Studio Sweet Spot: SonicWave Studio, Williamsburg

WILLIAMBSURG, BROOKLYN: Talk about hanging tough. Engineer/producer AJ Tissian launched SonicWave Studio in 1997, setting up shop in Manhattan’s vibrant Lower East Side. Three years later he saw the larger spaces of Brooklyn, moved SonicWave to Williamsburg, and never slowed down.

Today, SonicWave is a versatile player in the Brooklyn scene. From tracking in the large asymmetrical live room, to mixing, post and more in the Amek/Neve Media 5.1-equipped control room, Tissian’s domain has established itself as a well-equipped workhorse.

Facility Name: SonicWave Studio

Website: www.sonicwavestudio.com, www.facebook.com/sonicwavestudio

Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Neighborhood Advantages: SonicWave Studio is conveniently located on Grand Street in west Williamsburg, directly between the Bedford Ave and Lorimer Street L train stops, three blocks from the Marcy Ave J and M train stops and a half a block from exit 32 of the BQE.

There is a thriving nightlife: Trash Bar, The Commodore, The Knitting Factory and Duff’s are all within a 2-block radius. There are abundant restaurants, coffee shops, yoga studios, hipster clothing stores and food stores everywhere. We are a half a block from South Side Guitars and a 5-minute walk to Mikey’s Hook-Up and Main Drag Music.

Date of Birth: The studio’s been through a few metamorphoses over the years but it was originally opened in 1997 on the LES. It moved to Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 2000 and has gone through two major renovations since that time at the same location.

Facility Focus: SonicWave is a full production studio. We can handle any audio job from full band tracking, video/film post, live recording on location, mixing and on to mastering. We may struggle a bit with tracking an orchestra or a big choir in house but short of that, we’ve pretty much got ya covered.

Mission Statement: Here at SonicWave, we strive to capture your best ideas and performances with some of the finest recording equipment available.

Clients/Credits: Over the years a great many clients and artists, from independent startups to international heavyweights, have graced SonicWave Studio with their talents.

Our client list includes:

Action Daddy, Tori Amos, Audiovent, Bloc Party, Brandy, Buckcherry, Bugs in the Dark, Cobra Starship, Collective Soul, Phil Collins, The Corrs, The Dead Betties, David Delp, The Donnas, Funeral For A Friend, Philip Glass, Gym Class Heros, Hootie & the Blowfish, Hot Action Cop, Jewel, Kid Rock, Kung Pao, Geddy Lee, Li’l Kim, Toby Lightman, The Lyricst Lounge, Matchbox Twenty, O.A.R., Porcupine Tree, Rolling Stones, Rush, Duncan Sheik, Sean Paul, Jason Shain, Rod Stewart, Stone Temple Pilots, Sugar Ray, Triple Cobra, Uncle Kracker, Lucy Woodward, Aaron Ziegler

Our corporate clients include: 1 XTRA – BBC Radio, London, AOL, Atlantic Records, BBC Radio, Bacardi, Beethoven Inc, Choice FM 96.9 – radio, London, Cleopatra Records, Discovery Channel, getmusic.com, Lava Records, Maduro Records, Mambo Media L.L.C., MTV, MTV-Canada, MTV-2, rollingstone.com, SAE Institute of Technology, Shimmy Recordings, spinner.com, Studio 360-WNYC radio program, Warner Bros. Records, Waves Audio Ltd,

Key Personnel: AJ Tissian (owner, producer, chief engineer), Joe Hogan (producer, engineer), Giacomo Ginammi (producer, engineer), David Liles (producer, engineer), Rich Crescenti (producer, engineer), Tim Crossley (producer, engineer), Jerry Dzerens (producer, engineer)

System Highlights: The studio revolves around an Amek/Neve Media 5.1 long frame 44 channel in-line console with on-board dynamics, total recall and vca automation, an Otari MTR-90 mkiii 2” ATR with both 16 & 24 track headstacks, a Tascam MS-16 16-track 1” ATR (modified to run at 30ips) and an Otari MTR-10 ¼” 2-track ATR.

We also have an Apogee Symphony64 card with AD-X and DA-X converters, Pro Tools, Logic and several other audio applications as well. We have racks and racks of outboard preamps, dynamics and effects processors — yes, all of the standard big brands are representing — and a collection of over 60 microphones.

Distinguishing Characteristics: SonicWave features a large high ceilinged control room (20’W x 18’L x 10’H, asymmetrical), an even larger live room with a very high ceiling (25’W x 18’L x 12’H, asymmetrical) including a large 8’ (internal height) diamond shaped isolation room and a lounge area that is wired as a second live room/iso if it’s needed. It is a very relaxed environment dressed in soothing colors and lighting that are perfect for the expression of creative energy

The building is on fire, you only have time to grab ONE thing to save, what is it? The hard drives and tapes in one box, as the recordings they contain can’t possibly be replaced.

Rave Reviews: What do people tell you they love about your studio? The quality of their recording, and how much they enjoyed the process of creating it.

Most Memorable Session Ever: Wow, there are so many… It’s impossible to narrow it down to just one.

Session You’d Like to Forget: On the other hand, this one’s really easy to answer: Buckcherry.

Dream Session:  This one is even easier to answer: The Beatles.

– AJ Tissian — Owner, Producer, and Chief Engineer, SonicWave Studio

Power Sessions: Chris Lord-Alge – Part I “NYC Roots”

Chris Lord-Alge is one of the biggest, baddest names in mixing.

His discography is like a field trip through decades of musical history – from James Brown to Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks to Green Day, My Chemical Romance and Snow Patrol to, most recently, Shinedown and Daughtry.

Beyond the sheer number of albums CLA has mixed, what may be most staggering in looking through his body of work is his clear talent for making music really hit.

Hit, as in have impact, and hit as in have a tremendous amount of commercial success. While it seems like an elusive skill, so much of how he does it is quite tangible and real.

In our very first “Power Sessions” video interview, CLA opens up about his process, his choice gear and time-tested, hit-certified techniques in conversation with NYC artist/audio engineer Erica Glyn. The interview takes place in Avatar Studio G, at CLA’s choice SSL 4000G+ mixing console, and the legendary Studio A, which – in reference to Bob Clearmountain – CLA considers “the ground zero of mixing.”

In Part 1 (see below), CLA takes us back to his NYC roots. Check it out! The rest of the interview will roll out over the coming weeks, so be sure to check back in!

For more, check out another recent Q&A article with CLA at AudioFanzine – and the just-launched Waves CLA Song Competition. And follow Erica Glyn on Facebook and Twitter.

“Mixology” with George Walker Petit: Set Fire to Your Distractions

“There comes a time in the affairs of man when he must take the bull by the tail and face the situation.” — W. C. Fields

The ‘by the tail’ part suggests a rather negative outcome…and one hopes that can be avoided. But in spirit, I tend to agree with W.C. on this one. With a few of his observations in fact — I like the one about the stimulant and the snake.

So sue me…

It’s been a while since my last article for my friends at SonicScoop, and for all of my…fans. Forgive me, Father, I have sinned, etc. Sorry ‘bout that. It’s mostly because life’s been really busy here. But I also have a few “personal issues” with time management, setting priorities, focus (A.D.D, moi?) and would bet some of you have as well.

Living in central NYC doesn’t help. So many distractions. I’d hazard a guess and say that we all wrestle with such issues and annoyances to some degree.

As unavoidable as they might be, I think it’s important to acknowledge them (“ I do believe in ghosts, I do believe in ghosts…”), note their existence and try to either address them or at least be aware of their potential to derail our work and forward motion. And as usual, I believe all of this has to be done with a certain amount of humor. We have to be able to laugh at ourselves, right?

So here are a few recent observations on how projects can be impacted, not always negatively, by external events, internal issues, surroundings.

I’ve been thinking about all of this a lot lately, trying to find solutions that streamline my workflow…”streamline my workflow”… puh-lease. I hope that this might get you thinking, too. I figure we can all benefit from hearing about another guys neuroses — at least good for a laugh!

To set the stage, there are a few work related things happening at my place simultaneously. The “big” project, now ongoing for three years, is dzdap.com. On this one, I wear many hats – from “producer” (it was my idea) to engineer and composer, fundraiser and motivator…and at times arranger. Those of you that read my last piece know my laundry list of “things needed” to be an effective producer, so this project keeps me pretty busy. It’s not just about the music!

In addition, three pending projects this Spring and two returning clients asking for input and estimates for their upcoming recordings. Then there is the Brazil tour I am planning for the Fall. And somewhere in all of this, there is “my next cd,” a project of my music and playing. And all of life that exists outside of music! Family, friends, health — that stuff.

BFD. Quit complaining! We’re all busy, right? Right! That’s the point.

1. When you get rid of the fruit and nuts, all you have left are the flakes.

I really like cereal for breakfast. Not every day, now, but a few times each week I start my day the Kellogg’s way, and I have my own special (read: neurotic) combination:

Equal parts Shredded Wheat (original), Total (original) and Grape Nut Flakes (original). Let’s not get into the milk thing now, I haven’t had my n’th cup of coffee.

This is a really tasty combination of grains and fibers and in small amounts does not weigh one down, provides a good bit of nutrition and does everything cereal is supposed to…um, do. Trust me. With just a tad of either honey or agave sweetener, it’s a great way to start the day.

The only down side is running out of one or all…you must then steel yourself for the Great Grocery Adventure. I’m not talking about the journey to your local supplier, albeit that is an adventure in itself in NYC, but what transpires when you are actually in situ.

I am fortunate in that I know what I am making the trek for. I have, after all, arrived at the perfect triad of cereals. It has taken years to arrive at this magic combination and, having sampled the wares of many and experimented different portions of each and their effect on the “mix,” I have arrived at my fave choices and ratio.

Unfortunate are those without such focus and confidence! For arriving at your store of choice, you must first locate the correct aisle wherein cereals abide. Rather than wandering aimlessly through the many aisles in numeric order, often risking confusion and possible disorientation in negotiating the black hole of the frigid frozen section, or the competitive bustling of the deli counter (“…and do you have a numbered ticket, sir? I’m sorry, but without a numbered ticket…”), following the advice of a store “professional” can get you to the right destination without bodily risk and delay. Following the guidance of a pro is key: They are well versed in the product line, they’ve no agenda, they are not endorsers of any particular product. One would hope.

And suddenly, Eureka! There you are! Standing at one end of what seems to be a nine-mile long aisle, eleven feet high at each side, and bathed in the bright, whirring light of countless florescent tubes, you see the sign. CEREAL But surely there must be other items along this gauntlet…paper goods perhaps…jams and jellies…pop tarts, oh please let there be poptarts, oh please.

Negative…it’s all cereals. So, taking a breath and preparing yourself for an investment of time more than you’d anticipated, you decide that you’ll just get some Corn Flakes. That’s simple, right? Good ‘ole Corn Flakes…part of The American Way…Corn Flakes…Norman Rockwell…Rosie The Riveter…the two party system…(cue music).

And there they are…Corn Flakes…but no. NO! You are presented with choices. Original Corn Flakes (“Originally” from seven different manufacturers), Corn Flakes with frosting, Corn Flakes with honey and nuts, Corn Flakes with low sodium, spoon size Corn Flakes, ‘All Natural’ Corn Flakes, low-budget Corn Flakes, environmentally friendly Corn Flakes, Corn Flakes from Europe and Corn Flakes made from wheat.

Choices. Problems. Confusion. The desire to try all the Corn Flakes in all their different incarnations (get it? inCarnations? Woah, I’m killin’ me!) You glance down at your grocery list, there in your shaking hand and realize that you are not going to make it home in time for the 2013 Super Bowl and that GoDaddy spot you really wanted to see. But all you wanted was a box of Corn Flakes.

OK, I’m being silly (as is my natural state). But you knew that, right? I mean you could just go for the Cream of Wheat and be done with it…

You must know where I am going with this.

Yesterday, I opened a session file to start mixing a project. A significant and important project, aren’t they all? After arriving at a pretty nice balance of the drum mics, I wanted to EQ a few things – surgically and subtractively, as is my wont. So I accessed my list of EQ’s in my plugin dropdown menu and found that I had the choice of over 50…boxes of Corn Flakes.

Now, I know what I am after: Corn Flakes (original). I just want to cut a little 240Hz and boost some air. But there are at least 37 plugins that can do this job. Some better or different than others, some that take very little DSP (or in the case of my UAD-2 Satellite Quad rig, none!) and some that are DSP hogs. Some that have great user interfaces and are highly visual…some that are “one-knobbers.” Sanctuary!!

And the same goes for every possible editing, sweetening and mixing task I will have on this project. Choices…options…decisions on speed and ease of use, “budget” (DSP), sound, effect on the overall mix…and I really want to check so many of these options out…really…because some do it better than others, and I want to continue to learn and improve my work. Always room for that.

So do you get the plain Corn Flakes or do you get a few different boxes and A/B or in this case, A-Z? At an average of $250/plugin for some of these “tools,” it might become a costly breakfast.

I say this: Fill the tank. Then make your choices. Gain experience, expand your palette…

Enjoy the mix. Enjoy your breakfast. But in the words of Joe Jackson, “You can’t get what you want, ‘til you know what you want.”

2. Clients are politely requested to…

Get lost. During the mix, kindly and respectfully get lost.

Again, not in all situations. Input from clients can be pretty crucial. It would be great if that were always the case. The “vision” belongs to the client…and so does the credit card. Every project has a “client” in one form or another – an Artist for whom you are tracking or mixing, a label that has thrown a singer/songwriter at you, an ad agency that needs just that right sound design or music for a spot. Even if you are working on your own music for you and you alone…part of you is “the client.”

Does the client have the “right” to be at the mix? Well, of course. But I find a client’s presence is often a hindrance to the process. Let me clarify. In most mix sessions there is some sort of time limit, usually dictated by budget. I’m pretty fast in the studio, at least to get the music to the point where I actually need to touch base with the client on direction and get a sign-off on overall approach.

But to have someone there breathing down your neck all the time? Let’s be honest — most of us could do without that. But if the client wants to be there, well, take your Xanax and simmer down. Remember, you don’t have to take every project. Or maybe you do?

I used to have a client that needed so badly to opine that he/she (yeah that’s right, it was you) commented at nearly every stage of the work, and not in a positive attempt to “gather information and knowledge.” This particular client was not very experienced, so in a lot of cases I entertained the distractions (ka-chinggg!), but does a client really need to be there when you are EQ’ing a floor tom in a jazz session? When you are auditioning reverbs?

For Rupert’s sake, let me concentrate will you?

At some point through the years, I’ve had to be clear with more than a few clients , gently suggesting that their presence was not really constructive. One had better learn to be respectful and diplomatic, yet another required skill of the studio pro.

Partially in response to this scenario, I built a mix room at home. Very comfy, great sounding and there’s no clock. I can mix in my PJ’s if I want, and take breaks when needed for lunch, a quick trip out to the gym to burn off some frustration — or just walk away when I bloody well like (The Microsoft Law).

If I really want to get all microscopic on some acoustic bass track or the tail of some reverb, well I can spend three more hours getting downright geeky, and I often don’t charge the client for that. It’s my time, my call. The client gets a better-sounding final and I get a few more years without an ulcer. I charge the client my day rate as usual, but there is no additional charge for renting studio space. And really, with all the tools and plugin magic out there, a good deal of experience and a good sounding room, are we not capable of making it work “at home?”

That said, there’s nothing like working with an old Neve in a big CR. Budgets these days don’t always allow for that, but when they do, I have a few fave rooms I call. Addressing and capturing client budgets, ever shrinking, was the second reason for tricking out my mix room. But when the clock is running at a commercial facility and your client is right behind you, well, you’d better keep your focus all session long.

The point here is that both working in your own space or in a commercial facility can have certain distractions that also move one off the path. I try to anticipate and plan…I try.

Is this about discipline? Work ethic? Lunch with the wife? How do you like to work? Send me a comment below, I’d appreciate reading your opinion.

3. Is it soup yet?

Some people say that a mix is done when there is nothing left to do. Ooo…deeep. Seriously though, I like this idea.

You pull up a mix (if you are ITB or all digital, this will happen pretty quickly, analogue not so quickly – remind me to tell you the Frank Filipetti story about this) and after a few critical listens, you nod and say “Yeah…that’s good, I can be done with this”. Or, you can just as happily tweak away at a mix until the sun rises in the west.

When is it time to kick it out of the room? How do you know? I just had a chat about this with a couple of engineers from Brazil (Mauricio Gargel and Ricardo Mosca) that are not only close friends, they are great engineers, each with his own approach and sound…but we like to chat and share observations often. Thank Rupert for skype! Having these conversations solidifies our own beliefs and practices as well as opens our minds to other possibilities. If you don’t have similar professional relationships, you should cultivate a few. Sharing ideas is important.

Some engineers like to focus on three critical elements when mixing — emotion, groove, main instrument — that sort of thing. You might have your own combination that works – go back and read the cereal thing again. Others like to make a mix that has an evolution and a journey – it tells a story. It gets all “Zen.” It makes you dance, or cry, whatever works for you.

We all tend to define our overall ‘Top Secret Approach To The Perfect Mix’ based upon what works for us as individuals. This is a very “chicken or egg” thing IMNSHO. Think about this for a sec. How did you arrive at what works for you? Define it. In the words of Spock, “Rememberrr”.

Chances are you got there by drawing on equal parts experimentation, the influence of other mixes and engineers you respect and emulate (at least you did early on), formal education or research, personal experience and hopefully some degree of passion and natural talent.

For me it all comes down to this: when it is done, I feel it. Through the process of mixing, I draw on everything in my being…but when it is done, it just works, and I know it. The music might take you on the journey, might create the mood, might just “sound cool”…but you feel it and you know it. And it’s done. Learn to recognize that. Learn to accept that, including your shortcomings.

The 50% Rule

You are never going to outdo Bruce’s mix on Thriller. Deal with that.

You are never going to make the vocals on James Taylor’s “Gaia” sound more ethereal that Frank did. Revel in them, let them transport you.

Those recordings by Rudy when ‘Trane sounds “off mic” for a second? That’s not perfect…but it’s real.

That’s the beauty, baby. And you don’t have to analyze all the time…sometimes listen and just try to just enjoy. And for the sake of your sanity, don’t compare. I hear this all the time from other engineers, younger and older, more experienced and less experienced…and I certainly get “the heebies” at times myself. I think if we are honest, we will admit that we all do.

This is an old, old issue, friends. But let’s put it to bed now, once and for all. No one can do what you do as well as you do it. With 100 people listening to your work, 50% will like it, 50% won’t…give or take. Don’t be concerned. Work your ass off and do your very best. When you know you have done your very best, walk away and accept the results.

Room for improvement? Always! You have a “better” approach to reverbs than all the other guys? To panning? To compression? Rubbish. Prove it.

Your approach…their approach…they’re just different. Do what you do. Keep an open mind and keep learning, but your best work now represents now. Don’t be afraid. Put it out there.

In conclusion: These are a few things that I have been thinking about and discussing lately with the members of A.P.E. (Association of Philosopher Engineers). I wanted to share them with you. There’s no shattering conclusions here, unless you draw them for yourselves.

I know that through discussion and debate, I evolve. I like that feeling. I never want to lose or misplace my passion for what I do as an engineer, producer, composer or guitar player…or human being and friend. I am fortunate to do what I do.

A Facebook friend of mine, Brian Knight says this: “I think ‘it’ happens because it’s the very core of why we do what we do. We’re carrying a message across from the ethers of the mind to the physical reality of medium and back through the ethers of sound. We’re magicians any way you look at it. “

Thanks, Brian, that’s pretty cool.

Cheers!
gwp

P.S. Remember to tune into wwwe.dzdap.com. Cool stuff there.

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.

NYC Audio Pros Are Oscar Winners at Academy Awards for Sound Mixing, Sound Editing

Martin Scorcese’s visual adventure Hugo was a big winner at last night’s 84th Academy Awards, and the legendary director’s preference for New York City talent throughout the crew was reflected in the winners for two audio post categories.

In the category of “Sound Editing”, the winners were co-supervising sound editors Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty of the NYC facility c5 Sound.

In the category of “Sound Mixing”, the winning team was re-recording mixer Tom Fleischman and production mixer John Midgley. Fleischman mixed the film in 7.1-channel sound at the Soundtrack F/T facility in NYC.

Don’t miss this insightful interview, “The Sound of Hugo,” from “Below the Line”, as producer Michael Coleman interviews Stockton, Gearty, and Fleischman on the intricacies of working with Scorcese, and sculpting the Oscar-winning sound for Hugo.

Rupert Neve Designs Portico 5051 Inductor EQ/Compressor Now Shipping

The Rupert Neve Designs Portico 5051 EQ/Compressor module, first announced last October at AES 2011, has begun shipping.

According to RND, the Portico 5051 is comprised of a new inductor EQ circuit with a long heritage, and a compressor with elements from the Portico II: Master Buss Processor. The result is delivery of exceptional tonal and dynamic control to each channel of a RND 5088 discrete analogue mixer, which has an expandable architecture. The 5051 is intended exclusively for use in 5088 consoles.

RND explains that in the Portico 5051, traditional transformer coupled inputs and outputs are used for both technical performance reasons and optimum musical reproduction. By combining this minimalistic design aesthetic with discrete class-A gain blocks and custom transformers, the 5051 provides high levels of performance and musicality.

Visit the Model 5051 page for more information.

Waves Introduces InPhase Plugin

Waves has just introduced InPhase to our market because, as they say “shift happens” (heyooo!). InPhase aims to correct phasing issues that occur often during the three stages of audio production – recoding, mixing and mastering. It also has controls dedicated for live production.

InPhase by Waves is available now for $200 MSRP but can be purchased for $99 from the Wavestore. InPhase is available as a TDM or Native download. Now follow along as we shift our attention toward the specific details from Waves:

“Let’s face it: Shift happens. That’s why Waves created InPhase, the ultimate phase correction plugin for phase shift treatment, phase alignment and complex phase manipulation tasks.

Phasing can occur throughout the production process:

• In recording, when multiple signals are combined: Like individual drum mics and overheads; guitar amps and DIs; and sources recorded with more than one microphone.
• In mixing, when phasing issues that weren’t addressed during recording need to be corrected.
• In mastering, when the final stereo mix has phasing problems.

To help you restore phase coherence, InPhase features high resolution dual waveform displays; phase shift filters with adjustable frequency and Q; and an intuitive correlation meter which shows you just how much your tracks are in—or out of phase. You can move your waveforms manually or using the delay control, and even align them in relation to a sidechain input. InPhase includes mono, stereo, and dedicated live components, plus InPhase LT, a simplified version that gives you easy access to creative phase manipulation.

Phasing can cause drops in volume and wreak havoc on your frequency response and stereo image; InPhase gives you the power to get your tracks back on track.

Features

• Dual waveform displays update in real time according to processing
• Move waveforms manually along the timeline
• Align tracks in relation to an external sidechain input
• Pure delay control to compensate for timing differences
• Phase shift curve window shows users the phase shift curve across the frequency line
• Correlation meter shows how much tracks are in or out of phase
• Mono and stereo components, and dedicated live components
• InPhase LT with simplified controls also available”

Northern Lights Launches Sister Sound Company, SuperExploder

It’s barely halfway into February, and the New York City audio post scene has yet another new wrinkle.

The latest development comes from post boutique Northern Lights, which has expanded their brand with the launch of their latest sister company, audio house SuperExploder. The sound facility joins the production company Bodega and design/animation firm Mr. Wonderful under the Northern Lights roof.

SuperExploder offers comprehensive sound services — mixing, sound design, creative services, and casting — for commercials, promos, radio, feature films, web content and experiential projects. It is staffed by mixer/sound designers Ted Gannon and Jody Nazzaro, Executive Producer Beth Cummins and Audio Assistant Tony Sprayberry.

In addition, SuperExploder will represent Ted Gannon, David Brent and Michael Carey for original music composition.

Ted Gannon began his career audio engineering for artists like Lenny Kravitz, Prince Paul, and Wu Tang Clan, and television shows such as “Beavis and Butthead.” He built his portfolio as a mixer/sound designer/composer for Manhattan facilities Subvoyant and Bionic, for clients including History Channel’s “Ax Men” and “Ice Road Truckers”, USA, Vh1 and Food Network, Nike, Puma, Axe, and Trix.

Jody Nazzaro joins SuperExploder after a seven+ year stint at midtown’s  Bionic, where he built his reputation as a senior sound designer/mixer for clients including Lancôme, Puffs, Amstel, Publicis, DDB, Saatchi & Saatchi, USA, Spike TV, MTV and Comedy Central.

Cummins spent 14+ years as a business manager at Northern Lights, before moving to SuperExploder.

SuperExploder is being built in a new space, which will ultimately encompass five mix rooms, including a John Storyk-designed 5.1 mix studio which was completed in 2010, plus a 5.1 mix studio designed specifically for Nazzaro by Brian Dorfman of Orchard Design Group.

SuperExploder appears to have hit the ground running, with current work on broadcast projects for USA, Spike, Nickelodeon, Comedy, Vh1, Cloo, Chiller, TBS and others; commercial mixing for various General Mills brands through Saatchi & Saatchi, NY, Lancôme for Publicis, NY; and original music compositions for P&G which will be prominently featured in the 2012 Olympics.

Recording Studio Sweet Spot: Swan7, East Williamsburg/Bushwick

EAST WILLIAMSBURG/BUSHWICK, BROOKLYN: The three little bears aren’t there, but Brooklyn has a studio that’s juuuuust right: Swan7.

Founded by the busy producer/engineer Matt Stein, Swan7 expended as little energy as possible on nomenclature so it could get straight to tracking and mixing for its clientele. “Swan7 stands for Studio Without A Name,” Stein explains, “and 7 because Swan7.com was the first available domain name that sounded good. It’s better than Swan3 for instance.”

Step inside, and find a serious equipment list in the comfortable control room, connected to a live room that’s, you know, just right for a rock band. It’s an ideal slice of high audio standards with a very adventurous spirit mixed in, exactly where a buzzing beehive of artists and producers – indie and major label alike — need it.

Read forward for all the facts…

Facility Name: Swan7

Website: www.swan7.com

Location: 268 Meserole Street, Brooklyn “East Williamsburg/Bushwick”

Neighborhood Advantages: Apart from being a block and a half from the Montrose stop on the “L” Train, the street and the building in particular is a growing music scene unto itself. The studio is located in the Danbro Music Building which currently houses the Sweatshop rehearsal studios, Bushwick Supply/Main Drag, Newtown Radio and 50+ monthly rehearsal rental spaces housing some 90+ bands.

Underway in the same building (which covers nearly a city block) is construction on a nightclub that will have a bar and DJ room that’ll hold 250 people, a live performance area that can accommodate close to 1000 people and an outdoor area where they plan to have seasonal outdoor concerts for 2500+ fans. Also there is a microbrewery/beer garden rumored to be coming as well.

That’s just the one building. Add to that, Yummus Hummus, Shea Stadium, Anchor Bar, Jessie’s Sandwich shop (home of the best breakfast burritos) and so much more within one to two blocks of Swan7.

Date of Birth: April/May 2010

Facility Focus: Swan7 is really a full-service studio capable of doing everything from live tracking and mixing of bands, to singer-songwriters who need music to post production audio for film and television.

Mission Statement: It has always been a goal to provide the quality of service and equipment to artists that is associated with having major label backing, at a price that the independent artist can afford. The studio was designed and built based on the years of experience working in world-class rooms, but scaled down (in size) to something affordable.

Clients/Credits: In the last year and a half we’ve had a wide range of bands come through including So So Glos, Oh Land, Chelsea Wolfe, Dive, Minks, Computer Magic etc… A number of projects for Atlantic Records (Trey Songz, Rumer, Laura Izibor), Massive Media have also been here. Equally important are a number of extremely talented young artist financing their own projects… Matt FX Feldman, Andi Kristins, Nasty Ness, Tica Douglas, Thee Shambels…

Before Swan7 I worked with tons of great artists. When I was starting out I did a number of projects with producer Bill Laswell (who was a huge influence and inspiration). I did a lot of hip hop in the early ’90′s with groups like the Jungle Brothers, Brand Nubian, Positive K and since have worked on 100′s of projects including executive producing and producing three tracks on a reggae/hip hop album called Def Jamaica (Island/Def Jam) which received a Grammy nomination in 2005.  A full list of credits and discography are available on the Swan7 website…

Key Personnel: Matt Stein – Owner/producer/engineer,  Zach Botham – engineer

System Highlights: Tough question. It’s like asking a parent which is their favorite child! The studio features Pro Tools HD 3 rig with 2 192′s for a total of 24 I/Os. We also run Logic and Cubase and Digital Performer. We have a nice selection of pre-amps/EQs including Neve 1084′s, Amek 9098′s Purple Biz Pre’s, (2) UA 610′s (4) API 560′s. We have lots of compressors including UA1176LN and (2) Purple MC77′s, (2) Distressor EL8′s, Neve 33609/J, Altec 438a, Classic dbx stuff, 165, 160x, 166 original and 166a’s, URIE LA-4, Valvotronics Gain Ryder etc… It’s all a nice mix of the old and the new…

Distinguishing Characteristics: While the studio is not huge, the live room (13′ x 15′) can comfortably accommodate 3-4 musicians and a drum kit. Larger bands can be accommodated by isolating the lead singer and one or two other players in the vocal booth and/or control room.

We do a weekly live radio show with Newtown Radio where we record bands live in this manner. The whole thing takes about three hours and the end product has been fantastic. Check the broadcasts out at youtube.com/newtownradio.

The building is on fire, you only have time to grab ONE thing to save, what is it? Such a tough question. On the one hand, you want to take the rarest, most irreplaceable item you can think of and on the other hand, what would you take in order to keep working. I want to say my HD rig because with it, I can do just about anything from mixing to creating tracks. But now that I think of it… I guess I would grab the hard drives because that’s where all the content is and ultimately, that’s the most irreplaceable thing in the studio.

Rave Reviews: Clients say they love the vibe at Swan7. They feel at home and are comfortable to be creative. Not for nothing, clients are impressed by the speed and quality of the work we do both recording and mixing.

Most Memorable Session Ever: So many memorable sessions, but the one that qualifies was in the ‘90′s, I was hired by Elektra to remix/re-purpose several Blondie songs, so I got to spend a week in the studio with Debbie Harry. We had to get all the 2″ tapes baked and had to retrofit a Studer A800 with a 16-track head so we could transfer to fresh tape. We did songs like “Tide Is High,” “Call Me,” “Detroit 442,” “Rapture,” and more.

Most Forgettable Session Ever: How does one answer this question without ending up with a price on their head? There was a hip hop session I did for a very powerful hip hop producer who was not present at the time, so the people he left in charge were going back and forth with him on the phone.

Since they were screwing up all night and unable to complete their assignment, they told the producer the next day that I had erased the main vocal track. Needless to say, they were lying but since I wasn’t present to defend myself, I never got paid…

Dream Session: I’m a huge David Bowie fan. If I could go back in time and have David Bowie in my studio during the Heroes-Low-Lodger period with Brian Eno, Tony Visconti, Robert Fripp, Adrien Belew etc… life would be complete.

When I was young, I read an article about how they recorded Bowie’s vocals on the track “Heroes” that completely blew my mind. They set up three mics… one close to Bowie and then one 15′ away and another 30′ away. The two mics in the distance had gates on them and were set to open as he sang louder. As he got a bit louder the one 15′ away would open and then the one 30′ away when he got really loud. The louder he sang, the more room tone was introduced. Pretty damn cool…

That was the moment I knew I wanted to produce music and became aware of the idea of using the studio itself as an instrument and not just a means of capturing a performance.

David Bowie as an artist and Brian Eno as a producer, with Bowie as well as on countless other projects, pushed the role of producer and the studio beyond its limits finding ways to do things with gear that it was never intended to do. I found that notion so exciting.

– Matt Stein, Owner/Producer/Engineer, Swan7. Visit www.swan7.com for more information.

MOTU Announces MicroBook II Audio Interface

MOTU has followed up NAMM by being the first with a significant post-show product news: Today the company announced the MicroBook II, an updated version of the compact, studio-grade audio interface for Mac or PC.

Shipping in the spring of 2012, the MicroBook II will retail for $269 USD (the same price as its predecessor), providing users with a personal 4 x 6 recording studio that features professional I/O and monitor mixing.

The MicroBook II comes in a compact, rugged cast metal case suitable for mobile recording, personal studio tracking, laptop-based DJ-ing, and myriad other recording/playback activities.

Sized at 5.5 x 3.5 x 1.25 inches, the bus-powered MicroBook II has all the features of the original model, plus hands-on volume control, USB 2.0 connectivity for low-latency performance, more simultaneous outputs (six), an XLR mic input, and support for 96 kHz recording and playback.

MOTU provides these additional details about MicroBook II:

“I/O engineered for sound quality

The four inputs (mic, hi-Z guitar, and stereo balanced line in) can be recorded simultaneously. The mic preamp delivers neutral coloration and pristine sound, with 20 dB pad and 48V phantom power for condenser mics.

Engineered for exceptional audio quality, the MicroBook II includes balanced analog connectors and digitally controlled analog trim. Input trim is controlled separately from input mix volume, so that users never have to sacrifice sound quality for a balanced mix.

The MicroBook II provides six channels of computer output on eight physical outputs (four pairs): balanced TRS quarter-inch main outs, stereo “mini” line out, S/PDIF digital out, and phones (on a stereo quarter-inch jack). The S/PDIF digital output always mirrors the main outs.

Advanced features

Internal CueMix mixing and routing features let users program a different stereo mix for each output pair, consisting of any combination of live inputs and host audio tracks. Alternately, users can send the same mix to multiple outputs, or choose a separate output for the MicroBook’s built-in test tone generator or white and pink noise generator.

The driver provides an extra input and output pair for routing complete mixes back to the computer host, for scoping audio streams with the analysis tools in the included CueMix FX software, and for routing virtual instrument (or other host) output to the MicroBook II mixer.

On-board effects include modeled analog EQ and compression, which can be applied with near-zero latency (in the hardware) to live inputs.

MicroBook feature highlights

- 4-input, 6-output bus-powered “plug-and-play” USB 2.0 audio interface for Mac and Windows.

- 6 x 8 physical input/output channels.

- 8-bus digital mixer to route and mix live inputs with computer tracks.

- Pre-amp equipped mic input with Precision Digital Trim™ 48V phantom power, and 20 dB pad.

- Hi-Z guitar input with Precision Digital Trim.

- Stereo line level analog input (balanced TRS quarter-inch or stereo mini).

- Stereo balanced TRS quarter-inch line level main outs.

- Stereo eighth-inch “mini” line level out.

- S/PDIF digital out (duplicates main out).

- Headphones output on quarter-inch stereo jack with independent volume control.

- Digitally controlled analog trim for all analog inputs.

- Digital trim for all outputs.

- Output volume digital rotary encoder. Push to cycle among three modes: main out, phones, or both.

- Mic input digital rotary encoder for adjusting trim level, 48V and pad.

- Dedicated 3- or 4-segment LED meters for all inputs and outputs.

- CueMix FX no-latency mixing and monitoring with EQ and dynamics processing.

- 7-band parametric EQ and compression.

- Test tone and white/pink noise generator.

- Support for recording and playback at 2x sample rates (88.2 and 96 kHz).

- Advanced audio analysis software tools, including FFT display, spectrogram “waterfall” display, oscilloscope, X-Y plot, and phase torch.

- Industry standard Mac and Windows audio drivers (Core Audio, Wave, and ASIO) for across-the-board compatibility.

- Compatible with all current and recent generation Macs and PCs.

- Includes AudioDesk DAW software, USB cable, and mic cable adapter.”

The Hamptons — Now with World Class Sound: MonkMusic Elevates East End Recording

EAST HAMPTON, NY: Cynthia Daniels was surrounded by foam. But when the natural beauty of the famed Hamptons – and the surprisingly abundant audio needs of its equally famed residents – are beckoning, this is not a good thing.

What were the reasons for the acoustic insulation overload that was affecting Daniels, a GRAMMY-winning engineer/mixer/producer who has been recording sounds of every sort since 1984? Her condition stemmed from two causes:

1)  Nonstop demand for her talents, which span recording and mixing for Broadway, film, TV, and music clients of every stripe, and

2)  The almost total lack of an acceptable audio facility to work out of anywhere near her Hamptons home base

“I can’t tell you the amount of money I spent on foam, and trying to make records in a small space,” Daniels relates of her home studio days. “Sometimes I got good results. But there are many people who come here over the summer – or live here all year – who need a place to record. They’re used to a beautiful environment where they’re being taken care of, and they like finding it run by an engineer with the same years of experience in cities like Los Angeles and New York.”

That engineer would be Daniels, and the place they can now go to record anything from a quick VO to a full-on rock album is MonkMusic, a new 650-sq. ft. studio designed by the Walters-Storyk Design Group. As versatile as its owner, the three-room complex is built to welcome an East End jam band outfit one day, and an airtight ADR session for the likes of local residents like Sir Paul McCartney, Alec Baldwin, and Sarah Jessica Parker the next.

Perfect Placement

Like a lot of smart ventures, location location location was a massive part of the strategy for making MonkMusic – an aesthetically appealing wing attached to Daniels’ home – a reality.

“Having lived in the Hamptons for 15 years, and vaciatoned here for 15 years before that, I know there is nothing close to this – technically or sonically — for at least 70 miles,” Daniels explains, in her high-energy manner. “So I’m providing what I hope is a technical and aesthetic excellence that comes from my experience. Meanwhile, I try to keep my ears and mind open, because innovation and new means of expression are the name of the game.”

If anyone knows the game its Daniels, a Connecticut native attracted early on to the wonders of audio engineering, who then moved to NYC and managed to get her early training with no less than Phil Ramone at the landmark studio A&R Recording. Surrounded by the “Platinum Crew” of legends like Ramone, Elliot Scheiner, Ed Rak and Tom Jung, Daniels quietly became an A-list engineer in her own right, amassing a dizzyingly large list of clients since her first credited session in 1984.

Of her hundreds of credits — from Broadway to Carnegie Hall soloists and Lincoln Center opera, TV, film and spoken word — highlights include a 2002 GRAMMY Award for recording and mixing The Producers, a 2007 Emmy for composition and music supervision on the longest-running daytime series “Guiding Light“, and yet another GRAMMY in 2011 for her work on the Julie Andrews Collection CD.

Her music clients span the best of orchestral pop to big band jazz, including Chaka Khan, Judy Collins, Barbara Cook, Sandra Berhnard and Eartha Kitt. There’s literally far too much to list – a trip to her Website is highly recommended for the full picture.

Sporting a singularly spectacular place for her business, and 2.5 decades-plus of contacts to complement it, Daniels had a clear vision of what MonkMusic should be. Working closely with WSDG principal John Storyk and his team, she was able to map out a vision for a tailored facility where space – due to the Hamptons’ understandably specific zoning requirements – would be the only limitation.

Zen and the Art of Studio Design: “More Than a Mix Room”

For Daniels, the opportunity was not simply to have the best-sounding studio possible, but one molded exactly to her ears and workflow. “The goal was to get a room that I really understood,” she explains. “In terms of sound characteristics, predictable results and aesthetic appeal, it needed to deliver a consistent product in a place that had a great vibe.

“I never imagined I would have my own John Storyk-designed room, and that’s a selling point for the studio. I think people like to know that, from the ground up, you’ve chosen the best for a project, to create a room that’s well-made for recording. The result here is the best money could buy, in this amount of space. I don’t think we cut any corners – what we cut was real estate.”

Although 650 sq. feet may sound small for a three-room recording/mixing complex, MonkMusic in fact feels expansive, and fittingly zen. Daniels’ priorities in the design were to make it “more than a mix room”, specifying clear lanes for visual contact between the compact live room and iso booth that flank the invitingly spacious control room. High ceilings of 11’ 2” allow the sounds from vocalists, guitar amps, drums, horns, strings, and/or a piano to breathe without being overly live.

At all turns, of course, total sound isolation between the rooms and especially to the outside world — where a permanent “Do Not Disturb” sign hangs on the high-priced homes in all directions – is essential. “This is a commercial-grade studio in a residential town,” says Daniels. “The soundproof double doors here are one of the most expensive parts of the facility.”

With magic carpets clean out of stock, Daniels chose a hybrid Avid C-24 console to fly the room, currently running Pro Tools 9 (an upgrade to 10 is imminent) with HD 3. A set of 5.1 Genelec 8240DSP monitors w/subwoofer were tuned for the room by Genelec and Mike Chafee of Michael Chafee Enterprises.

Available preamps include choices from Avalon, NPNG, Pacifica, Sytek, Millenia, and Focusrite, connecting to a treasure chest of classic and custom mics including a pair of DPA 4006-TL’s, a vintage AKG C-12 with original 6072 tube, Tab Funkenwerk UM 25 and UM 17 handbuilt by Oliver Archut with NOS Telefunken tubes, Neumann U87 and U89, AKG 414, Sennheiser 421S, and Royer R-122 Tube mic. Allesandro amps and cabinets, vintage guitars, a Yahama upright piano, and much more for the noisemakers are all on site.

Ready for the Pressure

While WSDG project manager Matt Ballos nailed down the studio’s acoustics (working closely with the local contractor who had never built acoustically-focused rooms before), Daniels worked with WSDG associate Judy Elliot-Brown of Rocket Science, and Mike Donahower on the wiring program and systems integration/installation. All the better to best handle what she identifies as the single-most daunting task on Monk Music’s menu of offerings.

“An ADR session can be extremely complex,” she points out. “It often requires you to send time code down the line, as you deliver the video into a part of the country with a different time zone. You are checking the synch, while you have pages and pages of lines close to each other, setting up leads in beeps, keeping track of the takes, which are moving fast because the artist needs to move fast. The director and three other people are in L.A., and another producer is over here. That, to me, is incredibly challenging in terms of focus and flow. I’m more relaxed recording a 60-piece orchestra on any given day!”

Sonic Sophistication Fit for the East End

But as it turns out, the difference in executing fast, painless ADR and VO for the mega-celebs that populate the Hamptons isn’t entirely about what she brings to the sessions – it’s also what they arrive with. “I’ve found that the more professional a person is, and the more experienced they are, the less they have to prove,” says Daniels. “What they really want is to do the job, so they can get out of here and go do what they want, without having to go all the way to Manhattan. No matter how famous the person is, your task is the same: You’re working with an artist, and your job is to make their job easier. As an engineer, you are facilitating – you are a facility.”

While it may be easy to channel some reverse snobbery of sorts at the Hamptons, the fact is that this collection of villages and hamlets on Long Island’s South Fork is a vibrant cultural beacon all its own. The serene beauty of the ocean and land have long served as a muse for American artistic giants ranging from Jackson Pollack and John Steinbeck to Billy Joel, a setting inspirational to an active East End music scene that stays creative year-round.

Daniels does her part to shed light on that scene with her MonkMusic Radio broadcast, which happens twice a month on WPPB 88.3 FM. “I’ve produced and recorded a lot of local artists, put them on the air, and its blossomed into something bigger than I ever expected,” relates Daniels, whose recent guests have included Nancy Atlas, Joe Delia and Garland Jeffries (go here to check out the archived broadcasts). “I’m really active in the community, and I’ve created a facility for the local musicians to come to. And I realized that I’m in service of something – service is not a penance, and everything they said is true: The more I give, the more I get.”

What Cynthia Daniels and the Hamptons have both gotten is a much-deserved sonic sanctuary. Finally in a home away from foam, her new wing is a wonderland where an accomplished career is taking flight once again.

“I’m feeling an advance in my level of creativity,” she confirms. “There’s something about the feeling of this space…it’s an amazing environment where musicians want to come, play live, and record with each other. I can spend innumerable hours a day here, and want to come back for more.”

– David Weiss   

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