Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros

Page: 12 > Showing page 1 of 2
Author
bitflipper
01100010 01101001 01110100 01100110 01101100 01101
  • Total Posts : 26036
  • Joined: 2006/09/17 11:23:23
  • Location: Everett, WA USA
  • Status: offline
2010/09/03 20:50:50 (permalink)

Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros

"Mixing, recording and producing techniques of the pros" by Rick Clark.

If you've already read "Behind the Glass" by Howard Massey or "The Mixing Engineer's Handbook" by Bobby Owsinski (and you should if you haven't), you're already familiar with the interview format used in Rick Clark's book. In fact, I had previously passed on this book, thinking it was just more of the same. And frankly, although the other two books are entertaining and recommendable, they are short on ready-to-use practical information.

This book is different, though. It is absolutely loaded with practical information, the kind of stuff that inspires you to put the book down after a few pages and dash into the studio to try something out.

What Clark did was interview a bunch of high-level pros in various audio-related fields and let them describe what they do in their own words. He must have asked them to concentrate on practical tips that would interest the serious home recordist, because that's what you'll find on these pages. Lots of good stuff, organized loosely by topic, such as "Bass", "Brass", and "Drums".

I probably learned the most from the drum section, which was extensive. Maybe dropping cotton balls into a drum is old news to you drummers, but it was the first I'd heard of it. The interviewees weren't just world-class drummers, they also included heavyweight drum techs like the Director of Custom Products for Slingerland Drums. (From the Slingerland guy: you don't need to buy "power toms" to sound powerful. "Those are marketing ploys". Wonder if he still works there.)

One of my favorite sections was the one on field recording. Squatting in mud in Costa Rica for 8 hours waiting for a rare bird to squawk isn't something I'd personally care to do, but I'm glad I now (sort of) know how to do it. You don't use Neumanns, for one thing. Not rugged enough.

Only one small caveat: this isn't really a beginner's book. The speakers all talk as if they're among peers, and there are no footnotes to explain what they're talking about. Not that it's indecipherable technobabble or anything. If you know that "57" means a Shure SM57, and that an "1176" is a compressor, you'll have no problem following along.






All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

My Stuff
#1

48 Replies Related Threads

    mattplaysguitar
    Max Output Level: -55.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 1992
    • Joined: 2006/01/02 00:27:42
    • Location: Gold Coast, Australia
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/03 20:58:24 (permalink)
    Sounds good, Bit! I'll add it to my wish list!


    Currently recording my first album, so if you like my music, please follow me on Facebook!
    http://www.facebook.com/mattlyonsmusic

    www.mattlyonsmusic.com 

    #2
    Middleman
    Max Output Level: -31.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 4397
    • Joined: 2003/12/04 00:58:50
    • Location: Orange County, CA
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/03 22:00:13 (permalink)
    Bit, I agree. I got it last week and was glued to the pages for almost a week. A lot of data in there.

    It is instantly one of the top mixing books I have found. Right up there with Owsinski and Massey and is a must read for tracking and mixing.

    One area that is still missing in all almost all of the material out there is processing & bussing approaches. You get a little of this information from articles and gearslutz but, because it's kind of the hidden information that is critical to get professional results. I guess the pros need to have some holy ground.

    Getting back to the book, just some great tips and practical information. I used some of the approaches from the drum section to remix Superior 2.0 tracks and it was very useful there. Also the bass section, great tips and straight forward information. My other favorite section was acoustic guitar, great EQ tips.

    A big thick juicy book which you won't put down for a while, that is guaranteed. Definitely a 10 of 10 book.
    post edited by Middleman - 2010/09/03 22:01:51

    Gear: A bunch of stuff.
    #3
    Philip
    Max Output Level: -34.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 4062
    • Joined: 2007/03/21 13:09:13
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/04 18:30:33 (permalink)
    Well I doubt anything could seriously beat Bobby Owsinski's sweet bible ... which turned me into a mixing-fanatic ...

    ... I went ahead and ordered Clark's book for $23. 

    Now if I could just find some seriously great beatz samples to buy!

    Philip  
    (Isa 5:12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD)

    Raised-Again 3http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12307501
    #4
    Slow Marching Band
    Max Output Level: -59 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 1603
    • Joined: 2009/11/20 13:47:35
    • Location: Connecticut/Scotland
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/05 11:47:33 (permalink)
    Thanks Bit! Just ordered mine as well. Looking forward to gaining more insight.

    Larry
    #5
    Dave King
    Max Output Level: -46.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2862
    • Joined: 2005/11/13 14:19:48
    • Location: Connecticut, USA
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/05 11:56:20 (permalink)
    Sounds great.  I'm adding it to my Amazon Wish Lisht right now.

    Thanks!

    Dave King
    www.davekingmusic.com

    SONAR X2 Producer 64-Bit 
    StudioCat PC
    Windows 7 Home Premium, Service Pack 1 
    Intel Corel i5 3450 CPU @3.10 GHz 
    RAM 8 GB
    M-Audio Delta 44

    M-Audio MidiSport 2x2
     
    #6
    ba_midi
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 14061
    • Joined: 2003/11/05 16:58:18
    • Location: NYC
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/05 21:42:36 (permalink)
    "Mixing, recording and producing techniques of the pros" by Rick Clark.

     
    I ordered it.  Thanks for the review Bit.
     
     

    Billy Arnell (ba-midi)

    http://www.ba-midi.com/music/files
    Music gives me life, so I give life Music.
    Thanks for listening - Let's Dance to the rhythm of life! :)
    #7
    ba_midi
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 14061
    • Joined: 2003/11/05 16:58:18
    • Location: NYC
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/05 21:47:21 (permalink)
    Philip


    Well I doubt anything could seriously beat Bobby Owsinski's sweet bible ... which turned me into a mixing-fanatic ...

    ... I went ahead and ordered Clark's book for $23. 

    Now if I could just find some seriously great beatz samples to buy!
    Owsinski's book was definitely informative, but Roey Izhaki's book (Mixing Audio) gave me the most bang for the buck, so to speak.  (Also a recommendation by Bitflipper).
     
    The sections on compression/limiting/gating, etc alone were the most thorough and detailed I had ever seen -- and totally changed the way I look at handling that now. 
      
    As for Beats samples .... Modernbeats.com, Producerloops.com, BigFishAudio.com, many more.
     
    post edited by ba_midi - 2010/09/05 21:48:33

    Billy Arnell (ba-midi)

    http://www.ba-midi.com/music/files
    Music gives me life, so I give life Music.
    Thanks for listening - Let's Dance to the rhythm of life! :)
    #8
    Philip
    Max Output Level: -34.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 4062
    • Joined: 2007/03/21 13:09:13
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/06 20:05:23 (permalink)
    Ba_Midi,

    Ouch!  You're absolutely right!  I've confused the 2, the latter, Roey Izhaki (whose name always eludes me) wrote the best mixing bible and has been 10-20 x more inspiring than Owsinski for me.  (Both of which Bit recommended as you cited)  Roey's CD was extremely easy to follow as well!

    Thanks for correcting my typo.
     
    (note: I'll look into your thoughtful leads on beatz ... thanks so much!)
     
    Philip
    post edited by Philip - 2010/09/06 20:06:29

    Philip  
    (Isa 5:12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD)

    Raised-Again 3http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12307501
    #9
    quantumeffect
    Max Output Level: -47.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2771
    • Joined: 2007/07/22 21:29:42
    • Location: Minnesota
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/06 23:22:39 (permalink)
    Thanks Bit ... am going to order the book right now.

    The cotton ball thing cracks me up.  I remember going to a friend's house in the mid-80's.  A fellow drummer with a studio in the basement of his mother's house.  He had a beautiful ... brand new, top of the line Yamaha kit.  I just remember laughing hysterically because he had filled the floor tom with cotton balls (first time I had ever seen that).

    Dave

    8.5 PE 64, i7 Studio Cat, Delta 1010, GMS and Ludwig Drums, Paiste Cymbals

    "Everyone knows rock n' roll attained perfection in 1974. It's a scientific fact." H. Simpson

    "His chops are too righteous."  Plankton during Sponge Bob's guitar solo 
    #10
    bitflipper
    01100010 01101001 01110100 01100110 01101100 01101
    • Total Posts : 26036
    • Joined: 2006/09/17 11:23:23
    • Location: Everett, WA USA
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/07 11:05:09 (permalink)
    Here's an interview with the author on Ronan's Recording Show (Ronan is one of the book's contributors and probably collects a small royalty from it). The interview is not particularly interesting - the author's actually rather dull - but I like to picture a face speaking to me when I read a book.


    All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

    My Stuff
    #11
    bitflipper
    01100010 01101001 01110100 01100110 01101100 01101
    • Total Posts : 26036
    • Joined: 2006/09/17 11:23:23
    • Location: Everett, WA USA
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/07 11:11:44 (permalink)
    "Everyone knows rock n' roll attained perfection in 1974. It's a scientific fact." H. Simpson

    Dave, your sig reminded me of a paragraph in the book under discussion. I don't have it near me at the moment, so I can't quote it directly. But the gist was that by 1974 they had achieved a sound that today is considered "the" authentic rock sound. Today, vendors sell plugins designed to replicate "that" sound. Books purport to teach you how to get "that" sound. The irony is that this "one authentic" rock sound was accidental, largely the result of equipment limitations of the day, and every bit as much a studio fabrication as today's manufactured product.


    All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

    My Stuff
    #12
    Philip
    Max Output Level: -34.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 4062
    • Joined: 2007/03/21 13:09:13
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/08 14:15:51 (permalink)
    OK, I've read portions of our proud-to-be-humble yet encouraging Rick Clark, and his beloved brethren (except Phil Spector). 

    Bit, this is kind of like the lost art of oil-painting.  Or oil-painting techniques of reverent masters.  Its great to get into the minds of these producers ... but watch out!  Do they apply to you and I?

    Unfortunately, You and I might never use 1% of their outboard equipment ... also much *great* equipment is growing obsolete, I fear. 

    That rants of my artistic neurosis and gear lust.  A 'sane' artist (if exists) uses ordinary stuff to make extraordinary beauty.

    There is little in Rick Clark to inspire your/my vox persuits, vox vibe, and/or spiritual singing.  JMO!  This book is production interviews of techniques and materials ... these producers 'think they know' what vocs they like.  But I care about your message(s).

    Rick Clark is extremely old-school and performance-driven, as are his producer-artists.  This book might inspire live-recording producers much more than Sonarites. 

    Still, there many pearls that producers generously share here!

    While this is a must read (for me), I'm afraid Rick Clark's book is doomed for the dust ... as loopsters and vox-meisters cheat their way by home-schooling (so to speak)

    Home-studio vox-driven and sample-driven songs ('Newer School' pomp) are destined to steal our children's hearts. 

    Roey Izhaki's book (Mixing Audio) covers much more of the same ground but also respects Cubase, Protools, In-the-Box, and today's paradigms.

    Unfortunately, "Vocals" (the most 'meaningful' and important element for this home-producer, IMO) is a scanty 7-8 pages ... the last chapter! 

    In sum:
    So far (having read 30 pages or so) ... I'm extremely disappointed that Mr. Clark 'missed the boat' on vox productions, newer school techniques, in-the-box recordings, and is only 187 pages (+ a 100 page appendix?).  Ouch! 

    For Sonar home producer-singers ... I'd rate this book as average+/- ... an easy-reading skim through book ... with a few choice pearls worth sifting out. 

    Its fun (if not vain) to know how they did it 20-40 years ago with $$$ of equipment ... when performers didn't divorce one-another so much. 

    OTOH, I'd love to know how Phil Spector (incarcerated), feels about producing, and/or, if he cares about music anymore ... if he still dislikes stereo (vs mono), his wall of sound, Let It Be, etc. 

    Philip  
    (Isa 5:12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD)

    Raised-Again 3http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12307501
    #13
    ba_midi
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 14061
    • Joined: 2003/11/05 16:58:18
    • Location: NYC
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/08 14:29:06 (permalink)
    Philp,
     
    Interesting comments.  I'm expecting the book today, so I'm curious about it.
     
    I suspected it would be a bit old school - just by reading some excerpts and reviews on it.  But, at the same time, I do think there's merit in understanding the roots that came before the loop/beatbox/DAW era.
     
    Many of the best productions - even those of the ultimate modernites (techno, etc) seem to have some great knowledge that, I suspect, came from a good understanding of what came before them.   Evolution of the art, so to speak.
     
    So, while I'm not terribly interested in knowing, for example, what mic was used on some record 20 or 30 years ago -- I am interested in understand the 'results' they were going for and how they achieved it with their tools.
     
    Technique is a fundamental, to me.   I wish I had much better technique every time I sit down to make music in our modern environment.  But I do think having a really broad knowledge of things helps even with the most "now" tools.
     
    Anyway - thanks for your feedback on this book as well.  It's appreciated.
     
    And PS- I say again (as you point out) Izhaki's book is immensely useful and probably is the book that most influences me these days.
     
     
     

    Billy Arnell (ba-midi)

    http://www.ba-midi.com/music/files
    Music gives me life, so I give life Music.
    Thanks for listening - Let's Dance to the rhythm of life! :)
    #14
    Middleman
    Max Output Level: -31.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 4397
    • Joined: 2003/12/04 00:58:50
    • Location: Orange County, CA
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/08 14:32:24 (permalink)
    Ok, well I for one found the information on drum and guitar recording laced with some great approaches. The vocal chapter I agree with, that was a little light but let's face it. If you want a killer vocal there are two paths used by the pros.

    U47>Neve>LA2A
    U47>SSL>Tube Tech.

    Both with variations.

    After a certain point in time after playing with all the software, buying the best hardware, studying all the tips and tricks, it comes down to one thing. Do you have any taste? I have not found that ability to develop taste in any book. But, until that one is written, I thought this one was had some valuable information.



    Gear: A bunch of stuff.
    #15
    ba_midi
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 14061
    • Joined: 2003/11/05 16:58:18
    • Location: NYC
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/08 14:35:48 (permalink)
    I have not found that ability to develop taste in any book. But, until that one is written, I thought this one was had some valuable information.

     
    Heh, if someone can write a book on "the ability to develop taste", it would probably end up a "Cook Book" 

    Billy Arnell (ba-midi)

    http://www.ba-midi.com/music/files
    Music gives me life, so I give life Music.
    Thanks for listening - Let's Dance to the rhythm of life! :)
    #16
    ba_midi
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 14061
    • Joined: 2003/11/05 16:58:18
    • Location: NYC
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/09 01:33:13 (permalink)
    I had a pretty good quick read of the book tonight.  Not every chapter or word, but I did go into some pretty deep.

    My take:  there is some overall good info.  Some of it is more of personal statements by some great people in the biz (engineers, mixers, mastering engineers, etc).   Some was extremely interesting to read.

    The thing that caught me the most, however, was how almost each and every one who contributed in this book had amazingly similar feelings about the industry as it exists (or tries to) today.

    Having been in the biz for a long time for a part of my life, I so related to that stuff.  Much of which are the reasons I left in the first place.

    I don't think the record industry as it exists can survive, frankly.  It has to transform.  But will it?  I dunno.  I have my doubts.  Corporations tend to have a bottom-line mentality at the expense of actual quality product.  This shows up throughout life and throughout the business world.

    Fortunately alternative methods are evolving.   Unfortunately it's harder than ever for so many talented people to earn a living and still work at their craft and feed their families.

    But, getting back to the book - I do think it's a worthwhile read.   It's not a "how to" or "in depth" book as much as Roey Izhaki's book, but yet there are many details in there that are useful.

    I don't regret the purchase at all.



    Billy Arnell (ba-midi)

    http://www.ba-midi.com/music/files
    Music gives me life, so I give life Music.
    Thanks for listening - Let's Dance to the rhythm of life! :)
    #17
    bitflipper
    01100010 01101001 01110100 01100110 01101100 01101
    • Total Posts : 26036
    • Joined: 2006/09/17 11:23:23
    • Location: Everett, WA USA
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/09 11:10:17 (permalink)
    Philip and Billy, as always you guys can be counted on for some great thought-provoking comments.

    First, let's not confuse anybody by suggesting that this book is anything at all like Izhaki's straightforward how-to textbook. They are two very different products.

    If I had my druthers I'd prefer to fill my bookshelf with the Izhaki genre. If someone could only afford to buy Ishaki's book or Clark's book, I'd advise them to spend their money on the former. But you can't be all left-brain all the time. Let's face it: if you had an opportunity to sit down with Bob Ludwig and pick his brain you'd be at it until the sun came up or you sent him screaming from the room.

    Philip, I agree that when somebody tells me you have to have a $20,000 signal chain for each microphone my eyes glaze over. That advice is next to useless for guys like us!

    Fortunately, they don't go overboard with that kind of snobbery in this book. Like Bob Ludwig says in the section on mastering, the quality difference between pro and prosumer is well on its way to disappearing. Ten years from now, nobody will be arguing that an all-analog chain is inherently superior, sonically-speaking. Some will continue to prefer the simplicity of two-knob compressors in a standalone box, but it won't be technically necessary.

    I somewhat share your concerns about canned loops and arpeggiators taking over the commercial music industry, sending classic techniques to the dustbin of history.

    It's true, nowadays you can use one finger and a preset to create junk that sounds an awful lot like mainstream records, and convincing children to buy it will always be easy for sophisticated marketers. Why does this not bother me? I believe our salvation will be the increasing fragmentation of the marketplace.

    Today's market is no longer the pop-culture monolith it used to be. Record company A&R flunkies are no longer the sole deciders of who gets recorded, radio no longer limits what gets heard, and Wal-Mart doesn't dictate what products you can buy. If you like goth surf punk ska music, somebody will make you some and sell it to you.

    I also have faith that art will always be produced by humans. It's in their DNA and it's  independent of the marketplace.

    (BTW, it's not 187 pages. I checked and the meat ends at page 345.)




    All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

    My Stuff
    #18
    ba_midi
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 14061
    • Joined: 2003/11/05 16:58:18
    • Location: NYC
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/09 11:33:56 (permalink)
    bitflipper


    Philip and Billy, as always you guys can be counted on for some great thought-provoking comments.

    First, let's not confuse anybody by suggesting that this book is anything at all like Izhaki's straightforward how-to textbook. They are two very different products.

    If I had my druthers I'd prefer to fill my bookshelf with the Izhaki genre. If someone could only afford to buy Ishaki's book or Clark's book, I'd advise them to spend their money on the former. But you can't be all left-brain all the time. Let's face it: if you had an opportunity to sit down with Bob Ludwig and pick his brain you'd be at it until the sun came up or you sent him screaming from the room.

    Philip, I agree that when somebody tells me you have to have a $20,000 signal chain for each microphone my eyes glaze over. That advice is next to useless for guys like us!

    Fortunately, they don't go overboard with that kind of snobbery in this book. Like Bob Ludwig says in the section on mastering, the quality difference between pro and prosumer is well on its way to disappearing. Ten years from now, nobody will be arguing that an all-analog chain is inherently superior, sonically-speaking. Some will continue to prefer the simplicity of two-knob compressors in a standalone box, but it won't be technically necessary.

    I somewhat share your concerns about canned loops and arpeggiators taking over the commercial music industry, sending classic techniques to the dustbin of history.

    It's true, nowadays you can use one finger and a preset to create junk that sounds an awful lot like mainstream records, and convincing children to buy it will always be easy for sophisticated marketers. Why does this not bother me? I believe our salvation will be the increasing fragmentation of the marketplace.

    Today's market is no longer the pop-culture monolith it used to be. Record company A&R flunkies are no longer the sole deciders of who gets recorded, radio no longer limits what gets heard, and Wal-Mart doesn't dictate what products you can buy. If you like goth surf punk ska music, somebody will make you some and sell it to you.

    I also have faith that art will always be produced by humans. It's in their DNA and it's  independent of the marketplace.

    (BTW, it's not 187 pages. I checked and the meat ends at page 345.)

    Dave,
     
    I'm with you in that I think the monolithic nature of the industry has been sorely reduced, and deservedly so.  I also agree and think that the ability to freely distribute one's own music via the internet and other outlets creates a fervent environment.   And I certainly agree that "art" will always creep its way back in -- after the pendulum has swung enough.
     
    I know some of you are not lovers of techno stuff in general, but some of the stuff I listen to and like in that genre (and similar) really moves me.  Some of the production techniques can be really interesting and exciting.   It's a very different way of making music than using mics and analogue gear (though there's no rule against using them in techno related styles) and sometimes I get so upset that I can't get the sound some of the producers/music-makers I like are able to get.
     
    But, with regard to this book ... I was actually giggling with joy reading how some of these very important technicians and creative people -- many who were instrumental in some of the biggest hits ever made -- lambasted the music biz flunkies ("A&R" people) and the other upper echelons for over-filtering and, in the end, self-destructing.
     
    There are a number of both sad and silly stories I could tell from my own experiences, but I'll spare you all that lol.
     
    At any rate - I thank you again for this recommendation/review.  I do find it a good read so far.
     
     

    Billy Arnell (ba-midi)

    http://www.ba-midi.com/music/files
    Music gives me life, so I give life Music.
    Thanks for listening - Let's Dance to the rhythm of life! :)
    #19
    Middleman
    Max Output Level: -31.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 4397
    • Joined: 2003/12/04 00:58:50
    • Location: Orange County, CA
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/09 11:38:59 (permalink)
    bitflipper


    I believe our salvation will be the increasing fragmentation of the marketplace. 


    I agree with this, it needs to come completely apart and reform into the next thing.


    Gear: A bunch of stuff.
    #20
    ba_midi
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 14061
    • Joined: 2003/11/05 16:58:18
    • Location: NYC
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/09 11:40:34 (permalink)
    Middleman


    bitflipper


    I believe our salvation will be the increasing fragmentation of the marketplace. 


    I agree with this, it needs to come completely apart and reform into the next thing.

    I think it's in progress ;)
     

    Billy Arnell (ba-midi)

    http://www.ba-midi.com/music/files
    Music gives me life, so I give life Music.
    Thanks for listening - Let's Dance to the rhythm of life! :)
    #21
    KenB123
    Max Output Level: -66 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 1229
    • Joined: 2006/08/16 12:02:50
    • Location: Illinois, U.S.A.
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/09 11:56:22 (permalink)
    Thanks for the quick review, Bitflipper. Was enough for me to buy it through Amazon.
     
    Funny how it was like a $1.90 short of free shipping ($25.00 purchase), so I added Tom Petty's BluRay audio disk 'Mojo' to get me the free shipping. Hmmm! Spend another $23.00 to get free shipping. Am I mad! I've been wanting to check out his BluRay disk anyway, even though I am not a big fan of Petty, but am a fan of high-end audio disks (DVD-A, BluRay). So it should be a good week when both these things arrive.

    Broken pencils are pointless.

    WIN-7 64-bit; Sonar X2A 64-bit; 12GB RAM; ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 MB; Intel Core i7-960; 300GB-OS (10000-RPM); 1TB-Projects (7200-RPM); 1TB-Samples (7200-RPM) 


    #22
    dmbaer
    Max Output Level: -49.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2585
    • Joined: 2008/08/04 20:10:22
    • Location: Concord CA
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/09 13:26:46 (permalink)
    KenB123


    Thanks for the quick review, Bitflipper. Was enough for me to buy it through Amazon.
     
    Funny how it was like a $1.90 short of free shipping ($25.00 purchase), so I added Tom Petty's BluRay audio disk 'Mojo' to get me the free shipping. Hmmm! Spend another $23.00 to get free shipping. Am I mad! I've been wanting to check out his BluRay disk anyway, even though I am not a big fan of Petty, but am a fan of high-end audio disks (DVD-A, BluRay). So it should be a good week when both these things arrive.


    LOL.  Well, if you're mad then so am I.  I do this sort of thing all the time.  I keep a wishlist of Naxos classical CDs, that mostly sell for 9 bucks.  Anytime I need to pad an order to get free shipping, I just add one off of that list.
    #23
    Philip
    Max Output Level: -34.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 4062
    • Joined: 2007/03/21 13:09:13
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/09 20:34:20 (permalink)
    187 pages I'm afraid, in my 2008 paperback edition, Bit!  The rest is a mega-movie-credits-appendix, IIRC (In my edition, almost half the book is credits?! ... Ouch!)

    OTOH: I'm extremely glad you provoked this book as it remains #3rd fav for me (behind Izhaki (#1), and Owsinski).  Dialogue and collabs with other artists hav been my greatest pearls.

    Philip  
    (Isa 5:12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD)

    Raised-Again 3http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12307501
    #24
    bitflipper
    01100010 01101001 01110100 01100110 01101100 01101
    • Total Posts : 26036
    • Joined: 2006/09/17 11:23:23
    • Location: Everett, WA USA
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/10 15:42:41 (permalink)
    I know some of you are not lovers of techno stuff in general...

    I'm afraid that describes me, Billy. In particular, "lo-fi" effects make my skin crawl. Reminds me of the bad old days of frustration with cheesy synths and noisy effects. It was a happy day when I found some sucker to take my Roland TR-808 off my hands. (Even though now it would be worth more on eBay than I originally paid for it!)

    With that admission out of the way, I have to say that techno is a fascinating playground for exploring sonic textures. It must be liberating to throw out any pretense of emulating anything in the physical world!

    I suspect one of the reasons techno turns me off is that the low cost of entry - all you really need is a laptop - invites a lot of wannabes, fakers and copycats. The kind of people who wear sunglasses indoors and scarves in August and never met a fad they didn't like.

    Yeh, I know. I'm a grumpy old man. But to my credit, I do like the bulk of what my most-listened-to techno artist does. That, of course, would be the Artist Known As ba_midi.


    All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

    My Stuff
    #25
    ba_midi
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 14061
    • Joined: 2003/11/05 16:58:18
    • Location: NYC
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/10 16:11:50 (permalink)
    bitflipper



    I know some of you are not lovers of techno stuff in general...

    I'm afraid that describes me, Billy. In particular, "lo-fi" effects make my skin crawl. Reminds me of the bad old days of frustration with cheesy synths and noisy effects. It was a happy day when I found some sucker to take my Roland TR-808 off my hands. (Even though now it would be worth more on eBay than I originally paid for it!)

    With that admission out of the way, I have to say that techno is a fascinating playground for exploring sonic textures. It must be liberating to throw out any pretense of emulating anything in the physical world!

    I suspect one of the reasons techno turns me off is that the low cost of entry - all you really need is a laptop - invites a lot of wannabes, fakers and copycats. The kind of people who wear sunglasses indoors and scarves in August and never met a fad they didn't like.

    Yeh, I know. I'm a grumpy old man. But to my credit, I do like the bulk of what my most-listened-to techno artist does. That, of course, would be the Artist Known As ba_midi.

    Well, you're too kind, Dave :)  but I appreciate that.

    I think the term "techno" can be somewhat elusive.   The tracks I actually really like are probably things you've not heard and by artists/DJ's/Producers you've probably not heard of.   But I would bet that you actually would like some of it.  I'm speaking particularly about the stuff that is super well produced.  That is, not your average thump thump and lo-fi.

    Like you, I tend not to like lo-fi for the sake of being lo-fi'd.   I do like it when it's done on occasion, and for artistic reasons -- not when it's done just because there's a "lo-fi" button somewhere in some plugin or machine.

    However, the stuff I'm talking about and like takes a great deal of effort, and incredible amount of skill with compression, EQ, and psycho-acoustics.   And, no, one doesn't have to be on drugs to appreciate it lol.

    I could rattle off some names like Armin Van Buren, Kascade, Deadmau5, Paul Van Dyke, Tiesto, etc -- but unfortunately even they have their share of "commercial" stuff that doesn't quite hit my spot sometimes as well.   BUT, some of their deep stuff is truly well produced.

    One classic example might be Tiesto's version of "Hide And Seek" (with Imogen Heap).   It's getting old now, but to me is still one of those classic tracks that I could listen to over and over.

    The point being ... terms like Techno are similar to terms like "Rock".  There's a huge variety and latitude there -- so sometimes terms are more limiting than explanatory.

    This leads me back to this book.   It reiterates, for me, the reason it's important to have a solid foundation for the tools and techniques we use.   While most of the tools in the digital domain certainly have expanded upon analogue concepts -- it isn't so much about the tool as what it 'does'.

    With all the abundance of compressor plugins available, their basic fundamental purpose remains the same today as it did many years ago.   They get better and better, perhaps -- and they add more bells and whistles (some of which are great, like super fast attack and release times, etc) -- but their fundamental 'job' doesn't change.

    How one uses the tools has always been a matter of knowledge, skill, creativity - and subjectivity.

    But that's why this book adds to the general "fundamental-ness", so to speak.

    The parts that knock the industry (rightfully so) are a joy to read lol.  After all, the bad guys get what's coming to them in that regard.  But the other information about the tools they use, used to use, and may use -- these are just as important and fun to read about for me.

    Oh and PS - if you're a grumpy old man, you sure fooled me about that;)

    ANd PPS - your line about the wannabes with sunglasses and scarves is a classic!




    post edited by ba_midi - 2010/09/10 16:18:30

    Billy Arnell (ba-midi)

    http://www.ba-midi.com/music/files
    Music gives me life, so I give life Music.
    Thanks for listening - Let's Dance to the rhythm of life! :)
    #26
    bitflipper
    01100010 01101001 01110100 01100110 01101100 01101
    • Total Posts : 26036
    • Joined: 2006/09/17 11:23:23
    • Location: Everett, WA USA
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/10 16:35:16 (permalink)
    OK, so I went to Amazon to preview some Tiesto. You're right: that really is some well-produced stuff! Take out the annoying pulsed-sinewave "bass drum" and put in real acoustic drums and it would be quite listenable.


    All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

    My Stuff
    #27
    ba_midi
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 14061
    • Joined: 2003/11/05 16:58:18
    • Location: NYC
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/10 23:07:34 (permalink)
    bitflipper


    OK, so I went to Amazon to preview some Tiesto. You're right: that really is some well-produced stuff! Take out the annoying pulsed-sinewave "bass drum" and put in real acoustic drums and it would be quite listenable.
    Heh, well ya gotta know which tracks/albums to pick with some of these artists/producers.    IF you get a chance to hear "Hide And Seek" with Tiesto and Imogen Heap, I'd love to know what you think of that one.





    Billy Arnell (ba-midi)

    http://www.ba-midi.com/music/files
    Music gives me life, so I give life Music.
    Thanks for listening - Let's Dance to the rhythm of life! :)
    #28
    Middleman
    Max Output Level: -31.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 4397
    • Joined: 2003/12/04 00:58:50
    • Location: Orange County, CA
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/11 02:21:13 (permalink)
    Imogen Heap is one of my favorites as well. Can't wait for her DVD on how she made her last album. That should be a real interesting view into what I consider one of the most technically interesting works in the last few years. It is coming available in October if there is not another delay.
    post edited by Middleman - 2010/09/11 02:22:23

    Gear: A bunch of stuff.
    #29
    ba_midi
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 14061
    • Joined: 2003/11/05 16:58:18
    • Location: NYC
    • Status: offline
    Re:Book Review: mixing, recording, and producing techniques of the pros 2010/09/11 02:35:03 (permalink)
    Middleman


    Imogen Heap is one of my favorites as well. Can't wait for her DVD on how she made her last album. That should be a real interesting view into what I consider one of the most technically interesting works in the last few years. It is coming available in October if there is not another delay.
    Cool - good to know.
    Thanks :)




    Billy Arnell (ba-midi)

    http://www.ba-midi.com/music/files
    Music gives me life, so I give life Music.
    Thanks for listening - Let's Dance to the rhythm of life! :)
    #30
    Page: 12 > Showing page 1 of 2
    Jump to:
    © 2024 APG vNext Commercial Version 5.1