There's a paradox here.
That sound involves budget for skilled work. But who among us can afford
Bob Power to come on over, hang out and mix along with us? He's a genius, but he doesn't do a thing without getting paid and getting paid well. You would be like this if you were Bob Power too.
So, where to start?
I encourage you to do a lot of research on your favorite producers and engineers. There are a lot of articles out there. Read, read, read! Try to get inside the way they think, learn what turned you on about the records they helped to create.
Many of these people are more accessible and approachable than you might think. Because they aren't celebrities in the larger world (i.e. nobody gasps when they walk down the street), they're often happy to be recognized by a fan and may even spend time to email back-and-forth with you, if you're lucky.
When I was starting, I was blessed to spend some time around many of my heroes just because I was passionate enough to try and reach them. I learned so much.
The UAD stuff is amazing. I use PT and like it fine, but why wait for them to get their PT act together. Get
Logic, buy a
Mac Pro (the cheapest one has all the power you'll need), get a
UAD2 quad card and keep moving. Gear matters so little with hip hop. It's how you hear, how you want to shape sounds, what you hear in your head, how much soul you have. People fetishize the MPC and yeah, they're cool, I have one too, but really a sample is a sample is a sample. The world of sound design continues to move forward, why be nostalgic?
Be creative. Snatch stuff from surprising sources. Don't look to the same Meters records that everybody else has bitten. Find an obscure moment on a lilly white
Blossom Dearie record and run it backwards. Add a booming 808 from the
Goldbaby library. F*ck sh*t up. Do whatever you want.
No rules. No boundaries. This is hip hop!
These days, it's up to you and your ears. Have faith in yourself, experiment, have fun. It's an endless learning process.
Also, if you have friends who are more "engineer"y than you, hang out with them, ask them a lot of questions. Be respectful and humble and enthusiastic. People will help you out.
- c