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On 2011-05-13 said:
On May 12, 11:47ÿpm, "Trevor" wrote:
Unfortunately that's often what the client wants. I'm sure Katy
Perry etc ..
don't use the bedroom boys, but I doubt they could do much worse
:-(

Technique trumps equipment arsenal everytime. You can point what
you think is the business end of that rare collectors RCA 44A you
bought at your lead singers mouth and wonder why so much ambience
is getting into the vocal, while someone who really knows WTF
they're DOING will lay down a perfectly pristine vocal track with a
beer-stained SM-57 in the back of some Dive broom closet!
Or a 96channel digital console with ****e level running through it
and hiss and noise and clipping because the "engineer" has no
concept of gain structure, while the penny-pincher down the street
turns out a audiophile's wet dream on their 10 year old 24-channel
6-sub mackie that survived a church fire!!!

THis is true, but as Trevor noted, it's often what the guy
paying the biolls wants, and gets. MIght be lack of chops
on the part of the engineer, but chances are pretty good
the client's paying the bills and trumps what the engineer
wants, or might choose. THe producer calls the shots, and
he might or might not have a clue.
Dr. Luke Dre. DRe and these guys can do "beats" on midi
sequencers and stuff, but nobody said they knew **** about
how to work with microphones and people actually making
music or anything like that.

I had occasion to go to one of the better known rooms in
MEmphis, a three hour in and out demo, one person playing
their STeinway. Boom boom, a bunch of cocktail music all
segued together, intent was 15-20 minutes of "yes this man
can play a piano" stuff.

The engineer stuck one microphone, an AT, can't recall which
nomenclature on the piano, well placed, but had it been for
more production than a demo I might have played a little
more with placement, after all that's your standard large
studio live room. But for waht it was the technique he used
sounded just fine. Had it been for the real money that
STeinway would have been tuned first, and we would have
played around a bit, I would have listened while walking
that room somebody else playing. HIS default setup was for
piano in the context of an ensemble, drums gobo, possibly
even piano on a dub later to get a clean piano track, maybe
not depending on what all the ensemble's makeup was. Had it
been me, knowing solo piano but knowing nothing else about
the plans for the session I might have gone with a stereo
technique, and the default setup both, pick the one we like,
but as soon as we left that Friday afternoon he had a break
then set up for another session that evening.

Does the client know what they want? ARe they willing to
spend enough time, or money to get it? These folks may
spoend megabucks on studio time, but that doesn't mean they
know how to work with the tools available.

IT's about having both the tools and the skills. sKills
aren't developed working by oneself in the back bedroom.
sKills are developed by working with others who have more
experience regularly, keeping one's eyes and ears open, and
asking questions when appropriate. Wonking out in your back
bedroom and asking a few questions on the internet pales in
comparison.


Regards,


-CC


Richard webb,

replace anything before at with elspider
ON site audio in the southland: see www.gatasound.com