between clarity and sterility.

My first use for the Harrison was on the Blk Jks bass tracks where I was trying to get as much definition by controlling the low mids. The bass was recorded with a DI and one or two amp cabinets, which I bussed together. I just couldn’t get what I wanted with the Neve options, and I was looking for something with character, ruling out the Cambridge EQ (which I also tried for this application.) Enter the Harrison 32C. I was able to very efficiently cut the mud out of the low mids, on just about every bass track on this record using the Harrison 32C.

The goal was to get away from too-clean a bass tone, keeping it interesting but focused, without losing the real low end. I like that coloration, i.e. harmonic distortion can do wonders too tighten up a bass track, but care must be taken not to lose too much of the sub. Blk Jks have a dub-ish quality to some of the bass parts and maintaining this element was important.

The “Q” of the 32C (the width of the filter) “auto-adjusts,” which though it’s not thoroughly explained in the documentation, it does seem to work. In fact, once I got my head around it, it became the go to plug-in for most of the cutting EQ I used on this record.

I didn’t need it to boost the lower end of the spectrum on these bass tracks as there was generally plenty of sub to go around, and when there wasn’t I wanted a more dynamic low end to go with the kick, something a regular EQ wasn’t going to provide.

AND ON THE HIGHER END: VOX, ACOUSTIC GTRS

I found the hi-end of the EQ to be quite smooth as well, though not as open or smooth as UA’s Helios EQ. Unlike the fixed 10k of the Helios, however, the overlapping ranges of the 4 EQ bands allowed me to make the most of cutting and boosting on a number of tricky acoustic guitar and vocal tracks.

I tend to use the 1081 on those instruments. But sometimes, given the uniqueness of human voices and acoustic guitars, I just can’t find the spot where clarity and punch shine through without a certain shrillness using the 1081. The 1073′s 3-band limitation makes it less of a utilitarian choice as well. Either the “Q” of the Neve is too wide or the frequency selection is just not right. The parametric design of the Harrison gives you a lot of room to play with, all the more so because of the large overlap among frequency bands.

And yet, it still has a reasonably aggressive, solid-state coloration. That harmonic complexity is what folks seem to miss in the digital realm and what has me relying on UA plug-ins for my in-the-box mixes. The 32C could become my first choice in many applications simply because it covers so much ground.

As far as limitations go, I didn’t tend to favor the 32C as much when adding bottom end. I think the Pultec and the Helios, or possibly the Cambridge, tend to get more use in that arena. And the Neves just have that natural thickness to them, but that’s not to say the Harrison doesn’t handle that function well. I just gravitate to its siblings in the UA universe when boosting low end.

Actually, if I were new to the UAD plug-ins, I think the Harrison might just be the best starting point for its all-around utility. Its name brand is not as sexy as Neve or Pultec but for engineers on the UA platform trying to go as far as possible with their money, the Harrison 32C EQ is a pretty strong contender for being the best all-purpose EQ plug-in.

Eli Janney at Stratosphere's Neve producing Stephen Fretwell.

ELI JANNEY’S TAKE ON THE HARRISON 32C EQ

The Harrison 32C EQ by UAD sits in an interesting spot in their line up. The coloration and the harmonic complexities of the Neve 1073 and 1081 are legendary, and UAD’s versions capture the sound very, very well. The warmth and low end girth of Pultecs are also extremely well done, covering all that you need to punch up kicks and basses. So what is the Harrison good for?

It is a wonderfully colorful parametric, filling in the duties where the Neve is not precise enough and the Pultecs are too broad.

Having used their Cambridge EQ, which is very clean clinical mastering-type parametric EQ, the Harrison does duty as a similar EQ on material where you want to have lots of precise control, but add some coloration as well. It’s got some smooth harmonic smear — just a touch — enough to give it some character, where the Cambridge is invisibly surgical.

I used the Harrison a lot on piano and strings when I was mixing Wilco’s Ashes of American Flags live concert DVD, to dial in some mid-range presence while adding a tiny bit of crunch, not unlike an API 550B or 560.

It also works well with guitars, and although I would usually go to the Neve first, having a distinct second texture to add to the mix is sometimes a godsend.

Click for more information on the UAD Harrison 32C EQ ($249) and how to purchase it.

Geoff Sanoff and Eli Janney have worked on several records together over the years, with Janney producing and Sanoff engineering. This list includes, more recently, Stephen Fretwell, Motion City Soundtrack and the Obits. A producer/engineer/remixer, Janney was in the band Girls Against Boys and has recently worked on records with Nicole Atkins, Holy Fuck and Wheat.

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SonicScoop welcomes your comments but does not accept unsolicited submissions for programming, Websites and other products and we cannot review your submissions. SonicScoop has adopted this policy to avoid misunderstandings about projects SonicScoop develops which may appear to be similar to someone else’s idea, suggestion or material. If you choose to submit material to SonicScoop despite this request not to submit ideas for programming, Websites and other products, SonicScoop will not treat any submission as confidential. SonicScoop will not be liable for any use or disclosure of that submission to any third party and/or for loss of any material submitted and may use it for any purpose. By submitting material to this Website you acknowledge that the material may be identical with or similar to themes, plots, ideas, formats or other elements that SonicScoop has independently developed or that has or may come to SonicScoop from other sources. You represent and warrant that the submission is wholly original to you and its use will not violate the rights, common law or otherwise, of any kind or nature whatsoever of any third party or entity. Any submission will become the sole property of SonicScoop and will not be returned to you and SonicScoop shall not be required to respond to any submission received. You agree that you are not entitled to any compensation by reason of SonicScoop’s use of similar or identical material.

12. Disclaimer and release of liability

YOU AGREE THAT USE OF THIS WEBSITE IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” AND YOU VISIT THE WEBSITE AT YOUR SOLE RISK. NEITHER SONICSCOOP, ITS AFFILIATES, NOR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, SHAREHOLDERS, THIRD PARTY CONTENT PROVIDERS OR LICENSORS WARRANT THAT THE WEBSITE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE; NOR DO THEY MAKE ANY WARRANT AS TO THE RESULTS THAT MAY BE OBTAINED FROM USE OF THE WEBSITE OR AS TO THE ACCURACY, RELIABILITY OR CONTENT OF ANY INFORMATION, SERVICE OR MERCHANDISE PROVIDED THROUGH THE WEBSITE. SONICSCOOP DOES NOT REPRESENT NOR WARRANT THAT THE WEBSITE WILL BE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS. YOU ARE SOLELY RESONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM OR LOSS OF DATA THAT RESULTS FROM ANY MATERIAL AND/OR DATA DOWNLOADED FROM OR OTHERWISE PROVIDED THORUGH THE WEBSITE.

SONICSCOOP DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, WARRANTIES OF TITLE OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABLITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE FOR ANY INFORMATION, PRODUCT OR SERVICE OFFERED ON THIS WEBSITE.

SONICSCOOP IS NOT LIABILE FOR ANY INJURY ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THIS WEBSITE INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT OR SIMILAR DAMAGES EVEN IF WE ARE ADVISED BEFOREHAND OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SONICSCOOP IS NOT LIABILE FOR THE DEFAMATORY, OFFENSIVE OR ILLEGAL CONDUCT OF OTHER USERS OR THIRD PARTIES AND THAT THE RISK OF INJURY FROM THE FOREGOING RESTS ENTIRELY WITH YOU. YOU AGREE THAT SONICSCOOP’S LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF ANY KIND OF LEGAL CLAIM IN ANY WAY CONNECTED TO THIS WEBSITE SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO SONICSCOOP FOR THE USE OF THE WEBSITE.

13. Indemnification

You agree, at all times, to defend, indemnify and hold harmless SonicScoop, its respective affiliates and licensors and each of their respective directors, officers, employees, shareholders and agents from and against any and all claims, losses, actions, liabilities, damages, injuries, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, disbursements and court costs) arising out of, directly or indirectly, any use you make of the Website or your use of material on the Website and any violation by you of these Terms of Use. You agree not to take any action that interferes with the proper working of the Website, imposes an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on the Website’s infrastructure, might compromise the security of the Website, render the Website inaccessible to others or otherwise cause damage to the Website or any content in the Website.

14. Governing Law

This Website originates from and is maintained in the United States of America. This Agreement has been made in and shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois. You consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Chicago, Illinois in all disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement or use of this Website without regard to conflict of laws or choice of law principles. This Agreement shall not be governed by the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. Any cause of action you may have with respect to your use of this Website must be commenced within one (1) year after the claim or cause of action arises and you hereby expressly waive any right you may have under applicable federal, state or local statutes of limitations. SonicScoop makes no representations regarding the legality of access to or use of the Website or the materials contained herein from other countries. Access in countries where the materials contained herein are illegal is prohibited. Users who access the Website from outside the United States do so at their own risk.

15. Severability

If any portion of this Agreement is found to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other portion of this Agreement which shall remain in full force and affect.

16. Entire Agreement

This Agreement, the Privacy Policy, and any rules for the Website established by SonicScoop constitutes the entire agreement between the parties concerning the subject matter hereof and supersedes all previous written or oral agreements between the parties with respect to that subject matter.

17. Headings

The paragraph headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not be used to limit any portion of this Agreement.

Janice Brown at janice@sonicscoop.com or David Weiss at david@sonicscoop.com