October 2007 Edition

Transcription

O CTOBE R
20 07
$5 . 95
CENTERCHANNEL
Y O U R
T R U S T E D
A D V I S O R
F OR
M U S I C
C R E AT ION
PREMIEREISSUE
ADD A
SUBWOOFER
to your
Stereo Setup
WHAT YOU
NEED TO KNOW
Before You Mix
$10,000 GEAR
SHOPPING SPREE
What Producer
Ed Cherney
Would Buy
REVOLUTIONARY
DISTRIBUTION
from TuneCore
Live Technical
Support from
OBEDIA
WHENEVER
YOU NEED IT
The Evolution
OF DRUM
MACHINES
Recording
Your Band
Live
3
Systems
That
Systems That
Get The Job Done
O CTOBE R
contents
20 07
22
40
30
FEATURES
BUSINESS
22 I SHOP LIKE A PRO
30 I OBEDIA ANSWERS THE CALL
Seasoned engineer/producer Ed Cherney offers a
musician/project studio owner advice on spending
$10,000 at Guitar Center
By Mel Lambert
34 I “WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN’ TRUCK!”
Practical Mobile Recording
Where to Turn When You Need a 24-7
High-Tech“Personal Trainer”
By Charles Conte
HOW-TO
50 I WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE A GREAT MIX
by Eric Elwell
Before You Turn the Knobs, Tune Your Perception.
40 I FROM STEREO TO 2.1
By Michael Fleming and John Merchant
Integrate a Subwoofer into Your Monitor Setup.
By Michael Marans
IT DOESN’T END HERE. FOR MORE INFO, PLEASE VISIT
46 I DREAM DISTRIBUTION
www.guitarcenter.com/centerchannel
TuneCore Up-Ends the Traditional Music Industry Model
By Charles Conte
Cover photo by Robert Granger
DEPARTMENTS
6 I EDITORIAL In Pursuit of the Moment
8 I BRIEFS
[4]
GUITA R
C E N T E R
by Bryan Bradley
C E N T E R
C H A N N E L
12 I STUDIO STORIES After Hours, HollyView
58 I LEGACY The History of Drum Machines
editor’s letter
IN PURSUIT OF
THE MOMENT
We've all experienced the Moment. Some of us greet it with disbelief, constantly considering small refinements that will bring perfection closer. Others border on indifference, acknowledging it only
with the addition of the word "final" to the file name before hitting
Save and moving on to something else. Still others embrace it, taking the time to appreciate the significance of the accomplishment
and enjoy it. No matter how you choose to experience it, we can all relate to that
precise moment in time when a project is finally finished.
I imagine it to be a similar feeling to summiting a mountain or crossing the finish
line of a marathon. And while I can't tell you exactly what it feels like to finish a
marathon (I run only when chased), I know all about the Moment. It's two parts
sense of accomplishment mixed with one part what do I do now...and it's nothing
short of magical.
When we first sat down to conceptualize this magazine we started with the
Moment. Our goal was to create something that would surround it, providing education, inspiration, and entertainment while not stepping on it. Inside these pages you'll
find great ideas on improving your mixes as well as the monitoring in your studio. We
interview industry leaders that are developing new models on music distribution and
technical product support. We take a look at the evolution of legacy products like
drum machines that have shaped the modern project studio and have now come full
circle back to their analog origins. Anyone who's ever tried to take his or her studio on
the road knows what a challenge mobile recording can be. Whether you're into hardware-based recording, software-based recording, or comfortable in both worlds,
we've put together three great systems that will work in any environment.
We also reached out to many of the professionals in the industry to find out what
they think. Seventeen-time Grammy-nominee Rafa Sardina gives us a detailed look
at his personal home studio space. Douglas Gorlin gives us a tour of his Hollyview
Studios in the Hollywood Hills above Los Angeles. And legendary Producer Ed
Cherney spent some time in his studio and at GC Hollywood with Guitar Center
Counsel Mike Pendleton (at GC, even our attorneys are passionate audiophiles!) discussing what they would buy with a $10,000 GC gift card. And through all of it, the
most interesting thing was no matter what we were discussing, be it gear, production, tech support, distribution, etc., the stories always came back to the Moment.
We hope you enjoy this issue. If you have any questions about anything you find
in here, want to check out the latest gear, or simply want to talk about your latest
Moment, drop by your neighborhood Guitar Center or check us out online at
GuitarCenter.com.
Bryan Bradley
Director, Pro Audio/Recording Merchandise
Guitar Center, Inc.
CENTERCHANNEL
Y O U R
T R U S T E D
A D V I S O R
F OR
M U S I C
GUITA R
C E N T E R
C E N T E R
C H A N N E L
C R E AT ION
OCTOBER 2007
$5.95
PUBLISHER
Margaret Sekelsky
[email protected]
Get inspired at your local Guitar Center.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Frank Wells
[email protected]
615-848-1769
EDITORS
Bryan Bradley
Darren Feldman
MANAGING EDITOR
Anthony Savona
[email protected]
CONTRIBUTORS
Charles Conte, Mel Lambert, Michael Marans,
Eric Elwell, Michael Fleming, Curtis Berry,
John Merchant, H. Stevens
ART DIRECTOR
Todd Berkowitz
[email protected]
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Ariel Steinberg
[email protected]
ADVERTISING SALES
Tara Preston
212-378-0456
[email protected]
Karen Godgart
323-868-5416
[email protected]
NEWBAY MEDIA
GROUP PUBLISHING DIRECTOR
Adam Goldstein
[email protected]
C414B/XLS
AKG’s renowned C414 has been the microphone of choice for thousands of hit records.
The new C414B/XLS has the highest sensitivity, lowest noise, and greatest dynamic range
in AKG’s 60 year history.
akg.com
LSR4300
PRODUC E D BY:
NewBay Media
810 Seventh Ave. 27th Floor
2 Color - Pantone
/ Black
York,
NY 10019
New 1797
212-378-0400 / www.nbmedia.com
Copyright (c) 2007
Newbay Media
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Guitar Center’s Center Channel is published by
NewBay Media L.L.C, located at 810 7th Avenue, NY, NY 10019.
All product information is subject to change; publisher
assumes no responsibility for such change. All listed model
numbers and product names are manufacturers’ registered
trademark. The publisher does not take responsibility for any
of the products advertised within.
PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
[6]
The way your mix should be. For decades, three legendary
names have been heard in the worlds top recording studios
and have been inspired to give you the tools to take your
recordings to the highest level. When the output needs to be
as pure as what you put in, AKG, JBL, and Lexicon are the
clear choice.
The LSR4300 series combines JBL’s 60 years of expertise in monitor design, and cutting-edge
technology to produce the first studio monitor that tunes itself to your recording environment.
The result: Exceptional accuracy and better mixes in any room.
jblpro.com
Omega
The Lexicon Omega transforms your computer into a professional 24-bit digital recording
studio, with the famed quality and Lexicon sound heard on the worlds top recordings.
lexiconpro.com
briefs
these machines is a wide variety of
great drum sounds and sizes,” explains
Tony. “Yamaha likes to focus on their
legendary line of acoustic drums, so we
filled an enormous studio with everything they manufacture — different
combos of drum heads and sizes of
drums. It’s a very long, tedious process,
but there’s only one way to do it right. It
can easily take a few days to get the
number of samples they require.”
To accurately capture the behavior of
a drum, the samples need multiple hits.
“Each drum requires a very large
dynamic range and different velocities,”
he says, “so you’re getting many multiTony V’s expertise behind his hybrid drumkit makes him the ideal sample creator for Yamaha.
ple samples from every drum or cymbal. There’re so many different variables
they need to record and capture.”
Tony also works with the engineers
after the sessions, assisting in postTony Verderosa, better known as Tony V, has been a pioneer of mod- production to make sure all the samples are an accurate represenern drumming for many years, creating his signature style by cut- tation of a real-time set. “I’m involved in the post-production, cutting
ting up beats, vocals, and digitally sampled sound effects that he them up, EQ, mastering, and making sure they play just right when
triggers using electronic and acoustic drums to create a different you map them onto a keyboard or electronic drum,” says Tony.
show each time. His intensity behind his kit and the complexity of
For many projects, Tony finds himself using the kits he helped
his compositions has helped him gain critical acclaim worldwide.
create samples for, even using the kits for many of his live
It has also brought him to the attention of Yamaha, who has shows. “I’ve done a lot of things in clubs where it’s just the drums
sponsored him for many years as a drummer, recording artist, and me. Sometimes I hear the samples somewhere and I’ll
and producer. Over the years, Yamaha has sought Tony’s creative remember the session. I could be half way around the world and
input on a number of product development projects. For I’ll remember how I created that layer of sounds.”
Yamaha’s latest DTXtreme series electronic drum kit, Tony was
For more information on Tony V, visit www.tonyverderosa.com
invited to add beats and sounds.
or www.dtxperience.com. If you’re a Comcast Cable Video On
When creating the samples for electronic drum kits, Tony had to Demand (VOD) subscriber, you can catch Tony Verderosa Live in
go through an extensive process with Yamaha’s engineers to get NYC on the “A&R Channel.”
For more, visit www.guitarcenter.com/centerchannel.
an accurate offering of drum hits. “What we’re all looking for in
0SO1]\b`]Z4`SOY
BY RYAN ABELING
THE ART OF THE DRUM SAMPLE
4SSZZWYSg]ç`SZ]aW\UQ]\b`]Z]Tg]c`Q`SObWdWbg-BVS\R]a][SbVW\UOP]cbWb
2WUWRSaWU\¸a\Se!^`]TSaaW]\OZ[caWQQ`SObW]\e]`YabObW]\\]b]\Zg^`]dWRSa
bVS^S`TSQbdSVWQZST]`g]c`Q`SObWdWbgWbVSZâR`WdSWb
:Ogg]c`VO\Ra]\!O\RSf^S`WS\QScZbW[ObSQ]\b`]Z]Tg]c`[caWQOZS\RSOd]à
5]OVSOR(@WRSd]Zc[S]\[cZbW^ZSbÒQYaaW[cZbO\S]caZgASbOÔ\^]aWbW]\eWbV
bVSbeWab]TOY\]P;cbSa]Z]O\R`SQ]`RS\OPZSbÒQYaeWbVbVS^caV]TOPcbb]\
=^S\O\RbeSOYdW`bcOZW\ab`c[S\baO\RSTTSQba^ZcUW\aeWbV]cbbVS[]caS3dS\
OaaWU\O\Re`WbSOcb][ObW]\RW`SQbZgT`][bVS!Q]\b`]Zac`TOQS7TQ]\b`]ZWa\¸b
O\WaacSQVSQY]cbbVS!@OQYeVWQV^`]dWRSabVSaO[Se]`ZRQZOaa7=eWbV]cb
bVSQ]\b`]Zac`TOQSW\Oab`SO[ZW\SR CÒQY[]c\bOPZSW\bS`TOQS
Drawmer Celebrates 25 Years
>`]B]]Za:3a]TbeO`SW\QZcRSR&aW[cZbO\S]caQVO\\SZa]T7=
=dS`$dW`bcOZW\ab`c[S\baO\RSTTSQba^ZcUW\a/2/BA>274;727
O\RE]`R1Z]QY7=4Oab4W`SEW`SQ]\\SQbW]\ "PWb'$Y6h`Sa]ZcbW]\
Twenty-five years ago, Ivor Drawmer founded what would become one of the most celebrated and enduring pro audio
manufacturing companies in the world. Here is a quick look at Drawmer’s contributions to audio recording.
1982 — Drawmer revolutionized gating by introducing the DS201 Dual Noise Gate. >
1984 — The1960 Mic Pre-Amp/Vacuum Tube Compressor
1988 — The M500 Multi-Processor
1990 — DL241 Auto Compressor
1991 — DS404 Quad Noise Gate
1992 — The DL251 Auto Compressor
1993 — The DL441 Quad Auto Compressor Limiter
1994 — The 1961 Vacuum Tube Equalizer
1997 — The 1962 Digital Vacuum Tube Pre-Amp; The MX30 Gated/Comp/Limiter and
the MX40 Punch Gate (low-cost, entry-level dynamics processors that bring
Drawmer’s professional processing into a wider MI market place); Drawmer
Dynamic Plug Ins for ProTools
[8]
>]eS`SRPg>@=B==:A:3
1998 — MX50 Dual De-Esser; MX60 Front End One
1999 — DC2476
2000 — 1969 Tube Mic Pre Compressor
2001 — DS 501 Power Gate; Drawmer Six Pack Multi-Channel Surround Processor
2002 — M-Clock Master Clock
2003 — SP2120 Speaker Protector
2004 — 1968ME - 2-channel JFET Stereo Compressor; DA6 Balanced
Distribution Amplifier; DSL424 - double gate/compressor; D-Clock
2006 — Drawmer Three Sum Multi-Band High-End Processing
CÛÒRSb]bVS^]eS`]T!ObRWaQ]c\bSR^`WQW\Ub]ROg´
dWaWbeeeRWUWRSaWU\Q][UQ!
T]`[]`SW\T]`[ObW]\OP]cbbVWaa^SQWOZZW[WbSRbW[S]TTS`
RWUWRSaWU\Q][ %/dWRBSQV\]Z]Ug7\Q/ZZ`WUVba`SaS`dSR/dWR2WUWRSaWU\!!@OQY>`]B]]ZaO\R>`]B]]Za:3O`SSWbVS`bÒRS[O`Ya]``SUWabS`SR
bÒRS[O`Ya]T/dWRBSQV\]Z]Ug7\QW\bVSC\WbSRAbObSaO\R]`]bVS`Q]c\b`WSa/ZZ]bVS`bÒRS[O`YaQ]\bOW\SRVS`SW\O`SbVS^`]^S`bg]TbVSW``Sa^SQbWdS]e\Sà
>`]RcQbTSObc`Saa^SQW¿QObW]\aO\RagabS[`S_cW`S[S\baO`SacPXSQbb]QVO\USeWbV]cb\]bWQS
GUITA R
C E N T E R
C E N T E R
C H A N N E L
Introducing the new RØDE M3.
Designed with versatility in mind, the new RØDE M3 microphone is suitable for a wide range of
applications in both studio recording and live performance. Extremely low handling noise also makes
the M3 the perfect microphone for location recording and field reporting.
The M3’s switchable high-pass filter enables you to cut out any unwanted low-end sources, while the
three-step PAD (0,-10,-20dB) allows for the capture of loud sound sources.
With support for both 9v battery or phantom power, and a ten year warranty*, you can be sure that
your M3 is ready to work whenever and wherever you are.
Visit www.rodemic.com/m3 or drop in to your local Guitar Center to learn more.
my music
my studio
my story
MY RØDE
RØDE Microphones
(805) 566 7777
*online registration of microphone required
studio stories
>Always Play. Always Record.<
PRODUCER RAFA SARDINA
> Your Live Recording
Total Solution
OFFERS HIGH QUALITY
BY CURTIS BERRY
WITHOUT THE BIG BUDGET
Whether you’re performing, rehearsing or just jamming,
the Korg D888 Digital Recorder/Mixer delivers truly
great sounding live recordings. With this powerful,
portable recorder you can record 8 tracks at once
to capture the whole band. With 8 quality micpres and 8 individual outputs you can even use
the D888 as a mixer or in-line with the house PA
sound system without affecting the house mix.
After Hours Studios
los angeles, ca
After several years of cutting his
teeth at Hollywood's legendary
Oceanway Recorders and earning 17 Grammy nominations,
Rafa Sardina finally decided to
go out on his own and to set up a
professional recording environment within a home he recently
purchased in Los Angeles. With a
client list under his belt that
includes artists such as Luis
Miguel, Stevie Wonder, Sheryl
Crow, and Macy Gray, Rafa knew
it wouldn't take long before his
own After Hours Studio had its
own niche in the studio market.
Sardina, who is well versed in all
aspects of the recording arts but
especially gifted as a mix engineer/producer, identified a clear
opportunity to accommodate
bands and other music ensembles that simply didn't have the
budget to work at some the larger studios in the Los Angeles
area. He believed that if he
equipped his new space with the
right choice of gear and gave
artists the attention they needed, he would be able to succeed
in drawing the kind of clients he
wanted: those who demand high
quality, but often lack the associated ‘big-time’ budgets.
[12]
GUITA R
C E N T E R
D888
Grammy-nominated engineer/producer Rafa Sardina takes his work home
with him in his high-quality project studio.
To successfully meet this challenge, choosing the right tools was of critical importance.
“I really wanted to have the same tools as the top facilities, so I can do the same kind
of work.” One of the first major decisions he needed to overcome in his space was the
choice of a recording console. As a longtime fan of Solid State Logic (SSL), Rafa knew
that a large-format console was simply out of the question—both from a budget and
size perspective. However, in his mind, he knew that he simply could not accept anything less than SSL sonics.
A NEW BREED OF SSL
As a longtime client of GC Pro, Sardina turned to them for console advice, and decided
on SSL’s groundbreaking AWS 900+ digital hybrid. “Groundbreaking” is truly an accurate description in this case, for a few reasons. Until now, SSL has never manufactured a small-format console at such a competitive price point (around $100,000)
nor a desk that straddles both the analog and digital worlds so seamlessly. In addition to providing 24 channels (expandable to 48) of SSL’s legendary signal path
(derived from the 9000K SuperAnalogue circuitry), the AWS also functions as a dedicated MIDI controller for most DAW programs. Sardina says the controller was an
important feature in selecting his console: “I wanted to be able to combine a control
surface with a traditional analog mixer.”
The powerful feature set in the AWS 900+ could not have been a better fit for
Sardina’s studio since it provided all the analog preamps, inline compressors, and
EQs he had come to expect in an SSL, as well as the ability to mix “in the box,” yet still
using tactile faders and knobs. It also provided the same unrivaled sonics Sardina
was used to in their large-format consoles. “For mixing, I have always been a big fan
of the 9000 series and I have always appreciated the SSL’s sonics,” he says.
The AWS also helped save space, which was at a premium: “If I had gotten into a
larger format console, I wouldn’t have been able to accommodate all the related power
C E N T E R
C H A N N E L
And now when you purchase a D888, you’ll get the
acclaimed Cubase LE4 Music Production System software
absolutely FREE. So once you get back home, you’ll have all the
tools to edit, enhance, arrange, mix and master your live captured
performances. Looking for an easy-to-use, reliable way to record and
master your live performances? The D888 is your total solution.
Get Cubase LE4 FREE
with your D888 purchase.
Hurry – limited time offer!
> Find out more at www.korg.com/D888 or check one out for
yourself at your local Guitar Center.
> Future Proof Live Recording
MR-1000
Korg’s new, super-portable MR Professional Mobile
Recorders break new ground by providing 1-bit
recording technology for future-proof fidelity. The
hand-held MR-1 provides “take it anywhere” 1-bit
recording, while the mobile/tabletop MR-1000
delivers mobile recording, studio mastering and
archiving capabilities at an astonishing 1-bit/
5.6 MHz rate, doubling industry DSD recording
quality standards.
1-bit recording is the latest advancement in audio,
offering a frequency response of DC to 100 kHz and
dynamic range of 120 dB which exceeds even the best
analog tape recording systems. For the first time, the MR
recorders give you the chance to capture your
recordings/mixes with this technology.
MR-1 (shown with included CM-2
stereo condenser mic)
Korg’s innovative AudioGateTM software is
the solution for converting 1-bit recordings
into WAV and AIFF formats at various
bit-rates for use in your current projects,
and even offers real-time conversion and
playback of 1-bit files on any computer.
Both stereo MR recorders feature large internal hard drives
and USB 2.0 connectivity for fast and easy file sharing
with your computer. They also offer 16 and 24-bit
recording when needed, and even MP3 playback. With the
MR recorders your music and mixes will sound better than
ever before!
> Find out more at korg.com/MR1 and
korg.com/MR1000 or check one out for
yourself at your local Guitar Center.
©2007 Korg USA
316 S. Service Road,
Melville, NY 11747
www.korg.com • (631) 390-8737
Inspired to create. Created to inspire
studio stories
Powered Plug-Ins: Since 1957
88RS Ch
ann
trip
U. S. Army Photo
For monitors, Sardina relies on a more predictable, yet timetested solution. “I am a really big fan of the Yamaha NS10 monitors and have been using them for a long time.” He also
sourced a pair of Blue Sky midfields from GC Pro, which he says
are very smooth. Sardina has been using nearfields and midfields almost exclusively for the past 28 years: “There are very
few places where you can trust a really big monitoring system
— when you combine a huge monitoring system with a smaller control room, although my room is quite big, it can be difficult to fine tune.”
After Hours has a very respectable microphone arsenal, and
most of its mics were ultimately sourced from GC Pro. Sardina’s
mic closet includes Neumann M49’s and U47’s, and AKG C12’s,
which he finds particularly pleasing on drums.
For someone who comes from traditional, tape-based studios,
Sardina’s medium of choice at After Hours is none other than
Digidesign’s ProTools. “I used to rent a 1/2-inch or 1/4-inch
machine to get some of that natural tape saturation. But lately I
am finding that the convenience factor of being able to go back to
a mix and accommodate any required changes defeats the purpose of having analog tape around. More often than not, I now
only go back to analog if there is some special request.”
S
el
NEVE
W
NE
Features and functionality aside, nothing compares to an honest
opinion on actual performance. Sardina has had the console for
over a year, and gives the 900 AWS+ high marks: “It really delivers on all its promises — it has the same characteristics and the
same punch as the 9000 series. It really helped me integrate my
whole studio.” Sardina has a host of outboard gear to complement his system, including another analog sub mixer by
InnerTUBE audio. He also has a host of preamps to complement
those already found on the AWS, including Neve 1073’s and
1084’s, Focusrite 215’s and 110’s, and many others. His high-end
gear list includes preamps from Tim deParavichini’s Esoteric
Audio Research (EAR).
Having been a successful freelancer for many years, Sardina
is pleased that he has a comfortable, flexible space in which
to work. “I can do everything from tracking full bands to overdubbing and mixing — almost anything.” The studio is situated in a two-story space between his garage and the main
house in what was originally intended as an office space.
Inside, there is a 17- x 19-foot control room and a similarly
sized live room. Upstairs, there is a lounge where clients can
relax after a long session. The lounge often doubles as a second tracking area, and also includes an office.
His control room looks sideways onto the studio — this is
becoming more and more common practice in control
rooms that either employ 5.1 surround or which have large
DAW monitoring screens. “To me, this is the most comfortable and the best way to be situated, because we use large
screens for Logic and ProTools and all that,” he explains.
Acoustically, After Hours is suited to just about any genre,
but it is used predominantly for rock: “I am recording more
and more rock music, but I also do jazz and pop orchestra
sessions once in a while.” He admits that it is much harder
to pull off orchestral sessions in a smaller place, so when
this is required, he enlists the services of some of the larger studios downtown.
Sardina’s new space has had nothing but a positive effect
on his already loyal client base, although he still does enjoy
work as a freelancer occasionally — this gives him additional
revenue streams. “I still do lots of sessions as a freelancer —
so a percentage of my work is at my studio and also freelancing. After Hours makes the most sense when I get into my own
productions, but I do have clients on occasion who do want to
go other places that maybe have more space, tech support,
and a staff.
“It was important for me to be able to provide professional
quality to clients but at a reduced cost. Creatively speaking,
when I would work at some of the larger studios, I often didn’t
have as much time as I would have liked to accomplish a
given project due to budget constraints.” He says that one of
the most important visions he had in creating After Hours
was to accommodate lower budget projects into his agenda.
“Also, my plan is to get more and more into production, so it
became a good synergy with my place.
“I just want to keep working and doing what I do — I want to
keep producing new bands,” Sardina concludes. I would like to
get more into recording orchestral music and scoring for
movies where I can.” He says he appreciates the variety of
films, which now account for about 20 percent of his work.
“One film might have orchestral music and the next might have
hip-hop — I love this aspect.”
After Hours has fulfilled Sardina’s dream of having the
ability to be creative all the time, extending his talents to
produce a broader base of gifted artists. He has never been
better equipped to help his clients — both new and old — rise
■
to new heights.
Universal Audio continues its unique legacy of designing vintage, analog
hardware since 1957. UA’s 50 years of analog circuit know-how are
intelligently applied to design for the DAW domain. Our world-class
technology allows us to capture all of that coveted, analog tone. We call
this “Universal Analog Intelligence” or simply UAi™
Universal Analog Intelligence™
First we select a “golden unit,” renowned for its sonic
quality, and carefully research the original schematic
design blueprint, component by component.
Using our hand-coded, digital tool kit of tubes and
transformers, we literally rebuild the circuit, including
the authentic “circuit chaos.”
We also make a signal model, which measures how the
unit responds to test signals, and then replicate the
response. Most companies only make signal models.
We compare the signal model and circuit model to
ensure they converge. At this point, our model
theoretically behaves exactly like the hardware.
Finally, we A/B listen with industry professionals to
verify that our plug-in is a true “match” within the
unit-to-unit sonic variations of the original hardware.
3A
SIZING UP THE AWS 900+
STRETCHING OUT IN AFTER HOURS
NEW! LA-
supplies. Even though the AWS 900+ is on the small side, it is a
professional board that needs to be integrated properly. “GC Pro
helped out with the integration, and were very supportive all the
way throughout the process,” Sardina notes.
Let your ears be the judge. Get the pure, sonic nirvana of
classic audio hardware, made accessible and affordable in
AU, VST or RTAS plug-in formats. We invite you to read our
UAi whitepaper by Dr. David Berners at www.uaudio.com/uai
Universal Audio, Inc. www.uaudio.com
Scotts Valley, California [email protected]
Enter to win a UAD-Xpander Xtreme (a $2,599 value!)
or many other valuable UAD prizes! Please go to
www.uaudio.com/centerchannel
“Analog Ears, Digital Minds” 866-UAD-1176
©2007 Universal Audio, Inc. All rights reserved. Universal Audio, the Universal Audio logo, “Universal Analog Intelligence”, UAi, “Powered Plug-Ins”,
and "Analog Ears Digital Minds" are trademarks or registered trademarks of Universal Audio, Inc. All other trademarks property of their respective holders.
[14]
GUITA R
C E N T E R
C E N T E R
C H A N N E L
for details and entry form.
studio stories
BY CURTIS BERRY
Hollyview has been under design and construction for about three years, and was
conceived as Gorlin began to take a greater interest in production — bridging his
already very capable skills as a songwriter and musician. Having spent several years
recording and doing postproduction, he had seen plenty of other facilities and was
acutely aware of their shortcomings; these shortcomings usually had to do with the
fact that none of them could gracefully combine analog and digital in a way that was
truly efficient for the artist.
The evolution from songwriter/musician to recording studio owner was a gradual
one. One of the reasons Gorlin began to place more emphasis on recording and
production was because he wanted to help local musicians realize their creative possibilities, while creating new income opportunities for himself. With Gorlin’s background as a musician, it is not surprising that clients of Hollyview can take advantage of his vintage collection of instruments.
COMBINING ANALOG
AND DIGITAL IN A
TRULY EFFICIENT WAY
Doug Gorlin’s Hollyview Studios is based around an SSL AWS 900+ console.
STRIVING FOR PERFECTION
HOLLYVIEW Studios
los angeles, ca
Douglas Gorlin's Hollyview Studios
— which has been undergoing some
final technical refinements in
preparation of its grand opening —
effortlessly straddles both the digital and analog worlds. At the hub of
Hollyview, whose name aptly captures its leafy Laurel Canyon-based
environs, is an SSL AWS 900+ that
pulls it all together.
[16]
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“The studio has been undergoing many sophisticated changes over the last year and
a half,” says Gorlin of the ongoing developments occurring within Hollyview’s walls.
“We now have one of the most up-to-date places in Los Angeles. We wanted to take
the time to get the acoustics just right, so I brought in Grammy award-winning engineers and room tuners to make it happen. We have also been building a new room.”
Gorlin is confident that even the most discriminating clients will be pleased.
Gorlin has had a very clear vision of what Hollyview could be from the beginning:
“I wanted to combine analog recording equipment with digital recording technology,
and integrate them in a way that people can truly understand and utilize.” He
describes the frustrating experience he would often encounter as a musician working in other facilities: “Many times these places would actually separate the analog
from the digital with a physical wall. You’d have to keep changing rooms, transferring
material and media sources — this can be very confusing and also take a lot of time,”
he says. When time is spent sorting out these kinds of issues, the end result can
often be negatively impacted. “The vision of the song or the mix can get lost in technical confusion if you are not careful,” he adds.
C E N T E R
C H A N N E L
PAUL SANDWEISS
studio stories
Emmy ® Award - Winning mixer of:
INTEGRATING EFFICIENCY, CREATIVITY,
AND A FANTASTIC VIEW
Gorlin opines that an integrated approach can improve the creative flow, which should be a primary goal of any facility: “I
wanted to create an environment that possibly isn’t the cheapest place in town, but one where they can get their work done
hopefully faster than anywhere else.”
says. “The Big Ben, combined with the SSL, has given us the
closest thing possible to 2-inch tape — in fact, we think its
even better than 2-inch tape,” Gorlin observes.
The controller capability is also a very attractive feature for
Gorlin, who says that the idea of accommodating both a recording console and a controller can be overly taxing on available
space — especially on an engineer who wants to place his
focus on mixing rather than on multitasking. “I have a relatively confined space and really don’t have room to put all the
logistics in place for both a digital control surface and an analog mixing console. The engineer always needs to be in the
sweet spot, and the AWS has given us the ability ensure that
this is the case all the time,” he says.
American Idol ®
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Ray Charles Special
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Janet Jackson
All for You Special
PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER
Not only does Hollyview seamlessly integrate both new and
vintage technology, but it also lends a distinct nature vibe —
something that is relatively uncommon among studios in L.A.
“This is a very lush place to relax and write songs. The place is
full of giant windows and there is a great view of trees and the
Canyon. Not many studios can offer the kind of view and the
amount of natural light that is in here.”
Hollyview essentially consists of three rooms: a live drum
room, a control room, and a “dry” vocal room. Gorlin and his
team spent a lot of time to ensure that the control room is accurate and consistent. Currently, the studio’s monitors consist of
Genelec 1037c’s and the near ubiquitous Yamaha NS10M’s. As
for the vocal room, it is sized larger than most, since Gorlin finds
the typical “vocal booths’” to be somewhat constricting.
GC Pro assisted Gorlin with sourcing the console and getting it in
place. “They have been nothing short of excellent in their service and have been there for me for the duration.” Other gear
sourced from GC Pro for Hollyview includes an LA2A compressor
and 1176 limiter, both by Universal Audio, and mics that include
a Neumann M 149 and M 147, as well as some AKG C 414’s.
“GC Pro lets me borrow gear to check it out to see if I like it,”
says Gorlin, “even for speakers, which can be a hassle to
exchange if you don’t like them. Those guys accommodate
pretty much any request I ask of them, or they’re up front with
me if they can’t.”
COVERING ALL THE BASES WITH THE AWS 900+
SUMMING UP
Gorlin is very happy with his console choice, and sees the AWS
900+ as a groundbreaking, but highly professional unit. “I am
very happy SSL made something that was just 24 channels.
They didn’t make anything like that three or four years ago, and
if you didn’t have a half million dollars, you were out of luck.
This is the first time that for around 100 grand you can get in
at the highest professional level possible and make recordings
that sound exactly like the big SSLs.”
His AWS 900+, as well as a host of complementary equipment, was purchased from GC Pro. “I also purchased 24 channels of SSL submixing so we can do 48 channels ‘outside of the
box.’” Gorlin’s ultimate tracking medium is ProTools, with which
he has had great success in the past. “We have our ProTools
system [clocked to] an Apogee Big Ben, which is jitter-free,” he
Gorlin says that while mixing projects are emphasized at
Hollyview, the studio can handle just about any task. “We can
do most anything here, but I like to direct most of the work
toward mixing and vocal overdubs. We want to be known for
perfect mixes — even better than perfect mixes. We also want
to integrate audio and digital at the highest possible level.”
As for where he would like to see the studio go, Gorlin has a
clear path forward: “I’d like to get Grammy award-winning engineers to come here and mix — it’s really incredible here.”
[18]
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When the mission is flawless mix-down of live music performances, the producers of America’s top rated TV shows call Paul
Sandweiss and his team at Sound Design Corporation. To make sure there are no surprises when he views the shows at home,
Paul relies on JBL LSR6300 Series Studio Monitors on the gig. “I work in a lot of environments and my monitoring set-up is
critical. Not only do the JBL LSRs get the job done, when clients come in, they love the sound. The LSRs have great low end,
warm midrange and airy sweet highs that allow me to put a little more love on my mixes. I can mix sixteen hours a day with no
fatigue. The RMC ™ Room Mode Correction is very helpful in situations where we have to get in quick and get going. It gets us
closer faster. We just got a set of the new LSR4300 series and the automated RMC makes set up really easy. It’s about knowing
the mixes will translate, and the JBL LSRs work really well for us, on location and in our five control rooms at Sound Design.”
Hear why Emmy ® Award - winning mixer Paul Sandweiss relies on the LSR Series Studio
Monitors. Visit www. JBLPRO.com/LSR
Curtis Berry is a New York-based freelance writer who covers
music production, audio postproduction, and commercial recording. He can be contacted via email at [email protected].
®
7
American Idol ®, Billboard Music Awards ®, Grammy Awards ® and Emmy ® are all registered trademarks
of their respective owners. Use of the trademarks and artists’ names above is a factual statement made
without permission and not an endorsement, sponsorship or association of the registered trademark
owner or artists of/with JBL Incorporated or Harman International Industries, Incorporated.
www.eventelectronics.com
(805) 566 7777
The Studio Precision 8 monitor is designed to provide precise stereo imaging and exceptional clarity.
Its flat frequency response and delivery of uncolored sound offers a true sonic reference
to ensure that you have the optimal platform for your mix.
www.solid-state-logic.com
shopping spree
Ed Cherney needs little introduction. He served as music
producer on the new Rolling Stones multiple-DVD offering,
The Biggest Bang, which was recorded at a number of venues, ranging from Austin to Shanghai. He also mixed the
soundtrack for the hit movie Hairspray, and recently
returned from recording the Crossroads Guitar Festival from
Chicago, with Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, John Mayer, Jeff
Beck, and others. (He is currently mixing the tracks in stereo
and surround for a late-Fall DVD release, plus a TV broadcast.)
Built from the stuff that
studio dreams are made of
SHOP
LIKE
A PRO
Seasoned engineer/producer
Ed Cherney offers a musician/
project studio owner advice
on spending $10,000
at Guitar Center
Story and Photos By Mel Lambert
“I have always found it extremely useful to hear the thoughts of
professionals about what type of equipment is necessary to create professional-level recordings,” says Mike Pendleton, attorney
by vocation, musician and project studio owner by avocation. To
that end, we matched Pendleton with Ed Cherney, with Pendleton
asking the question: “How would you spend a (hypothetical)
$10,000 Guitar Center Gift Card?” The pair discussed gear essentials and options during a visit at Village Recorders, and on a joint
shopping trip to Guitar Center Hollywood.
ple of large-diaphragm condenser models available for vocals
and lead instruments — Audio-Technica makes several good
ones; maybe the AT4050 or AT4060 models, or the Shure KSM44
— or Royer R-121 and R-122 ribbons. I also like to have some
dynamic models for loud, powerful sources, such as guitar
amplifiers and drums; the Shure Beta58A, SM57, and SM7 models represent good starting points. The SM7 is great for problematic singers and when you want to record a live vocal in the control room with the speakers blasting. It’s very directional and forgiving... and inexpensive.
“Most musicians recording their own material are working on
their own; they get a computer workstation, but are unfamiliar
with the way an instrument should sound. Is that how a drum
sounds? Is that a lead vocal? You are kind of guessing. So do your
homework and listen to things that you like; try and emulate
those sounds. Find a performance on a CD that you admire and
then try to emulate that — to reach in and see if you can work out
drum sounds, for example. And listen to a great vocal — or a guitar solo — and try and cop what that sounds like.
“You are looking for microphones that you can rely upon to
XLogic Alpha Analogue products feature our unique VHD technology, a 100% analogue circuit that adds a variable blend of 2nd or 3rd
harmonic distortion to your signal. At relatively low input gain settings ‘VHD’ preamps deliver ultra-clean recordings. Increase the
input gain and adjust the VHD control and you can inject your source recordings with anything from ‘50s valve-style overdrive through
to hard-edged ‘70s transistor-style grit - or any blend of the two.
Designed by the engineers behind our legendary recording consoles, the new XLogic Alpha range brings the ‘big
record sound’ of SSL to your home or project studio at a surprisingly affordable price. Alpha VHD Pre adds four SSL
mic preamps to any line level DAW audio interface, transforming it into a high quality, multi-channel SSL analogue
recording system. Alpha Channel is a classic console-style channel strip, with analogue & digital outputs and all the
features you need to record great vocal and instrument tracks.
BASIC MICROPHONE CHOICES
Cherney offers that “a couple of condensers and some dynamics
mics, plus a great-sounding preamp, converters, and analytical
monitor speakers” are a good starting point. “Given their critical
importance,” Cherney offers, “I’m often surprised at how little
money gets spent on some good-quality microphones. They are
essential ‘windows’ onto your musical world. I like to have a cou-
Find out more about bringing the SSL sound to your studio at www.solid-state-logic.com/xlogic
XLogic Alpha. This is SSL.
Personal Shopper: Ed Cherney (right) gives advice to Mike Pendleton.
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Oxford +44 (0)1865 842300 New York +1 (1)212 315 1111 Los Angeles +1 (1)323 549 9090 Paris +33 (0)1 48 67 84 85 Milan +39 039 2328 094 Tokyo +81 (0)3 5474 1144
shopping spree
secure an accurate representation of the vocal or lead instrument being recorded. People often make the mistake of not listening to the source being covered; go out into the recording
space and listen to what the vocalist sounds like — or the
acoustic guitar, for example — and then listen back on headphones or monitor speakers that you absolutely trust. If the
microphone doesn’t capture every nuance of the performance,
then choose something else.”
“I’ve tried the AKG C414 large-diaphragm condenser with good
success,” Pendleton reports. “And also Neumann KM 183/184
cardioid small-capsule condensers.”
ENHANCING THE ANALOG FRONT-END
large diaphragm and a good preamp. Use some headphones to
evaluate the mic and preamp combination before it goes into the
converters. Try it on your own voice — or a good female or tenor
vocal; you are gonna know immediately if it sounds good or not!”
In terms of specific brands, Cherney reports good results from
AMS-Neve, Universal Audio’s LA-610 Tube Recording Channel, and
Cranesong — “they make the Flamingo, a high-quality, 2-channel
discrete Class A mic preamp. It is capable of emulating vintage
sounds as well as creating distinctive new ones. Universal Audio
is making preamps that have character and personality.”
“When I started using more expensive preamps,” Pendleton
adds, “everything started to sound ‘bigger’ and ‘warmer.’”
“It’s a dramatic improvement,” Cherney agrees. “If you have
(
UNMASKED
LISTEN AND COMPARE ONLINE
But there’s an even better way to appreciate the warmth, power, clarity and
sensitivity that make each 40 Series model so individual: Listen for yourself.
We’ve posted audio samples on our web site so you can experience the
distinctive sound of each microphone.
Inspired sound. It’s what the 40 Series is all about.
Listen in at www.audio-technica.com.
AT4033/CL
AT4050
A Studio Classic
Multi-pattern Condenser
Back in 1992 when Audio-Technica
introduced the AT4033, it was the
microphone that began the revolution
in price/performance standards for
professional side-address condensers.
With three switchable polar patterns,
the AT4050 exhibits a remarkable
combination of qualities: high-SPL
capability with transparent and airy
uppers/mids complemented by rich
low- end qualities.
AT4040
AT4047/SV
AT4060
Technically Advanced Large Diaphragm
Vintage F. E.T. Sound
Modern Tube Technology
A blend of technical precision and artistic
inspiration, the AT4040 offers exceptionally
low noise, wide dynamic range and highSPL capability for greatest versatility.
The rich, warm sound takes you
back to the classic F. E.T. studio
microphones. But there’s nothing
remotely old-fashioned about the
technology behind that vintage sound.
Audio-Technica’s AT4060 cardioid
vacuum tube condenser offers
exacting detail, superb clarity and
superior dynamic range in a classic
tube design.
Introducing the First
Audio Interface Cable
StealthPlug is the first compact 1/4” jack to USB audio interface
cable for guitar and bass players to plug into the world of
software-based amp/effects modeling and recording. Includes 6
software and sound packages for a complete studio enviroment
to start making great music right out of the box!
www.stealthplug.com
www.audio -technica.com
GUITA R
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C H A N N E L
)
From the outside, the side-address condensers in Audio -Technica’s
acclaimed 40 Series look pretty much identical: One elegant, acoustically
ideal case design. That’s the way our engineers wanted it — so they could
concentrate all resources under the hood, where the distinct character of
each microphone is born. This left us with the challenge of differentiating
near look- alikes in our ads. Solution: We’ve opened up the hoods to give
you a tour through five unique interior landscapes. Check our web site for
a closer look.
“If you can get a good signal into the workstation,” Cherney concedes, “the production will end up sounding a whole lot better.
That lens you are using to show the outside world your vision is
critical. An important element in that chain is a good preamplifier. Get the best preamp you can afford; something with good
headroom for vocals and anything with a lot of dynamic content.
The mic preamp is not a place where you skimp on money.”
“A lot of people don’t appreciate the differences between different mic preamps,” Pendleton concedes. “What do you listen for?”
“Fuzz,” Cherney replies. “In my experience, digital can be a
fuzzy medium; it is really difficult to get it to sound clear and
dynamic. Which is why I like a condenser microphone with a
[24]
4 0 SERIES :
shopping spree
the right mic, the right preamp, and the right converter, then you
don’t need a lot of EQ. The secret is to get it as clean as you can
— or as full or as big or as present — and don’t mess with too
much EQ, aside from creative use of plug-ins inside the workstation. If you can figure out how to do that, you’re way ahead of the
game. All the great records come from sounds that were captured on the floor before they went into the box.”
A-TO-D CONVERTERS
“Do you need to spend serious bucks on converters?” Pendleton
queries. “Or are there low-cost alternatives? What separates a
good converter from a ‘so-so’ converter?”
“There is a lot of black magic about converters,” Cherney concedes. “It is really important to please your ears; to create your
own truth and not believe what people tell you. That’s what separates the great engineers from mediocre ones — their perception
and their ability to trust that perception. Many neophyte users do
not have that perspective.”
“That is how I started recording,” Pendleton concurs. “I read
product reviews to get information on specific converters, and
what other people were using — you need to get in and hear it for
yourself before you believe it — but it’s a start.”
“Yes,” Cherney agrees, “you have to trust yourself. It is often
helpful to bring in a CD you are trying to emulate, transfer the
song onto a couple of DAW tracks, and then compare them with
what you’re working on. It will give you a lot of information that
you are at least in the ballpark, and what you are doing is palatable. Also that what you are recording will play back on other
media — headphones, in the car, and so on — to make sure that
it translates to the outside world.
Ed Cherney’s final $10,000
“Shopping-Spree Package”
Item
Brand/Model
Two large-diaphragm
condenser mics
AKG C414B
AKG C414B
One ribbon mic
Royer R-121 ribbon
Four dynamic mics Shure Beta58A
Shure SM57
Shure SM57
Shure SM7
Mic pre-amplifier/
EQ/dynamics
channel strip
Universal Audio
Tube LA-610
Ultra-precision
A-to-D converter
Apogee
Rosetta 200
Analytical
powered monitors
Adam P11A (pair)
Acoustic treatment Auralex panels
Reference
headphones
Audio-Technica
ATH-M50 (2 pairs)
TOTAL
GC Pro Price
$950
$950
$1295
$160
$100
$100
$350
$1500
$1795
$2000
$500
$300
$10,0 00
a home-studio setup?” Pendleton asks.
“External processing is important to me,” Cherney concedes,
“because it’s very difficult for me to mix entirely within the box.
Currently, you can improve the sound by mixing and processing
outside the box, using tube equipment or [gear with] transformers or Class A circuits. Yes, there are people that make stunning
music entirely inside the box, but you need to find your own
technique — work inside or outside the box; select the processing that works for you, etc.
“For the Hairspray project, I used a combination of inside and outside of the box; I mixed on an analog console, but using EQ, compression, and some automation inside the box. But this was music
that was well recorded in a large, great-sounding room — so I had to
be true to that aesthetic. But if it’s a pop project, for example, I can
use pretty much anything because there are no basic references
and the sky’s the limit. I like the Empirical Labs Lil Freak EQ — it’s a
great EQ/de-esser/tape saturation emulator for the money.”
WORKSTATION PLUG-INS —
CAN WE EVER HAVE TOO MANY?
“Apogee is a popular, well-built brand of converter — I use AD/DA16X with the Big Ben Clock — but there are a lot of claims being
made for stand-alone converters. You really have to listen to the
boxes and trust your ears on the types of music you are doing.”
EXTERNAL SIGNAL PROCESSORS
“Having gotten your signals into the box — whether it’s ProTools,
Logic, Nuendo, or Cubase workstation, for example — are external analog equalizers and signal processors a useful addition for
[26]
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CLASS. CLARITY. CONTROL.
“What basic plug-ins should we be looking at for mixing our projects?” Pendleton asks.
“You need a good equalizer,” Cherney considers. “The plug-in
should be easy-to-use, and not use up too much DSP. WAVES
plug-ins are great, and I’m partial to Universal Audio — I think
they do an unbelievable job. The UA DreamVerb’s chamber and
EMT 140 programs plus Roland Dimension D for the UAD-1 DSP
card are great-sounding. The UA’s Neve 1073 EQ and Neve 33609
compressor/limiter are very powerful, especially for buss compression and vocals; they are as easy to use as twisting a knob.
24 Bit/192 kHz Audio Interface I High-End Cirrus Logic ® AD/DA Converters
3 Freely-Assignable Buttons, Controller Knob I Sophisticated Controller Assignment
“Quite simply, the NI AUDIO KONTROL 1 is all you need. Add a laptop
and a guitar and write your next record. Point it to your iTunes and spin
a DJ set that will bring the house down. I love it, I use it, and it rocks.”
Billy Morrison, Camp Freddy / Circus Diablo
www.native-instruments.com
shopping spree
Achieve Perfection.
I also like the Celemony Melodyne3 Studio Edition.
“There are a lot of affordable plug-ins. My best advice it to try
them on a project. I’m not going to say, ‘Use this one and your
record will be a hit.’ That would be a lie.”
“Reverb plug-ins are always a difficult choice,” agrees
Pendleton. “UA and Eventide’s Anthology II bundle sounds very
realistic. The TC System 6000 plug-ins are wonderful.”
“The TC Electronic [DVR2 Digital Vintage Reverb for ProTools
and PowerCore] that models the EMT 250 sounds really, really
good,” adds Cherney. “For $1500, including the processing card,
you get some great-sounding reverbs.”
A REFERENCE MONITORING SYSTEM
“Good monitors are extremely important,” Cherney stresses. “I
hear tracks where it is obvious that the producers have not been
listening on full-range speakers. They are missing a lot of problems: buzzes and pops, high-frequency squeals, and so on that I
absolutely know they didn’t hear on their own loudspeakers.”
some material you know and like, and listen to a bunch of them.
Spend the time to make sure that they give results your ear likes.
I use KRK E8B’s plus Adam, Event, Blue Sky, JBL LSR Series, and
Yamaha NS-10’s; there are a lot of firms making good speakers.”
“Do we need subwoofers?” asks Pendleton.
“You need to mix for the average playback,” Cherney reasons.
“But it is essential to hear the low-end that you’re putting onto
your tracks. Your mixes may sound good in the car and on an
iPod, but you have to make sure that you have a reference system that’s set up properly — maybe with subs — so that whatever you produce will translate to other types of environments. Get
to know your space and make sure that it produces good results.
“Try printing your mix and listening to it on as many speakers as
you can. Convert it to MP3 and listen to the files on an iPod. Listen
in the car; listen at your friend’s house; listen on computer speakers.
There is often a compromise in getting your mixes to sound good on
expensive as well as cheaper loudspeakers. But you cannot
assume that everybody is listening on reference loudspeakers.”
“The car mix is the hardest because the speaker layout is so different,” Pendleton offers, “and the bass response might be lacking.”
“No matter whether you are working in a $20 million studio or
a $20 studio,” Cherney emphasizes, “go check it in the car. If it
sounds good there it will translate, because these days that’s the
listening space for our culture. And on an iPod with ear-buds.”
AT THE CHECKOUT
The perfect sound requires the finest equipment—
Guitar Center®
Preferred Player Card
As a Preferred Player Cardmember, you receive:
• No Annual Fee
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So we come to our final summary: How would Ed Cherney spend
his target $10,000 to enhance the sound of a basic home-studio
setup? The companion sidebar on page 26 lists his final selection.
“As with preamps,” Pendleton suggests, “is this an area on
which to focus your equipment budget?”
“Absolutely,” Cherney confirms. “You can spend $40,000 or
$50,000 or $60,000 on speakers — but I don’t think that you
have to! Most people are now using powered loudspeakers —
which is not a bad thing because it makes them portable. But you
have to do your homework and not just read the blurbs — take
Mel Lambert has been intimately involved with production and
broadcast industries on both sides of the Atlantic for more years
than he cares to remember. Now principal of Media&Marketing,
a Los Angeles-based consulting service for the professional
audio industry, he can be reached at mel.lambert@
MEDIAandMARKETING.com.
the participants
The “Professional” — Grammy- and
TEC Award-Winning Producer/Engineer Ed Cherney
Ed Cherney has amassed six Grammy nominations and two Awards
for engineering 1992’s “Record of the Year,” Eric Clapton’s “Tears
In Heaven,” and coveted “Best Engineered Album” award in 1994 for
Bonnie Raitt’s Longing In Their Hearts. He has also been honored
with eight TEC award nominations and four wins, as well as three
Emmy nominations for his work on Bonnie Raitt’s broadcast of
Road Tested, HBO’s The Rolling Stones Live From Madison Square
Garden, and Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival from Dallas
in 2005. Recent Grammy-nominated credits include mixing Susan
Tedeschi’s Hope and Desire.
A founding member of the Music Producers Guild of America,
Cherney is also a former Governor of the L.A. Chapter of the
Recording Academy.
The “Amateur” — Attorney and Guitarist Michael Pendleton
Shortly after hearing the first Van Halen album on an old 8-track
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player, Michael Pendleton decided that he needed to play guitar.
“There was something about a heavy guitar sound that was soothing to me,” he recalls. “I determined pretty early on it was the
sound of the music — rather than the content — that was of interest to me.” Having attended Harvard University in the late-’80s,
Pendleton faced a critical choice. “I held acceptance letters to law
school in one hand and Berklee College of Music in the other. I
decided that my ability to eat would be increased by relying on a
law career rather than my musical talent.”
Currently, Pendleton is Guitar Center’s Senior Corporate
Counsel, based at the retailer’s Westlake Village, CA, corporate HQ.
In addition to informal music that he records for himself, he produces demos and independent releases. His current project setup
includes a custom AMD dual-core PC running Digidesign ProTools
HD|2 with HD 192 I/O and Apogee Rosetta 96k converters, plus two
Universal Audio UAD-1’s and a TC Powercore DSP card, a Manley
Voxbox, and Neve 1272 preamp from Vintech Audio, working into
Mackie HR824 monitors.
www.guitarcenter.com/applynow.
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These are the words of Mike, a singer/guitarist from
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resolve this issue quickly, I might have to cancel my
upcoming gig. I was about to panic.” In the twilight/latenight/early morning world of the practicing musician,
this is a harrowing, if not unfamiliar scenario: error message or glitch, near panic, and, then, “What do I do?”
The general response to literally hundreds of situations
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musicians and major digital audio software and hardware
companies that is now partnered with Guitar Center.
Formed three years ago by industry friends and partners — former CEO of Steinberg North America (eight
years) Steve Garth, Grammy-nominated engineer/programmer/producer Fred Maher, and manager of a highend rental motion picture services company in Burbank,
Jayce Murphy — OBEDIA goes miles beyond the concept
of a manufacturer’s warranty. For people who make
music using computers, the company offers itself as a
personal trainer — the person who’s always there, just
over your shoulder, ready to guide you through an issue,
any time of day or night.
Since partnering with Guitar Center (GC), OBEDIA has
broadened and extended its reach further to where it
always aimed to be: in direct contact with people making music.
Now every person who walks out of any one of GC’s
210 stores with a box under his or her arm — any form
of DAW or computer recording product — has the option
of taking home a customized OBEDIA service contract
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GUITA R
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control on a 24/7 basis. (The company will also make house calls in certain areas if special arrangements are made in advance.)
Here’s how it works: First off, and very importantly, online registration
for one of OBEDIA’s custom support packages begins with the customer
supplying detailed information about his or her hardware and software
system(s). This information is updateable by the customer online
(www.obedia.com), at anytime, and on the phone with support personnel,
and the clock doesn’t tick during necessary updates.
By the clock, OBEDIA support plans available in GC stores and on the GC site
(and at Musiciansfriend.com) come in 30-, 65-, 140-, and 230-minute packages, ranging in price from $49.99, $99.99, $199, and $299, respectively.
The very modest per-minute dollar figure for global, 24/7 expert support
and consultation is based on a simple logic: “If you are a professional
musician, what is your time worth to you?,” and “If you are a professional
in another field who just happens to want to make music, what is your
leisure time worth to you?” The pricing logic has been well received by
both novice musicians as well as pros.
But the main benefit to customers, and something they get nowhere
else, is OBEDIA’s global, 24/7 availability. Call, and you get a live person
immediately. (OBEDIA guarantees a return call by a technician within
10 minutes or less and 100 percent satisfaction with all their services.)
“People make music on the weekends, late at night, or whenever
inspiration strikes,” says Garth.
“So that’s when we have
to be there.”
In a world
that is not
exactly
plugand-
C H A N N E L
business
play, where a customer buys a
computer recording product that
comes bundled with software
from various manufacturers, getting everything to work together
can be a real issue. And here, says
Garth, the truly independent OBEDIA and its service experts have a
huge advantage over tech support personnel tied to a particular
manufacturer, and knowledge of
only that manufacturer’s gear.
Some of the calls that OBEDIA support personnel take involve
troubleshooting problems, obviously, but many — most, in fact
— involve, “How do I...?” questions. And, for a number of reasons,
OBEDIA personnel have the skills to move beyond troubleshooting to the only question that really matters: “How do I record?”
Compare and contrast, as the high school essay instructions
say: Take the most common example of a manufacturer’s tech support person reading from a script somewhere in India. Then take
OBEDIA support personnel, drawn from the ranks of practicing
musicians and engineers working out of studio environments and
chosen for their customer service skills, who are literally plugged
into the products they support. Who are you gonna call?
“It’s quite a liberating experience,” says Garth, regarding support not tied to a manufacturer, “liberating for the customer as
well as the tech.
“Eighty percent of our customer contacts are training calls,” he
says. “Nothing beats having your own personal trainer for optimizing the learning experience. That’s what people love about
what we do. OBEDIA empowers people to make music.”
But wait! What happened to Mike, the singer/guitarist with
the Cubase error message on Sunday evening and gig on
OBEDIA co-founder Fred Maher is a also Grammy-nominated producer.
Friday? “Then, I remembered OBEDIA,” he writes. “I had recently
bought a 30-minute block of time from Guitar Center. I thought,
‘What do I have to lose?’ So, I called OBEDIA for the first time.”
Mike’s problem (a Syncrosoft driver had been removed) was
solved in minutes after an OBEDIA dispatcher hooked Mike up
with the appropriate technician.
“About 15 minutes later,” Mike writes, “I was getting no sound
from a project that I was working on. I called OBEDIA back.” The
dispatcher got the technician Mike was working with to call back.
He quickly discovered that the driver for the PreSonus Fire Box
A Store and a Virtual
Company Come Together
As a startup, OBEDIA was able to establish business-tobusiness agreements with major music software and
hardware manufactures right out of the gate — Sony,
AMD, TC Electronic, and TASCAM, to name a few. “This
was a necessity of sorts that grew out of our relationships with various manufacturers,” says Garth, “But it
OBEDIA
also served as a natural jumping off point toward our
co-founder ultimate goal, reaching out to customers directly.”
Steve Garth
While at Steinberg, Garth oversaw a mutually beneficial sales arrangement with GC for a number of years, but integrating the two companies — GC with its 210 physical outlet stores,
thousands of employees, and millions of customers — with OBEDIA,
a virtual company of trained support specialists, proved to be more
challenging than even the seasoned Garth had anticipated.
The main challenge in partnering with Guitar Center was melding
the companies’ distinctive cultures. “As a startup, OBEDIA was very
much geared to evangelizing its services,” he says, something a
large established company is not culturally attuned to. “Integrating
and setting up the point-of-sale systems was more time-consuming than we had anticipated,” says Garth, taking six or seven
months to get everything working smoothly.
But after 16 months of setup and a live pilot program, the goal of
which was for GC to take no tech calls, GC made the official
announcement in April of 2007: GC customers were able to purchase customized technical training and support in the stores, over
the phone, and via remote desktop control on a 24/7 basis.
had been removed. “So he stepped me through the re-install
process and we had sound. At this point, I was ready to name my
first born after this guy.”
But that’s not the end of the story: “The next evening, Monday,
I discovered some minor idiosyncrasies with Cubase. When I
pressed Fast Forward in a project, it wouldn’t fast forward. The
same for rewind. When I highlighted the Record Enable button, it
wouldn’t stay on. So, I called OBEDIA back once again.” This time
the dispatcher routed Mike to another technician who quickly discovered that Mike’s preferences file had been changed and helped
him reset it. Then the tech discovered that Mike did not have the
setting for Cubase to make a backup copy of his projects selected.
“He informed me that by doing so, Cubase makes a backup copy
every five minutes of my project. I was unaware of this option.”
Mike notes how pleasant and knowledgeable both techs were.
He made his gig on Friday. “I owe that to the OBEDIA technicians.
Thanks again, OBEDIA. It was the best money I ever spent.”
Mike is one of more than 1000 “cases” solved as of July, since
OBEDIA went live with GC — a milestone, along with being in business three years, that OBEDIA is celebrating with a contest to
award four service packages to lucky winners.
This is just one of many promotional schemes that OBEDIA has
put together, some in partnership with GC. But behind everything,
you can still feel the motivating force of Garth and his OBEDIA
partners: “I get a real charge out of helping people make music.”
Charles Conte writes on the application of technology as principal of the marketing communications and consultancy Big
Media Circus (www.bigmediacircus.com).
70 watt bi-amplification
5” Kevlar LF driver • 1” natural silk HF driver
130 watt bi-amplification
8” Kevlar LF driver • 1” natural silk HF driver
240 watts • 10” composite driver
50-200Hz crossover • bypass switch
To ensure your music sounds its best, you need a monitoring system that really tells it like it is. The critically acclaimed Studiophile BX5a and BX8a active
bi-amped reference monitors give you two accurate options to fit your space requirements. And the BX10s subwoofer delivers tight, full bass you can
feel—complete with a convenient bypass footswitch. These are just some of the reasons why M-Audio Studiophile reference monitors have been
the best-selling choice of recording pros for years. Hear them for yourself at your local M-Audio dealer today.
www.m-audio.com
© 2007 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Avid, M-Audio, the “> logo” and Studiophile are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. All other trademarks contained herein are the
property of their respective owners. Product features, specifications, system requirements and availability are subject to change without notice.
[32]
GUITA R
C E N T E R
C E N T E R
C H A N N E L
The Hardware-Based System
“
need no
stinkin’
truck!”
We don’t
{ PRACTICAL MOBILE RECORDING }
by Eric Elwell
HAVING BEEN A MUSICIAN (IN SOME FORMER LIFE)
SOME
LIFE)
HAVING
A MUSICIAN
(ININ
BEFOREBEEN
CHOOSING
A CAREER
PRO FORMER
AUDIO, I KNOW
BEFORE CHOOSING A CAREER IN PRO AUDIO, I KNOW
THE DILEMMA FACED BY MANY OF YOU: "I NEED A WAY
THE DILEMMA FACED BY MANY OF YOU: "I NEED A
TO RECORD MY MUSIC!" GETTING GIGS IS HARD
WAY TO RECORD MY MUSIC!" GETTING GIGS IS HARD
WITHOUT AA DEMO,
DEMO, AND
AND IT'S
IT'S ALMOST
ALMOST UNTHINKABLE
UNTHINKABLE
WITHOUT
NOT TO
TO HAVE
HAVE YOUR
YOUR MUSIC
MUSIC ON
ON MYSPACE
MYSPACE THESE
THESE DAYS.
DAYS.
NOT
IN YOUR
YOUR FAMILY
FAMILY JUST
JUST DIED
DIED
BUT UNLESS
UNLESS SOMEONE
SOMEONE IN
BUT
AND LEFT YOU AA PILE
PILE OF
OF CASH,
CASH, AA TRIP
TRIP TO
TO AA PROFESPROFESTHE BUDGET.
BUDGET.
SIONAL RECORDING STUDIO ISN'T IN THE
AND, WITH
WITHTHE
THEWAY
WAY
TECHNOLOGY
IS ADVANCING,
TECHNOLOGY
IS ADVANCING,
ISN'T
SOLUTION
ANYWAY?
ISN'T
THERE
A
BETTER
THERE A BETTER SOLUTION ANYWAY?
Let’s take a look at several possible methods of recording
your own tracks without purchasing a whole studio system.
The assumption here is that you are in a group that performs, and you have some kind of PA system, mics, and so
on. The first method we’ll explore is a hardware-based system; the second is what I’d call a “hybrid” system, using an
analog console with computer-based “software” recording
package. The third will be a complete DAW (digital audio
workstation) approach. The focus of this article is decidedly “gear-oriented,” not focused on techniques or opinions on
the advantages of one approach over another. To make this
an apples-to-apples comparison, I’ve set the following
parameters as requirements:
1. Capable of recording at least 12 tracks simultaneously.
2. Total recording system cost is less than $4000.
This system has a prerequisite: a decent 24-channel or larger
mixer already owned (or available). By not having to allocate part
of the budget to the mixer, you’ll have a bit more to spend on the
other pieces of the system. However, the mixer capable of live
multitrack recording needs to have outputs not normally used
for live sound. Let’s investigate this a little further.
To multitrack the band, you’ll need the ability to route many
different signals out of the console — some direct from an individual channels, and others mixing several channels together to
one or more tracks. Direct outputs are the best way to get individual instruments to individual tracks, but not all mixers have
these. If not, you’re going to want a mixer with a minimum of 8
buss outputs, where single or multiple channels can feed
recorder inputs.
The recorder we’ve chosen for this task is both excellent in features, and a real value. The Alesis ADAT-HD24 provides 24 tracks
of simultaneous recording on standard 7200 rpm computer hard
drives. The standard ATA-6 drives are widely available, from Comp
USA to Wal-Mart, but you’ll need to make sure you purchase several drive “carriers” that allow mounting drives via the front
panel. This is especially important when recording live, as you
may need several drives to capture the entire event.
Another important consideration is expandability. If you need
more than 24 tracks for your next Grammy-winning production,
simply add another HD24. Additional units interface easily with
provided cables, and operate as a single recorder with 48, 72, or
more tracks.
Audio interface is done with standard 1/4-inch TRS cables, providing solid, cost-effective connection with ease of cross-patching. Multipin connectors are convenient if you interface the system every day, but don’t offer the ability to replace one signal
path if it fails. Your local GC store’s audio department has plenty
of single and multichannel TRS cables in a variety of lengths if
you get in a jam.
While the recorders are digital and offer the benefits of professional audio quality, non-destructive editing, and low-cost storage, the audio path through this recording system is completely
analog. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it means we’ll need
to adhere to this path with the rest of the system, including signal processing.
The dynamics package chosen for this system is a proven
winner, combining eight channels of compression and eight fullfeatured noise gates in one 2-space package. The comps and
gates in the Presonus ACP88 have received nods for great sonic
quality at a reasonable price. Features include control of threshold, ratio, attack, release, hard/soft knee, auto/manual attack
and release curves, and gain. Each channel has full gain reduction metering, compression threshold indicators, and gate
open/close LEDs. Again, 1/4-inch TRS jacks allow a balanced signal path with the same wiring as the recorders.
If you’ve got to limit yourself to one effect, it should be a great
reverb. Good news, though — with this package, you don’t have to
have just one, you have two! Lexicon has long been synonymous
with great digital effects processing, and this package combines
two stereo effects engines in one package. It features a wide array
of the rich, complex reverb algorithms, delays, effects, and dbx
dynamic effects that have made Lexicon a favorite for recording.
In recording lingo, a “monitor” is a speaker known for its accurate
reproduction characteristics. Accuracy is very important, because
these are the “window” to your recording’s sonic characteristics. The
Alesis HD24
The Hardware-based System
Mixer
Bands’ PA mixer
Multitrack Recorder
Alesis HD24
Signal Processing
PreSonus ACP88 8ch c/g
$0
$1499
$899
Monitor/Mic/Phones Package
$499
Monitors: Fostex PM 0.4 mon /PM 0.5 sub — included
Mic: AKG Perception 2000 — included
Headphones: AKG M-80 — included
Mic Stand: Ultimate tripod boom — included
Accessories: (2) mic cables; (4) mon. cables — included
Effects
Lexicon MX-400
$399
Master Recorder
HHB BurnIT CD Recorder
$499
Equip. Rack
SKB 6 space rack
$179
AC Power
Furman SS-6B Block
Package:
$22
$399 6
Fostex PM 0.4 Studio Bundle combines several essentials you’ll need
in your recording system, starting with bi-amplified monitors and
subwoofer. Fostex uses the latest cone material technology to obtain
extremely pure music reproduction with the PM 0.4 powered monitors. The “satellite” speakers are small enough for a desktop, with 4inch woofers made of Kevlar fibers for high rigidity and durability.
Kevlar and other synthetics are now very popular for speaker cones,
due to light weight and stiffness that helps the cone maintain shape
as it moves, resulting in lower distortion. Reflections off the face of
the cabinet can smear high frequencies, and newly designed
dampers around the tweeters eliminate interference for clearer
response. With smaller speakers, a subwoofer is required to reproduce low frequency content that the satellites can’t due to small
cone size. The PM 0.5-Sub powered subwoofer, with integrated amplification and crossover network routes low information only to the
sub, with an 110-watt RMS amplifier and 8-inch Kevlar-fiber driver.
For overdubbing vocals, you’ll need a good pair of headphones for
the talent to hear the previously recorded tracks, and the right mic
for the job. This GC package also includes AKG M-80 headphones
Photo by Robert Granger
[34]
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C H A N N E L
GUITA R
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C E N T E R
C H A N N E L
[35]
and an AKG Perception 200 microphone. The AKG Perception 200’s
full 20 Hz-20 kHz frequency response covers the range of any voice
or instrument. A -10 dB pad helps protect the mic’s internal electronics from overload, making it possible to record very high volume
instruments like electric guitar or even snare drum. A low-frequency roll-off switch engages a 12 dB-per-octave filter at 300 Hz, reducing boominess of some close-miked sound sources. Included are
full-size studio shockmount and a hardshell road case.
Rounding out the package are Horizon four 1/4-inch TRS cables
for speaker hook-up, two 20-foot XLR-XLR mic cables, and an
Ultimate boom microphone stand. Best of all, you’re saving almost
$700 bucks off of separate pricing. The Furman SS-6B gives you 6
voltage-protected outlets, and a nice long 15-foot power cable.
The Hybrid System
The Mackie Onyx 1640 16-Channel Mixer is a premium 16-channel,
4-buss small-format analog mixer. It features all-new circuitry,
including 16 boutique-class Onyx mic preamps with 4-band Perkins
EQ plus sweepable mids on mic/line channels. Some instruments
are best recorded flat, but when you need to shape some of those
challenging instruments such as a kick drum, the ability to make a
cut or boost, then sweep up or down to find the sweet spot, is
essential to getting the sound. For purity sake, try to get the sound
you want by using the right mic and mic placement, recording with
no EQ at all. If you can do this, the hardwire “EQ bypass” will elimi-
global use without electrical transformers. The 1640 is equipped with
individual 48-volt phantom power switches on all mic inputs, because
while condenser mics and active direct boxes need DC voltage to
power their internal circuitry, it will destroy your new ribbon mic.
The thing that really sets this mixer apart is the optional FireWire
interface card. This user-installable 24-bit/96 kHz FireWire I/O card
will give you the ability to send up to 18 individual channels of
high-quality digital audio direct to and from any FireWire-equipped
computer from your Onyx mixer (Windows XP or Mac OS X.3 or
later). It also comes bundled with a copy of Mackie’s own Tracktion
2 recording software.
Because 16 channels might not be enough inputs, and because
Mackie’s Onyx mixers have siblings, we’ve added an Onyx 1202,
with additional FireWire card. The two mixers will “daisy-chain”
together with an additional FireWire cable, now effectively creating
a mixer with 20 mic preamps (four of which function as DIs), 8
stereo line inputs, and 18 channels of 96 kHz digital I/O. Just need
to do some vocal overdubs at the singer’s house? Take the 1202
and computer, leaving your 1640 all patched in to your home studio.
Tracktion 2 rivals the performance of many stand-alone softwarerecording packages, including a high-definition 64-bit/192 kHz mix
engine for superior sonics. Track status, levels, mixer faders, EQ, and
plug-ins are all visible from a single screen. Unusual for a workstation
platform at this price, Tracktion features unlimited track count — the
only limitation is the performance of your computer CPU’s ability to
simultaneously process the data associated with more tracks. For
video files, it supports Apple’s QuickTime format.
The Hybrid System
Mixer 1
Mackie Onyx 1640
$1279
Mixer 2
Mackie Onyx 1220
$529
Recording Interface (2) Mackie Mixer FW I/O
Recording Software Mackie Tracktion 2
Studio Bundle
Mackie Tracktion 2
nate all EQ circuitry, making the signal that much cleaner.
The Onyx series feature balanced
direct outs for every channel (via DBMackie Onyx 1640
25 connection), giving discrete analog
outputs to each channel — very handy. Now you can go out of the
direct outputs into the line inputs of your live PA console, benefiting
from the superior Onyx mic preamps. And if you don’t have a live PA
mixer already, the Mackies will do nicely! Six auxiliary sends with
pre/post switching; pre-fader send can be used for stage monitor or
headphone cue feeds and post-fader as effects sends. A built-in talkback section makes it easy to communicate with performers on headphones or on stage, and multi-current switching power supply allows
[36]
GUITA R
C E N T E R
C E N T E R
C H A N N E L
KRK RP-8 Studio Bundle
$798
included
$799
Monitors: KRK Rockit 8 Powered monitors — included
Mics: (1) AKG Perception 200; (1) AKG C1000S — included
Headphones: Sennheiser HD-280 — included
Accessories: (2) Ultimate boom stands;
Horizon cables — included
Effects
(1) Lexicon MX500 reverb
Power
(3) Furman SS-6B Block
Package:
$499
$66
$3970
*The prerequisite for this system: a newer model PC or Mac computer with FireWire I/O port and
7200 rpm hard drive. You likely have a computer capable of running the software already, and
a simple FireWire card can be found inexpensively online for PCs that aren’t FireWire equipped.
You can easily export to a variety of formats such as .WAV and .AIF
for easy importation on another system if necessary, and it even
creates MP3 files, so you can upload to MySpace or email songs to
friends. Tracktion comes bundled with Mackie’s acclaimed Mixing
and Mastering Tools, a full set of dynamics and effects plug-ins for
putting the finishing touches on your mix.
The daw System
The daw System
Audio-Technica AT4040
DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) are a completely computerbased recording and mixing system. Digidesign’s ProTools has
become the dominant professional system in the market
through innovative software design, extensive processing plugins, and high-quality audio interfaces.
While ProTools now operates on both Mac and PC platforms,
Apple’s new MacBook laptops are a convenient, powerful host at
a reasonable price. The processors in this machine are Intel DualCores that operate at 2.0 GHz. The computers come with 1 GB of
RAM, expandable to 2 GB. At $1099, it’s a lot of computer in a stylish package, and the ability to run both Mac and PC software is
also attractive. If you want to use a Windows-based PC, ProTools
is compatible with XP, and soon with Vista
operating systems.
The Digidesign 003 is the newest hardware package, which fits nicely in the gap
at the top end of the ProTools LE systems.
For portability, we’ve spec’d the 003
Rack. This stylish 2U package includes
four high-quality mic/line preamps with
phantom power and four additional line
inputs. Additional inputs can be added via
several digital inputs, which you’ll see in a
moment. While the ProTools LE recording
software contains 32 tracks, this can be
expanded to 48 with the Music Production
Toolkit or DV Toolkit2.
Instead of maxing out the tracks and
stretching your computer’s CPU to the limits,
consider sub — or “bounce down” — tracks within the software
as your project evolves. Get the drums done, and submix them
with your best reverbs. Finish a wall of guitars with heavy compression, mix them together just right, and bounce to stereo if
you need more tracks. Don’t like your blend down the road at
some point? Import the original tracks and re-do your sub mix.
(Also, don’t forget that the Beatles had 8 tracks at most; Led
Zeppelin never had more than 16!!)
Interface of this system is incredibly simple, using a single
FireWire cable between laptop and Digi 003 Rack. Using the
band’s 8-buss live mixer, use the 003 for the analog-to-digital
conversion of Tracks 1-8, with A/D of Tracks 9-16 fed by M-Audio’s
FireWire 1814. The 1814 has ADAT “lightpipe” (8-channel optical)
inputs and outputs. Tracks 9-16 will go ADAT optical out to the Digi
003’s ADAT input, and then to ProTools. All of the system’s monitoring controls are built into easily accessible front-panel controls on the 003, which include control room volume and level
controls for the two built-in headphone amps.
You need the right hard drive for mobile recording. It takes a
drive that can read, write, and access data quickly for media
(audio/video) applications. Glyph’s fixed-mount tabletop drive
package, the GT 050Q, builds upon the success of the original GT
050 and adds FireWire 800, eSATA, and USB ports. Designed for
high-speed access to audio and video content and lots of connectivity options, the external hard drive is constructed with
[38]
GUITA R
C E N T E R
C E N T E R
C H A N N E L
Computer
Digital Interface
Digital Interface
Software
External Drive
Monitors
Microphone
Headphones
Apple MacBook Dual 2.0
Digidesign Digi 003 Rack
M-Audio FireWire 1814
Digidesign ProTools LE (incl.)
Glyph GT050Q 500 GB
M-Audio BX-8a mons
Audio-Technica AT4040
Audio-Technica ATH-M2X
Package:
$1099
$1199
$499
$0
$369
$499
$299
$34
$3998
stainless steel and uses tri-laminate sound-damping metal,
which absorbs drive vibration. This is important, because you
want to hear the music, not your hard drive. Standard is a threeyear warranty that includes overnight advance replacement in
the first year.
Once you’ve cut your live tracks and are ready to mix,
the Digi 003 includes a huge bundle of production tools,
including Ableton Live Lite 6, virtual instruments like
Propellerhead’s “Reason Adapted 3,” amplifier-modeling emulations of famous vintage guitar and bass amps in IK
Multimedia’s “AmpliTube LE,” and plug-ins: compression,
gates, and filters. When it comes time to mix, there are generous options of Digidesign’s own Bomb Factory professional
reverbs, delays, equalizers, modulation effects (chorus,
flange, doubling), and more.
Based on the highly acclaimed M-Audio BX8 monitors, the
BX8a active studio monitors are a lot of speaker for the money.
The BX8a features an 8-inch low frequency driver with curved
Kevlar cone (remember, stiff and light?) with damped rubber
surrounds and high-temperature voice coils, and 1-inch silk
dome tweeters. Cabinet design and electronic engineering work
together to further enhance bass response and overall efficiency. Both XLR and 1/4-inch TRS inputs feed the 130-watt bi-amplification inside.
The vocal mic and headphones are both from Audio-Technica.
Their 40-series mics have become a go-to for top studio and live
engineers, and the 4040 is affordable for just about anyone.
There you have it, three ways to record live tracks with professional results. These three scenarios offer integration with gear
you already own, with an eye toward modest budgets. Whether
you’re recording to sell CDs or downloads, using the recordings
as demos to get more gigs, or just personal satisfaction, I promise that the recording process will make you and your band better individually, and as a group.
An entertainment and production professional based in
Nashville since 1992, Eric Elwell has been a resource for top producers and record labels, and he’s contributed to artist’s projects
ranging from Willie Nelson to Neil Diamond to Amy Grant. In live
entertainment, managing and mixing performances of top
entertainers have taken Elwell from the White House to Dodger
Stadium, and across four continents.
Blue Sky’s EXO 2.1 System
INTEGRATE A SUBWOOFER INTO YOUR MONITOR SETUP
by michael marans
(YES, IT MATTERS)
ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE PRO AUDIO WORLD, SUBWOOFER WAS A DIRTY WORD. A SUBWOOFER WAS
ONE OF THOSE GIANT BOXES USED IN DISCOTHEQUES TO RATTLE THE DANCE FLOOR — COMPLETELY
DROWNING OUT ALL OF THE SONIC DETAILS THE MIX ENGINEER HAD LABORED OVER FOR HOURS ON END.
A SUBWOOFER WAS ONE OF THOSE INCREDIBLY ANNOYING THINGS IN THE TRUNK OF THE CAR NEXT TO
YOU GOING WHHOOOF WHHOOOF WHUMP WHUMP AT A GAZILLION DECIBELS — AND IF THAT LIGHT DIDN’T
CHANGE TO GREEN SOON, THE DOORS OF YOUR CAR WERE GONNA FALL OFF. AND WORST: A SUBWOOFER
WAS THE SUREST WAY TO CREATE A TOTALLY MESSED UP MIX, WITH THE BASS SIMPLY ALL WRONG .
Then along came Dolby Surround and THX with an audio
channel dedicated to the lowest of the lows, plus official
specifications for production and setup. That was followed by new trends in popular music: hip-hop, rap,
trance, dance, techno, electro, and psycho (sorry, made
that one up), each of which demanded huge amounts of
distinct, punchy, high-fidelity low end.
We responded by outfitting our home studios with the latest generation of affordable studio technology: biamplified
reference monitor systems. But still our mixes didn’t sound
like those done by the pros. Most commonly, the low end
wasn’t right. The problem was that while we were all being
dazzled by amazing computer processor speeds, 24-bit/96
kHz converters, automated control surfaces, and DAWs that
did everything but wash dishes, we forgot about one thing:
the Laws of Physics.
Look at your beautiful set of biamplified monitors. If you
bought them in the last five or so years, chances are they
sound great, and I’ll bet you paid a mere pittance for them.
But they can’t defy Mother Nature. If you have one of those
popular 5-inch models, your frequency response is going to
bottom out around 60 Hz (if you’re lucky — more likely it will
be 70 Hz- 80 Hz). The low E on a bass guitar sits at 41.2 Hz.
A synth bass? It could easily get down to 20 Hz. An 808
kick? Don’t even go there....
And that’s why you need a subwoofer: to let you hear the
low frequency content of your tracks. Small speakers simply
can’t do that. And if you can’t hear something, how can you
possibly mix it?
So here are the goals: [1] Extend the frequency
response of your system so that you can hear the low end
content that’s been eluding you; [2] Set things up in a way
that makes the subwoofer’s presence seamless and natural; [3] Get mixes to sound the same in other environments
(the car, a boom box, your bud’s stereo system) as they do
in your studio.
Compare that approach to how a subwoofer is typically
used in a home theater setup, where its job is to reproduce
the Low Frequency Effects channel in a 5.1 soundtrack.
That’s the stuff that shakes the room when things blow up or
the superhero slams through the concrete wall — not what
we’re talking about here.
The KRK speaker system at Oceanway Recording.
GUITA R
C E N T E R
C E N T E R
C H A N N E L
[41]
From Stereo to 2.1
GOING BASS FISHING
GETTING WIRED
You can’t just slap a subwoofer into your system and expect that OK. You’ve found the right model and are ready to go. Let’s plug
everything will be hunky-dory. You have to approach adding one in the system and start the setup process.
somewhat scientifically.
The wiring is easy: Simply run the left and right outputs from
The first thing to look for in a subwoofer is its frequency your audio source (e.g., DAW, mixer, soundcard) into the sub’s
response (please, no “duhs”). All
corresponding inputs, then consubs are designed to reproduce low
nect the left and right outputs from
frequencies, but to pick the approyour sub to the left and right satelpriate one, you have to determine
lites (see Figure 1). Note that you
your musical needs (e.g., producing
may have to reposition the sub
mondo drum and bass tracks or
later (hang on, we’ll get there), so
heavily compressed radio-ready
for now don’t worry about making
pop records), and evaluate your stuyour cable runs all neat and pretty.
dio environment. A great big sub
Next up: Adjusting the sub’s
might overpower a tiny room; a
crossover point. Called “filter” on
small sub will get lost in the sauce in
some models, the crossover detera large room. We’ll presume that if
mines which frequencies will be
you’re working with 5-inch monitors
played by the subwoofer, and
now, you’re likely in a medium to
which will be left to your satellite
small space. In that case, you’re in
monitors. Setting the crossover
luck, because there are a number of
point is simple: Turn the knob
very capable, full-featured subs
labeled “crossover.” Setting it
available that will do the trick.
appropriately is another matter.
The next — and absolutely critiLook in your satellite speakers’
cal — feature to look for is a varimanual for the frequency reable crossover. Home theater subs
sponse specification and make
generally use fixed crossovers.
note of the low frequency number.
Figure 1. A typical hookup for a 2.1 system. Note how the audio source
When the sub is designed for thunDepending on the model you have,
feeds the subwoofer, which then passes on the signal to the satellites.
derous dinosaur footsteps, that’s
the number will likely be somefine. But we’re going to need to
where between 35 Hz and 80 Hz.
match the sub’s response specifiLet’s presume it’s 65 Hz.
Speaker/Sub Placement
cally to our satellite speakers, and,
Now go to your subwoofer and
for that, a variable crossover is
set its crossover point to 65 Hz. In
absolutely essential.
theory, you’ve matched the reLeft Speaker
Two more necessary features:
sponse of the subwoofer to the
First, the sub must have Left and
response of your satellites. So
Right channel inputs and outputs,
when you play audio, everything
not just an LFE input. RCA jacks are
from 20 Hz up to 65 Hz plays
fine, but 1/4-inch and/or XLR are
through the subwoofer, and everyEqual Triangle
Mix Position
more convenient, and if you’re runthing from 65 Hz up to 20 kHz plays
ning a balanced system, you’ll need
through the satellites.
XLR or TRS ins and outs. Second,
IF ONLY IT WERE THAT EASY....
there has to be a volume control on
Technically, a crossover is a filter.
the sub, so that its level can be
Right Speaker
On your satellites it’s a high pass filmatched with the satellite speakers.
ter; everything above a certain freLast but not least: a phase conquency (65 Hz in our example)
trol. This is used to set the polarity
passes and can be heard. On the
of the signal coming from the sub- Figure 2. Front and center in “the circle” that surrounds the mix position is
sub, it’s a low pass filter; only those
woofer. You need this to compen- the recommended position for a subwoofer. But since low frequency waves
impossible for the human brain to localize, you have a lot of placement
frequencies below the crossover
sate for phase problems that might are
options. Graphic courtesy of Qtec Designs.
point pass through. But filters have
crop up as a result of where the sub
slopes; that is, they don’t instantly
is placed in your room and/or its
proximity to your satellite monitors. Most units feature simple cut off sound at the crossover point. Rather, the sound gradually
switches that invert the signal 180 degrees; more sophisticated diminishes in level as the frequency moves away from the
crossover point. So, in reality, when your speaker specs low end
models will have variable phase controls — a desirable feature.
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GUITA R
C E N T E R
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C H A N N E L
From Stereo to 2.1
response at 65 Hz, it’s still making sound at 60 Hz, and 55 Hz,
and so on, just at much lower levels. Likewise, when you set the
sub’s crossover to 65 Hz, it’s still outputting 70 Hz, and 75 Hz,
and 80 Hz, but, again, at much lower levels. (Special note: Some
larger monitors have 80 Hz cutoff switches. If yours has one, use
it and set your sub’s crossover to 80 Hz.)
So you now have a small band of frequencies that are being
output by both the satellites and the subwoofer. Since the frequencies are the same but emanating from three different
source points (left, right, and sub), the waves reach your ears
at different times, bounce around the room at different locations, and crash into each other — all of which can wreak havoc
with your frequency response. Part of the fix: Fine-tune the
sub’s crossover setting to minimize the overlap. Save that
tweak for later, though, in conjunction with setting the phase
and volume controls.
[44]
GUITA R
C E N T E R
C E N T E R
C H A N N E L
I can
:: record
:: arrange
:: edit
:: process
:: mix
:: Be Heard
NOW FEATURING!
©2007 Harman International Industries, Inc. All rights reserved.
after it is generated. Depending on where in the room the sub is situated, that number will change. Now, change is not necessarily a
good or a bad thing — you just have to adjust for it. That’s where the
sub’s phase control comes in. A detailed discussion of room modes
and nodes is a subject for another day; let’s sum things up and just
say that, as low frequency waves bounce around a room, they
interact in ways that can cause significant dips and peaks in the
low end response. Proper adjustment of the sub’s phase control
helps minimize the negative effects of these phase anomalies.
Setting subwoofer phase is almost always a two-person job,
because the important thing is to have the phase relationships
correct at the mix position. That means that one person has to sit
in the mix position and listen carefully while the other is at the
sub adjusting the phase control.
Presuming you don’t have a pile of sophisticated test equipment lying around, your best bet is to select a well-recorded commercially produced piece of music
THE BEST BASS PLACE
that you know inside and out. It will
Note
Hertz
Feet
Note
Hertz
Feet
In a perfect world, the subwoofer
be your reference for determining
C1
32.7
34.45
C2
65.41
17.29
would sit directly in front of you,
that your system is set up properly.
C#1
34.65
32.68
C#2
69.3
16.34
midway between your left and
Try to use something “standard” so
D1
36.71
30.84
D2
73.42
15.42
right monitors (see Figure 2). But
you’re not dealing with a recording
D#1
38.89
29.10
D#2
77.78
14.57
what if a computer, or keyboard, or
that’s ultra compressed or super
E1
41.2
27.46
E2
82.41
13.75
other restriction prevents placing
bass heavy. Now, as the recording
F1
43.65
25.92
F2
87.31
12.96
the sub in that location? In this
plays, listen carefully for peaks and
F#1
46.25
24.48
F#2
92.5
12.24
case, the Laws of Physics come to
dips in the low-end response. Adjust
G1
49.0
23.10
G2
98.0
11.55
your rescue.
the sub’s phase control and/or move
G#1
51.91
21.82
G#2
103.83
10.89
Because of the length of low freits position a small bit until you find
A1
55.0
20.57
A2
110.0
10.30
quency waves, they are virtually
a setting and location that provides
A#1
58.27
19.42
A#2
116.54
9.71
impossible to localize, that is, to
the most even response across the
B1
61.74
18.34
B2
123.47
9.15
determine exactly where they are
entire low-end range. Warning: This
coming from. Here’s why:
may take some time to accomplish.
Figure 3. Low range notes, their frequency in Hz, and their corresponding
Our example E1 bass note’s wave- wavelengths. The extended wavelengths make it rather challenging to conNow let’s adjust the balance
bass in smaller rooms (or any room, for that matter). Graphic courtesy
length is nearly 27 1/2 feet long (see trol
between
the sub’s volume and the
of Qtec Designs.
Figure 3). If you’re in an averagesatellites. Again, using your audiosized room (or any room that’s less than 27 1/2 feet long), the wave phile source material, listen carefully at the mix position — only
is going to hit at least one wall and bounce back before it reaches this time listen for overall spectral balance. What you want to
your ears. Remember, too, that to make the low E, that waveform hear is a big, punchy low end (primarily the kick drum and the
has to repeat 41.2 times in a second. And to make matters more bass) blending nicely with the rest of the material. If you’ve got
complicated, there’s not just a single droning low E, but a bunch of things set up and the first words out of your mouth are, “Man,
bass notes at all different frequencies, and they’re mixed in with that bass is kickin’ butt!” you’ve set up the subwoofer all wrong.
other low frequency material, such as kick drums and synths.
If you say, “Wow, my whole system sounds so big!” you’ve hit the
Worse still, the waves aren’t all bouncing directly back and forth settings right on the money. At that point you can play music
between the walls or shooting right at your ears. Some are being that’s more stylistically suited to what you’ll be recording to doudeflected and reflected to sidewalls and the ceiling and the floor and ble-check the settings.
everywhere. Those reflected waves then come at you from all direcWhen adding a subwoofer to your setup, always remember
tions, along with the original wave. Your brain simply isn’t sophisti- that you’re going for audio mix accuracy. Set the subwoofer too
cated enough (no personal offense intended) to make sense of the loud, and your mixes will have weak and anemic low end in the
mish-mash of original signal and myriad reflections, hence your outside world — just the opposite of your pre-subwoofer days.
inability to tell precisely where the sound is coming from.
The upside is that your brain’s limited processing power Former Keyboard magazine technical editor Michael Marans
(again, sorry) allows you to be relatively free in moving the sub was vice president of speaker manufacturer Event Electronics
to a location that’s both convenient and provides the most even and is a founding partner of Qtec Designs. He lives in Santa
Barbara, CA with his wife and kids, two cats, a dog, and a big ol’
low end response. Trust us — your brain will be none the wiser.
In our example above, you’ll first hear the note about 30 ms subwoofer.
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dreamdistribution
In the old model, the label was the gatekeeper and a necessity to the entire process. With TuneCore, that necessity, says
Price, now becomes a choice.
MARKETING AND PROMOTION
“Traditionally, music was discovered from the top down,” says
Price. “There were three ways people could discover music on
a mass level: commercial radio, TV (i.e., MTV, VH1, BET), and
print magazines like Rolling Stone.” Labels would promote
artists and their music through these three media outlets.
“Now artists and fans in and of themselves have become
their own commercial radio station, magazine, and/or TV network that can reach tens of millions of people,” says Price.
Today, instead of struggling to catch on with a label, you can
blog, IM, iMix, MySpace, Pandora, and YouTube your way to star-
“FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
THE HISTORY OF THE
MUSIC INDUSTRY,” SAYS
JEFF PRICE, FOUNDER OF
TUNECORE, “ARTISTS
HAVE ACCESS TO THE
ENTIRE MUSIC MAKING,
MARKETING, PROMOTION,
AND DISTRIBUTION
PROCESS.”
via a broadband pipeline,”
says Price, “and the third
largest seller of music in the
United States and world today has virtual
unlimited inventory that never runs out
and replicates itself on demand.”
Unlimited shelf space and unlimited virtual inventory (with iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody, etc.), and no
returns (not in the digital world), make big warehouses and
sales staff obsolete.
Accounting information (sales/returns) doesn’t sound very
glamorous or even important, but, as Price points out, it’s, “one
of the biggest pains in the butt of the music industry. Having
someone do it for you is a godsend.” TuneCore provides this
service for free.
“At last, a fair and honest way for musicians to
distribute music. TuneCore’s web site makes the
service a pleasure to use.
” —Roger O’Donnell of The Cure
BY
CHARLES
CONTE
dom. Artists connect with fans, fans network with fans, and
things like YouTube and Last.FM allow anyone to have a voice
out to the world. From there, things get the opportunity to
spread virally.
“Up until our launch, universal access without seeking rights
or revenues, didn’t exist,” says Price. As the new model for
making, marketing, and promoting music evolved, TuneCore
became, “the final piece of the puzzle to drop into place and
bring it all together. Everyone now is empowered.”
DISTRIBUTION
Born and now thriving online,
TuneCore is an internetbased music delivery and
distribution company that
has shaken up the 100-yearold model of the music business. And, while TuneCore is net-based, it has a physical presence
as close as your nearest Guitar Center via a strategic business
agreement between the two companies, as well as living online at
www.tunecore.com/guitarcenter and www.guitarcenter.com.
Jeff Price, co-founder and GM/President for the past 19 years
of the New York-based independent record label spinART records
(releases include The Pixies, Frank Black, The Eels, Nellie McKay,
John Doe, and many more), launched TuneCore in January
2006. For a low flat fee, TuneCore delivers music and ringtones
to iTunes, eMusic, Rhapsody, and many other major digital
stores while taking no rights and no revenue from the sale of the
music. TuneCore’s fees are simply based upon the number songs
delivered and the number of digital retailers receiving delivery.
The money from the sale of music is available to artists for the
taking by simply logging on to tunecore.com, 24 hours a day,
seven days a week.
“Any music creator or label can get his or her music into stores
[46]
GUITA R
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around the globe, receive 100 percent of the revenue from the
sale of their music, and keep control of their masters,” Price elaborates. The agreement between TuneCore and its clients is nonexclusive and can be cancelled at anytime. Artists upload their
music to their TuneCore discography page and select the digital
stores where they would like to place their music. “The goal of
TuneCore is to empower artists to succeed by serving them,” says
Price, “as opposed to ‘exploiting’ them.”
To appreciate the revolutionary nature of TuneCore, you only
need to dissect the old industry model whereby an artist, in order
to have any career at all, had to go through a label. Labels provide
very specific functions for artists: They advance money to record;
contribute toward the recording process (find a studio, find producers, have input into the recordings/song creation); manufacture the inventory (make CDs); market and promote the music;
provide sales/returns information; and distribute the CDs into
retail stores so fans can buy them.
“The traditional music business is about distribution,” says
Price. “Record labels make the CD to give to the distributor. The
physical distributor works to get the CDs on the shelves and
keep the album in stock. If a CD is not on a shelf, it cannot sell.
Stores have a finite amount of shelf space and can only have a
limited number of CDs in stock. Among the many things a
physical distributor does is warehouse, insure,
and pick/pack and ship CDs.” Distributors also
have a sales staff that travel around the country
trying to convince retail stores to take in copies
(or replenish inventory) of particular CDs.
As for the front-end of the process, formerly
owned by the labels — advance money from the
labels and contribution to the recording process
— it’s never been easier or more economical to
produce music. “It still takes some cash outlay,” says Price,
“but for less than one day in a high-end studio it’s possible to
make a high-quality multitrack mastered, mixed, and
sequenced album on a home computer.”
The delivery medium (the shiny plastic disc) that was once
a necessity (like vinyl before it) — and an expensive one to
produce, replicate, and keep in stock — is now completely
optional. “Deliver your album once to a place like Apple/iTunes
SUCCESS WITH TUNECORE, AND GUITAR CENTER
The linkup between Guitar Center and TuneCore, on the face of
it, is a natural. GC customers buy gear to make music, and
TuneCore provides the access, information, and relationships
for artists to get their music into the stores and sell it. Simple.
As the 1, 2, 3 summary of TuneCore’s services on the GC’s website states: “Create. Click. Collect.”
TuneCore
In the 18 months since its launch, and mainfounder ly through word of mouth, TuneCore has delivJeff Price
ered over 300,000 songs and tens of thousands of albums to iTunes, eMusic, Rhapsody,
etc. As of July 2007, its users have earned over
$2 million from the sale of their music and
they’ve received every penny. Musicians using
the service include country veteran Joe Ely,
independent-rock phenomena Tapes ‘n Tapes, Izzy Stradlin
from Guns N Roses, Public Enemy, the Frank Zappa estate,
Roger O’Donnel from The Cure, and many more. Two albums
from TuneCore customers won Grammys this year: Ziggy
Marley’s Love Is My Religion and Ricky Skaggs’s Kentucky
Thunder Instrumentals.
TuneCore has developed a series of promotions with Guitar
Center that push beyond the virtual realm of distribution and
GUITA R
C E N T E R
C E N T E R
C H A N N E L
[47]
dream distribution
help artists create their own careers. TuneCore clients can have
their music played and tagged in over 210 Guitar Center stores
across the country. They are offered gigs like the Warped Tour
and a contest that included winning a 2007 Ford Econoline
van, which enabled a band to tour across the U.S. TuneCore
clients have the opportunity for their music to be included on
over 6 million Sony Vaio computers. Other joint promotions
include a free download of AmpliTube 2 DUO Guitar software
with delivery of any album through TuneCore; having 50 custom-designed T-shirts made for free; or having five people
flown round-trip to record at Real World Studio, Peter Gabriel’s
world-famous residential recording studio facility in Box
Wiltshire, U.K., all expenses paid.
And there’s more on the way: TuneCore clients will be able to
sell physical CDs in regional Guitar Center stores. In the near
future, TuneCore customers will be able to take the revenues
from their music sales and put them toward purchases at
Guitar Center, with TuneCore providing them an extra 5 percent
purchasing power
TuneCore also offers DIY information for its users on how to
promote themselves. The site has an extensive marketing and
promotion section that teaches you how to get your music to
surface and sell more within iTunes, as well as information on
how to harness the power of MP3 blogs.
“Welcome to the new world,” says Price. “We’re glad to be a
part of it.”
TuneCore Client Shout-Outs
“After recently parting ways with Capitol Records, we found TuneCore a simple
and amazing way to independently get our new album straight back to all our
waiting fans worldwide via iTunes. Not only did TuneCore deliver it on time, but
they also agreed to give us 100 percent of the money we earn and, if that wasn’t enough, all I had to do was upload the album to TuneCore from my bedroom
in Auckland, New Zealand. Friends welcome to the future!”
—Brad Carter of Steriogram
“TuneCore is an incredible service that is indispensable for any independent
musician. Their terms and services are unmatched. It is truly a watershed event
to be able to have self-released music distributed throughout the world by
major online music stores. And it is all made possible by TuneCore...with an
easy-to-use web site and with terms that are fair.”
—Scott Hunter of Inside The Black
“At last, a fair and honest way for musicians to distribute music. TuneCore’s web
site makes the service a pleasure to use. It’s easy to understand and allows the
user to do everything themselves. Any difficulties are dealt with immediately by
a dedicated support team. I’ve been promoting TuneCore to every musician and
band I meet. The hardest part of the sell is that people think it’s too good to be
true. Well it’s not — it’s true and it’s good!”
—Roger O’Donnell of The Cure
“TuneCore is at the heart of the internet-based music revolution, as it enables the
free expression of the music art form. By providing unsigned artists access to the
public via internet stores, it removes some of the restrictive filtering of music that
may have been based primarily on commercial requirements. The end result will
be the greatest expansion in the art of making music. For me, a new musical life!”
—Vincenzo Pandolfi of Vincenzo Pandolfi, Sensibility, and many more
how-to
$"1563&:06350/&
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to be able to recognize and respond to the attributes of your
tracks, too. This requires listening with discernment.
Ambrose Bierce, in his 1911 tome The Devil’s Dictionary, satirically described noise as the “chief product and authenticating
sign of civilization.” Listen carefully today, and you have to admit
that we are surrounded by noise in almost any industrialized
IMAGINE DROPPING IN ON A RECORDING SESSION
WHERE THE ENGINEER IS COMPLETING A ROUGH MIX OF
A NEWLY TRACKED SONG. THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE STUDIO IS DECEPTIVELY RELAXED. AFTER ALL, THE CASUALLY DRESSED ENTOURAGE IS SEEMINGLY ENGROSSED IN
A RANGE OF UNRELATED ACTIVITIES LIKE PHONE CALLS,
E-MAILS, AND READING MAGAZINES. A PLAYER THAT YOU
RECOGNIZE SIDLES UP TO YOU AND, AS THE MUSIC
FADES, INQUIRES, “SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK?”
What it Takes to
makeagreatmix
What a loaded question! Quick — hit Pause before you open your
mouth! What thoughts were going through your mind while your
ears were filled with sound? Did the song affect you emotionally? Intellectually? How did the mix sound?
In reality, a simple question such as “What do you think?” is a
potential trap. Unless you are a world-class producer and have
been asked for your professional opinion, it’s not your place to
offer performance suggestions or a critique of the song. There
are simply too many opinions, egos, competing ideas, hopes,
fears, and dollars invested in a mix at this stage. Anyone who has
worked his or her way up the production food chain knows that
there is only one appropriate response in a situation like this:
“That sounded great!”
Yet, encouraging words need not be disingenuous. When a mix
sounds great, it just does, thanks to a logical coherence that
results from being balanced structurally, musically, and sonically. It becomes greater than the sum of its parts.
TUNING UP YOUR EARS
Any chef will tell you that you need to start with great ingredients
to cook a great meal. The same is true in mixing, where the great
performance of an excellent song is half the battle. But you need
[50]
setting. But whether you’re an audio novice or a pro, you probably can’t help hearing intriguing sounds and layers of detail in
your local environment that anyone else would perceive as an
incoherent blur.
Rather than tuning out the innocuous noise of an HVAC system, do you hear the rattle of the duct, the turbulence at the discharge vent, and the rumble of the air handler? Instead of hearing a wash of electric guitar, do you recognize the presence of a
slap-delay on a vintage Fender Tele double-tracked through a
Marshall stack?
In a BTNewsOnline article, British Telecom voice-quality engineer Andy Heron explains that having “Golden Ears” is not about
“developing Superman-like hearing, where you can hear a pin
drop at five miles — it’s more about being able to recognize, identify, and determine the cause of the most subtle [audio]
changes which would be imperceptible to most users.”
As taught in some university-level audio programs these days,
audio ear training involves learning how to “scan” a mix for both
its technical and artistic attributes and developing a vocabulary
for communicating your impressions. Balance engineers (a
common, and appropriate, European designation for music mixers) with significant years of music lessons and live performance experience often have an advantage in this regard because
it takes time to develop a personal reference for acoustic
sounds. On the other hand, many sounds in contemporary music
have no acoustic precedent. No matter what styles of music you
prefer, it’s a natural instinct to compare new sounds to existing
categories, and, in this sense, a strong set of sonic benchmarks
and idealized aural memories are very useful.
$3"/,61:063".14$3&".4*/(038)*41&3
Use two microphones on your kick drum, or three on your guitar amp. The
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Most recording interfaces out there use cheap off the-shelf mic preamps delivering
thin, harsh and colored results; not a good thing.
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BY MICHAEL FLEMING AND JOHN MERCHANT
Before You Turn the Knobs, Tune Your Perception.
what it takes to make a great mix
Gear Matters
PERCEPTIVE MONITORING
Many of the words we use to describe subjective impressions of
sound quality are related to spectral balance. While it’s more
accurate to talk of the timbre of a single instrument or sound
source, the concept of spectral balance is a great framework for
analyzing not only individual mix elements, but also the overall
distribution of energy across the audible frequency range (over
time) for a complete song.
You might describe one mix as sounding thin, while another
strikes you as muddy. Interestingly, these two impressions both
concern the low and low-mid frequency balance relative to the
high-mids and highs. A thin sound generally lacks bass, whereas
a muddy sound has an excessive amount of low-frequency energy. Similarly, the term bright generally refers to an excess — and
dull refers to a deficiency — of high-frequency energy relative to
the rest of the audible spectrum. (See Figure 1.)
The health of your ears will influence your perceptions, of course,
and so will the average spectral balances of the recordings that you
consider as references. Your sensitivity to musical dynamic levels
will also depend on your background and listening experience.
Most of the recorded sound that you hear on a daily basis has
been modified through dynamic range compression. Compression
through saturation is one of the defining characteristics of rock ‘n’
roll recordings, but in today’s pop music, even modest musical
dynamics are often sacrificed in the name of maximized loudness.
It’s also useful to remember that speech and soundtracks receive
NEW NAME, SAME
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It’s absolutely essential to have an audio monitoring system that you can
trust, so it makes sense to assemble the most accurate and neutral system
possible for your situation. Rather than choosing a system with sizzling highs
or an exaggerated bass response, aim for a flat frequency response with very
low distortion and negligible noise. This will provide the widest compatibility
with consumer-level audio systems that range from the truly dreadful to the
most euphonic. Technical specifications, while useful, provide only a partial
insight into the audio performance and subjective quality of electronic equipment. Careful auditioning is an instructive and fun part of the process.
Because room acoustics are an integral part of your loudspeaker system’s
performance, you may want to complement your system with audiophile-quality headphones and a top-notch digital-to-analog converter and headphone
amplifier. While there is no substitute for monitoring stereo and multichannel
mixes on loudspeakers in a well-designed room, a headphone-based reference
system can be extremely reliable, portable when necessary, and it does free
you from the vagaries of standing waves and console reflections. Most importantly, whatever monitor system you use must allow you to listen through the
technology to focus on the underlying characteristics and qualities of the track.
similar processing through compression and peak-limiting in most
radio and television distribution systems.
Despite these dynamic limitations, the audio industry has a
long tradition of promoting improvements in the “fidelity” and
transparency of its recording and reproduction technologies.
High-resolution recording technology today is capable of stunning performance, with virtually none of the artifacts like wow,
flutter, limited signal-to-noise ratios, and high amounts of interchannel crosstalk that challenged earlier generations of
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what it takes to make a great mix
engineers. As a result, you have a very wide — and very deep —
soundstage to spread your audio images across during mixing.
When you listen to a completed mix, do you sense your attention being led from one part to another as the song unfolds? Can
you hear how the spatial balance of numerous parts creates a
landscape for you to explore with your binaural sense of localization? A good balance engineer is like a stage director, lighting
designer, and director of photography all rolled into one, deliberately guiding your focus and revealing new sonic panoramas through
the active use of faders, pan pots, and signal processing tools.
CREATIVE VISIONS
Examples abound of producers, engineers, and artists using unconventional language and mixed metaphors to describe what they want
in the studio. For example, former EMI engineer Geoff Emerick
recounts that John Lennon had a very difficult time expressing how
he wanted the arrangement and mix of “Strawberry Fields Forever”
revised during the production of the Beatles album Sgt. Pepper’s
Lonely Hearts Club Band. In his book Here, There and Everywhere: My
cated rhythms and movement. All of these examples reinforce
the universality of our ability to hear complex sounds and to
derive meaningful information from these patterns.
If the composition’s concept is strong and its lyrics are wellcrafted, then you have an excellent foundation for a memorable
melody and interesting chord progressions. Or vice versa. For
some songwriters, the chicken definitely comes first, but others
find inspiration in the egg.
When the song comes to life in the studio, another foundation is laid in the core, basic tracks. At this point, you need to
ask yourself if the tempo and timing are correct and whether
the track grooves. Naturally, a technically accurate performance is desirable at this stage, but even more important factors may be the personal interpretation, energy level, and overall sense of style. If you let these qualities guide the recording
process, then you stand a good chance of doing something
more interesting than merely transcribing musical sounds into
your computer. Deficiencies in any of these elements can certainly be overcome, but it’s much easier to correct problems
Figure 1: Subjective terms we use to describe the excess or deficiency of specific frequency ranges in a mix are
illustrated in this chart from renowned mastering engineer Bob Katz’ must-read, myth-busting book Mastering
Audio, The Art and The Science. (c) copyright Robert A. Katz. Reprinted by permission from Mastering Audio, The
Art and The Science, Focal Press.
Life Recording the Music of The Beatles, Emerick writes, “He just kept
mumbling, ‘I don’t know; I just think it should somehow be heavier.’”
The solution in this case involved a new orchestration and, ultimately,
a slight pitch-shift (vari-speed) down of the final composite master.
A devoted food connoisseur, producer Quincy Jones favors culinary expressions, according to engineer Bruce Swedien, in his
book, Make Mine Music. “When Quincy asks me to make the
sound a little spicy, it means to add a little bit of high end, or you
might want to add a Harmonizer to the sound source, or add a little special effect to it. Q has told me that the music will tell you
when it needs a bit of garlic salt.”
High track-count mixes can be very busy, so it’s amazing when
a single subtle effect or a fader movement of less than a dB
makes all the difference in the world. It’s useful to remember that
our adeptness at making sonic sense of complex aural arrangements is not just a modern achievement. Orchestral conductors
routinely balance as many as 100 sound sources at a time in concerts of western art music, where musical polyphony has been
prevalent for over a thousand years. In their music and dance,
primitive human cultures display a natural mastery of sophisti-
[54]
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with timing or intonation than it is to improve a poor arrangement or boring lyrics.
Great mixes require time, experience, and a willingness to
experiment. As in all of the arts, the best way to improve your
mixes is to practice. You may want to seek out a teacher or other
mentors to help develop your recording techniques. Additionally,
there are books, instructional videos and CDs, articles in print and
online, and training courses for musicians and technicians of all
skill levels. In the end, be sure to listen to your own natural
instincts, too. Acquired over a lifetime of critical listening, they will
help guide you along the way.
John Merchant has worked for 20 years as a professional engineer and producer, working with artists such as the Bee Gees,
Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Michael Jackson, and many others.
With an extensive background in classical performance and
recording, Michael Fleming is an assistant professor in the
Recording Industry Department at Middle Tennessee State
University, where he teaches advanced courses in audio production.
the (electronic) beat goes on
(continued from page 58)
ters Arthur Baker and John Robie, is ample proof of that).
For any drummer who wanted to continue in his chosen
career there was only one thing to do: embrace the new technology. Anyone can program a machine, but a drummer can make it
sound much more realistic. Smart drummers learned to make
themselves indispensable once more by learning to program the
new generation of drum machines and even integrate them with
their acoustic setups.
Crisis over? Not quite. Sampling technology, initially introduced with the Fairlight, Synclavier and the marginally less
expensive E-mu Systems Emulator keyboards, then more widely
popularized by the affordable Akai standalone samplers such as
the S1000, S2000, and so on, meant that anyone could record
the sound of a real drum then play it back using a trigger pad, a
keyboard, or a sequencer. That meant that, if the snare drum on
the song you’d just recorded sounded dull and lifeless, rather
than try to fix it in the mix or re-record the drum tracks, it could
be easily replaced with a sample of, say, Tony Thompson’s snare
on David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” (guilty as charged, your honor!).
In other words, drummers could still be replaced.
IS IT LIVE OR SAMPLED?
Fast-forward to 2005 and you might be surprised at the difference
between what gets recorded in the studio and what you eventually hear on the record. Bear in mind that everything the producer
does is (or should be, anyway) in service to The Song. The drummer may play amazingly well, but if the sound of the drums turns
out not to suit the song, then they have to be replaced.
One easy replacement method involves software, either
ProTools (the music industry’s most commonly used recording
application) or a software plug-in, such as Drumagog. If you’ve
heard Korn’s Untouchables album then you’ve heard — or, more
likely, not even noticed — Drumagog at work, as, according to
the software developer’s web site, the plug-in was used to
replace and reinforce the drum tracks that were originally
recorded for the album.
Even less well known is the practice of replacing a band’s
drummer on the recording after the sessions are finished. In
Hollywood, go-to session drummer Josh Freese, who regularly
plays with A Perfect Circle, The Vandals, and Devo and has
appeared on hundreds of songs by bands such as The
Offspring, Puddle of Mudd, Evanescence, Staind, and even
Guns n’ Roses, has related stories in interviews about receiving
calls from record producers asking him to come into the studio
where it’s just him, the engineer, and a ProTools system. Often
he won’t even know who the band is or hear the final mix.
Reportedly it wasn’t until months after its release that he realized he’d played the drum tracks on half of a multi-million-selling Avril Lavigne album.
CREATIVE DRUM MACHINE USE
Of course, technology can also be put to creative use; it’s not just
about fixing something that’s not working. A prime example of a
drummer who embraced machines from the very beginning is
Keith LeBlanc, in-house drummer for pioneering hip-hop label
[56]
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DRUM MACHINE
EVOLUTION
The all-tube Wurlitzer Sideman, first produced in 1959 as an organ accessory,
may hold the distinction of being the first
drum machine. It scared the bejeezus
out of the Musicians Associations, who
asked for it to be withdrawn.
The first standalone rhythm box was
1964’s Ace Electronics R1 Rhythm Ace, a commercial disaster as it offered
only tones, not rhythmic patterns. The Ace Tone FR1, which followed in 1967,
offered more than 100 patterns from the combination of 16 preset rhythms
and was also licensed by Hammond Organ for use in their keyboards (and
re-badged by the U.K. distributor as the Bentley Rhythm Ace).
The very first programmable drum machine is reputed to be the imaginatively named Programmable Drum Set, a DIY kit introduced in 1975 by PAiA
Electronics of Oklahoma. Also appearing in the ‘70s were the Maestro
(owned by Gibson) Rhythm King, favored by Sly Stone, the Univox (manufactured by Korg and identical to their machines), and numerous others.
Ace Electronics renamed itself Roland Corporation in 1972 and released a
variety of TR and CR series “rhythm arrangers,” including the CR78
CompuRhythm (used on Peter Gabriel’s “Games Without Frontiers” and Phil
Collins’ “In the Air Tonight”); it was the first machine to offer programmable
patterns. By 1980, machines started to offer more refined programming
functions. Roland launched the TR-808, TR-909, and TR-606 programmable
machines, which helped fuel the evolution of dance music throughout the
‘80s. The TR-909 kick drum may well be the most used drum machine sound
of all time.
Real drum samples were first used in drum machines in 1980 by the
Linn LM-1, which also added a programmable human feel and was quickly
adopted by musicians from Gary Numan to Art of Noise. Soon after came the
Linn Drum and the Linn 9000.
Oberheim introduced the DMX in 1981, a machine much favored in early
rap and dance music of the era (it’s all over Run DMC’s debut album, but was
made truly famous by New Order’s “Blue Monday”), then the DX (Apollo 440,
Daft Punk).
Sequential Circuits launched DrumTraks in 1982, then, in 1986, one of
the first sequencer-samplers, the Studio 440, precursor to the Roger Linndeveloped Akai MPC machines. E-mu Systems sought to compete — successfully, as it happened — with the LM-1 with its Drumulator samplebased machine.
There were oddities, too, such as the Sakata (also licensed as the
Hammond DRM48), a drum machine-mixer with trigger pads; the lo-fi,
German-made Fricke MFB512; the roadcased Allen & Heath (then AHB)
Impulse One, which also featured drum pads; and the bright orange Larking
Movement Drum Computer, complete with 5-inch green CRT screen (it can
be seen in the video for the Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams”; Thomas Dolby and
the Thompson Twins also owned Movements). Curiously, all four machines
came out in 1983.
Software programs eventually took over from hardware, but nothing
can beat those groundbreaking analog and early digital sounds. As a
result, to the list of early technology adopters such as Prince, Stevie
Wonder, John Foxx, and Gary Numan can be added a host of current artists
now using these vintage machines: Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Beastie
Boys, Underworld, Richie Hawtin, Chemical Brothers — the list goes on
and on and on.
Sugarhill Records (that’s KLB on Grandmaster Flash’s “The
Message” and “White Lines”). LeBlanc is credited with kick-starting the sampling trend with his “Malcolm X: No Sell Out” 12-inch,
released on Tommy Boy in 1983, which integrated LeBlanc’s
drums and a DMX drum machine with samples taken from a
speech by the political activist.
LeBlanc now uses a hybrid setup of acoustic and electronic
paraphernalia when playing with Tackhead, the present day incarnation of the Sugar Hill House Band. Similarly, Austin, TX resident
Pat Mastelotto, erstwhile drummer with Mr. Mister and a longstanding member of King Crimson and other collaborations, is on
become another instrument. Not a piano or a guitar, although
even that is possible, since anything that can be recorded digitally can then be triggered. For the adventurous, it’s a setup that
can breathe new life into old songs or challenge established conventions of what constitutes a rhythm track. It’s even possible to
turn the tables on the rhythm boxes, giving beats a truly human
feel by triggering drum machine samples.
In practice, it’s easy enough to set up. All you need is a piece
of hardware to trigger the samples, a handy computer, some
software, and some MIDI cables. Appropriate hardware can be a
MIDI controller like the M-Audio Trigger Finger or a full-on electronic drum kit such as those made by Roland and Yamaha, or
a MIDI keyboard.
Using a set of electronic drum pads, for example, simply hook
the MIDI in/out connectors from the system’s brain to a laptop
(you’ll need a MIDI-to-USB connector). Using Battery software, as
another for instance, it’s very easy to start playing some incredible sounds instantly. Each trigger is assigned a unique musical
“smart drummers learned to make themselves
indispensable once more by learning to program
the new generation of drum machines and even
integrate them with their acoustic setups.
”
the bleeding edge of percussion technology with his hybrid setup.
Dance aficionados may be familiar with German drummer Oli
Rubow, who can be heard demonstrating Battery on the Native
Instruments web site (www.nativeinstruments.com). Battery 2 is
a sample cell software program that allows any musician to trigger any drum sound using a variety of methods, most typically a
sequencer or a hardware trigger such as a drum pad or keyboard.
Developers have gone to great lengths to replicate acoustic
drum textures in any number of commercially available software
packages, such as Battery and TASCAM’s GigaStudio, which offer
a multitude of recorded acoustic kit samples played by a variety
of different sticks in a host of different acoustic environments.
Each drum may even be sampled being played in 1- or 2-inch
increments across the head for super-fine tonal variations. Think
of all the man-hours of software development and sampling
needed to reproduce what a drummer on an acoustic kit can do
without even thinking about it. Yet, with some careful programming, an electronic pad or keyboard can trigger those samples in
such a way that it does almost sound exactly like an acoustic
drum, even triggering samples of harder hits as the note is hit
harder, for example.
DRUM MACHINE AS AN INSTRUMENT
note (either pre-assigned by the instrument’s manufacturer or
reassigned by the user) that then activates a sample — assigned
that same note — stored in the Battery software, via MIDI.
Battery comes with a huge collection of preset sounds, many
of them electronic rather than sampled acoustic drums, which
can also be tweaked within the program. One good way to create
something completely new is to just load a preset kit and start
playing. In most presets, the pads will trigger a random selection
of samples; in other words, it won’t necessarily be a snare drumlike sound on the snare pad or a kick on the bass drum pad. It’s a
great way to spark some fresh beats. You can quickly reassign
the samples within the software if you’d prefer a standard
sounding drum kit setup.
Beyond what’s in the presets, you can select your own sound
files instead or grab some sounds using a suitable software program and load those samples into a kit. The sound of a door
slamming might become a kick drum, or sampled white noise
could become a cymbal. Battery even lets you layer multiple
samples to produce some really interesting sounds. There are
almost no limits to the sounds that can be created and played.
Load in the sampled sounds of a TR-808 and you can even put
some soul back into the drum machine.
But where electronic drums and sample applications score big is
not in directly replacing acoustic drums or, with the aid of a
sequencer, replacing a drummer, but in their ability to effectively
The L.A.-based writer and drummer H. Stevens joined his first
band in 1972. He has never met a drum machine he didn’t like.
GUITA R
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[57]
legacy
The (Electronic) Beat Goes On
How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Drum Machine
EVER SINCE PETE BEST LOST OUT ON FAME AND FORTUNE
WHEN RINGO TOOK OVER HIS SEAT IN THE BEATLES (AND
BY H. STEVENS
HE’S NOT THE FIRST, JUST THE BEST KNOWN), THE DRUMMER
IN MODERN MUSIC — LET’S CALL IT POP, FOR POPULAR, TO
COVER ALL THE GENRES — HAS BEEN IN A PRECARIOUS POSITION. YOU SEE, DRUMMERS, PERHAPS MORE THAN ANY
OTHER MUSICIAN, CAN BE REPLACED.
Have you ever heard of a guitar machine? Of course not;
but we’re all familiar with the drum machine. Originally
introduced as a glorified metronome in home organs,
the first standalone units, also known as rhythm
boxes or rhythm machines, offered only a limited number of preset beats and less than realistic sound quality.
Despite such limitations, bands and producers soon saw the
potential and brought them into the studio.
It’s widely believed that the first pop hit to use a drum machine
was Sly & the Family Stone’s “Family Affair,” which was a Billboard
#1 in November 1971. At very nearly the same time, over in
Germany, a newly drummerless Kraftwerk used some studio
trickery to imitate a drum machine on the track “Klingklang,” on
the band’s second album. Can’s 1972 album Ege Bamyasi included a prominent drum machine on the track “Spoon,” which
became a Top 30 hit in their home country of Germany.
The first album to rely entirely on drum machine (a Rhythm
Ace) is reputedly Journey by U.K. prog rockers Arthur Brown and
Kingdom Come, recorded in November 1972. Brian Eno, late of
Roxy Music, used drum machines extensively on his solo
albums, starting in September 1973.
Listening to these early beat boxes (see sidebar), no one
would be fooled into thinking they were listening to a real drummer. Not until 1980, anyway, when Roger Linn’s LM-1 replaced
[58]
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the filtered white noise and sine waves of the early analog
machines with digital samples of real acoustic drums. Barely discernable from the real thing (the Linn machine can be heard to
great effect on the Human League’s 1981 Dare album as well as
Peter Gabriel’s Shock the Monkey, released the following year),
the Linn LM-1 finally brought credibility to drum machines and
had drummers in a cold sweat, pondering an uncertain future.
They were right to worry, as drum machines were only the beginning. The Fairlight CMI (Computer Musical Instrument) and the New
England Digital Synclavier brought sampling and programmable
sequencing to those rich enough to afford them; coincidentally, much the same list that could afford the rather costly LM-1. But as technology evolved so did the sound quality and the capabilities of the slew of samplers and drum
machines introduced throughout the ‘80s — and each
was less expensive than the last.
“DRUM MACHINES HAVE NO SOUL”
When synthesizers, popularized by the late Robert Moog’s
affordable Minimoog, started to appear everywhere in the 1970s,
the Musicians Union in the UK accused synthesizers of killing
live music (a similar battle has been raging on Broadway in
recent years). For a while in the 1980s it seemed like there were
no real drummers playing on anything that was to be heard on
pop or dance radio, and musical Luddites rallied behind the cry,
“Drum machines have no soul.”
Maybe not, but without drum machines there would have
been no evolution of soul music into rap, hip-hop, R&B, or an infinite variety of dance music, much — if not all — of which can
trace its ancestry back to one of pop’s most influential groups,
Kraftwerk (the Roland TR-808 drum machine and sequenced
sounds of Afrika Bambaataa’s milestone 1982 electro single,
“Plant Rock,” produced by ‘80s underground dance music mas(continued on page 56)
Audio/MIDI FireWire Interface

October 2007 Edition

Transcription

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