Do No Harm
If you’re getting close to the end, remember to not undermine your own work.
Recording
Best Part Recording Use Case
Today I experienced the most powerful argument in favor part recordings since I’ve started making and using them.
Mix Notes
There comes a time in every mix when fresh ears are required.
Mixing Flowchart
In my down moments, I’m in the midst of mixing two albums…that means it’s flowchart time.
Is Reassurance Futile?
There are times when Seth Godin’s oft-repeated phrase is just wrong.
Studio Sessions vs. Rehearsals
How can you incorporate the effect of a studio session into rehearsal? Both I and my students hear differently in the studio. We all hear and seek to correct mistakes with an intensity not present at every rehearsal. We pace differently in the studio. There is still laughter and camaraderie […]
Again
Most of the time, the best instruction in a studio session is one word long. “Again.” Sometimes, “You can do it better. Again.” is more effective, but mostly the one word response is the way to keep the flow going. A good percentage of the time, you can skip speaking […]
Recording the Same River
“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” Heraclitus Working on a recording project with the Aces reminds me of this lesson in three ways. These are all good things. We want the music to have life, […]
Eyes Up
Where do you look when you’re mixing a concert? I learned this the hard way – by getting a stern correction from Steve Zegree during a concert – but maybe the only way to really learn it is by experiencing it both ways. The impulse of a sound engineer is […]
Today Might Not Be About Today
Sometimes the important work you do today isn’t what looks like the work. For example, today’s studio session was great – we tracked three songs for the Aces in three hours, plus a little bonus track really quickly at the end! They worked hard, grew, and put down some great […]