{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="__encoded__: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"}}
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UAD Tones & Techniques featuring the Marshall JMP 2203
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10 Questions with Mick Guzauski, the Mixer Behind Daft Punk, Pharrell & More
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="When Universal Audio last spoke to Mick Guzauski in 2013, he was fresh off mixing Daft Punk's wildly successful, Random Access Memories. The landmark record was just one highlight of Guzauski's multi-Platinum resume that spans over three decades, and includes titles from Prince and Barbara Streisand to Pharrell and Eric Clapton — and that’s just scratching the surface. Guzauski's mixing prowess has not only made him a legend in a fickle, hyper results-based industry, it’s garnered him over a dozen Grammys.
Here, Guzauski talks about what he feels is important for young mix engineers to keep in mind as they learn the craft, as well as a few tips on his favorite UAD plug-ins."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="1. When you first started in audio, you mixed live sound. Did this inform your later career as a mixer?" content="Oh yeah, quite a bit. I did a lot of orchestral sound, and trying to translate all of those instruments through a big PA system taught me a lot about balance and how things really sound."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="2. How does one sharpen their skills to better recognize the blending of timbres?" content="One way to really understand mixing is to be involved from the beginning of a project — not just the mixing part. Start out doing entire projects from beginning to end — from moving mics around and tracking, on through the final mix.
You will be a much better mixer if you know how and why things are recorded a certain way. Go into the room and listen to how the drums and guitars really sound. Don't just stay behind the glass."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="3. You recently tracked and mixed a song for Big Data here at the Universal Audio's Studio 610. Can you describe that process?" content="Sure, that was a three-day session to write and track the song “New Body.” Big Data flew out to record at UA a few days in advance. At the time, he basically just had a vocal hook, and some backing tracks that he had composed in Ableton Live. He flew in a group of really talented musicians and a singer, Lizy Ryan. So he was writing parts as we went, and I tracked it using three Apollo 8ps into Pro Tools. These days, I mostly just mix. So it was fun for me to basically come in at the early stages, and track and mix the entire song, end to end."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}
Here, Guzauski talks about what he feels is important for young mix engineers to keep in mind as they learn the craft, as well as a few tips on his favorite UAD plug-ins."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="1. When you first started in audio, you mixed live sound. Did this inform your later career as a mixer?" content="Oh yeah, quite a bit. I did a lot of orchestral sound, and trying to translate all of those instruments through a big PA system taught me a lot about balance and how things really sound."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="2. How does one sharpen their skills to better recognize the blending of timbres?" content="One way to really understand mixing is to be involved from the beginning of a project — not just the mixing part. Start out doing entire projects from beginning to end — from moving mics around and tracking, on through the final mix.
You will be a much better mixer if you know how and why things are recorded a certain way. Go into the room and listen to how the drums and guitars really sound. Don't just stay behind the glass."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="3. You recently tracked and mixed a song for Big Data here at the Universal Audio's Studio 610. Can you describe that process?" content="Sure, that was a three-day session to write and track the song “New Body.” Big Data flew out to record at UA a few days in advance. At the time, he basically just had a vocal hook, and some backing tracks that he had composed in Ableton Live. He flew in a group of really talented musicians and a singer, Lizy Ryan. So he was writing parts as we went, and I tracked it using three Apollo 8ps into Pro Tools. These days, I mostly just mix. So it was fun for me to basically come in at the early stages, and track and mix the entire song, end to end."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}
“What I do is not about one specific thing, whether it's an instrument or piece of studio gear. It's about how all of it fits together.”
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="4. So let’s talk plug-ins on that session. What UAD plug-ins did you use, and how did you choose them?" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="5. Can you describe how you would utilize two very different compressors, say an LA-2A versus an 1176?" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="__encoded__:Ni4gVGhlIExBLTJBIGFuZCAxMTc2IGFyZSB2ZXJ5ICJjb2xvcmZ1bCIgY29tcHJlc3NvcnMuIFdoYXQgaWYgeW91IHdhbnQgc29tZXRoaW5nIG1vcmUgdHJhbnNwYXJlbnQ/" content="__encoded__: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"}}“When I want to keep a vocal steady in a dense mix, I reach for the 1176 plug-in.”
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="7. Do you ever put plug-ins on the mix bus?" content="__encoded__:SSBhbHdheXMgcHV0IHRoZSA8YSBocmVmPSIvdWFkLXBsdWdpbnMvZXF1YWxpemVycy9tYW5sZXktbWFzc2l2ZS1wYXNzaXZlLmh0bWwiPk1hbmxleTxzdXA+wq48L3N1cD4gTWFzc2l2ZSBQYXNzaXZlIEVRPC9hPiBwbHVnLWluIG9uIHRoZSBtaXggYnVzLiBJdCBoYXMgYSB2ZXJ5IOKAnGFpcnnigJ0gYW5kIGRlZmluZWQgdG9wIGVuZCB3aGVuIGJvb3N0aW5nIHdpdGggYSAxNksgc2hlbGYgb24gdG9wLiBJdOKAmXMgdGhlIG9ubHkgcGx1Zy1pbiB0aGF0IEkga25vdyBvZiB0aGF0IGV4aGliaXRzIHRoaXMgY2hhcmFjdGVyaXN0aWMu"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="8. At what point do you insert the Massive Passive on the mix bus, and how do you dial it in?" content="I insert it once I have the basic balance and tone of the mix. I usually tweak it a few times along the way until the mix is finished. I sometimes use a fairly broad 4.7K boost too give a mix a nice presence. I sometimes cut a bit at 180 or 270Hz — that really cleans up the mud. I also sometimes shelve up a bit at 47Hz for some low-end power. The high pass filter also works well to eliminate sub sonics."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="9. Your mixes have such a great sense of space. How do you pick your reverbs?" content="__encoded__: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"}}“You will be a much better mixer if you know how and why things are recorded a certain way.”
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="10. Any sage advice for those looking to get into music mixing?" content="Try and make your mixes something that you, yourself enjoy listening to. Also, it helps to be open minded. Every project is different, so don’t try and twist a mix into something that it doesn’t want to be."}}↧
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Setting Up Apollo Interfaces w/ Ableton Live
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="In this short video, UA's Gannon Kashiwa demonstrates the basic setup procedure for using Apollo within Ableton Live. Topics covered include: Loading The Driver, Setting The I/O Buffer, Using The Console Recall Plug-In, and more."}}
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Setting Up Apollo Interfaces w/ Logic Pro
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="In this short video, UA's Gannon Kashiwa demonstrates the basic setup procedure for Apollo Interfaces within Logic Pro. Topics covered include: Loading The Driver, Setting The I/O Buffer, Using The Console Recall Plug-In, and more."}}
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Setting Up Apollo Interfaces w/ Pro Tools
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="In this short video, UA's Gannon Kashiwa demonstrates the basic setup procedure for using Apollo within Pro Tools. Topics covered include: Loading The Driver, Setting The I/O Buffer, Using The Console Recall Plug-In, and more."}}
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5-Minute UAD Tips: Neve 1073 Preamp & EQ Collection
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="Learn how to:
- Add classic Neve character and dimension to your music
- Get character and grit on recorded drums
- EQ bass guitar using the inimitable Neve 1073 sound
- Craft a beautiful, silky vocal that sits perfectly in the mix
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The Black Keys on Creating Hits with UAD Plug-Ins
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="The Black Keys — drummer Patrick Carney and singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach — are a stunning story of musical evolution at every level: artistic, commercial, and certainly in terms of production acumen and ambition.From home-recording their first indie album—2004’s The Big Come Up—on a Tascam 38 eight-track machine in Carney’s Akron, Ohio basement, to creating their new number one album Turn Blue with super-producer Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) at LA’s Sunset Sound Studio 2, no other band has so thoroughly mined the lo-fi, budget-analog ethos for inspiration.And yet, over the course of their last few albums, they’ve successfully married that approach to a dizzyingly high level of cinematic soundscaping and top-shelf engineering — analog audio stalwarts who’ve stayed true to the organic, warts-and-all sound of analog, while embracing the digital age.
Carney and Auerbach are also each accomplished producers. Auerbach has produced records for Dr. John, Hacienda, and the most recent Lana Del Rey release, Ultraviolence. He also won a Grammy in 2013 for Producer of the Year. Carney has produced bands such as The Sheepdogs, Tennis, and Houseguest among others.Here, the duo talk about their recording process and how UAD Powered Plug-Ins are essential to their careful balance of raunch and refinement — key tools in their quest to make epic music on a very human level."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Turn Blue is your third record with Brian Burton, and songs like “The Weight of Love” seems to go even further toward that big, cinematic direction that started showing up in songs like “Too Afraid to Love You,” on Brothers." content="Patrick Carney: Every record sounds different, probably just because we get into different types of music over time, and we learn new things about recording, writing, and producing every time. We’ve worked with Brian for seven years now, and at this point, it’s basically like a three-piece band — it’s extremely collaborative. We figure out and refine all the parts together."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Can you describe that process?" content="Patrick Carney: We’ll write bass lines together and fine-tune guitar and drum parts; though I will say that pretty much all the drum and guitar parts do still start with either Dan or I coming up with an initial idea. From there, we work with Brian on recording and arranging the songs with bass and keys, very much as if we were actually a four-piece, even though there are technically just two of us in the band."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="2866" maxWidth1="800"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextCentered" fineprint="__encoded__:PGVtPiJJIGFsd2F5cyBoYXZlIHRoZSBVQUQgUHJlY2lzaW9uIExpbWl0ZXIgcGx1Zy1pbiBvbiB0aGUgbWl4IGJ1cy4iPC9lbT4="}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Was it nerve-wracking — or perhaps liberating — to write, arrange, and record Turn Blue entirely in the studio?" content="Dan Auerbach: Well, we’ve written in the studio before, so it wasn’t a new experience. The songs can start from any small idea — it’s all about finding that little thing that sparks your interest and makes you want to investigate further. There is no right or wrong way. And besides the keyboards, we actually spent very little time on the instruments and tones. We brought instruments we were familiar with and had used before, and instead opted to spend more time focusing on the songs themselves — the changes, the melodies, etc."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Patrick, your drum sounds have evolved from the sprawling, very dead kit sounds on the early records, to the fatter, crunchier, and more ambient sounds of the last half-decade." content="Patrick Carney: Well, I’m very particular about drum sounds, and Dan’s very particular about his guitar sounds. And though we’re both very capable of achieving the kind of sounds we want, we leave it to the engineers to put their own stamp on the tones as well.As far as my drums sounds are concerned, I like a little bit of space around the drums, and I like the toms to be round, but I don’t like any reflection. In a way, I don’t want a room sound. I want the hi-hat to be like the Hi Records hi-hat. [Memphis label Hi Records’ roster included Al Green and Ann Peebles, and their records often featured house drummer Howard Grimes -Ed]I want the kick to sound like early-’70s, poorly recorded tape, like that old Memphis rock. And I want the snare drum to have some sizzle, depth, and fatness, but at the same time, no ringing at all."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Dan, you get very distinctive guitar and vocal tones. Is there a particular production philosophy behind the way you capture sounds?" content="Dan Auerbach: I’m a believer in “less is more” and “simpler is always better” when it comes to micing. For vocals, I prefer a hand-held microphone like a Shure SM58, and only use large diaphragm mics for songs that are more delicate and maybe call for greater detail to be captured. And I prefer small tube amps for guitar, with built-in reverb as opposed to outboard."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="So you’re not necessarily auditioning a million different rigs?" content="Dan Auerbach: I believe in simplicity, and if something doesn’t grab my attention fairly quickly, I’ll move on and try a different pedal, amp, or guitar. Once I find a compatible guitar and amp combination, though, I’m happy to stick with that for the remainder of the session. After all, it’s the player, not the gear."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_PullQuote" text="__encoded__:IlVBRCBwbHVnLWlucyBhcmUgYW1hemluZy4uLiBJ4oCZdmUgdXNlZCB0aGVtIG9uIGFsbCBteSADcHJvamVjdHMgZm9yIHRoZSBsYXN0IGZldyZuYnNwO3llYXJzLiI="}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Patrick, do you have a particular method of capturing and building your drum sound?" content="Patrick Carney: I almost always record with just four mics — typically an Electro-Voice RE20 on the kick, an SM57 on the snare, and two Coles ribbon mics for overheads, usually with the Glyn Johns technique. [With some variation, the classic “Glyn Johns technique” features a kick mic, a snare mic, a side mic for cymbals/floor tom, and a single overhead about three-feet above and roughly centered between the kick and snare.]"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="How did you arrive at this interest in using fewer mics on the drums?" content="Patrick Carney: Well, when we first started recording, I would put mics up all over the place. The first real studio we went into had something like twelve mics on the drums, and of course, I wanted to use them all! It wasn’t until maybe our fourth record that I started realizing that using fewer mics — and putting them in the right spot — made the drums sound better.Still, when I first tried the Glyn Johns technique, it sounded like shit. But I’ve recorded five or six bands this year — all with that technique — and it sounded great. The trick is talking to the drummer about not going crazy on the cymbals. In fact, I’m at the point with it now where I will almost always overdub the crash cymbal."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="2867" maxWidth1="800"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextCentered" fineprint="__encoded__:PGVtPiJXaXRoIGV2ZXJ5IHJlY29yZCBJIGRvLCBJIGxlYXJuIG5ldyB0aGluZ3MsIiBzYXlzIFBhdHJpY2sgQ2FybmV5LjwvZW0+"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Can you talk about overdubbing the crash? What are the advantages?" content="Patrick Carney: I started doing that around the time we made Brothers. I didn’t even have a crash cymbal in my drum setup, so I literally couldn’t play it when tracking the main performance.By doing that, you leave a lot more room for the overheads to pick up the actual drums, so you can really hear the thickness of the drums through the overheads. And you don’t even necessarily need two overheads. We had a great engineer named Mark Neill who recorded most of Brothers, and he used one old Neumann KM 84 tube mic as an overhead. That’s what I’d been doing until recently, when I switched to the Glyn Johns technique. And that’s all I really need. Sure, if I have a song that’s particularly heavy on the floor tom, I might add a spot mic there, but even then I’ll thin that way out, just to get the attack."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="What do UAD plug-ins bring to the table for you guys on your records and various projects?" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="What is it about the Ocean Way Studios plug-in that appeals to you?" content="Patrick Carney: The Ocean Way Studios plug-in gives me that subtle space around the drums. I use a Neumann U47 in cardioid as a room mic, place it close to the kit, dial-in a bit of the Ocean Way Studios plug-in, and I get exactly what I want— no slapback or big reflection — just a nice little bit of depth."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_PullQuote" quotes="__encoded__:YToxOntzOjE4OiJfMTQ4ODQxNTY5ODg5Nl84OTYiO2E6Mzp7czo0OiJyYW5rIjtzOjE6IjEiO3M6NToiYWxpZ24iO3M6NDoibGVmdCI7czoxMToidGVzdGltb25pYWwiO3M6NDoiMTgxMyI7fX0=" text="__encoded__:IlRoZSBPY2VhbiBXYXkgU3R1ZGlvcyBwbHVnLWluIGdpdmVzIG1lIHRoYXQgc3VidGxlIHNwYWNlIGFyb3VuZCB0aGUgZHJ1bXMg4oCUIGp1c3QgYSBuaWNlIGxpdHRsZSBiaXQgb2YmbmJzcDtkZXB0aC4i"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Do you have any other “secret weapon” plug-ins for drum sounds?" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Do you employ any UAD plug-ins for mixing?" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" fineprint="Photos of Patrick Carney: CJ Hicks"}}
Carney and Auerbach are also each accomplished producers. Auerbach has produced records for Dr. John, Hacienda, and the most recent Lana Del Rey release, Ultraviolence. He also won a Grammy in 2013 for Producer of the Year. Carney has produced bands such as The Sheepdogs, Tennis, and Houseguest among others.Here, the duo talk about their recording process and how UAD Powered Plug-Ins are essential to their careful balance of raunch and refinement — key tools in their quest to make epic music on a very human level."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Turn Blue is your third record with Brian Burton, and songs like “The Weight of Love” seems to go even further toward that big, cinematic direction that started showing up in songs like “Too Afraid to Love You,” on Brothers." content="Patrick Carney: Every record sounds different, probably just because we get into different types of music over time, and we learn new things about recording, writing, and producing every time. We’ve worked with Brian for seven years now, and at this point, it’s basically like a three-piece band — it’s extremely collaborative. We figure out and refine all the parts together."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Can you describe that process?" content="Patrick Carney: We’ll write bass lines together and fine-tune guitar and drum parts; though I will say that pretty much all the drum and guitar parts do still start with either Dan or I coming up with an initial idea. From there, we work with Brian on recording and arranging the songs with bass and keys, very much as if we were actually a four-piece, even though there are technically just two of us in the band."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="2866" maxWidth1="800"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextCentered" fineprint="__encoded__:PGVtPiJJIGFsd2F5cyBoYXZlIHRoZSBVQUQgUHJlY2lzaW9uIExpbWl0ZXIgcGx1Zy1pbiBvbiB0aGUgbWl4IGJ1cy4iPC9lbT4="}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Was it nerve-wracking — or perhaps liberating — to write, arrange, and record Turn Blue entirely in the studio?" content="Dan Auerbach: Well, we’ve written in the studio before, so it wasn’t a new experience. The songs can start from any small idea — it’s all about finding that little thing that sparks your interest and makes you want to investigate further. There is no right or wrong way. And besides the keyboards, we actually spent very little time on the instruments and tones. We brought instruments we were familiar with and had used before, and instead opted to spend more time focusing on the songs themselves — the changes, the melodies, etc."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Patrick, your drum sounds have evolved from the sprawling, very dead kit sounds on the early records, to the fatter, crunchier, and more ambient sounds of the last half-decade." content="Patrick Carney: Well, I’m very particular about drum sounds, and Dan’s very particular about his guitar sounds. And though we’re both very capable of achieving the kind of sounds we want, we leave it to the engineers to put their own stamp on the tones as well.As far as my drums sounds are concerned, I like a little bit of space around the drums, and I like the toms to be round, but I don’t like any reflection. In a way, I don’t want a room sound. I want the hi-hat to be like the Hi Records hi-hat. [Memphis label Hi Records’ roster included Al Green and Ann Peebles, and their records often featured house drummer Howard Grimes -Ed]I want the kick to sound like early-’70s, poorly recorded tape, like that old Memphis rock. And I want the snare drum to have some sizzle, depth, and fatness, but at the same time, no ringing at all."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Dan, you get very distinctive guitar and vocal tones. Is there a particular production philosophy behind the way you capture sounds?" content="Dan Auerbach: I’m a believer in “less is more” and “simpler is always better” when it comes to micing. For vocals, I prefer a hand-held microphone like a Shure SM58, and only use large diaphragm mics for songs that are more delicate and maybe call for greater detail to be captured. And I prefer small tube amps for guitar, with built-in reverb as opposed to outboard."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="So you’re not necessarily auditioning a million different rigs?" content="Dan Auerbach: I believe in simplicity, and if something doesn’t grab my attention fairly quickly, I’ll move on and try a different pedal, amp, or guitar. Once I find a compatible guitar and amp combination, though, I’m happy to stick with that for the remainder of the session. After all, it’s the player, not the gear."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_PullQuote" text="__encoded__:IlVBRCBwbHVnLWlucyBhcmUgYW1hemluZy4uLiBJ4oCZdmUgdXNlZCB0aGVtIG9uIGFsbCBteSADcHJvamVjdHMgZm9yIHRoZSBsYXN0IGZldyZuYnNwO3llYXJzLiI="}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Patrick, do you have a particular method of capturing and building your drum sound?" content="Patrick Carney: I almost always record with just four mics — typically an Electro-Voice RE20 on the kick, an SM57 on the snare, and two Coles ribbon mics for overheads, usually with the Glyn Johns technique. [With some variation, the classic “Glyn Johns technique” features a kick mic, a snare mic, a side mic for cymbals/floor tom, and a single overhead about three-feet above and roughly centered between the kick and snare.]"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="How did you arrive at this interest in using fewer mics on the drums?" content="Patrick Carney: Well, when we first started recording, I would put mics up all over the place. The first real studio we went into had something like twelve mics on the drums, and of course, I wanted to use them all! It wasn’t until maybe our fourth record that I started realizing that using fewer mics — and putting them in the right spot — made the drums sound better.Still, when I first tried the Glyn Johns technique, it sounded like shit. But I’ve recorded five or six bands this year — all with that technique — and it sounded great. The trick is talking to the drummer about not going crazy on the cymbals. In fact, I’m at the point with it now where I will almost always overdub the crash cymbal."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="2867" maxWidth1="800"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextCentered" fineprint="__encoded__:PGVtPiJXaXRoIGV2ZXJ5IHJlY29yZCBJIGRvLCBJIGxlYXJuIG5ldyB0aGluZ3MsIiBzYXlzIFBhdHJpY2sgQ2FybmV5LjwvZW0+"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Can you talk about overdubbing the crash? What are the advantages?" content="Patrick Carney: I started doing that around the time we made Brothers. I didn’t even have a crash cymbal in my drum setup, so I literally couldn’t play it when tracking the main performance.By doing that, you leave a lot more room for the overheads to pick up the actual drums, so you can really hear the thickness of the drums through the overheads. And you don’t even necessarily need two overheads. We had a great engineer named Mark Neill who recorded most of Brothers, and he used one old Neumann KM 84 tube mic as an overhead. That’s what I’d been doing until recently, when I switched to the Glyn Johns technique. And that’s all I really need. Sure, if I have a song that’s particularly heavy on the floor tom, I might add a spot mic there, but even then I’ll thin that way out, just to get the attack."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="What do UAD plug-ins bring to the table for you guys on your records and various projects?" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="What is it about the Ocean Way Studios plug-in that appeals to you?" content="Patrick Carney: The Ocean Way Studios plug-in gives me that subtle space around the drums. I use a Neumann U47 in cardioid as a room mic, place it close to the kit, dial-in a bit of the Ocean Way Studios plug-in, and I get exactly what I want— no slapback or big reflection — just a nice little bit of depth."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_PullQuote" quotes="__encoded__:YToxOntzOjE4OiJfMTQ4ODQxNTY5ODg5Nl84OTYiO2E6Mzp7czo0OiJyYW5rIjtzOjE6IjEiO3M6NToiYWxpZ24iO3M6NDoibGVmdCI7czoxMToidGVzdGltb25pYWwiO3M6NDoiMTgxMyI7fX0=" text="__encoded__:IlRoZSBPY2VhbiBXYXkgU3R1ZGlvcyBwbHVnLWluIGdpdmVzIG1lIHRoYXQgc3VidGxlIHNwYWNlIGFyb3VuZCB0aGUgZHJ1bXMg4oCUIGp1c3QgYSBuaWNlIGxpdHRsZSBiaXQgb2YmbmJzcDtkZXB0aC4i"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Do you have any other “secret weapon” plug-ins for drum sounds?" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Do you employ any UAD plug-ins for mixing?" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" fineprint="Photos of Patrick Carney: CJ Hicks"}}
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Apollo Artist Sessions Vol. VI: Fab Dupont & Jay Stolar feat. Snarky Puppy
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Apollo Console 2.0 Part 2 (Console Sections)
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5-Minute UAD Tips: EMT® 140 Classic Plate Reverberator Plug-In
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5-Minute UAD Tips: Neve 88RS Channel Strip Collection
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Emily Lazar on Mastering Hits with UAD Plug-Ins
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_PullQuote" text="Most of the time, I’m more of a scalpel than a hatchet. But sometimes it’s necessary to bring out the big guns. – Emily Lazar"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="Though mastering engineer Emily Lazar may wryly refer to herself as an auditory “input-output machine,” her true role in the studio is far more nuanced and important than such a phrase might imply. In fact, as the final sonic craftsperson to lay fingers on projects for many of the world’s top musical acts, Lazar has played a key role in creating some of the most popular and influential albums of the 2000s.
As the founder and chief mastering engineer of The Lodge in New York City, Lazar’s resume consists of well over three thousand albums, including projects for the likes of David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Sia, Vampire Weekend, Alanis Morissette, Garbage, Lou Reed, Depeche Mode, and many more. She has also mastered audio for numerous movie soundtracks including Training Day, Sound City: Real to Reel, and American Psycho.
Here are Lazar’s thoughts on troubleshooting at the mastering console, the sculpting power of UAD plug-ins, and the philosophy and practice of crafting platinum-destined masters, time and time again."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="How would you describe what you do to someone who isn’t really familiar with mastering? " content="I get asked this all the time. [Laughs.] Normally I start out by saying that a mastering engineer’s job is to make a musical project sound better and to make it viable for commercial release. On the most basic level, the process involves balancing the many different qualities of any project — EQ, compression, volume, editing, flow, and even album sequence. All of those elements come into play when you’re working to create the bigger-picture story for an album.
But beyond that, I also try to facilitate what an engineer, artist, or producer can’t do on his or her own to get a project to where it’s really meant to be. I want to help find a unique and specific sound for an album and tell its story sonically."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="So you help give perspective, among other things." content="Sometimes the artist's ability to hear where they want a project to go can get lost in the muck and mire of the entire process — focusing on one or two trees instead of seeing the forest. The mastering engineer’s job is to help “fix” any of those little, problematic trees [laughs], and present a bigger picture to the listener."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="At this point in your career, can you tell who produced or mixed a project that lands on your desk, just by listening?" content="I can. Once you’ve worked with someone for a while, you can hear similarities across their work, though sometimes I will get tracks from producers or engineers who I know that don’t sound like them. There’s always an interesting story there. Maybe they inherited a project midway through and had to take it in a different direction, or some element was recorded in an unexpected way. If I don’t have that information in advance, it’s a fascinating puzzle for me, just trying to figure out what’s happening only by listening to the mix."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="2974" maxWidth1="800"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="When an album has multiple different producers on each track, as opposed to one producer working on the entire album, does it make your job harder?" content="It depends on the album and the point at which it gets to me. Sometimes people will spend inordinate amounts of time — years, even — mixing and remixing, before I hear it. At that point, it can be quite focused and refined, which is great, or sometimes it can sound incredibly different from track to track. Maybe over those two years, the producer or artist’s mindset and vibe changed, and the people working on it interjected themselves into the process in ways that wouldn’t have happened if it all had happened at once. It’s all hit or miss, even to the point of knowing whether one song on an album will be up to snuff with the other nine or ten.
When it comes to multiple producers on the same project, however, having that kind of variety can make things interesting and fun for me as an engineer, just because it’s not the same thing over and over again. That said, even a full album coming from the same producer, engineer and mixer, with all of the tracks having been recorded in the same room with the same gear, could still come out sounding totally different from mix to mix."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="What role do UAD plug-ins play in your work?" content="When a project calls for me to rely on plug-ins, they play an important role — and they can sometimes do the job more easily, and with more precision, than my analog equipment. I mostly use plug-ins when I work on stem mastering, stem mixing, or multi-track mixing. With stem mastering in particular, I rely on them quite a bit. I use them to make sure that individual tracks accomplish what they need to before hitting my analog chain."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Can you describe a stem mixing situation?" content="I’ve had situations where I’ve been in a session with the mixer, artist, producer, etc. and someone says, “You know, we really didn’t achieve what we wanted to with that that kick drum. It’s not functioning the way it is supposed to in the mix.” If we are lucky enough to have stems of the mix to open up, I can try to help figure things out on the spot. It definitely doesn't happen on every project, but it’s a rewarding and helpful process when it does — clients can come to me feeling completely psyched about a mix that they and the label have become attached to, but if there’s just one element that’s not right, a vocal that’s just too loud or not sitting in the mix, it’s great to be able to go in and make adjustments on the spot."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="And you use UAD plug-ins to help?" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_PullQuote" text="UAD plug-ins give me more options than I’ve ever had before."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Can you elaborate?" content="For example, sometimes people are working in environments in which they are not completely familiar and they can’t hear the full extent of a song’s low-end frequencies while they are working, and, as a result, don’t even realize those frequencies are there. In that sort of situation, I have to bring out the low-end hatchet and, artfully, attempt to chisel them out and get rid of the gunk.
In situations like that, I’m very grateful to have access to UAD plug-ins. They give me more options than I’ve ever had before. More importantly, they’re also really musical sounding. I love analog gear, but I also really dig digital gear that sounds great, and it’s amazing to me that Universal Audio has been able to emulate the sounds of these legendary boxes in such a spot-on way."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="What advice would you give someone who is getting to know the UAD Precision Multiband Compressor plug-in?" content="It's a powerful tool, but use it with subtlety and be as thoughtful as possible with your knob-twisting, as opposed to just randomly tweaking something out of frustration or as a result of being distracted. Focus on compressing the elements of the mix you’d like to hear expanded.
Another thing is, if you place an EQ in the signal chain directly before the multiband compressor, then you get into territory where you can sculpt and paint with a huge range of colors. Again, if you use them sparingly, plug-ins can create incredible depth and movement where there wasn’t any — you can really wake up a mix and bring it to life."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="And what if you get a really problematic mix — for example, one with way too much bass, like you mentioned earlier?" content="The best way to achieve a great master is to start with a great mix, so I start by having a dialog with my clients and asking if they know where the problem came from and if it can be fixed in the mix. If not, then I have to start manipulating things. You can still end up with a great master that way, but it’s certainly harder. Again as an example, if we’re talking about a bass overload problem in a stem mix situation, I would probably start by trying to isolate where the excess bass is coming from and go from there. It might actually be coming from multiple sources."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="2975" maxWidth1="800"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="Sometimes there will be crazy low end coming through a vocal mic — or any other mic, for that matter — and if you don’t realize it’s there, suddenly everything is swallowed up by it. If I’m able to go through the tracks and find where the offensive frequencies are located, I can start figuring out the best ways to control or even remove them. Then the fun starts when I can start shaping the mix so you can hear the parts that you want to hear and not the parts that you don’t."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_PullQuote" text="Digital software and editing can be great tools, but they can also be a bit of a Pandora’s box... It’s part of my job to help decide, and communicate, when Pandora’s box needs to close."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="It sounds like you work collaboratively, rather than clients just dropping off a hard drive and you handing them the finished project a week later." content="Originally, I was an artist and I am a still a songwriter. In addition to mastering, I also enjoy mixing and I’ve been involved in producing, writing string arrangements, you name it. I think my background as a musician and an engineer helps me to understand the journey that the artist, engineer, mixer, producer all endure on the way to making a final product and the dialogue between all of these people is essential.
Even if a client cannot be there physically in the session with me, my approach remains a very collaborative one. I’ve never viewed the mastering process as a “my way or the highway” process, and thankfully some of my clients have been known to submit notes that rival novellas alongside their mixes when they are unable to attend the session.
Other times that dialog may very well begin with someone saying, “I love what you did on the Foo Fighters’ album. Do your thing.” That’s fine, and certainly creates some context for me, but I want to dig deeper and understand what about that particular record stood out and how I can bring those qualities to this new project. I’m not shy — if I think of something, I’ll offer it and do it — but at the same time, if I’m working with you, I want to know, in your heart of hearts, what you’re dreaming of and hoping for with your album.
I tell anyone who works with me that he or she can sit at the console, twist any knobs, and be in the driver’s seat when listening and A/B-ing during playback. I don’t want clients to feel that I’m controlling the listening experience. I want them to feel that they’re getting what they want out of the music — and that I’m working my ass off to get there. My job is to facilitate, not dictate."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="How do you know when a project is done?" content="__encoded__: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" fineprint="Photo Credit: Becky Yee"}}
As the founder and chief mastering engineer of The Lodge in New York City, Lazar’s resume consists of well over three thousand albums, including projects for the likes of David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Sia, Vampire Weekend, Alanis Morissette, Garbage, Lou Reed, Depeche Mode, and many more. She has also mastered audio for numerous movie soundtracks including Training Day, Sound City: Real to Reel, and American Psycho.
Here are Lazar’s thoughts on troubleshooting at the mastering console, the sculpting power of UAD plug-ins, and the philosophy and practice of crafting platinum-destined masters, time and time again."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="How would you describe what you do to someone who isn’t really familiar with mastering? " content="I get asked this all the time. [Laughs.] Normally I start out by saying that a mastering engineer’s job is to make a musical project sound better and to make it viable for commercial release. On the most basic level, the process involves balancing the many different qualities of any project — EQ, compression, volume, editing, flow, and even album sequence. All of those elements come into play when you’re working to create the bigger-picture story for an album.
But beyond that, I also try to facilitate what an engineer, artist, or producer can’t do on his or her own to get a project to where it’s really meant to be. I want to help find a unique and specific sound for an album and tell its story sonically."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="So you help give perspective, among other things." content="Sometimes the artist's ability to hear where they want a project to go can get lost in the muck and mire of the entire process — focusing on one or two trees instead of seeing the forest. The mastering engineer’s job is to help “fix” any of those little, problematic trees [laughs], and present a bigger picture to the listener."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="At this point in your career, can you tell who produced or mixed a project that lands on your desk, just by listening?" content="I can. Once you’ve worked with someone for a while, you can hear similarities across their work, though sometimes I will get tracks from producers or engineers who I know that don’t sound like them. There’s always an interesting story there. Maybe they inherited a project midway through and had to take it in a different direction, or some element was recorded in an unexpected way. If I don’t have that information in advance, it’s a fascinating puzzle for me, just trying to figure out what’s happening only by listening to the mix."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="2974" maxWidth1="800"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="When an album has multiple different producers on each track, as opposed to one producer working on the entire album, does it make your job harder?" content="It depends on the album and the point at which it gets to me. Sometimes people will spend inordinate amounts of time — years, even — mixing and remixing, before I hear it. At that point, it can be quite focused and refined, which is great, or sometimes it can sound incredibly different from track to track. Maybe over those two years, the producer or artist’s mindset and vibe changed, and the people working on it interjected themselves into the process in ways that wouldn’t have happened if it all had happened at once. It’s all hit or miss, even to the point of knowing whether one song on an album will be up to snuff with the other nine or ten.
When it comes to multiple producers on the same project, however, having that kind of variety can make things interesting and fun for me as an engineer, just because it’s not the same thing over and over again. That said, even a full album coming from the same producer, engineer and mixer, with all of the tracks having been recorded in the same room with the same gear, could still come out sounding totally different from mix to mix."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="What role do UAD plug-ins play in your work?" content="When a project calls for me to rely on plug-ins, they play an important role — and they can sometimes do the job more easily, and with more precision, than my analog equipment. I mostly use plug-ins when I work on stem mastering, stem mixing, or multi-track mixing. With stem mastering in particular, I rely on them quite a bit. I use them to make sure that individual tracks accomplish what they need to before hitting my analog chain."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Can you describe a stem mixing situation?" content="I’ve had situations where I’ve been in a session with the mixer, artist, producer, etc. and someone says, “You know, we really didn’t achieve what we wanted to with that that kick drum. It’s not functioning the way it is supposed to in the mix.” If we are lucky enough to have stems of the mix to open up, I can try to help figure things out on the spot. It definitely doesn't happen on every project, but it’s a rewarding and helpful process when it does — clients can come to me feeling completely psyched about a mix that they and the label have become attached to, but if there’s just one element that’s not right, a vocal that’s just too loud or not sitting in the mix, it’s great to be able to go in and make adjustments on the spot."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="And you use UAD plug-ins to help?" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_PullQuote" text="UAD plug-ins give me more options than I’ve ever had before."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Can you elaborate?" content="For example, sometimes people are working in environments in which they are not completely familiar and they can’t hear the full extent of a song’s low-end frequencies while they are working, and, as a result, don’t even realize those frequencies are there. In that sort of situation, I have to bring out the low-end hatchet and, artfully, attempt to chisel them out and get rid of the gunk.
In situations like that, I’m very grateful to have access to UAD plug-ins. They give me more options than I’ve ever had before. More importantly, they’re also really musical sounding. I love analog gear, but I also really dig digital gear that sounds great, and it’s amazing to me that Universal Audio has been able to emulate the sounds of these legendary boxes in such a spot-on way."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="What advice would you give someone who is getting to know the UAD Precision Multiband Compressor plug-in?" content="It's a powerful tool, but use it with subtlety and be as thoughtful as possible with your knob-twisting, as opposed to just randomly tweaking something out of frustration or as a result of being distracted. Focus on compressing the elements of the mix you’d like to hear expanded.
Another thing is, if you place an EQ in the signal chain directly before the multiband compressor, then you get into territory where you can sculpt and paint with a huge range of colors. Again, if you use them sparingly, plug-ins can create incredible depth and movement where there wasn’t any — you can really wake up a mix and bring it to life."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="And what if you get a really problematic mix — for example, one with way too much bass, like you mentioned earlier?" content="The best way to achieve a great master is to start with a great mix, so I start by having a dialog with my clients and asking if they know where the problem came from and if it can be fixed in the mix. If not, then I have to start manipulating things. You can still end up with a great master that way, but it’s certainly harder. Again as an example, if we’re talking about a bass overload problem in a stem mix situation, I would probably start by trying to isolate where the excess bass is coming from and go from there. It might actually be coming from multiple sources."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="2975" maxWidth1="800"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="Sometimes there will be crazy low end coming through a vocal mic — or any other mic, for that matter — and if you don’t realize it’s there, suddenly everything is swallowed up by it. If I’m able to go through the tracks and find where the offensive frequencies are located, I can start figuring out the best ways to control or even remove them. Then the fun starts when I can start shaping the mix so you can hear the parts that you want to hear and not the parts that you don’t."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_PullQuote" text="Digital software and editing can be great tools, but they can also be a bit of a Pandora’s box... It’s part of my job to help decide, and communicate, when Pandora’s box needs to close."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="It sounds like you work collaboratively, rather than clients just dropping off a hard drive and you handing them the finished project a week later." content="Originally, I was an artist and I am a still a songwriter. In addition to mastering, I also enjoy mixing and I’ve been involved in producing, writing string arrangements, you name it. I think my background as a musician and an engineer helps me to understand the journey that the artist, engineer, mixer, producer all endure on the way to making a final product and the dialogue between all of these people is essential.
Even if a client cannot be there physically in the session with me, my approach remains a very collaborative one. I’ve never viewed the mastering process as a “my way or the highway” process, and thankfully some of my clients have been known to submit notes that rival novellas alongside their mixes when they are unable to attend the session.
Other times that dialog may very well begin with someone saying, “I love what you did on the Foo Fighters’ album. Do your thing.” That’s fine, and certainly creates some context for me, but I want to dig deeper and understand what about that particular record stood out and how I can bring those qualities to this new project. I’m not shy — if I think of something, I’ll offer it and do it — but at the same time, if I’m working with you, I want to know, in your heart of hearts, what you’re dreaming of and hoping for with your album.
I tell anyone who works with me that he or she can sit at the console, twist any knobs, and be in the driver’s seat when listening and A/B-ing during playback. I don’t want clients to feel that I’m controlling the listening experience. I want them to feel that they’re getting what they want out of the music — and that I’m working my ass off to get there. My job is to facilitate, not dictate."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="How do you know when a project is done?" content="__encoded__:V2hpbGUgbXkgcm9sZSBpbmNsdWRlcyBkb2luZyB3aGF0ZXZlciBhIGNsaWVudCBhbmQgcHJvamVjdCBuZWVkcywgbXkgcm9sZSBhbHNvIGluY2x1ZGVzIHNheWluZyB3aGVuIEkgZG9u4oCZdCB0aGluayBzb21ldGhpbmcgaXMgbmVjZXNzYXJ5LiBEaWdpdGFsIHNvZnR3YXJlIGFuZCBlZGl0aW5nIGNhbiBiZSBncmVhdCB0b29scywgYnV0IHRoZXkgY2FuIGFsc28gYmUgYSBiaXQgb2YgYSBQYW5kb3Jh4oCZcyBib3gg4oCUIGVzcGVjaWFsbHkgd2l0aCB0aGUgYWJpbGl0eSB0byBpbnN0YW50bHkgcmVjYWxsIG1peGVzLiBJdOKAmXMgcGFydCBvZiBteSBqb2IgdG8gaGVscCBkZWNpZGUsIGFuZCBjb21tdW5pY2F0ZSwgd2hlbiBQYW5kb3Jh4oCZcyBib3ggbmVlZHMgdG8gY2xvc2UuPGJyIC8+PGJyIC8+Rm9yIG1vcmUgb24gRW1pbHkgTGF6YXIsIHZpc2l0IDxhIGhyZWY9Imh0dHA6Ly90aGVsb2RnZS5jb20vIj50aGVsb2RnZS5jb208L2E+LjxiciAvPjxiciAvPg==" fineprint="Photo Credit: Becky Yee"}}
↧
Jacquire’s Shoot Out: Vintage Analog Hardware vs. Apollo & Unison Plug-Ins.
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextCentered" heading="Vintage Analog Hardware vs. Apollo & Unison Plug‑Ins"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="Jacquire King speaks the same way he produces and mixes records: he’s direct, to-the-point, and avoids unnecessary hype. It’s an approach that has served the 50-year-old Washington, D.C. native well, from his previous perch at Nashville’s legendary Blackbird Studios to his Grammy-winning work with Kings of Leon, Buddy Guy, and Tom Waits.
A longtime fan of Universal Audio plug-ins and analog gear, the 30-time Grammy-nominated and multiple Grammy-winning King recently put Apollo’s pioneering Unison™ mic preamp technology to the test in a live session at Blackbird Studio G, with electronic-soul artist Jamie Lidell and a cast of all-star players.
We sat down to get King’s take on the session, and his insights into mixing, recording, and tracking through Unison mic preamps with Apollo interfaces."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}} {{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_YouTubeVideo" youtube_embed_code="__encoded__:PGlmcmFtZSB3aWR0aD0iNTYwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjMxNSIgc3JjPSJodHRwczovL3d3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbS9lbWJlZC9EMFRyVFBBWE0xST9yZWw9MCZhbXA7c2hvd2luZm89MCIgZnJhbWVib3JkZXI9IjAiIGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbj48L2lmcmFtZT4="}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="As someone who has worked extensively in the analog and digital recording domains, what has Unison technology meant to you and your projects?" content="Unison technology is really interesting, and it definitely shows the potential of emulations taking place on the front end, and in more of an analog realm. I’ve never had one particular tool that I thought was a perfect solution. But Unison shows what the Universal Audio system and Apollo is transforming into — a platform where I can completely track and mix in the box.
The whole purpose of doing this video and tracking session with Jamie Lidell and that amazing band was to demonstrate that Apollo with Unison technology gives you arguably the same thing as outboard gear, but with a slightly different flavor. I wanted to see just how far I could take Apollo and Unison, and I think the result speaks for itself. I’m pretty proud of it."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="3070" maxWidth1="800"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Does Unison’s ability to track and commit to tones using a more analog-type workflow appeal to you?" content="Absolutely. Like Tom Dowd and the Beatles and all the legends of record-making who really didn’t have a lot of gear — you’ve got to go boldly. That’s what we should aspire to. Make a choice and go for it.
For example, if you want something that’s compressed and dirty, do it. The one pitfall of the technology we have now is the temptation to leave things too open-ended, and not committing to anything until mixdown. As a mixer, having to make all those decisions at the final hour, and figure out how it’s all supposed to fit together, that’s a difficult creative headspace to get into."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_PullQuote" text="“Like Tom Dowd and the Beatles and all the legends of record-making who really didn’t have a lot of gear — you’ve got to go boldly. Make a choice and go for it.”"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="How does committing to those sounds when tracking affect the final product?" content="Committing to sounds early informs the process as you go, in terms of making calls about how to record each successive part, or how to layer sounds. You really don’t have to have a lot of expensive outboard gear to be recording in that style with Unison and Apollo hardware, because you can much more affordably have a very similar experience."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Has Unison technology had a positive impact on your workflow when it comes to mobile recording?" content="Yes. For vocals on the latest [Icelandic rock band] Kaleo record, A/B, we wanted to get some vocals recorded on the road, so we used my Apollo Twin, recording the singer with a Shure SM7B mic, through the Unison-enabled Neve 1073 Mic Preamp & EQ.
We even punched some of these takes into the existing tracks that we’d recorded with the pure analog chain at the studio, and in a room full of pretty educated ears, no one could really tell the difference."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="3071" maxWidth1="800"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Using parallel compression is one of your go-to techniques in a mixing session, especially for drums, bass, and vocals. Could you talk about your strategy with it?" content="The advantage of parallel compression is that you can be more extreme and go for more “character” when you don’t really care about maintaining transients. So you can dial in a cool sound where your softer, lower dynamic tones are sort of “stabilized,” if you will, and then you can blend in the more extreme texture. This allows you to bring out more room tones, for example, and then you choose how to blend that with the less compressed signal."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="So, do you prefer a fairly naked original signal, to allow you the most latitude with parallel compression?" content="Not necessarily. Just because you’re using parallel compression doesn’t mean you’re not also compressing the sources. It’s just that you’re doing it differently — a gentler tailoring there, a bit of nuanced control, maybe some tonal shaping. Then, with the parallel, you balance it to taste — maybe you only need a little bit of the transient preserved, and so the dry, uncompressed or less compressed sound is actually lower in the blend than the parallel sound.
For example, with drums, the parallel channel is typically something you’re going to be bringing up from underneath — it’s at a lower volume, it’s more supportive — that’s definitely the way I view it. It helps you manage the overall drum sound. It’s difficult to only compress single tracks of drums individually, and expect to maintain all the transient energy that helps define and clarify the overall sound."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Tell me what characteristics you like about the different UAD compressors you use on the Jamie Lidell session, including the UAD Fairchild compressor for the kick/bass parallel bus." content="The Fairchild has slower settings — there’s that more old-school attack-and-release thing going on. So when you’re a bit aggressive with that, and blend it into the kick and bass, it kind of glues everything together. In general, I do like a lot of the older designs, and older style compressors where they’re almost less flexible, and they have a more specific sound and character. They seem to work really well for parallel compression, maybe because they’re just simpler and more familiar."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="3075" maxWidth1="800"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextCentered" content="__encoded__:Q29tcGFyZSBmb3IgeW91cnNlbGYuIERvd25sb2FkIHRoZSB1bmNvbXByZXNzZWQgYXVkaW8gZmlsZXMuPGJyIC8+PGJyIC8+PGEgY2xhc3M9ImJ1dHRvbiB0cmFuc3BhcmVudCIgaHJlZj0ie3ttZWRpYSB1cmw9J2Jsb2cvdS9uL3VuaXNvbl9hYl9hdWRpb19maWxlcy56aXAnfX0iPkRvd25sb2FkIE5vdzwvYT48YnIgLz48c21hbGwgc3R5bGU9Im1hcmdpbi10b3A6NXB4OyJsPig4MCBNQiwgLnppcCk8L3NtYWxsPg=="}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="I’m fascinated by your mix bus signal chain for the Jamie Lidell session: UAD Brainworx bx_refinement EQ, Neve 33609 Compressor, Ampex ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder, Pultec EQP-1A, and Precision Limiter plug-ins. Why these particular choices?" content="With the Brainworx, I like to start with some EQ to gently manage the overall blend, to clean up the low end, maybe eliminate some subsonic frequencies in an appropriate way so that I keep a certain amount of lows, without having to high pass everything in my mix.
So I filter off some of that, gently opening up the top-end, and that pushes a little bit of general EQ into my first compression stage, in this case, the Neve 33609, although sometimes I’ll use the SSL G Bus Compressor."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="How do you like to set that first compressor on your mix bus?" content="Typically, I’ll set the threshold as high as it will go, so I can push as much level into it as possible, with a quite low ratio, like 1.5-1. Even if I’m compressing up to 3 or 4dB, I don’t want it to be a steep ratio. Slow attack, fast release. Very gentle, nothing too aggressive, not hitting the transients too hard."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="How do you use the Ampex ATR-102 plug-in for shaping your mix bus?" content="I’m not necessarily using it to get the “sound of tape.” I use it because it has a good glueing effect, and you can play with the speeds which each give you different EQ curves, and with different tape types. It’s a great tone box, basically. It can also help widen or collapse the stereo field, depending on the material, and how it presents the frequencies. I even generally leave on the crosstalk feature."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Then how do you use the Pultec Passive EQ Collection?" content="Once I’ve got the mix run through this general EQ, compression and tone-shaping, the Pultec EQP-1A is sort of the “smiley face” that I really want to hit it with — open up the top end a lot, bump up the bottom end. That way, I’m not having to over-EQ individual things. It’s more about shaping — on the top, making sure the guitars are bright enough, or that when the drum kit is balanced correctly, that the cymbals are at the right level, and the voice is bright enough."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_PullQuote" text="“There are three hallmarks of a great mix: the drums, the vocal, and the low-end. If you can master those things, then the rest will fall into place.”"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="Using the EQP-1A here is better than having to go in and open up the high-end on all the individual elements. They should all be in pretty good shape by that point. It’s about shaping the overall tonal personality and direction of the project.
As for the the UAD Precision Limiter — basically, I don’t want to have peaks printed. I don’t want the output converters seeing red. I don’t want them in clipping mode. I want them to have the little bit of headroom that they need to sound the way they’re supposed to sound."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="When push comes to shove, what are the key elements of a mix? " content="There are three hallmarks of a great mix: the drums, the vocal, and the low-end. If you can master those things, then the rest of it is relatively easy, and will fall into place. Those are the things that you need to be able to get just right, and have everything else around them heard in a way that makes sense. It comes down to the story of the song and the rhythm of the song. The topline melody and the groove — everything else plays off of that."}}
A longtime fan of Universal Audio plug-ins and analog gear, the 30-time Grammy-nominated and multiple Grammy-winning King recently put Apollo’s pioneering Unison™ mic preamp technology to the test in a live session at Blackbird Studio G, with electronic-soul artist Jamie Lidell and a cast of all-star players.
We sat down to get King’s take on the session, and his insights into mixing, recording, and tracking through Unison mic preamps with Apollo interfaces."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}} {{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_YouTubeVideo" youtube_embed_code="__encoded__:PGlmcmFtZSB3aWR0aD0iNTYwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjMxNSIgc3JjPSJodHRwczovL3d3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbS9lbWJlZC9EMFRyVFBBWE0xST9yZWw9MCZhbXA7c2hvd2luZm89MCIgZnJhbWVib3JkZXI9IjAiIGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbj48L2lmcmFtZT4="}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="As someone who has worked extensively in the analog and digital recording domains, what has Unison technology meant to you and your projects?" content="Unison technology is really interesting, and it definitely shows the potential of emulations taking place on the front end, and in more of an analog realm. I’ve never had one particular tool that I thought was a perfect solution. But Unison shows what the Universal Audio system and Apollo is transforming into — a platform where I can completely track and mix in the box.
The whole purpose of doing this video and tracking session with Jamie Lidell and that amazing band was to demonstrate that Apollo with Unison technology gives you arguably the same thing as outboard gear, but with a slightly different flavor. I wanted to see just how far I could take Apollo and Unison, and I think the result speaks for itself. I’m pretty proud of it."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="3070" maxWidth1="800"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Does Unison’s ability to track and commit to tones using a more analog-type workflow appeal to you?" content="Absolutely. Like Tom Dowd and the Beatles and all the legends of record-making who really didn’t have a lot of gear — you’ve got to go boldly. That’s what we should aspire to. Make a choice and go for it.
For example, if you want something that’s compressed and dirty, do it. The one pitfall of the technology we have now is the temptation to leave things too open-ended, and not committing to anything until mixdown. As a mixer, having to make all those decisions at the final hour, and figure out how it’s all supposed to fit together, that’s a difficult creative headspace to get into."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_PullQuote" text="“Like Tom Dowd and the Beatles and all the legends of record-making who really didn’t have a lot of gear — you’ve got to go boldly. Make a choice and go for it.”"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="How does committing to those sounds when tracking affect the final product?" content="Committing to sounds early informs the process as you go, in terms of making calls about how to record each successive part, or how to layer sounds. You really don’t have to have a lot of expensive outboard gear to be recording in that style with Unison and Apollo hardware, because you can much more affordably have a very similar experience."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Has Unison technology had a positive impact on your workflow when it comes to mobile recording?" content="Yes. For vocals on the latest [Icelandic rock band] Kaleo record, A/B, we wanted to get some vocals recorded on the road, so we used my Apollo Twin, recording the singer with a Shure SM7B mic, through the Unison-enabled Neve 1073 Mic Preamp & EQ.
We even punched some of these takes into the existing tracks that we’d recorded with the pure analog chain at the studio, and in a room full of pretty educated ears, no one could really tell the difference."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="3071" maxWidth1="800"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Using parallel compression is one of your go-to techniques in a mixing session, especially for drums, bass, and vocals. Could you talk about your strategy with it?" content="The advantage of parallel compression is that you can be more extreme and go for more “character” when you don’t really care about maintaining transients. So you can dial in a cool sound where your softer, lower dynamic tones are sort of “stabilized,” if you will, and then you can blend in the more extreme texture. This allows you to bring out more room tones, for example, and then you choose how to blend that with the less compressed signal."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="So, do you prefer a fairly naked original signal, to allow you the most latitude with parallel compression?" content="Not necessarily. Just because you’re using parallel compression doesn’t mean you’re not also compressing the sources. It’s just that you’re doing it differently — a gentler tailoring there, a bit of nuanced control, maybe some tonal shaping. Then, with the parallel, you balance it to taste — maybe you only need a little bit of the transient preserved, and so the dry, uncompressed or less compressed sound is actually lower in the blend than the parallel sound.
For example, with drums, the parallel channel is typically something you’re going to be bringing up from underneath — it’s at a lower volume, it’s more supportive — that’s definitely the way I view it. It helps you manage the overall drum sound. It’s difficult to only compress single tracks of drums individually, and expect to maintain all the transient energy that helps define and clarify the overall sound."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Tell me what characteristics you like about the different UAD compressors you use on the Jamie Lidell session, including the UAD Fairchild compressor for the kick/bass parallel bus." content="The Fairchild has slower settings — there’s that more old-school attack-and-release thing going on. So when you’re a bit aggressive with that, and blend it into the kick and bass, it kind of glues everything together. In general, I do like a lot of the older designs, and older style compressors where they’re almost less flexible, and they have a more specific sound and character. They seem to work really well for parallel compression, maybe because they’re just simpler and more familiar."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="3075" maxWidth1="800"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextCentered" content="__encoded__:Q29tcGFyZSBmb3IgeW91cnNlbGYuIERvd25sb2FkIHRoZSB1bmNvbXByZXNzZWQgYXVkaW8gZmlsZXMuPGJyIC8+PGJyIC8+PGEgY2xhc3M9ImJ1dHRvbiB0cmFuc3BhcmVudCIgaHJlZj0ie3ttZWRpYSB1cmw9J2Jsb2cvdS9uL3VuaXNvbl9hYl9hdWRpb19maWxlcy56aXAnfX0iPkRvd25sb2FkIE5vdzwvYT48YnIgLz48c21hbGwgc3R5bGU9Im1hcmdpbi10b3A6NXB4OyJsPig4MCBNQiwgLnppcCk8L3NtYWxsPg=="}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="I’m fascinated by your mix bus signal chain for the Jamie Lidell session: UAD Brainworx bx_refinement EQ, Neve 33609 Compressor, Ampex ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder, Pultec EQP-1A, and Precision Limiter plug-ins. Why these particular choices?" content="With the Brainworx, I like to start with some EQ to gently manage the overall blend, to clean up the low end, maybe eliminate some subsonic frequencies in an appropriate way so that I keep a certain amount of lows, without having to high pass everything in my mix.
So I filter off some of that, gently opening up the top-end, and that pushes a little bit of general EQ into my first compression stage, in this case, the Neve 33609, although sometimes I’ll use the SSL G Bus Compressor."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="How do you like to set that first compressor on your mix bus?" content="Typically, I’ll set the threshold as high as it will go, so I can push as much level into it as possible, with a quite low ratio, like 1.5-1. Even if I’m compressing up to 3 or 4dB, I don’t want it to be a steep ratio. Slow attack, fast release. Very gentle, nothing too aggressive, not hitting the transients too hard."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="How do you use the Ampex ATR-102 plug-in for shaping your mix bus?" content="I’m not necessarily using it to get the “sound of tape.” I use it because it has a good glueing effect, and you can play with the speeds which each give you different EQ curves, and with different tape types. It’s a great tone box, basically. It can also help widen or collapse the stereo field, depending on the material, and how it presents the frequencies. I even generally leave on the crosstalk feature."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Then how do you use the Pultec Passive EQ Collection?" content="Once I’ve got the mix run through this general EQ, compression and tone-shaping, the Pultec EQP-1A is sort of the “smiley face” that I really want to hit it with — open up the top end a lot, bump up the bottom end. That way, I’m not having to over-EQ individual things. It’s more about shaping — on the top, making sure the guitars are bright enough, or that when the drum kit is balanced correctly, that the cymbals are at the right level, and the voice is bright enough."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_PullQuote" text="“There are three hallmarks of a great mix: the drums, the vocal, and the low-end. If you can master those things, then the rest will fall into place.”"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="Using the EQP-1A here is better than having to go in and open up the high-end on all the individual elements. They should all be in pretty good shape by that point. It’s about shaping the overall tonal personality and direction of the project.
As for the the UAD Precision Limiter — basically, I don’t want to have peaks printed. I don’t want the output converters seeing red. I don’t want them in clipping mode. I want them to have the little bit of headroom that they need to sound the way they’re supposed to sound."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="When push comes to shove, what are the key elements of a mix? " content="There are three hallmarks of a great mix: the drums, the vocal, and the low-end. If you can master those things, then the rest of it is relatively easy, and will fall into place. Those are the things that you need to be able to get just right, and have everything else around them heard in a way that makes sense. It comes down to the story of the song and the rhythm of the song. The topline melody and the groove — everything else plays off of that."}}
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Top 5 Reasons Mic Preamps Matter
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="Few topics stir up more debate than microphone preamplifiers. With dozens, if not hundreds of different brands, models, shapes, sizes, variations, and configurations to choose from, it’s no wonder mic preamps are among the most misunderstood pieces of the audio signal chain.
Even low-cost interfaces offer built-in mic preamps, some of which sound pretty decent. So why would anyone want to spend money on an external preamp, let alone several? Here are the top five reasons mic preamps matter."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="1. A Clean Front End" content="At its most basic, a mic preamp takes the low output from a microphone and amplifies the signal to a higher line level. The mic preamps built into most audio interfaces will do that. But low cost onboard preamps are typically limited in tone and flexibility, and they can add noise and tonal coloration that might not be what you’re looking for. A high quality microphone preamp, however, will do much more than just make your mic level louder. It will deliver a cleaner, more accurate signal, with higher gain, lower noise, less distortion, and more headroom."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="2. Transparency" content="It sounds obvious, but in most cases, the ultimate goal of a good preamp should be to capture the sound as transparently as possible. Listen to the sound of a good preamp and one of the first things you’ll notice is what’s missing. Most budget preamps inherently introduce at least some degree of hiss and background noise to your signal. A good mic preamp will surprise you with just how much quieter your signal can be."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="3. Pick Your Color" content="Do you want your track to sound warm or cool? Thin or fat? An experienced recording engineer will use different microphones and mic preamps in much the same way a painter uses brushes, colors, and textures. And as with painting, different mic/preamp combinations will yield markedly different results. Take time to experiment. Ultimately, it will help you to make better, more informed, artistic decisions.
Digging deeper, preamps that feature transformers and discrete amplifiers in their circuit, like the Neve 1073 and the UA 2108, add varying degrees of color and character. Same goes for tube-based designs like the iconic UA 610-A, which is famous for adding husky warmth and saturation to signals.
On the flipside, transformerless integrated designs — like Grace or SSL preamps — are prized for their amazing transparency and crystal-clear rendering of source material."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="4. Versatility" content="Because mic preamps are available in such a wide range of configurations, it’s easy to find something for almost any situation. If you’re a solo writer with a guitar, a simple two-channel preamp could meet your needs. Want to record the occasional live drums, or maybe even an entire band? You can put together a range of rack-mount multi channel mic preamps in configurations from eight to 32 channels and beyond. For a great number engineers — both studio and live sound — their mic preamps are essential front end of their touring/mobile recording rig."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="5. Consistency" content="__encoded__: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"}}
Even low-cost interfaces offer built-in mic preamps, some of which sound pretty decent. So why would anyone want to spend money on an external preamp, let alone several? Here are the top five reasons mic preamps matter."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="1. A Clean Front End" content="At its most basic, a mic preamp takes the low output from a microphone and amplifies the signal to a higher line level. The mic preamps built into most audio interfaces will do that. But low cost onboard preamps are typically limited in tone and flexibility, and they can add noise and tonal coloration that might not be what you’re looking for. A high quality microphone preamp, however, will do much more than just make your mic level louder. It will deliver a cleaner, more accurate signal, with higher gain, lower noise, less distortion, and more headroom."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="2. Transparency" content="It sounds obvious, but in most cases, the ultimate goal of a good preamp should be to capture the sound as transparently as possible. Listen to the sound of a good preamp and one of the first things you’ll notice is what’s missing. Most budget preamps inherently introduce at least some degree of hiss and background noise to your signal. A good mic preamp will surprise you with just how much quieter your signal can be."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="3. Pick Your Color" content="Do you want your track to sound warm or cool? Thin or fat? An experienced recording engineer will use different microphones and mic preamps in much the same way a painter uses brushes, colors, and textures. And as with painting, different mic/preamp combinations will yield markedly different results. Take time to experiment. Ultimately, it will help you to make better, more informed, artistic decisions.
Digging deeper, preamps that feature transformers and discrete amplifiers in their circuit, like the Neve 1073 and the UA 2108, add varying degrees of color and character. Same goes for tube-based designs like the iconic UA 610-A, which is famous for adding husky warmth and saturation to signals.
On the flipside, transformerless integrated designs — like Grace or SSL preamps — are prized for their amazing transparency and crystal-clear rendering of source material."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="4. Versatility" content="Because mic preamps are available in such a wide range of configurations, it’s easy to find something for almost any situation. If you’re a solo writer with a guitar, a simple two-channel preamp could meet your needs. Want to record the occasional live drums, or maybe even an entire band? You can put together a range of rack-mount multi channel mic preamps in configurations from eight to 32 channels and beyond. For a great number engineers — both studio and live sound — their mic preamps are essential front end of their touring/mobile recording rig."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="5. Consistency" content="__encoded__: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"}}
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Mixing Eskmo’s "The Light of One Thousand Furnaces" with UAD Plug‑Ins
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_PullQuote" text="I love the possibilities that UAD Powered Plug-Ins open up for me, and I keep finding more and more uses everyday – Eskmo"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_YouTubeVideo" youtube_embed_code="__encoded__:PGlmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnlvdXR1YmUuY29tL2VtYmVkL0pNMkw2V2QyXzdZP3JlbD0wJmFtcDtzaG93aW5mbz0wIj48L2lmcmFtZT4="}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Sitting the Strings" content="My friend Satoshi Noguchi helped me record the strings at a friends studio. We just had a simple left/right room mic set up, as well as individually miking each instrument."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}![Setting the Strings]()
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="Here are the strings dry:"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="And here are the strings with UAD processing:"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Synth Treatment"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}![Synth Treatment]()
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="And here is the synth with UAD processing:"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="By automating the levels being fed in — as well as the actual Culture Vulture controls — it really helped to bring this part to life and add some exciting instability."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="High Synth Blend"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}![High Synth Blend]()
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="The last example is the high synth line that blends in and out with the string part. The original line was more complex than the simpler one I ended up using.Here is the part dry:"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="__encoded__:fUl0IHdhcyB2ZXJ5IGltcG9ydGFudCBmb3IgdGhpcyBwYXJ0IHRvIHNpdCB3ZWxsIGluIHRoZSB0cmFjay4gSSByYW4gaXQgdGhyb3VnaCB0aGUgRU1UIDE0MCwgU3R1ZGlvIEQgcGx1Zy1pbiwgYW5kIHRoZSBvbGQgPGEgaHJlZj0iL3VhZC1wbHVnaW5zL3JldmVyYnMvZHJlYW12ZXJiLmh0bWwiPlVBIERyZWFtVmVyYiBSb29tIE1vZGVsZXI8L2E+LjxiciAvPjxiciAvPkhlcmUgaXMgdGhlIHN5bnRoIHdpdGggVUFEIHBsdWctaW5zOg=="}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="The combination of those plug-ins give this minimal, eighth note phrase, a lovely a uniform feel.I love the possibilities that UAD Powered Plug-Ins open up for me, and I keep finding more and more uses everyday!" fineprint="Photo credit: Trevor Traynor."}}
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="Here are the strings dry:"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="And here are the strings with UAD processing:"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="Synth Treatment"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="And here is the synth with UAD processing:"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="By automating the levels being fed in — as well as the actual Culture Vulture controls — it really helped to bring this part to life and add some exciting instability."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="High Synth Blend"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="The last example is the high synth line that blends in and out with the string part. The original line was more complex than the simpler one I ended up using.Here is the part dry:"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="__encoded__:fUl0IHdhcyB2ZXJ5IGltcG9ydGFudCBmb3IgdGhpcyBwYXJ0IHRvIHNpdCB3ZWxsIGluIHRoZSB0cmFjay4gSSByYW4gaXQgdGhyb3VnaCB0aGUgRU1UIDE0MCwgU3R1ZGlvIEQgcGx1Zy1pbiwgYW5kIHRoZSBvbGQgPGEgaHJlZj0iL3VhZC1wbHVnaW5zL3JldmVyYnMvZHJlYW12ZXJiLmh0bWwiPlVBIERyZWFtVmVyYiBSb29tIE1vZGVsZXI8L2E+LjxiciAvPjxiciAvPkhlcmUgaXMgdGhlIHN5bnRoIHdpdGggVUFEIHBsdWctaW5zOg=="}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="The combination of those plug-ins give this minimal, eighth note phrase, a lovely a uniform feel.I love the possibilities that UAD Powered Plug-Ins open up for me, and I keep finding more and more uses everyday!" fineprint="Photo credit: Trevor Traynor."}}
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Mastering with the Masters. 7 Questions with Famed Mastering Engineers Emily Lazar, Peter Doell, and Bob Katz
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="From the outside, mastering audio may seem like a strange and mystical art, one that somehow ties everything in a track together and gives recordings the exact bits of nuance, polish, and power that they need to shine.
Ask the sonic craftspeople behind the mastering desk, however, and a different picture emerges. To experienced engineers like the great Bob Katz, Emily Lazar, and Peter Doell, mastering is a meticulous practice, one equally informed by technical expertise, artistic instinct, and hard-won experience.
The Orlando-based author of Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science, Katz boasts a resume including the likes of Paquito d’Rivera, Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, and Emmylou Harris. Lazar is the founder and chief mastering engineer of The Lodge in New York City, where she has worked on projects for David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Santana, Linkin Park, and more. Based in Los Angeles, Doell spent over a decade as a Senior Mastering/Mixing Engineer for Universal; his credits include the likes of Miles Davis, Celine Dion, Marilyn Manson, and Etta James.
Below are excerpts from Universal Audio’s roundtable discussion on preparing tracks for the mastering process, the trio’s go-to UAD plug-ins, and how they use those tools to bring the tracks that they work on that extra level of life."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextCentered" heading="Meet the Masters"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_ProductFeature" image="2936" heading="Bob Katz
(Paquito d’Rivera, Dizzy Gillespie, Emmylou Harris)" content="The Orlando-based author of Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science, Katz boasts a resume including the likes of Paquito d’Rivera, Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, and Emmylou Harris."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_ProductFeature" image="2937" heading="Emily Lazar
(Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Sia)" content="Lazar is the founder and chief mastering engineer of The Lodge in New York City, where she has worked on projects for David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Santana, Linkin Park, and more." image_position="1"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_ProductFeature" image="2939" heading="Peter Doell
(Miles Davis, Celine Dion, Etta James)" content="Based in Los Angeles, Doell spent over a decade as a Senior Mastering/Mixing Engineer for Universal; his credits include the likes of Miles Davis, Celine Dion, Marilyn Manson, and Etta James."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="1. What should artists or mixing engineers always do to their tracks before sending them to get mastered?" content="__encoded__:PGI+S2F0ejo8L2I+IEkgc3VnZ2VzdCB0aGF0LCBhZnRlciBhcnRpc3RzIGZpbmlzaCB0aGUgZmlyc3Qgc3VjY2Vzc2Z1bCBtaXhlcyBmb3IgYSBwcm9qZWN0LCB0aGV5IGNvbnRhY3QgdGhlIG1hc3RlcmluZyBlbmdpbmVlcnMgdGhhdCB0aGV54oCZcmUgY29uc2lkZXJpbmcgdXNpbmcgYW5kIHNlbmQgaW4gYSBtaXggZm9yIGV2YWx1YXRpb24uIFlvdSBjYW4gbGVhcm4gc28gbXVjaCB0aGF0IHdheS4gSSBvZmZlciBhbGwgb2YgbXkgY2xpZW50cyB0aGUgb3Bwb3J0dW5pdHkgdG8gaGF2ZSBtZSBsaXN0ZW4gdG8gb25lIHNvbmcgZm9yJm5ic3A7ZnJlZS48YnIgLz48YnIgLz48Yj5MYXphcjo8L2I+IElmIHlvdSBjYW7igJl0IGNvbW1pdCwgcHJvdmlkZSBvcHRpb25zLiBJdOKAmXMgc2ltcGxlIHRvIGVkaXQgZGlmZmVyZW50IG1peGVzIHRvZ2V0aGVyIGluIHRoZSBtYXN0ZXJpbmcgc3RhZ2UgYW5kIHNvbWV0aW1lcyB0aGlzIGNhbiB5aWVsZCBhbWF6aW5nIHJlc3VsdHMuIElmIHlvdeKAmXJlIHVuc3VyZSBhYm91dCB3aGljaCBtaXggd2lsbCBzb3VuZCBiZXR0ZXIgYWZ0ZXIgbWFzdGVyaW5nLCB5b3Ugc2hvdWxkIHByb3ZpZGUgYm90aC4gSWYgeW91IGFyZSB1bnN1cmUgYWJvdXQgY2VydGFpbiB0aGluZ3MgaW4geW91ciBzdGVyZW8gbWl4LCBwcm92aWRlIHRoZSBzdGVtcyEgVXNpbmcgc3RlbXMgaXMgYSByZWFsbHkgZWZmZWN0aXZlIHdheSB0byBhZGRyZXNzIGJhbGFuY2UsIEVRLCBhbmQgY29tcHJlc3Npb24gY29uY2VybnMuPGJyIC8+PGJyIC8+PGI+RG9lbGw6PC9iPiBPbmUgb2YgdGhlIG1vc3QgYmFzaWMgdGhpbmdzIHRoYXQgcGVvcGxlIG5lZWQgdG8gZG8gaW4gb3JkZXIgdG8gaGF2ZSBhIGhhcHB5LCBzdWNjZXNzZnVsLCBhbmQgYWZmb3JkYWJsZSBtYXN0ZXJpbmcgc2Vzc2lvbiBpcyB0byBoYXZlIGFsbCBmaWxlcyBuYW1lZCBjb3JyZWN0bHkuIEJlIG9yZ2FuaXplZC4gSWYgeW91IHdhbnQgdG8gaGF2ZSBUViBvciBpbnN0cnVtZW50YWwgbWl4ZXMgZG9uZSwgaW4gYWRkaXRpb24gdG8gdGhlIG1haW4gbWl4LCBtYWtlIHN1cmUgdGhhdCBhbGwgb2YgdGhlIGZpbGVzIGFyZSBjb3JyZWN0bHkgbmFtZWQg4oCUIGFuZCBicmluZyBpdCB0byB0aGUgYXR0ZW50aW9uIG9mIHRoZSBtYXN0ZXJpbmcgZW5naW5lZXIgYWhlYWQgb2YgdGltZS4gVGhhdCB3YXksIHNvbWVvbmUgaW4gbXkgcG9zaXRpb24gY2FuIHJ1biBhbGwgb2YgdGhlIG1peGVzIGR1cmluZyB0aGUgc2FtZSBtYXN0ZXJpbmcgc2Vzc2lvbi4gWW91IGdldCBtb3JlIGNvbnNpc3RlbmN5IG9mIHNvdW5kIHRoYXQgd2F5LCBhbmQgaXQgc2F2ZXMgdGhlIGNsaWVudCB0aW1lIGFuZCBtb25leS48YnIgLz48YnIgLz48Yj5MYXphcjo8L2I+IExhYmVsbGluZyB5b3VyIGZpbGVzIGlzIGltcG9ydGFudC4gUGljayBhIG5hbWluZyBzeXN0ZW0gdGhhdCBib3RoIHdvcmtzIGZvciB5b3UgYW5kIHdpbGwgYWxzbyBiZSBjbGVhciBhbmQgdHJhbnNsYXRhYmxlIHRvIHRoZSBwZW9wbGUgeW91IGFyZSBzZW5kaW5nIHlvdXIgZmlsZXMgdG8uIEluc3RlYWQgb2YganVzdCBtYWtpbmcgb25lIHVwLCB0aGVyZeKAmXMgYSBncmVhdCBwYXBlciB0aGF0IGluY2x1ZGVzIHRoZSBOQVJBUy9HUkFNTVktcmVjb21tZW5kZWQgbmFtaW5nIGNvbnZlbnRpb25zIGZvciBkZWxpdmVyeSB0aGF0IHlvdSBjYW4gZmluZCA8YSBocmVmPSJodHRwczovL3d3dy5ncmFtbXkub3JnL2ZpbGVzL3BhZ2VzL2RlbGl2ZXJ5cmVjb21tZW5kYXRpb25zLnBkZiI+b25saW5lPC9hPi4="}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="2. What would you advise against, mix-wise, when it comes to prepping for a successful mastering session?" content="Doell: Sometimes people send mixes where the level is so hot that there’s nothing for us to grab on to to make the music feel better — we’re already at the ceiling. That’s arguably the most hand-tying thing. When I see mixes come in like that, I have to raise my hand and say, “Do you have mixes that don’t have your peak limiter on them?”
Katz: Using a sample-style peak limiter on your mix just doesn’t help. That doesn’t mean that, maybe, some individual elements of the mix won’t benefit from a sample-style peak limiter. What I mean is that a digital peak limiter, one that looks at the individual samples like bricks in a wall, should be avoided for the overall mix. I advise more traditional analog-style processors on the mix side. The brick wall units only multiply the distortion when it gets to us."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="3. After you finish your master, do artists and mixers often hear things that they didn’t hear before?" content="Katz: Of course. That might be a statement to the fact that mastering engineers make things louder, as a matter of course. That’s not our goal, but during the process of mastering, we bring out the inner details of a track — and hopefully the artist agrees with this — we bring out the essence of the music as well. During that process, though, noises and other stuff that artists and mixers hadn’t considered before can be brought out. That’s another reason to send a recording to the mastering engineer ahead of time.
Lazar: Countless times, artists and mixers realize after the mastering is complete that there is an element mistakenly missing from the source mix that they provided. The prevalence of home recording and in-the-box mixing has provided incredible power and flexibility with a seemingly endless amount of tracks and buses — but the only downside is that, with all of that flexibility, it’s very easy to get distracted and leave a track, or it’s processing, inactive by accident. One last critical listen on the the artist’s and engineer’s end, before sending your tracks off to mastering, is essential.
Doell: One thing I’ve found that can creep into mastering, and not be apparent ahead of time, is sibilance. If mixes come in on the dark side and need a little lift or some brightness, the “s” sounds in the lead vocals can become an issue where they weren’t before. The same thing can happen with the hi-hat. Sometimes mixes come in with the hi-hat way up, and de-essing that bad boy, as well as the voice, can be a smart move. The UAD Precision De-Esser is a very musical tool for that. It has the ability to filter the sideband, so you can be forensic and hone in on the offending syllables, if you’re working on voice, or the specific register where the hi-hat is living, if that’s what you’re tweaking. It’s very intuitive, clever, and good-sounding."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="4. What are some of your go-to UAD plug-ins for mastering?" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="5. Do you reach for UAD’s Precision Tools often?" content="Lazar: While mastering in stereo, my go to plug-ins include the Precision Maximizer and the Precision Multiband — as well as the API 560 Graphic EQ, the elysia• alpha compressor plug-in and the Millennia NSEQ-2. The Precision Maximizer can really help in achieving a natural sounding depth and bigness, without negatively affecting the dynamics of a track. It's pretty simple to use and results are immediate. That being said – a little goes a long way! Using the Precision Multiband's expander along with a little EQ finesse, you can open up and extend a closed-down high end or muddled midrange, or accentuate the power in the low end.
Doell: Often, I’ll put the Precision Maximizer on the source DAW and dial up just a little of it to get some bootstrapping — rather than pushing stuff down from the top to get more detail, the effect is to pull up more of the lower-level stuff. It brings fullness and details out of the mix in the right way, without changing color or flattening the dynamics. I usually only use the first quarter of its range, setting it at about nine-o’clock. It’s a subtle but very helpful thing.
Katz: The UAD Precision Enhancer has been a surprise tool for me in the mastering environment. I like to say that bass is the final frontier, and I’m sure that Emily and Pete would agree with me that getting bass right is a common issue. One big reason that it can be an issue really boils down to not having accurate monitoring in the mix room. The result is that the bass instrument loses clarity and you can’t really hear the notes as well as you should. It gets lumpy."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="6. How do you feel about tape machine emulations?" content="Lazar: Although I have a lot of amazing analog gear and tape machines at The Lodge, unfortunately, sometimes budgets do not allow for lengthy sessions and the extra cost of analog tape. In those instances, I rely on the UAD tape machine plugins. I frequently use the Ampex ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder Plug-In to add just the right touch of analog flavor and vibe. I am very lucky to have the analog version of the limited-edition Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor at The Lodge, and I absolutely love it. A lot of the albums I have mastered have been blessed with a stereo trip through that analog box but, that being said, to be able to manipulate certain stems digitally with the UAD plug-in version of that world class compressor, before hitting my analog chain, is nothing short of awesome.
Katz: I use the UAD Studer and Ampex tape decks on occasion, though I have my preferences outside the box as well. We’re seeing more and more stem mastering situations and, for those, the UAD Ocean Way can be used to bring out ambience or space on vocals that are too small or too dry. I’m also fond of using the UAD EMT 250 when I’m working with stems. That’s an excellent re-creation and makes for good reverb, so why not use it for stem mastering?"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="7. How do you know when a track that you’re mastering is done?" content="Lazar: For me, it’s a combination of hitting technical benchmarks that I’ve set for the track and getting that visceral response while I’m listening to it. That said, I like to give people options and truly don’t believe that there is any one way to be “done.” Most of all, I know I’m done when my clients are thrilled. My main goal is always to facilitate what they are looking to achieve in the best way possible.
Katz: Experience helps and having a good perspective does let you know when you’re done. My monitoring system is so good that, if I try to do something that I shouldn’t do, it tells me, “Bob, don’t do that!” [Pretends to slap his own wrist.] It’s almost self-limiting, but not in the processing sense. I feel that dithering is important, for example. It’s a very subtle phenomenon, and if I find myself spending more than five minutes deciding on a particular dither, I know that I’m wasting my clients’ time. If we spend more than five or six hours on an album, there’s probably something wrong with the mix — or with us. We’re being neurotic or obsessive compulsive, which isn’t helpful. So the mastering system tells you when you’re done, like experience tells you.
Doell: As mastering engineers, we sit in the same spot in the same room, all day, every day, and don’t touch the position of our monitors. When I get music to sound as great as anything else I’ve ever heard when I’m listening in that monitor position, then I know that I’m done. If it sounds a little wanting or harsh, I don’t want to reach for the volume control to turn it up or down — that means that there’s still work to be done. But when you’re sitting in your mastering room, listening on your monitoring system, and it sounds like a million bucks without being too loud or too soft — that’s when you know it’s done."}}
Ask the sonic craftspeople behind the mastering desk, however, and a different picture emerges. To experienced engineers like the great Bob Katz, Emily Lazar, and Peter Doell, mastering is a meticulous practice, one equally informed by technical expertise, artistic instinct, and hard-won experience.
The Orlando-based author of Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science, Katz boasts a resume including the likes of Paquito d’Rivera, Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, and Emmylou Harris. Lazar is the founder and chief mastering engineer of The Lodge in New York City, where she has worked on projects for David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Santana, Linkin Park, and more. Based in Los Angeles, Doell spent over a decade as a Senior Mastering/Mixing Engineer for Universal; his credits include the likes of Miles Davis, Celine Dion, Marilyn Manson, and Etta James.
Below are excerpts from Universal Audio’s roundtable discussion on preparing tracks for the mastering process, the trio’s go-to UAD plug-ins, and how they use those tools to bring the tracks that they work on that extra level of life."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextCentered" heading="Meet the Masters"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_ProductFeature" image="2936" heading="Bob Katz
(Paquito d’Rivera, Dizzy Gillespie, Emmylou Harris)" content="The Orlando-based author of Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science, Katz boasts a resume including the likes of Paquito d’Rivera, Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, and Emmylou Harris."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_ProductFeature" image="2937" heading="Emily Lazar
(Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Sia)" content="Lazar is the founder and chief mastering engineer of The Lodge in New York City, where she has worked on projects for David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Santana, Linkin Park, and more." image_position="1"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_ProductFeature" image="2939" heading="Peter Doell
(Miles Davis, Celine Dion, Etta James)" content="Based in Los Angeles, Doell spent over a decade as a Senior Mastering/Mixing Engineer for Universal; his credits include the likes of Miles Davis, Celine Dion, Marilyn Manson, and Etta James."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="1. What should artists or mixing engineers always do to their tracks before sending them to get mastered?" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="2. What would you advise against, mix-wise, when it comes to prepping for a successful mastering session?" content="Doell: Sometimes people send mixes where the level is so hot that there’s nothing for us to grab on to to make the music feel better — we’re already at the ceiling. That’s arguably the most hand-tying thing. When I see mixes come in like that, I have to raise my hand and say, “Do you have mixes that don’t have your peak limiter on them?”
Katz: Using a sample-style peak limiter on your mix just doesn’t help. That doesn’t mean that, maybe, some individual elements of the mix won’t benefit from a sample-style peak limiter. What I mean is that a digital peak limiter, one that looks at the individual samples like bricks in a wall, should be avoided for the overall mix. I advise more traditional analog-style processors on the mix side. The brick wall units only multiply the distortion when it gets to us."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="3. After you finish your master, do artists and mixers often hear things that they didn’t hear before?" content="Katz: Of course. That might be a statement to the fact that mastering engineers make things louder, as a matter of course. That’s not our goal, but during the process of mastering, we bring out the inner details of a track — and hopefully the artist agrees with this — we bring out the essence of the music as well. During that process, though, noises and other stuff that artists and mixers hadn’t considered before can be brought out. That’s another reason to send a recording to the mastering engineer ahead of time.
Lazar: Countless times, artists and mixers realize after the mastering is complete that there is an element mistakenly missing from the source mix that they provided. The prevalence of home recording and in-the-box mixing has provided incredible power and flexibility with a seemingly endless amount of tracks and buses — but the only downside is that, with all of that flexibility, it’s very easy to get distracted and leave a track, or it’s processing, inactive by accident. One last critical listen on the the artist’s and engineer’s end, before sending your tracks off to mastering, is essential.
Doell: One thing I’ve found that can creep into mastering, and not be apparent ahead of time, is sibilance. If mixes come in on the dark side and need a little lift or some brightness, the “s” sounds in the lead vocals can become an issue where they weren’t before. The same thing can happen with the hi-hat. Sometimes mixes come in with the hi-hat way up, and de-essing that bad boy, as well as the voice, can be a smart move. The UAD Precision De-Esser is a very musical tool for that. It has the ability to filter the sideband, so you can be forensic and hone in on the offending syllables, if you’re working on voice, or the specific register where the hi-hat is living, if that’s what you’re tweaking. It’s very intuitive, clever, and good-sounding."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="4. What are some of your go-to UAD plug-ins for mastering?" content="__encoded__: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"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="5. Do you reach for UAD’s Precision Tools often?" content="Lazar: While mastering in stereo, my go to plug-ins include the Precision Maximizer and the Precision Multiband — as well as the API 560 Graphic EQ, the elysia• alpha compressor plug-in and the Millennia NSEQ-2. The Precision Maximizer can really help in achieving a natural sounding depth and bigness, without negatively affecting the dynamics of a track. It's pretty simple to use and results are immediate. That being said – a little goes a long way! Using the Precision Multiband's expander along with a little EQ finesse, you can open up and extend a closed-down high end or muddled midrange, or accentuate the power in the low end.
Doell: Often, I’ll put the Precision Maximizer on the source DAW and dial up just a little of it to get some bootstrapping — rather than pushing stuff down from the top to get more detail, the effect is to pull up more of the lower-level stuff. It brings fullness and details out of the mix in the right way, without changing color or flattening the dynamics. I usually only use the first quarter of its range, setting it at about nine-o’clock. It’s a subtle but very helpful thing.
Katz: The UAD Precision Enhancer has been a surprise tool for me in the mastering environment. I like to say that bass is the final frontier, and I’m sure that Emily and Pete would agree with me that getting bass right is a common issue. One big reason that it can be an issue really boils down to not having accurate monitoring in the mix room. The result is that the bass instrument loses clarity and you can’t really hear the notes as well as you should. It gets lumpy."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="6. How do you feel about tape machine emulations?" content="Lazar: Although I have a lot of amazing analog gear and tape machines at The Lodge, unfortunately, sometimes budgets do not allow for lengthy sessions and the extra cost of analog tape. In those instances, I rely on the UAD tape machine plugins. I frequently use the Ampex ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder Plug-In to add just the right touch of analog flavor and vibe. I am very lucky to have the analog version of the limited-edition Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor at The Lodge, and I absolutely love it. A lot of the albums I have mastered have been blessed with a stereo trip through that analog box but, that being said, to be able to manipulate certain stems digitally with the UAD plug-in version of that world class compressor, before hitting my analog chain, is nothing short of awesome.
Katz: I use the UAD Studer and Ampex tape decks on occasion, though I have my preferences outside the box as well. We’re seeing more and more stem mastering situations and, for those, the UAD Ocean Way can be used to bring out ambience or space on vocals that are too small or too dry. I’m also fond of using the UAD EMT 250 when I’m working with stems. That’s an excellent re-creation and makes for good reverb, so why not use it for stem mastering?"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="7. How do you know when a track that you’re mastering is done?" content="Lazar: For me, it’s a combination of hitting technical benchmarks that I’ve set for the track and getting that visceral response while I’m listening to it. That said, I like to give people options and truly don’t believe that there is any one way to be “done.” Most of all, I know I’m done when my clients are thrilled. My main goal is always to facilitate what they are looking to achieve in the best way possible.
Katz: Experience helps and having a good perspective does let you know when you’re done. My monitoring system is so good that, if I try to do something that I shouldn’t do, it tells me, “Bob, don’t do that!” [Pretends to slap his own wrist.] It’s almost self-limiting, but not in the processing sense. I feel that dithering is important, for example. It’s a very subtle phenomenon, and if I find myself spending more than five minutes deciding on a particular dither, I know that I’m wasting my clients’ time. If we spend more than five or six hours on an album, there’s probably something wrong with the mix — or with us. We’re being neurotic or obsessive compulsive, which isn’t helpful. So the mastering system tells you when you’re done, like experience tells you.
Doell: As mastering engineers, we sit in the same spot in the same room, all day, every day, and don’t touch the position of our monitors. When I get music to sound as great as anything else I’ve ever heard when I’m listening in that monitor position, then I know that I’m done. If it sounds a little wanting or harsh, I don’t want to reach for the volume control to turn it up or down — that means that there’s still work to be done. But when you’re sitting in your mastering room, listening on your monitoring system, and it sounds like a million bucks without being too loud or too soft — that’s when you know it’s done."}}
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Creating Hip Hop: 10 Questions With Legendary Producer Just Blaze
{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" content="When it comes to smelting hip-hop platinum in the studio, Just Blaze knows just what is required. The New Jersey-based producer gained notoriety with his early work on Jay-Z’s The Blueprint and The Black Album, and his recent credits are a who’s who of hip-hop royalty, including work on Beyonce’s Lemonade, as well as productions for Snoop Dogg, Ghostface Killah, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Eminem, and many more. Here, Blaze breaks down how he sculpts powerful low-end in his tracks, his seamless melding of live players and samples, and the UAD tools that have helped him craft hit after hit."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="1. How would you describe your job as a producer?" content="My role is to get the job done and deliver a finished product. At the end of the day, you are paid to produce. People tend to think that a producer is running around and playing a bunch of instruments, and that’s not really the case. On Michael Jackson’s Thriller — Quincy Jones didn’t come into the studio and play everything himself. He understood Michael’s vision, and got the best people he could for drum programming, strings, arrangements, and even co-writers. Basically, he did an epic job of completing the tasks at hand, and creating a great album."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="2. What’s the difference between a beat maker and a producer?" content="A producer brings in hook ideas and song structures. A beat maker says, “Here, rap to this.” Anybody can grab some kick and snare sounds along with a sample loop or a piano sound and be done in five minutes — but that doesn’t mean it’s going to move anybody. A good producer can take chords, sounds, textures, and use them to deliver emotions and dynamics within a track. Also, being aware of tempo is very important.
There are sounds that you may not want to use in something uptempo, simply because there’s too much reverb tail on the snare, for example. If the BPM is 140 or 150 and there’s a huge reverb tail on the snare, the sound of the reverb could take up the whole track and drag the energy down. A good producer, or a good beat maker, knows how to make the right choices with things like that, and ultimately, how to capture a moment. Good producers and beat makers put together sets of sounds that can deliver an experience. "}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="2613"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="3. What’s your DAW of choice? Do you start with a template or work from scratch each time?" content="I start from scratch and 95% of my work is in Logic Pro X, though every once in awhile, I’ll use Ableton as a starting point. I start from scratch when I’m working on a song, with one exception. Many years ago, I used to work on the Akai MPC series of sequencers and samplers. When I made the decision to move over to Logic, a couple of guys that I work with and I imported all of the actual sequencer grooves from three MPCs into Logic — Logic has a feature where you could import grooves from other sequencers by recording click tracks from them and then Logic would adjust its internal clock to replicate the swings that you get from the drum machines.
We did this because, even, though it’s all ones and zeros and they’re all computers, every processor and sequencer is a bit different. The reason why people loved the E-mu SP-1200 decades ago is because it had a certain swing that no other sequencer had. Some people also love the Akai MPC3000 because there was a very unique swing to the sequencing. The grooves that we imported over are the only thing that I always make sure that I have warmed up when I open a blank session. It’s good to have variety, because the differences in swings can be very slight. If I do a sixteenth-note triplet on the SP-1200, it’s not going to feel exactly the same timing coming from an MPC3000 or an MPC2000."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="4. So much of your work is collaborative, whether it’s with Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, or Beyonce. How important is being a good collaborator to your productions?" content="I always say, the more heads that are involved, as long as it benefits the record, the better. You have to put egos aside. One of the best things about collaborating is watching other people work. That’s how you learn."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_PullQuote" text="“Know your tools, and know how to use them.” — Just Blaze"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="5. You recorded Brooklyn’s Phony Ppl at UA’s Studio 610 recently. What are some essentials for you as a producer tracking an ensemble?" content="Preparation is key. I always tell the band, “Perform it like you know it.” most often, that means taking the track home and just live with it. In fact, we all go home and live with it. Work with it over and over. Then we attack it the next day, knowing the tune inside and out. This is especially important for vocalists. In the case of Phony Ppl, they were a polished band and a super-talented bunch of guys.
My job was to go in and mic the drums the right way, make sure we had the right things being captured by the overheads, getting the right sounds in the right way. Of course I would speak up if I heard the vocals going flat or sharp and call them out on that. But my overall job was to get the best performance of the day recorded well, then take it back to my studio and shape the song into a finished record."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_YouTubeVideo" youtube_embed_code="__encoded__:PGlmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnlvdXR1YmUuY29tL2VtYmVkL1FtU1FFMFRSM0lvP3JlbD0wJmFtcDtzaG93aW5mbz0wIiB3aWR0aD0iNTYwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjMxNSIgZnJhbWVib3JkZXI9IjAiIGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbj0iIj48L2lmcmFtZT4="}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="6. You’ve often sampled live band takes and used them in your productions. Even in that scenario, you want the band to be well rehearsed?" content="Oh yeah. I want to find the magical four or eight bars where everyone falls in the pocket at the same time. Matching the “best” mistake-free drum track with the best guitar or bass track simply doesn’t gel the same."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="7. What are some common mistakes you hear from up-and-coming producers?" content="Over compression. I was guilty of it when I was younger. You don’t really know what compression does, you just know everyone is using it. It can be a wonderful tool for shaping the sound, but it can also sneak up on you and suck the life, soul, and dynamics right out."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="8. What are some techniques that you use with compression, say with bass lines?" content="I’ll take a live bass player’s line and remove any sub-bass that is happening with his track, then I add the real low stuff in later with a synth as a layer, doubling the melody or accenting certain tones to make add extra punch and resonance."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="2685"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="9. How do you use compression to enhance clarity and punch?" content="Often times I will run bass, kick, and sometimes the snare through the SPL Transient Designer. It’s not a compressor, but the amount of control it gives you is amazing. Even beyond adding punch, it's the perfect tool for crafting snare samples, letting me use the natural reverb, rather than having to use a reverb plug-in. That can really make or break a groove. To be honest, UAD plug-ins have helped me make the transition to recording in the box. Some of the first hardware I used for vocal processing were the Manley VOXBOX and the Massive Passive EQ, and the Teletronix LA-2A compressor. The UAD versions of those are my go-to plug-ins."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_YouTubeVideo" youtube_embed_code="__encoded__:PGlmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnlvdXR1YmUuY29tL2VtYmVkL0tWMnNzVDhsemo4P3JlbD0wJmFtcDtzaG93aW5mbz0wIiB3aWR0aD0iNTYwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjMxNSIgZnJhbWVib3JkZXI9IjAiIGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbj0iIj48L2lmcmFtZT4="}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextCentered" fineprint="Produced by Just Blaze, Eminem’s mega-hit “No Love” featuring Lil Wayne. (Warning: lyrics are definitely NSFW.)"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="10. What one piece of advice can you give to producers who want to follow in your footsteps?" content="Don’t give up and don’t put a time limit on it. When I decided to go professional, I decided I’d give myself a year, and then I decided to give myself another year on top of that. At the end of that two-year period where I was interning and assisting engineering, it wasn’t working out and nothing was really happening. The day after I started to do my research on going back to regular life and finishing my college degree was the day I placed my first record, which ended up going gold and selling 500,000 copies. Had I decided to leave a month earlier, me and you wouldn’t be having this conversation right now. Persistence overrides resistance."}}
There are sounds that you may not want to use in something uptempo, simply because there’s too much reverb tail on the snare, for example. If the BPM is 140 or 150 and there’s a huge reverb tail on the snare, the sound of the reverb could take up the whole track and drag the energy down. A good producer, or a good beat maker, knows how to make the right choices with things like that, and ultimately, how to capture a moment. Good producers and beat makers put together sets of sounds that can deliver an experience. "}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="2613"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="3. What’s your DAW of choice? Do you start with a template or work from scratch each time?" content="I start from scratch and 95% of my work is in Logic Pro X, though every once in awhile, I’ll use Ableton as a starting point. I start from scratch when I’m working on a song, with one exception. Many years ago, I used to work on the Akai MPC series of sequencers and samplers. When I made the decision to move over to Logic, a couple of guys that I work with and I imported all of the actual sequencer grooves from three MPCs into Logic — Logic has a feature where you could import grooves from other sequencers by recording click tracks from them and then Logic would adjust its internal clock to replicate the swings that you get from the drum machines.
We did this because, even, though it’s all ones and zeros and they’re all computers, every processor and sequencer is a bit different. The reason why people loved the E-mu SP-1200 decades ago is because it had a certain swing that no other sequencer had. Some people also love the Akai MPC3000 because there was a very unique swing to the sequencing. The grooves that we imported over are the only thing that I always make sure that I have warmed up when I open a blank session. It’s good to have variety, because the differences in swings can be very slight. If I do a sixteenth-note triplet on the SP-1200, it’s not going to feel exactly the same timing coming from an MPC3000 or an MPC2000."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="4. So much of your work is collaborative, whether it’s with Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, or Beyonce. How important is being a good collaborator to your productions?" content="I always say, the more heads that are involved, as long as it benefits the record, the better. You have to put egos aside. One of the best things about collaborating is watching other people work. That’s how you learn."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_PullQuote" text="“Know your tools, and know how to use them.” — Just Blaze"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="5. You recorded Brooklyn’s Phony Ppl at UA’s Studio 610 recently. What are some essentials for you as a producer tracking an ensemble?" content="Preparation is key. I always tell the band, “Perform it like you know it.” most often, that means taking the track home and just live with it. In fact, we all go home and live with it. Work with it over and over. Then we attack it the next day, knowing the tune inside and out. This is especially important for vocalists. In the case of Phony Ppl, they were a polished band and a super-talented bunch of guys.
My job was to go in and mic the drums the right way, make sure we had the right things being captured by the overheads, getting the right sounds in the right way. Of course I would speak up if I heard the vocals going flat or sharp and call them out on that. But my overall job was to get the best performance of the day recorded well, then take it back to my studio and shape the song into a finished record."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_YouTubeVideo" youtube_embed_code="__encoded__:PGlmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnlvdXR1YmUuY29tL2VtYmVkL1FtU1FFMFRSM0lvP3JlbD0wJmFtcDtzaG93aW5mbz0wIiB3aWR0aD0iNTYwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjMxNSIgZnJhbWVib3JkZXI9IjAiIGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbj0iIj48L2lmcmFtZT4="}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="6. You’ve often sampled live band takes and used them in your productions. Even in that scenario, you want the band to be well rehearsed?" content="Oh yeah. I want to find the magical four or eight bars where everyone falls in the pocket at the same time. Matching the “best” mistake-free drum track with the best guitar or bass track simply doesn’t gel the same."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="7. What are some common mistakes you hear from up-and-coming producers?" content="Over compression. I was guilty of it when I was younger. You don’t really know what compression does, you just know everyone is using it. It can be a wonderful tool for shaping the sound, but it can also sneak up on you and suck the life, soul, and dynamics right out."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="8. What are some techniques that you use with compression, say with bass lines?" content="I’ll take a live bass player’s line and remove any sub-bass that is happening with his track, then I add the real low stuff in later with a synth as a layer, doubling the melody or accenting certain tones to make add extra punch and resonance."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_AssetLibraryImages" image1="2685"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="9. How do you use compression to enhance clarity and punch?" content="Often times I will run bass, kick, and sometimes the snare through the SPL Transient Designer. It’s not a compressor, but the amount of control it gives you is amazing. Even beyond adding punch, it's the perfect tool for crafting snare samples, letting me use the natural reverb, rather than having to use a reverb plug-in. That can really make or break a groove. To be honest, UAD plug-ins have helped me make the transition to recording in the box. Some of the first hardware I used for vocal processing were the Manley VOXBOX and the Massive Passive EQ, and the Teletronix LA-2A compressor. The UAD versions of those are my go-to plug-ins."}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="small"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_YouTubeVideo" youtube_embed_code="__encoded__:PGlmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnlvdXR1YmUuY29tL2VtYmVkL0tWMnNzVDhsemo4P3JlbD0wJmFtcDtzaG93aW5mbz0wIiB3aWR0aD0iNTYwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjMxNSIgZnJhbWVib3JkZXI9IjAiIGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbj0iIj48L2lmcmFtZT4="}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextCentered" fineprint="Produced by Just Blaze, Eminem’s mega-hit “No Love” featuring Lil Wayne. (Warning: lyrics are definitely NSFW.)"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_Spacer" height="medium"}}{{widget type="uaudio_theme/Widget_TextLeft" subheading="10. What one piece of advice can you give to producers who want to follow in your footsteps?" content="Don’t give up and don’t put a time limit on it. When I decided to go professional, I decided I’d give myself a year, and then I decided to give myself another year on top of that. At the end of that two-year period where I was interning and assisting engineering, it wasn’t working out and nothing was really happening. The day after I started to do my research on going back to regular life and finishing my college degree was the day I placed my first record, which ended up going gold and selling 500,000 copies. Had I decided to leave a month earlier, me and you wouldn’t be having this conversation right now. Persistence overrides resistance."}}
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Apollo Artist Sessions Vol. VIII: Just Blaze & Phony PPL
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Apollo Artist Sessions Vol. IX: Jacquire King & Jamie Lidell
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Using Apollo Twin USB with Ableton Live (Full Version)
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