Mixer Profile: Duro and the Art of Balance — from Jay-Z to Fabolous and Professor Green

CHELSEA, MANHATTAN: The right piece of fatherly advice can last a lifetime.

Just ask Ken “Duro” Ifill, who got some priceless guidance growing up in the bustling multi-culti neighborhood of Queens Village, New York. “My dad told me: ‘Whatever you do, be the best,’” says Duro, scanning New York City’s skyline from the terrace of Jungle City Studios. “He said, ‘If you want to be a garbage man, fine. But you should plan on owning the sanitation company.’”

True to form, young Duro was listening – very carefully.

Flash forward to 2011, and his name is synonymous with success. As a mixer and engineer he’s worked in service of a client list that any audio professional would envy, including Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Diddy, Alicia Keys, Nas, Ja Rule, Ashanti, The Backstreet Boys, Ruff Ryders…the list just goes on and on. GRAMMY Award wins for the massive Jay-Z and Alicia Keys hit “Empire State of Mind”, and his work with Erykah Badu, Will Smith, Jay-Z, Ashanti, Usher, back up his value – built up from a discography that now spans two decades.

On the executive side, Duro has shown equal endurance. As the CEO of Desert Storm Records, he and his partners Skane Dolla and DJ Clue have been responsible for exposing extreme talent like Fabolous to the masses, with more on the way from recent signings like Dose and 1st String.

The final quarter of 2011 has, not surprisingly, proven busy for him, evidenced by the recent releases of the Duro-mixed Jay Sean mixtape The Mistress, and rapper Professor Green’s ear-grabbing new collection At Your Inconvenience. But before he reached his state of in-demand grace, the unassuming Duro had to get inspired – REALLY inspired. That event unfolded with his first listening of 1991’s landmark The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest.

Powerful Progress

“The reason why I wanted to be a mixer was because of Bob Power and The Low End Theory,” Duro confirms. “It’s the first album I heard with a clear difference sonically. I heard it and I said, ‘Why is the bass so big?’ It had an acoustic sound to it, but it was still hip hop. So I started to dig in and try to find out exactly why it sounded like that.

“When I actually started mixing records, for any record I was working on I would find a song that Bob Power mixed that was similar: I’d put it in the CD player, hit ‘repeat,’ and while I was mixing my record, I’d A/B between his record and my record to get the kicks sounding the way I wanted, and the snares.

“I was like most artists, who start off emulating someone, and then grow into their own. Eventually, I stopped using his mixes as a reference. I thought, ‘I love his stuff, but I want my records to sound more aggressive, less jazzy, a little harder knocking.’ I began to prefer bigger kicks, and bigger snares.”

The grand, multifaceted elements he balances in “Empire State of Mind” are a different dimension from the intimately spare, raw sound that he supported with his mix work on Erykah Badu’s entrancing 1997 hit record Baduizm – a personal evolution he readily acknowledges.

“As I got better, and my ears became more trained, I started listening more to not just one big stroke of the brush, but all the finer details as well,” says Duro. “My change has been to gradually pay more attention to the details, and then identify what needs to be changed in the details – how to make things sit together, and have all of the social elements live together in the sound spectrum.

“Every song is different because there are different elements. I’ll hear something and say, ‘That should be the focus of the record,’ and I build it from there. Put another way, I’ll say, ‘This song would be great if… And I attack the ‘if.’”

Listening Inward

A Duro mix has a way of falling effortlessly into place – for both the artist and listener. On a cinematic album like Fabolous’s 2009 Loso’s Way, the separation between each element, dirty or clean, unfolds naturally between the speakers. The result is a direct translation of the artist’s vision straight to the eardrum, via an intuitive, tuned-in approach to mixing that Duro can more easily demonstrate than explain.

“I try not to think too much when I’m mixing,” he reveals. “If something feels good, it’s right. It’s that simple. If I mix a song today, it will sound one way. If I mix it tomorrow, how I feel then, or even the weather could affect it. I don’t look at knobs, and mixing is not a technical process for me. I view it as the last creative process in the making of the record.”

Working strictly by feel, Duro keeps extraneous hardware and software out of the signal path – an efficient approach that brings him straight to the sound. “On my mixes, there’s only about three or four plugins that I use,” he says. “A lot of times I don’t use EQ, and I’m not using a lot of compression either. It’s about balance – moving levels up and down, panning left and right. If you’re working with a good producer, then he picked the sounds he wanted for a reason, and so it’s about putting the pieces in a puzzle together coherently.”

Fresh off applying his touch to the dark acoustics of Professor Green’s Inconvenience, Duro sees how the mixer’s identity shows up in each work, even as it’s performed in the service of each clients’ unique artistry.

“I think I have a sound — there are pieces of me on everything that I work on,” he says. “But there are also certain things I won’t do. A lot of times people want to squash their records with brick-wall limiting. I won’t do that, even if it means I’m not doing a project. I don’t think that people who do that sell out, but it’s not what I’m going to do. I’m not going to do anything and everything.”

Like Jay-Z and Picasso, Duro sees the mixer as an artist in their own right, sporting a clear signature that comes with their territory. When pressed, he can identify those differentiating factors about himself.

“I think my mixes are dynamic, warm and organic,” says Duro. “If I do use compression, it will come from a tape machine – it’s not going to come from an L2. I believe in leaving a lot of headroom. If you want it louder, I leave space for the mastering engineer to do his piece. And if you still want it louder…maybe you need more amplification in your stereo.”

Hear some of Duro’s latest work in Professor Green’s UK #1 single “Read All About It” (featuring the emerging singer Emeli Sande):

Duro: CEO

An established hitmaker on the label side with the proven success of Fabolous, Duro doesn’t simply define his role in terms of selling records. Just as important is taking up the task of artist development – a task long ago abandoned by what remains of the established record companies.

For Desert Storm artists like 1st String and Dose, Duro and his partners try to keep track of their big-picture responsibilities. “We want to do the same thing with them as we did with Fabolous and DJ Clue – give them careers, not just one single and done,” he explains. “A part of that is artist development, which major labels now don’t have the time or desire to do. The label system has become more and more corporate, more hands-off, and less connected to the artist. They really have no problems with putting you on the shelf, or just dropping you.

“But I always felt that these young people are putting their lives in your hands. It’s no different from a child – one traumatic situation in their life can seriously affect them. You’re dealing with people’s sense of pride: You sign an artist, they feel great, they tell all their friends, and people expect big things from them. But it doesn’t always work out, and it’s hard to be up on stage one day and then the next day you’re back on your block.

“That’s why my partners and I want to work with people that we genuinely like. We have to feel good together, because you want to feel good about helping someone take their art, and life in general, to the next level.”

The Empire State of Mind

While the fast-shifting state of the music industry presents plenty of challenges for all involved, the Queens-borne Duro sees NYC slowly re-emerging as a land of opportunity.

“Sometimes you need things to crumble in order for them to get better,” he observes. “I thought several years ago that there were a lot of speculators in the business – they were there to make money and not interested in the music at all. When the business went flat, all those people left, and now they’re speculating on something else.

“I think the people who remained — the ones who really love music — are still here. I only want to work with the best of the best, and that doesn’t necessarily mean the most successful. The best means the most talented. I think the opportunity is here now: There may be less work, but the competition has been thinned – there are fewer pretenders to sift through.”

For Duro, Ann Mincieli’s Jungle City Studios demonstrates this survival-of-the-fittest traction in action, with its tuned-in facilities serving as his preferred mix HQ. “Since they’ve opened, this is my home base,” Duro states. “I think that the environment they’ve created is very pro-artist, pro-creativity. It’s well designed, and the vibe just feels right.

“A lot of people thought Jungle City was a bold undertaking, but it was needed. We need studio owners like Ann who don’t have the baggage of an older business model, older gear, and debt from years ago. People have fresh energy, and now is a great time to come in (to the studio business). There’s a lot of great technology, the gear is more affordable, and if you have the right staff and the right environment, you can be very successful.”

Achieving Balance

Duro speaks with the quiet air of confidence that accompanies having nothing to prove. Platinum track record established, the priorities for this hit mixer are to keep driving and diversifying. And just like his mixes, he’ll steer to the next level of his career with feel – no overthinking it.

“I’m going to start experimenting with other quote-unquote ‘genres’ of music,” he says. “The elements of hip hop and R&B – there are other influences in those genres, and vice versa, working with each other. I don’t necessarily have a blueprint. I just want to continue to work on great records.”

– David Weiss

Sound Lounge Creates Sound Design, Final Mix for Feature Film “Another Earth”

Sound Lounge mixer/editor/designer Ryan Price created the sound design and completed the final mix for the Mike Cahill-directed feature film Another Earth.

Currently on the film festival circuit, Another Earth will have a limited theatrical release starting July 22nd. It made its world premiere in the Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival in January, and won a Special Jury Prize and the Alfred P. Sloan Award. The film was purchased by Fox Searchlight within 24 hours of the premiere.

“Mike gave me a lot of freedom to experiment with the sound; some scenes in the film contain no dialogue but Rhoda’s (Brit Marling) face says a thousand words,” Ryan Price says. “I attempted to emphasize her internal struggle along with the shifting dynamics between Rhoda and John using sound design that complemented their great performances.”

Additional Sound Lounge credits for Another Earth:

Supervising Dialogue Editor: Steve “Major” Giammaria
Dialogue Editor: Sasha Awn
Foley Artist: Sebastian Henshaw
ADR Engineer: Patrick Christensen
Executive Producer: Samara Levenstein

REVIEW: SSL Nucleus by George Walker Petit

Why I Need One/Reason for Purchase

As an independent engineer/producer for over 25 years, I’ve been somewhat reticent to outfit and install a “home” or “project” studio.  The majority of my work has taken place in major commercial studios, only occasionally moving to a smaller mix or editing suite if forced by budgetary constraints – or that “overkill” concept when using too much real estate.

These major rooms usually boast a large format console (SSL, Neve, API) with the de rigueur racks of outboard, professional room design and layout choices that (hopefully) make an engineer’s workflow efficient.

When digital audio first reared its head, the “home” or “project” studio had a somewhat negative connotation.  “Oh, you have a project studio.  Hmmm…how lovely for you!”.  Visions of ¼” patchbays with wires hanging out of the back, a home-made, plywood “rack”, the screws barely holding four ADATs.

OK, sorry, maybe your home studio was not that bad.  But most were sub-par installations in little more than a spare closet with neither adequate acoustic treatment nor quality signal processing — front end or back end.  In most cases, granted, these were “labs”,  places where one honed one’s skills, but hardly studios that were capable of producing a finished product of quality.  Years back you needed a bigger budget and more space in order to build anything respectable. The gear was still huge and expensive and the thinking was somewhat archaic.

But as the technology has raced to meet the qualitative demands of professionals needing to service clients with ever-decreasing budgets, I have been forced to re-assess my position, to sit up and take notice.  These days, I feel it’s essential that working engineers, producers and perhaps even serious songwriters have access to a professional system at all times.

More and more the music has become married to the tech (no comment on that here), and with the advances resulting from years of technical innovation and competition, I further believe that we all can in fact have such access.  If well thought out, such a studio can produce work sonically competitive with that of the commercial studio.

We’ll always need big live rooms and iso’s, budget willing, but to arrange, edit and mix “at home”, at a high level is more than just possible now.  I still track at major studios, but I would say that a good 60% or more of my work these days happens in my “home” studio. Which sounds fantastic, by the way.  I love it.

My latest upgrade has been the SSL Nucleus, a small format console aimed at a really good smaller professional studio — or what we used to in fact call the “project” or “home” studio.  The Nucleus is meant to act as the nerve center of a modern digital studio, a communications hub, a liaison with your DAW. In fact, with a few of your DAWS.

But before you read further, let me make a bit of a disclaimer here: During my rather exhaustive research before purchase, I looked at myriad websites quoting the specs, the numbers, the technical comparisons and measurements.  I needed to know those things and they are all rather impressive, and I urge you to get out there on the Web and do the same research.  But you won’t find them here in my review, since it’s already been done.

Instead, I prefer to talk about my reactions and observations in terms of how the Nucleus affects my work, how it makes me feel about my work and my efficiency.  The numbers inform my decisions, certainly.  But they do not dictate my decisions.

If a piece of gear sounds great, enhances my workflow and adds value to my final product I usually buy it.  If, above that, the gear removes encumbrances to the creative connection between me and the music, I certainly buy it.

I bought the SSL Nucleus.  I have had it installed for a little under three weeks. Here are my observations…

No Second Chance to Make a First Impression
The fact that Nucleus is an SSL cannot be ignored.  This brand recognition and reputation certainly impacts one’s decision to buy.  If it says “Ducati” on the gas tank, it had better respond like a Ducati.  If it is from “SSL”, I expect — 100 percent — that the chaps over there in Oxfordshire understand this client perception and would naturally not want to release any new piece of gear that doesn’t measure up.  The release of such a piece of gear would be disappointing, would impact client base and would be…downright foolish, right?

They are not fools in Oxfordshire, I am still an SSL fan and the Nucleus does not disappoint.

From Moment One, opening the box upon its arrival, I was impressed.  The Nucleus is well presented and packed for safety.  It comes with very little documentation, and it needs very little.  The unit is heavy, sturdy, doesn’t feel “hollow” and plastic, and  in fact it gives the impression of solidity and a high build quality.  An SSL through and through.  One touch of the transport section or one move of a fader and you just know it’s a professional piece of gear.  “Now we’re talking…” was, as I recall, my first thought.

Visually, it’s a treat.  Bold lettering, and apparent pride in design and build. Beginning with the start-up LED’s and the back-lit “Solid State Logic” the layout looks smart, is ergonomically functional and is immediately intuitive.  There is more than adequate room between knobs and buttons for my fat fingers.  The rear panel is clear, clean and equally solid, obviously well thought out.  I’d say the overall “look” is inviting, from the 16 smooth and precise faders to the uncluttered, functional layout of controls.  One instantly wants to engage with the Nucleus, to get down to some meaningful work.

Nucleus has a larger footprint than my old Avid 003 controller, but there is truly no comparison in design, build quality and intuitive layout.  Different world.  Nucleus makes me smile.  If you’ve spent time with an E, G, K, J or Duality over the years, you’re going to feel right at home here.

My old Avid sat to the right of center on my workspace for the few years I had it.  I used it sporadically, didn’t reach for it all the time.  For many reasons, I did not want it as a studio “centerpiece”. There wasn’t the immediate connection that the Nucleus makes.  My new Nucleus is centered in my workspace, in my studio, and I feel like I am back on a quality console, not a plastic controller.  Even before I installed and configured, I truly felt that it was going to bring up my game.

Installation
Installation and connectivity was a cinch.  The Nucleus connects to your computer via USB interface and with your DAW via Ethernet.  After installation of drivers and other needed software, connection of these two cables and power (standard IEC), I was up and running.

Before connecting my monitors, I plugged-in a pair of Grado headphones and began to configure the software, having attached my iPod through the “ijack” (1/8th miniplug input on the rear panel) to listen to some tunes while working.  At this stage, I was introduced to the Nucleus Remote, the nerve center of the Nucleus software, and the USB Control Panel, where users configure the sound card, again all very straight-forward and fast.  The users manual is completely clear, short and sweet, and gets you through the process without headache.

You can configure just about anything you can think of with the Remote: templates, “profiles” (their word), soft keys, functionality of the jog wheel, master transport control, preferred DAW.

A wonderful option to note here is that one can work with multiple DAW’s with any of three operating at the same time, a chosen one being the master. This switching/multiple DAW capability is a thing of beauty, and it is seamless.  I tried it with Pro Tools and Logic for a bit to test it…perfect.  Again, the manual is there if you need it, but the machine’s operation is so clear and logically presented that I was through the entire process and monitoring audio in no time.  In fact from opening the box to operational status was just shy of one hour.

I should mention that the only possible “issue” here is that when Nucleus is connected to your computer with the Ethernet cable, and once the network is configured, one can not use the Internet simultaneously. Some might consider that a big issue. I know I do — a big POSITIVE issue!  I am no longer interrupted in my workflow by emails and the temptation to play on the Internet.

Operation
Now, I have certain peculiarities in my workflow as, I am confident, most of us have!  Some projects work with templates including settings and chosen go-to plugins. Some work solely in 44.1 and 48 or, “Sorry, I only work in 96 and higher”…whatever.

I am pleased to report that the ability to custom configure your Nucleus is staggering.  It is obvious that SSL want you to make the Nucleus the hub of your studio – even in some cases programming the soft keys to deliver keystroke commands normally covered by your QWERTY keyboard.  Yes, you can do that:  One machine as the control center for basically EVERYTHING.  Get creative, and pretty much any function you need to control can be designed and assigned, then “played” on the Nucleus, and then saved to an SD card.  You “play” the Nucleus. Ever see Minority Report with Tom Cruise?  That’s the feeling I get.

I set up a quick user profile under my name with a session template and my go-to plugs, then opened a previous session of a multitrack project with some 38 channels of acoustic instruments recorded live by me at MSR Studios in NYC, with a tad+ of MIDI and overdubs, tidied up for a few minutes to impose order on the session and started mixing.  Then I saved the profile, saved the session, shut down and started up again…and gee, gosh, golly, it works!  You can get quite deep with configuration, and I intend to do so as time goes on fully buying into SSL’s intention for us here.

I should say that this ability to customize draws me deeper into SSL’s cunning plan, invites me further into the game, and I am really loving that.  I am not frustrated by a learning curve here, as one perhaps can be on a new OS. rather, I am anxious to get deeper to improve my workflow and product.  SSL’s clear, logical presentation and protocol actually invites me to peel back more layers.  The deeper you get, the better you work.

And nothing gets in the way.  Unencumbered, creative engineering. What a concept.

You’ll get the same feedback and solid feeling with the V-pots, V-sel switches, faders, everything functions as expected and screams: “Quality”.  Automation, plugin control, panning (continuous pots, by the way), assignments, monitoring and gain structure, any normal functions and processes associated with a session are intuitive, easily accessible and serve to improve one’s job.  The “conduit” between the engineer and the music has had a pipe cleaner run through it – all cleared up now, thank you very much.

Sound
Does a “controller” have “a sound”?  First let me say that I don’t consider Nucleus a controller, I consider it a small format console.  This niche market for an “in-the-box” control solution has many contenders, to be sure.  And they all pretty much do the same things, some more than others.  But to me, it’s how they do what they do, to what depth and with what level of sonic integrity, how effective are they?  I think Nucleus deserves to be called a console.

SSL has included a pair of their SuperAnalogue mic pre’s in the Nucleus, basically the same ones from the Duality.  The pre’s deliver a true SSL sound, folks.  The lo’s are rich and focused, mid’s are uncluttered and well-defined, while not overbearing and the hi’s are transparent with a lovely “shimmer” up there…sans ice-pick!  Plenty of punch or smoothness, depending on what you’re doing with it.  This pair of pre’s are far above the quality of the competition, and not even worth comparing to my old “controller”.  To have them included on the Nucleus is a gift.

Now, I am not using the Nucleus to track a live band in a live room, so I really don’t need talk-back or multiple cue mixes.  If you’re going to use Nucleus to that end, I’d suggest you also purchase the right gear to fill those needs, I don’t need it, so the fact the Nucleus doesn’t have it doesn’t bother me.  I’ve read a few complaints about this, but I don’t consider it a deal breaker.  Perhaps SSL will alter this situation in the future, perhaps not. Nucleus is not “all things to all people”, and it’s not meant to be.

But I do monitor on speakers and headphones, and…surprise!  The analogue monitor section is fantastic-sounding, worlds better than my old Avid, yet again.  There is a lot to be said for more headroom, a better sound card, increased clarity, right?  SSL has addressed these issues and clearly beat the competition again.  Quality AD/DA conversion and analogue outputs. Bullseye.

I will be using the Nucleus extensively to edit work tracked in large live rooms, do a number of overdubs and then fully mix projects ranging from jazz to acoustic music to rock, and the occasional film score. Fact is, I will use the Nucleus for just about everything I do, except track full bands.  I have little doubt that it will continue to impress and deliver.  Let me go one step further: Aside from working for my paying clients on it here in my studio, I have decided that I will record and mix my next project of MY music on it here as well – I really don’t see any limitations.

Sonically, the Nucleus beats what I used to run by leaps and bounds.  This creates something to me that is a game changer.  If you take that sonic integrity into account along with the intuitive functionality of the desk, its ergonomic, “sexy” design and the ability to customize its interface, what you end up with is a tool that gets you closer to the music.  I know I keep saying it, but I really want you to hear that.  Nucleus helps me make my work sound better.  Period.

Conclusion
Obviously, I’m a fan.  Over 25 years of working on many consoles including SSL’s of all shapes and sizes, I am not in the least bit surprised that the lovely folks from Solid State Logic have brought us a small format console of this quality, probably the best in this market.  The Nucleus measures up to the rest of the SSL line – you will get what you expect from an SSL.

From functionality to build quality, support and sonic footprint, Nucleus raises the bar and slays the competition.  I really have nothing bad to say about it that is of any weight at all.  I’d love another pair of XLR monitor outs for my second pair of speakers, but I won’t cry, I’ll probably buy the SPL 2-Channel next week.  Game over.

Add to this the included Duende package and you have a real game-changer here.  Let me restate the obvious:  Other plugin designers “model” SSL EQ and dynamics – and there are some really great sounding emulations out there. I have a few.  But they always sound “just like an SSL”.  Hear me?  Duende doesn’t sound like SSL, it is SSL.  It’s made by the same guys that made the originals and inasmuch, these plugins have a richness and sound that is truly SSL, not a knock off.

I researched and got into this whole Nucleus thing looking for improvements to my studio and my work for clients.  I wanted to get my product better, increase efficiency through a more focused workflow and become re-inspired by my equipment.  Nucleus has surpassed ALL my expectations.  Fantastic piece of gear, best purchase I have made in years.

The MSRP is $4999.00: Is it worth this hefty price tag?  Absolutely.  Yes, perhaps it is “hefty” if one thinks in terms of a “home” studio in the old sense.  I don’t.  The Nucleus takes me out of that thought pattern.

Cheers!
gwp

George Walker Petit thinks a lot about mixing and many other musical things. An award-winning producer and mixer, he is based in New York City. Visit George at his Website, and keep up with him and the Drew Zingg Debut Album Project here.

“Mixology” with George Walker Petit: Real Mixers Mix in Headphones

I ride the 6 train sometimes, and it’s loud.  The New York subway experience is degrading and filthy at worst, just plain noisy and jarring at best.  Part of the NYC gig.

I also attend a neighborhood gym, and often could do without the ever-present bass thump and moronic lyric of most house dance music. Let’s consider the overly inquisitive child on the flight from JFK to LAX. Remember Bill Cosby’s “Jeffrey”?  Google it, it’s on YouTube. Hilarious stuff. Or the screaming infant in seat 31C.

Car horns, fire trucks at 2am.  New York is not a gentle and quiet place.  Part of why we love it?  Love it, hate it, love it, hate it, love it, hate it. Evelyn Mulwray to the white courtesy phone, please.

“Forget it Jake, it’s Chinatown.”

Be Quiet, I Can’t Hear You
The world intrudes on my focus and internal space far too often (“…dude, chill.”).  I don’t think I have A.D.D. – HEY, LOOK!  But I do miss the quiet at times. Not even quiet per se.  I lose that focus, that “peace”.  The world seems so full of external noise.  Visually, I can deal, but I am a musician and an engineer: sound helps define my life.  I can’t turn sound off, can’t ignore it.  I hear rhythm in all things, harmony everywhere.  But at some point, some times, I need to control it, at least try to attenuate/filter/regain my focus.

I remember sitting on a train with my wife, on the way to an airport at the close of our vacation.  At Kandersteg station (we were in Switzerland), a significant herd of school kids joined us, hormones a-pumping.  An uncontrollable group-howl of excitement. The look on Donna’s face was one of realization.  Realization that our peaceful vacation was rushing toward a frenzied close.  How this hurt me!

I reached into my briefcase and withdrew my trusty MP3 device and two pair of in ear monitors (IEM)’s with a splitter.  We chose Brahms.  We smiled.  Blood pressures fell, smiles appearing.  Into our own private world, our retreat, peace.

So I have IEM’s.  Lots of IEM’s.  IEM’s that fit well and…don’t fit so well.  IEM’s that sound hyped and sound flat, loud and not loud, cheap and expensive.  And this works!    I can filter out the noise when I want to, when I need to. Nothing like riding the #4 express to Union Square and listening to Tom Waits.  Surreal.  Perfect.  Tolerable.

The sanctuary of it. The sheer delight in not being forced to aurally participate in what is going on around you.  Think of the peace, the seclusion, the focus, the efficiency.

You get it, right?

Let’s move on…

Armed (Eared) and Dangerous
I got that call again back in the Fall, that call to go to Brazil.  I love that call.  “Come on down, George, we need you to engineer a couple of sessions, and while you’re here you can teach our staff a bit, play some gigs, eat churrasco, drink cachaça and unwind, breathe in Brazil.”  I love that call.  It’s kinda quiet tonight.  (hint, hint…)

I think the only bummer about the trip is the sound in their control room.  The live room is a WSDG jewel, it’s gorgeous, huge. They now have the right mics as well, the console from my old studio, a bunch of great outboard, and a kind-hearted cook (‘Neide’) that makes a “corn cake” to MURDER for, and the churrasco nearby at Jardineira is about the best on the planet.  Beats Fogo de Chao hands down.

But the sound of control room A for mixing, and the monitors…not so great.  I track in A and then move the entire session, vibe, bevvies and body count to their B room to mix, hoping that what I tracked translates well.  What a pain, and no, I am certainly not shipping my Proacs down there!  For some reason I don’t fully grok, they don’t want to fix the room, or buy new monitors!  Been to Brazil for work?  Then you know…

So I bring my “SWEG’s”.  Every time.  They save the session for me.  Every time.  My “Secret Weapon Ear Goggles”.  (music: accent here)

The Big Confession
Ok, ok…I blab, I meander.  Let’s get to the point.

Look, I mix in headphones, ok?  (enter: cries of derision from the chorus…)

Ok, ok…not all the time, but often, effectively and with a smile.

Ohh, here it comes!  I anticipate sharp intakes of breath, chiding comments about lack of room interaction, the nature of stereophony, proximity of sound to (in) the head, poor frequency response, crosstalk, fatigue and discomfort, exaggerated panorama. Cries of  “INFIDEL!” (“…dude, chill.”).

Yes, it’s true.  I’ve reached the point where I feel that my headphone mixes are 100% valid and of high quality.  Yes, I do take the cans off and check the mix on monitors periodically, as often as I would switch between different sets of monitors.  Normal.

Fact is, there are many things one can learn from mixing in cans, things one can focus on microscopically, other benefits. Let’s talk about that.

Room interaction, stereophony.  Not getting into the nitty on this stuff, ok?  I am going to assume that you are already aware of (or can research) the physics of sound to the point where you understand the effects of a room and monitor placement on your work, how sound reaches your ears, etc… You should have a great and accurate room.  Agreed?  Good. We should spend a lot of time and money on acoustic design.

Acousticians — I know a few and they all deserve white lab coats. These guys and gals are Shamans…Shamen?  Shawomen?  They’re scary gurus.  We all benefit from their knowledge and ability.  But what if the room you are in was not designed by one of said gurus?  What if the sound of the room basically…stinks?  (oh no, surely not YOUR room, of course!)

How about the gear in the room?  What if the studio monitors you have to use for your job are made by…oops!  Almost got me!  Let’s just say they are — less than adequate?  Or maybe you’re just not used to them yet?  What are you going to do?  What are you going to do NOW, immediately?

Hey, what if you’re working in a home studio and you have the dreaded NEIGHBORS??

Ok, go on, lug your Genelecs around with you when you travel for work.  Better yet, lug your Gene’s AND your Hothouse monitors with the matching Hothouse amp and Kimber cables…some do in fact.  I don’t often have that luxury all the time.

Me? I “lug around” my extremely high end “SWEG’s” and their equally dangerous and sneaky “Cansamp” (someone please coin that).  They travel in a small Pelican case.  What exactly do I use?  Tell ya later…

In yo’ FACE!
Over the years, I have enjoyed studying the work of many engineers (still do), getting inside their sound and trying to learn from their approach.  I hope never to stop learning.  We all have our mentors or those from whom we have shamelessly stolen tricks or techniques. Elliot, Al, Bob, James, Bruce.  I could list 50 more.

I’ve found that by donning a great pair of ‘phones, I can really “see” what these greats are doing.  I can hear mic placement, the room, the “digi” effects added, the subtleties of the mix, and the “whys and hows” of their magic. In headphones I can hear that with a closeness and precision that beats monitors.  To get right up on the mic?  To hear the “issues”?  I go to the ‘phones.

Listen to one of Elliot’s mixes or Roger’s mixes: the panning, the detail, the precision.  Instruments are tucked into just about every little nook and cranny of the panorama and soundstage.  I can smell the room.  What about Pink Floyd mixes?  The AM radio transition in “Wish You Were Here”…stuff in the way far distance of a mix moving from ear to ear?  Headphones, baby.  Great engineers might or might not go to headphones for their work (some actually do), but when I want to get downright microscopic on mixes?  I go to the ‘phones.  Find the click, the pop, the mouth noise, the pencil hitting the music stand.  Headphones.  You want to get into this level of detail?  Get the gear.  Tell ya later.

ALL ABOARD !!
I recently read that “the majority of music is produced to be listened to in rooms with speakers”.  Wow.  As simple as that.  Hell it was in one of those “big” audio magazines!…gotta be gospel, right?  Not really…I looked up at the date of publishing and it was 2003.  These days, the largest amount of produced music is being purchased by and marketed to a generation that chooses to experience their music on various “I-boxes” using “Eargizmos”.  Come on…PLEASE argue with me.  Then go look at the literally hundreds of IEM and portable music players out there.  Every color of the rainbow, every size, models that are endorsed by Hollywood Stars!!  Somehow I doubt the Stars spent hours at the bench testing “their” products.

This is the age of personal music experience, even you audiophiles reading this probably have IEM’s…they might have cost $9000, but you have them, just so that you can debate which model is of higher fidelity.  I submit that we should be mixing at least to some degree with this in mind.  There is not one mix job that I have done in the last ten years where I haven’t gone to earbuds or IEM’s to check the relative levels and low end.

Why?  Come on, didn’t you do that with “Horror-Tones” for years?  Or that little metal speaker on the Studer two-track?  Come on, own up.  Whether or not we are supporters of the quality of the MP3 format (or lack thereof), it’s a format here to stay, at least for a long while.  Remember the big “Digital Debate”?  You still stomping your feet?  I maintain that if you are working with any genre of music that is going to be played on these little gizmos, you should work your mix on them as well.  Get onboard or get left at the station.  Adapt.  Paradigms change. Deal.

Mine is better than yours!

Sure it is.  You like it more, it’s better.  Most likely though, you’re just used to it.  There are limitations in headphone design that will impact frequency response, comfort, accuracy and soundstage…funny, just like there are in monitors.  Open back or closed back ‘phones?  What kind of cabling?  What is your source?  Your headphone amp is at least as important as your headphones, surely.  As a caring professional, I have to assume that you do your research, test and compare, settling on gear of the highest possible quality – dictated by your budget and your needs.

The technology is pretty advanced these days.  At the top end of the food chain there is some pretty amazing-sounding equipment.  All along that level and below, manufacturers are constantly developing tools to make your headphone environment more like your “room”.  Some work, some don’t work as well. I urge you to get out there and check some of this stuff out. I bet it will change the way you look at mixing in headphones.

SPL, Focusrite, 112dB. Innovations that control speaker placement and angle, crosstalk, center level response.  It’s impressive, when it works.  And in some cases it certainly does work.  I can say that with my chosen system, I can hear clear, strong and focused low end and smooth hi’s without the fatigue that so many associate with working in headphones.  Times have indeed changed.  And what about “familiarity”?  How long did it take for you to get used to the sound of your best set of monitors so that you knew what to expect from a consumer level system after your work left your room?  Do you not tailor your work to your equipment?  Hell, I’ve heard fantastic mixes come out of rooms with only a set of mid-priced, near-field speakers, by great engineers that knew what they were doing and what to expect.  That’s called experience.

The bottom line here is that you CAN mix in headphones accurately and comfortably now. Whether you need to or not, you can.

What’s more, the idiosyncrasies of headphones can certainly aid the process.  Mixing in headphones works to differing degrees, depending on your level of experience, your equipment and its limitations, your knowledge of what you’re after and what you can expect. Basically it’s the same deal with monitors.

I’d rather mix a project with great headphones, a superior headphone amplifier that boasts such controls as Crosstalk, Speaker Angle and Center Level than mix the same project in a mediocre sounding room with marginal gear.  I believe (and I support) that there is technology available to make this possible now.  Consider getting more into it.  It’s another source of reference.

What I am using…

Well, this is not a review.  I am actually going to write a few of those soon and get FAR more detailed on this whole headphone thing, as well as writing some reviews about other studio gear.  But for now, let’s say that I’ve compared what are considered to be the very top brands at their “flagship” level.  Way up there in the stratosphere they’re all pretty impressive, let’s be clear.

But one has certain needs, and one works with certain types of music.  I’ve settled on what I consider to be the very best combination for my needs and budget, and have found that these choices exhibit exceptional levels of sonic integrity, high quality construction and a sense of “reality” that is just staggering.  What I use has brought me new enjoyment and excitement about my work and about listening to music.  And this has been downright inspiring, and worth twice the price of admission.  I am pretty blown away.  I find it hard to take the ‘phones off these days.

My headphone monitoring system:

IEM’s: Grado GR10 and GR8
Headphones: Grado PS1000, SR325
I have been using Grado products for 20 years.  The Grado product line has a quality and sound character that is present in all their models, true continuity through the line — a LOT more on this in an upcoming review of the Grado Sound.

Amplifier: SPL Phonitor
I am incredibly impressed by this unit, it is a total gamechanger.  I can simply find no better or more flexible headphone amplifier, whether using their controls to effect Crosstalk Center Level and Speaker Angle, or just listening for enjoyment.  The quality is unbeatable (IMNSHO!!).

Thanks for reading. The next installment will be about Mentoring, Teaching and…Theft.

Oh, and if you’re that guy on the #4 train with the HUGE cans with the big ‘b’ on the side?  Could you please turn it down a bit?

Cheers !
gwp

George Walker Petit thinks a lot about mixing and many other musical things. An award-winning producer and mixer, he is based in New York City. Visit George at his Website, and keep up with him and the Drew Zingg Debut Album Project here.

Yessian (NYC) Creates Music & Sound Design for New BlackBox TV Short Film

Music house Yessian (NYC) recently collaborated on a creative project with Director Dan Trachtenberg for BlackboxTV, a content producer for genres including sci-fi, horror, fear or the unexplainable.

Yessian’s Erik Schuiten served as Sound Designer/Mix/Composer, and Michael Yessian was Executive Music Producer/Supervisor on the short video “Episode 12: More Than You Can Chew”, which follows a young woman who may have bitten off “more than she can chew” with her career choice as a paramedic.  Schuiten scored suspenseful music and sound design that accompanies the mysterious encounter as the EMT crew determines they’ve got a severe “906” on their hands.

Trachtenberg is the Writer/Director of the short film “Kickin’” and has directed various television commercials for clients such as Lexus, Coca Cola and Nike.

“Episode 12: More Than You Can Chew”

Directed by:
Dan Trachtenberg

Written by:
Mark D. Walker

Story by:
Dan Trachtenberg & Mark D. Walker

Produced by:
Tony E. Valenzuela & James Haffner

Assistant Director:
Reza Lackey

Starring:
J Kristopher
Skye Marshall
Ian Hamrick
Bailey Vena

Featuring:
Teri Ruiz
Scott Patterson

Director of Photography:
Benji Bakshi

Editor:
Dave Trachtenberg

Makeup & FX Artist:
Jamie Blair

Music House: Yessian
Sound Designer/Mix/Composer: Erik Schuiten
Executive Music Producer/ Supervisor: Michael Yessian

“BalckBoxTV” Theme:
Brandon Roberts

Visual Effects Supervisor:
Mike Gaines

Art Director:
Ayaka Ohwaki

Assistant Camera:
Chris Hamilton

Digital Imaging Technician:
John Rhee

Grip/Electric:
Bob Dossa
Jamie Yu

Production Sound:
Charles Mead

Wardrobe:
Cindy Flores
Denise Flores

Production Assistant:
Sebastian Lee
Mark Donica

Digital Intermediate Colorist:
Beau Leon

Digital Intermediate Colorist Assistant:
Brandon Chavez

Digital Intermediate Producer:
Marcelo Aprile

Glee Hit Covers of “Teenage Dream”, “Hey Soul Sister” Recorded/Mixed by Robert L. Smith of Defy Recordings

Robert L. Smith of NYC-based Defy Recordings recently helmed the record and mix for two hit singles for The Fox show “Glee”. His work on the choral cover of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” helped to score “Glee” it’s first #1 single on iTunes, and the choral version of “Hey Soul Sister” by Train also went to the iTunes Top Ten.

Working with producer Tommy Faragher, Smith recorded Tufts University’s Beelzebubs men’s choir and Glee’s Darren Criss at Avatar’s Studio G, and mixed on that room’s SSL 4000G+.

See Glee’s performance of “Teenage Dream”.

HOBO Audio (NYC) Mixes “Alien Fireballs” for NatGeo

The NYC audio post facility at HOBO Audio the mix facility for the show “Naked Science: Alien Fireballs” which debuted on December 2nd on Nat Geo.

HOBO’s Chris Stangroom mixed and edited the show, which documents a scientific team’s search for answers in what may be “the best documented meteorite fall in history.”

“Alien Fireballs” airs again on Monday, December 6th at 2 AM. Set your TiVo’s — or take a disco nap!

Rich Lamb — Nomad Engineer: The Favorite Studios of an NY Freelancer (Part I)

TRIBECA/CHINATOWN, MANHATTAN: Rich Lamb is a studio nomad. He’s an NYC audio hired gun who works in studios and recording situations that span the region – turns out, Lamb has a lot of favorite local places to work, and he’s going to share them with us right here.

Based in TriBeCa/Chinatown, Lamb (pitchie@earthlink.net) is a professional audio engineer – period. His freelance recording and mixing practice can take him clear across NY state or to the next door down, and the flexibility has paid off: Today Lamb’s discography includes  The Brecker Brothers, They Might Be Giants, John Cale, Antony and the Johnsons, The Asylum Street Spankers, Debbie Deane, Ian Hunter, Willie Nile, Cherish the Ladies, and Joan Osborne.  Allmusic.com has more.

Lamb was 18, living at home on Long Island and driving to college one day, when he saw a life-changing sign for an audio school.  “Eventually I dropped out of college and pursued a 30-week program with complete dedication,” he recalls. “After some time out of college, which included interning at a local studio in a basement with quite a bit of impressive gear — Ampex 2, API board, etc… I got a degree at Berklee College of Music, taking their Music Production and Engineering major.”

Shiny new diploma in hand, Lamb started by assisting at Skyline Studios, followed by the Power Station [now Avatar] before forging out on his own.  He scored his first semi-steady gig doing house audio for Blue Man Group, and “My career has been a combination of studio, live, and corporate audio ever since.”

When we met at the Massey Plugins mixer at Lakeside Lounge, I enjoyed hearing your philosophy on how you work as an engineer. What do you find so fulfilling about a freelance career where you’re on call to go anyplace and record or mix?
Not that it was intentional, but I guess the most stimulating thing about freelancing in audio is that there’s rarely a dull moment if you’re always in different rooms. You have to remember different layouts, different patch bays, what mics are available, what drawbacks and strengths there are to each room, and how to adjust your ears to different monitoring situations — from control rooms to large venues, different PAs, indoor or outdoor.  Either way, you have to mix differently when you have an outdoor gig and you’re used to the studio, and vice versa.

For example, you begin to understand EQ as something to enhance or sculpt — like in the studio — versus it being used more for damage control or feedback attenuation, when working live.  Same with compression.  Being able to juggle different types of gigs really enhances your troubleshooting reflexes too, though someone who works just one room could argue that he’s fast because his knows his room cold.

But my approach to my career is about doing whatever it takes to advance myself through great projects that I get to record and mix.  Ideally each great album gets me recommended to someone new, or hired back.  If it pays the bills and I enjoy it, I’m not too worried about whether it’s going to “go anywhere.”  I don’t work on spec.  Even if it’s a close friend, which can be a blast, I have to charge something fair, otherwise I’ll put off working on their stuff.

When it comes to projects that are dear to me, including projects where I have a say on where we track or what musicians we should use, even if I’m not technically producing, my first choice is to do a large chunk of work in any of the studios where I work at the most.  If they can’t afford the expensive one, we go to a more affordable place, work within our limitations, forego the real piano and the awesome acoustics, and get the job done well either way.  I’m drawn to producers and studios that generally make music I’m into.  How else can you improve at your craft than get to practice on the styles you like?  The more work feels like play the more aligned you are with your purpose, and you’ll probably live a longer and healthier life.

By the way, in fairness to top-dollar studios and musicians, they aren’t always more expensive in the end.  Professionals get the job done faster AND the results are better, saving you time in editing or even recutting tracks later, and you’re happier with your tracks.

Why did you like the idea of telling us about all the different places you work in, in and around NYC?

Because this information should be shared.  I want to know more NYC rooms, while alerting my peers to the places I work at.  Everyone wins when more artists and producers are hip to several studios, and comfortable at all these places.

Therefore, in no particular order, here we go.  In fact I’m starting with the one I hardly work at nowadays:

Water Music Recorders, 931 Madison St., Hoboken NJ 07030, 201-420-7848

This is probably where I did my first freelance sessions.  Owner Rob Grenoble, a gregarious storyteller with a HUGE knowledge of the biz, respected me just because I was a Skyline alumnus.

Huge live room with concrete floors, for more of a sustained reverb, particularly nice for horns or strings, plus a big Neve/Studer control room, where the Augspurgers sound like the NS10s, only bigger, making for a smooth transition.  The North Room is interesting in that it’s affordable though a little funky, yet you get a lot of the same acoustics.

Working at Water Music, I feel like I’m closer to Woodstock for some reason.  Maybe because it’s a residential studio!  I’d love to be someone like John Agnello and just put in long days with the band and then crash in the duplex, having no commute the next day.  Tons of indie rock albums are done at Water Music, they have a very impressive client list.  And I’m impressed with any studio that lasts in this day and age.  Go there if you want a great near-NYC rock studio with residency.

Mark Dann Recording, 59 Franklin St., NYC 10013 212-941-7771

Mark Dann is an accomplished musician, especially on bass, and he has had a facility in a TriBeCa loft for 20 years.  I started bringing work there in 1994.  He is the man to go to if you have any technical questions, especially regarding Apple or Pro Tools, and if you have drum tracks that need replacing or vocals that need to be tuned.

His way of working is extremely organized, he’s a great editor, and he mixes and masters with a keen ear and perpetual student’s inquisitiveness.  His enthusiasm for the craft of recording and technology is such that he’d rather talk about plug-ins than anything!  But lots of us get that way!

In Woodstock he runs an identical PT system — allowing projects to work between the two rooms – in a nice tracking space with a piano and B-3.  Where a lot of studios always fall by the wayside, here and in the Woodstock area, Mark has hung in there and even thrived.  Hiring Mark to do your album is quite a bang for the buck.  More people should know about both of his rooms.  His Mac is decked out with every plug-in you could ever want.  There are also some nice preamps and a great DDA console.  Check out his site, too.

Before I continue I want to mention two other colleagues I’ve worked with or for: A.T. Michael MacDonald and Tom Durack, both fellow alumni from Skyline.  Michael MacDonald has done a lot of stunning jazz albums — Fred Hersch, McCoy Tyner, Roy Haynes – and is a superb mastering engineer, running his own studio in DUMBO, called AlgoRhythms which has a fantastic combination of analog and digital gear, plus Dunlavy monitors.  I like bringing my work to a place where I can hear much more detail than I can at home — that’s the whole point!  Michael has taught me so much about mastering — I used to work for him — and audio in general…he’s my mentor more than anyone else.  The ultimate piano recording for my money would be Michael engineering at Ambient Recording in Stamford, CT.

Tom Durack has been an inspiration ever since I met him at Skyline, which he had ‘graduated’ from, to working there as Nile Rodgers’ engineer.  Sitting in on the razor blade editing of the single release of “Love Shack” was a trip.  I have always been struck by Tom’s abilities to track and mix albums that sound as good as you could imagine.  He’s been great to run mixes by, plus he is now a co-worker of mine at Trinity, and one of my closest friends.  He too has impeccably mastered a few of the albums I’ve mixed.

Next up, Trinity Church Wall Street/St. Paul’s Chapel, Broadway at Wall Street, NYC

An old friend who was working at Trinity recommended me for this gig, which has gone from doing house sound for services and concerts, to now streaming for the church’s large Web audience, plus field audio, Pro Tools editing, outdoor concerts and live conferences that transmit to sister Episcopal churches around the world.  It’s the gig that keeps giving, and it’s quite educational.

And Trinity Church is never going to go away.  How many studios stick around for over 200 years?  The church itself provides the constant challenge of knowing how to function while basically working inside an echo chamber.

Systems Two Recording Studios, 117 Ditmas Ave., Brooklyn NY 10018, 718-851-1010

Of all the places where I have put in a lot of hours as a freelancer (post-Skyline and Power Station), Systems Two is easily the most glamorous, and the place I’ve gotten the most work from since 2002.  Over 30 years in business, making thousands of clients happy, mostly in jazz, it’s basically a mom-and-pop business with none of the huge overhead of payroll that weighed down the Manhattan places I remember.

Between the two of them, husband and wife owners Joseph and Nancy Marciano wear the various hats of chief engineer, assistant, manager, bookkeeper, and general maintenance!  The other main engineer is Michael Marciano, brother of Joseph.  There’s an assistant engineer who now engineers a lot, and myself, I’m brought in around twice a week for much of the rest, lots of evenings and weekends.  I’ve had this gig for nine years, it’s my one long commute, but that’s what books and iPods are for.

Their famous Steinway is from Carnegie Hall, their C3 and drum kit are also legendary, one of their ribbon mics is John Coltrane’s, etc.  Nice big room with a short reverb which works for just about everything. Their main bread and butter comes from being a top-notch, word-of-mouth jazz studio, even though they sometimes do everything else, including orchestral, choral, metal, etc.  Their discography is staggering.  They have two Pro Tools rooms and one mastering room.

Way out there, but only yards from the F train.  I love these people and I love this place — I open up a mic and it always sounds good.  When I come in it always looks like I’m doing the first session of the day, even if a big band just finished up an hour ago. Work there is effortless: no wrestling with acoustics, monitoring, or a finicky patch bay.  It’s my first choice for any client that can afford to work there.

Next week, come back for Part II of Rich Lamb — Nomad Engineer: Going to the Fab Faux, Maxing Cable Access, and Hitting the Poconos. Write Rich at pitchie@earthlink.net to join his Song of the Week email list!!!

Sonic Union Mixes for AT&T, Smuggler Films

NY-based Sonic Union mixer Michael Marinelli recently mixed a new AT&T spot, the :30 “Lost Dog No Offer” for AT&T is from the ad agency BBDO, NY. 

Set to an original track by Big Foote, the spot’s storyline reminds viewers that kindness and the urge to help others is still present in this techno-crazed world. Yes!

Marinelli worked with director Bennett Miller of production company Smuggler.

Credits:
Client: AT&T
Title: “Lost Dog No Offer” :30
Airdate: Currently airing
Advertising Agency:  BBDO, NY
Creative Group Head: Susan Credle
Producer: Bob Emerson
Copywriter: Darren Wright
BBDO Music Producer: Melissa Chester
Production Company: Smuggler, NY/LA/London
Director: Bennett Miller
Editorial Company: Beast, NY
Editor: Jim Ulbrich
VFX Company: Mass Market
Audio Post Company: Sonic Union, NY, NY
Mixer: Michael Marinelli
Music House: Big Foote, NY

Defy Recordings: Robert Smith is the Ultimate NYC Hybrid

HELL’S KITCHEN, MANHATTAN: You want state-of-the-art? Here it is: Defy Recordings. Founder Robert Smith personifies the flexible strategies and sonic acumen needed to make it as a musical-you-name-it in NYC today. Wanna get smart in a hurry? Sure you do! Read forth and conquer.

Q: That’s a lot to keep track of! How do you see music and sound production evolving in NYC right now, and how is Defy Recordings set up to take maximum advantage of that?
A: We’re at a very interesting time in music and sound. The song will always be king, but its delivery has never been more skewed. On the one hand, we still idolize the tones and technology from 50 years ago, such as vacuum tubes and vinyl, and on the other hand we have mp3s and microphones on laptops. The beauty is no one cares, as long as the song is great. At Defy, we’ve played both sides willingly.

Q: Can you explain what you mean by that?
A: The common element is knowing when to stay out of the way and conversely knowing when to go in and give a shove. We have the usual HD system http://www.digidesign.com/, the tubes and the ribbons, as well as the Dictaphones and mics from my first stereo when I was a kid. What’s fun about this approach is it challenges people’s ideas of what’s right.  It’s hard to get in a rut if you don’t know where to stand.

Some fun examples are the story Phil Ramone told in a session where he set up a pencil-type condenser mic for a vocal — the singer was expecting the usual classic U47, and was very confused what was happening. I got the same reaction from a “guitar hero” who was wondering why I was clipping a lavalier mic on to one of the speaker wires in the back of his speaker cabinet to record his solo.

Q: Wild! Shifting gears, which revenue streams do you see opening up most strongly for NYC-based artists and music professionals? How are you involving yourself with those streams?

A: That’s a great question, and one whose answer is proving elusive. As more “non-professionals” record and mix their own music, many of the usual processes are falling by the wayside. I started mastering my own projects originally out of self-preservation, because sometimes there isn’t a budget left for mastering indie albums. I was finding my mixes were getting killed by some kid dialing up a mastering preset and calling it a day. I’ve had the experience of having all the big mastering guys master records of mine over the years, so I know what the result should be and decided to do it myself. I’ve done it enough now that I have clients coming to me just for mastering, so I must be doing something right.

We get calls in a similar way for films. We call this “audio sweetening”. This is a sort of premixing that ultimately saves the client time when they’re doing the real film mix of marrying dialog, FX, and music. Everything from adding room tone, fixing noise problems, matching dialog recordings from different sources…you name it.

Q: How would you describe your studio right now? Tell us about the technical highlights, and how it was built to accommodate the way you like to work.
A: The studio is set up for exactly the way I work. Sound quality and speed are the primary concerns. It’s based around a Pro Tools HD system with a Mac G5 Pro. I spend much of my time mixing and mastering, and this system allows me to switch between projects and roles very quickly. I live on the site YouSendIt. Most days I’ll be uploading files to a client while I’m already working on something else.

I’m a big fan of the API sound — I love the sound of the API Legacy summing gear. Just running digital audio through those transformers does the trick. I also have two API Lunchboxes loaded with 512c’s, 550b’s, 560’s, and 525’s. Essentially I have a 6x8x2 API console. Mixing is a hybrid; I’ll split out tracks to the API 8200/7800. A few great boxes live on the mix insert, such as Manley Massive Passive equalizer, Avalon 747 compressor, and the Empirical Labs Fatso. My gear choices were based on what I find lacking on projects that come in. Rather than going for “pristine”, I chose gear with a little soul.

Q: Sounds like an ideal mix of digital and analog, and yet your setup is also very compact. Give us one or two great production/mixing/mastering/recording tip that you’ve learned recently.
A: This one isn’t very recent, but it still holds true and sees use every day. What people miss about tape is the distortion. Adding in a little — with Dave Derr being the master of this via Fatso and Distressor — instantly gives a sound more character. Instead of cranking all kinds of eq, I’ll add a bit of grit and I’m done. Steve Massey’s Tapehead plug-in is great for this as well.

Q: Which piece of gear or plug-in is your “secret weapon”? Give it up!
A: My secret weapon is going to be the most boring one ever: It’s the Yamaha MS101 monitor speaker. I listen to it in mono, and it’s very much like the Auratone vibe. I’m always amazed at how any problems with my mix are identified instantly, and I always get the vocal and bass levels perfect.

One common thing I find is mixes that are not the best were done using one set of speakers. It’s all about the comparison between different speakers. The goal is to have the relationships within your mix be the same on any speaker — this way you know it will translate from an SUV to a laptop.

Q: Solid advice! Love it. Tell us about a couple of different recent projects that you did that exemplify what you’re being asked to do now. What made them fun?
A: Perfect example would be the film Under The Desert Sun. This was songwriter Craig Wilson’s first film score. He has his own studio, but needed someone like myself who has experience working on films, such as Waitress and The Devil Came on Horseback to make the process as efficient as possible.

Writing a song for and music for a film are two different things, and when it’s a two hour feature, there’s a lot of ground to cover. To add to the fun, Craig had nothing written! We set up his keyboard and an acoustic and electric guitars and just went for it. As a testament to Craig’s musical mind, we did the whole score in 12 hours. Adding flavors such as Ebow, and being creative with a Voodoo Labs Tremolo and Zvex Seek-Wah pedal worked perfectly. Ambience with a Thingamagoop plugged into a Moogerfooger lowpass filter pedal completed the process.

Q: What’s rewarding, and conversely what’s challenging about being a music professional on your level today?
A: Recognition for being a professional is nice, and my experience has been a key marketing tool. I have a manager, but still have to do everything I can to always be out there. The sense of community we all had at a multi-room studio facility can’t be replicated on Facebook or Myspace. No matter what your skill level, if you’re not connecting with people, you’re not working. I hope the recording schools are teaching kids about marketing as much as they are about the latest plug-in.

Q: I don’t know if they are… How does the fact that you’re choosing to do this in NYC make your job either easier, or harder, or both?
A: Being in NYC is both: easy and hard. Lots of competition keeps you on your toes. I’ve found first hand that the old phrase, “If you can make it here you can make it anywhere” really applies. Anytime I work outside of New York, it’s quickly apparent that the standards we’re used to stay in town. But that could just be the combination of being a lifer and a New Yorker too!

Q: Please name any other recent projects you’ve been involved in that you want to make sure we know about, plus any relevant links.
A: Plenty of cool projects: Stacie Rose, Jennifer Haase, Tall Tall Trees, Asa Ransom.

I also would like to give a shout for my friend David Patterson, a great guitar player here in NYC who is part of many of my projects. He just makes artists sound better.

Q: Wow, you’ve given us a ton of great info here. Anything else?
A: Last thing…I’ve started this Recording Collective. The purpose is to trade ideas with fellow engineers and producers and come up with new solutions, being a music industry professional in New York City. As fun as those mercenary-like years were, it’s been helpful to compare notes with others who make their living making music.

One of our methods is to team up with studios that may not have the bookings they once did, and work with them in providing us with reasonable rates in exchange for a significant increase in the traffic they see at their studio. One of our partnerships is with a performing rights organization (PRO) that sees this as just the right thing to allow their artists to pursue a career and build their craft, while supporting those that know how to get the job done properly. The irony of all this is music is everywhere and needed more than ever. The trick is to position yourself so it all goes through YOU.