I have read several books on mixing and mastering audio recordings, but
none get into the specifics when dealing with hip-hop. They tell me
tricks and techniques for rock, jazz, etc., but no hip-hop. Does
anyone know of a good book or reference for mixing and mastering
hip-hop in the studio (not DJ mixing)?

wrote in message
ups.com...
I have read several books on mixing and mastering audio recordings, but
none get into the specifics when dealing with hip-hop. They tell me
tricks and techniques for rock, jazz, etc., but no hip-hop. Does
anyone know of a good book or reference for mixing and mastering
hip-hop in the studio (not DJ mixing)?

I would have thought the terms 'book' and 'hip-hop' are not often used in
the same sentence ...

;-)

geoff


PS Maximum bass and compression are the only rules that would seem to apply
from what I've heard.

Check out Gearslutz.com. They have a forum dedicated to Hip-Hop centered
questions just like this all this month.
You'll get more intelligent, sincere response.


"Geoff@work" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
ups.com...
I have read several books on mixing and mastering audio recordings, but
none get into the specifics when dealing with hip-hop. They tell me
tricks and techniques for rock, jazz, etc., but no hip-hop. Does
anyone know of a good book or reference for mixing and mastering
hip-hop in the studio (not DJ mixing)?

I would have thought the terms 'book' and 'hip-hop' are not often used in
the same sentence ...

;-)

geoff


PS Maximum bass and compression are the only rules that would seem to
apply
from what I've heard.

"Black Cree" wrote in message
...
Check out Gearslutz.com. They have a forum dedicated to Hip-Hop centered
questions just like this all this month.
You'll get more intelligent, sincere response.

And hopefully better senses of humour ...

geoff

Just make it sound like **** and you're in the ballpark.

On 8/25/05 10:04 AM, in article
,
" wrote:

Just make it sound like **** and you're in the ballpark.


Dude, how un-professional can you be?


Allen
--
Allen Corneau
Mastering Engineer
Essential Sound Mastering
www.esmastering.com

OK, I'll try again. Use really bad sounding fake instruments, hype the
highs over 12kHz so it makes the listener nauseated, hype the bass and
kick louder than the last guys crappy sounding hip hop record, have
someone talk all over the whole thing in annoying ostinato, then ad
some brittle sounding faux-soul autotuned female vocal tracks, Season
with brickwall limiting and digital clipping and your audience will
love it.

Allen Corneau wrote:
On 8/25/05 10:04 AM, in article
,
" wrote:

Just make it sound like **** and you're in the ballpark.


Dude, how un-professional can you be?


Allen
--
Allen Corneau
Mastering Engineer
Essential Sound Mastering
www.esmastering.com

On 8/25/05 2:38 PM, in article
,
" wrote:

OK, I'll try again. Use really bad sounding fake instruments, hype the
highs over 12kHz so it makes the listener nauseated, hype the bass and
kick louder than the last guys crappy sounding hip hop record, have
someone talk all over the whole thing in annoying ostinato, then ad
some brittle sounding faux-soul autotuned female vocal tracks, Season
with brickwall limiting and digital clipping and your audience will
love it.

Unfortunately, I find the same types of problems in all kinds of other
styles of music, just manifested in different ways.

Such as over-distorted guitars too loud in the mix; sucky lead "singers"
whom can't sing so they scream every word (also auto-tuned); drummers that
can't hit a snare to save their lives (but they sure can find those
cymbals!); add in plenty of "my record's got to be as loud as
Californiacation" with all the resulting clipping/distortion/limiting to get
it there.

You see, bad music is being made in all genres. You can also find excellent
specimens if you look hard enough. Don't generalize or stereotype just
because you may not care for the style of music. Grow up.


Allen
--
Allen Corneau
Mastering Engineer
Essential Sound Mastering
www.esmastering.com

In article , Allen Corneau
wrote:

You see, bad music is being made in all genres. You can also find excellent
specimens if you look hard enough. Don't generalize or stereotype just
because you may not care for the style of music. Grow up.


Allen

Good grief! A sensible, reasoned and literate response in a newsgroup.

Thank you!

--
Remove"bogus" to mail

You see, bad music is being made in all genres. You can also find excellent
specimens if you look hard enough. Don't generalize or stereotype just
because you may not care for the style of music. Grow up.

Remember Sturgeon's Law: 90% of _anything_ is crud.

Joe Kesselman wrote:
You see, bad music is being made in all genres. You can also find
excellent
specimens if you look hard enough. Don't generalize or stereotype just
because you may not care for the style of music. Grow up.


Remember Sturgeon's Law: 90% of _anything_ is crud.

Ted sturgeon used to wear this little necklace which was a Q combined
with an arrow. It meant 'Ask the Next Question'. I've asked around and
never been able to find a place to get one like that for myself.

There's gonna be people who hate rap, people who hate opera, people who
hate country, people who hate any style of music. I say let 'em hate it,
maybe it's their loss, maybe not. Because the other thing is true, too,
where people can't believe you hate something, you could have no
possible valid reason for objecting to something. But there really are
styles of music that are intensly unoriginal, and whole styles that are
played out, literally, as something vital.

So whatever. I think Al Jourgenson was right when he said there are only
two kinds of music - good and bad. But then , I'm a musician so that
makes sense for me. Other people use music in a lot of different ways
and maybe the 'style' is important for them.

jb

Most of the sounds come from samples so don't need a whole load of
work. Use a really well produced cd as a reference for bass and top.
For me it's in the vocal, really work on the recording of the vocal,
get it as perfect as you can. Then I usually voc-align the back-ups, or
double tracks. Then I use a multiband compressor on the vocal and
probably a limiter or two aswell, mess with the attack and release
times so the vocal really sits in the track. I like to automate the
multiband for pops and things like that too.
I have been working in a studio for nearly 15 years, I always liked hip
hop but it's only the last year or two I have started working on it in
the studio. It's great fun to mix cause you can do anything you want.
filter echo on the oboes anyone?

don't forget to automate your delays too!!!

Joe Kesselman wrote:
You see, bad music is being made in all genres. You can also find excellent
specimens if you look hard enough. Don't generalize or stereotype just
because you may not care for the style of music. Grow up.

Remember Sturgeon's Law: 90% of _anything_ is crud.

I am not sure I believe it. For example, bongo solos. 100% of all bongo
solos are crud.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Scott Dorsey wrote:
Joe Kesselman wrote:

You see, bad music is being made in all genres. You can also find excellent
specimens if you look hard enough. Don't generalize or stereotype just
because you may not care for the style of music. Grow up.

Remember Sturgeon's Law: 90% of _anything_ is crud.


I am not sure I believe it. For example, bongo solos. 100% of all bongo
solos are crud.
--scott

Maynard G. Krebs would be crushed.

--fletch

"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message
...
Joe Kesselman wrote:
You see, bad music is being made in all genres. You can also find
excellent
specimens if you look hard enough. Don't generalize or stereotype just
because you may not care for the style of music. Grow up.

Remember Sturgeon's Law: 90% of _anything_ is crud.

I am not sure I believe it. For example, bongo solos. 100% of all bongo
solos are crud.

Scott,

I am shocked and dismayed at your dismissive attitude to bongo solos.

geoff

.... "The drums! They've stopped! What does that mean?" ...

I think my own problem with bongos is that (a) so many of 'em are cheap
toys rather than instruments, (2) so few people have a clue what to do
with them, and (iii) generally what you really want is something more
like a pair of congas, so the sound has some body to it and more
variability.

Of course the first two apply to most small drums.

First of all, thanks to everyone who responded in a productive way to
my original post. To those who do not fall into this category, I find
it amusing that you have so much free time that you can browse groups
looking for posts on topics that you have no knowledge of and no
interest in. That way, you are not only wasting your time (obviously
of no value) but ours as well. I think your time would be better spent
practicing your instrument of choice (maybe if you spent less time on
the internet you might actually get some chops, then your band wouldn't
suck, and then you wouldn't have to be bitter over succesful musicians
that aren't you), online chatting (it's obvious you haven't "gotten
any" in a long time), starting a hip-hop hate website (where you and
all your really cool friends can spend even more time on this meaninful
and effective topic), or maybe just jacking off to photoshop-edited
photos of the Olsen twins (this option of course being the most likely).

Your welcome. Glad to be of service.

http://www.city-journal.org/html/13_3_how_hip_hop.html

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/loc...fla-news-miami

ad wrote:
First of all, thanks to everyone who responded in a productive way to
my original post. To those who do not fall into this category, I find
it amusing that you have so much free time that you can browse groups
looking for posts on topics that you have no knowledge of and no
interest in. That way, you are not only wasting your time (obviously
of no value) but ours as well. I think your time would be better spent
practicing your instrument of choice (maybe if you spent less time on
the internet you might actually get some chops, then your band wouldn't
suck, and then you wouldn't have to be bitter over succesful musicians
that aren't you), online chatting (it's obvious you haven't "gotten
any" in a long time), starting a hip-hop hate website (where you and
all your really cool friends can spend even more time on this meaninful
and effective topic), or maybe just jacking off to photoshop-edited
photos of the Olsen twins (this option of course being the most likely).

On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 20:58:33 -0400, Joe Kesselman
wrote:

... "The drums! They've stopped! What does that mean?" ...


Bass solo... *badum splat!*
jtougas

listen- there's a hell of a good universe next door
let's go

e.e. cummings

On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 09:40:26 -0700, Fletch wrote:

Maynard G. Krebs would be crushed.

You rang?

On Thu, 25 Aug 2005 13:41:56 -0700, Scudder wrote:

Good grief! A sensible, reasoned and literate response in a newsgroup.

And in a thread about hip-hop at that. Will wonders never cease?