To Chuck Ainlay...

Marjan · 11th November 2005

Hello Chuck..!
First of all... congratulations for your work...! You're one of the engineers I admire the most!

--

I'd be thankful if you could share a few thoughts...

1. What desks did you mix "Golden Heart" and "Sailing to Philadelphia" on?

2. "On Every Street"...a masterpiece. It was released in 1991, so I hope you still remember... What was the signal path used for recording the larger than life pedal steel guitar on "You And Your Friend"?

3. What's the usual signal path you prefer for tracking Mark Knopfler's electric guitars?

Many thanks..!

Chuck Ainlay · 16th November 2005

Thanks for the compliments. It's nice to know someone is listening. Golden heart was mixed at Air Lyndhurst studios in London on their SSL 6000 in studio 2. Sailing to Philadelphia as a whole was mixed in Air's studio 1 on their custom built Neve but the song Sailing to Philadelphia was mixed at Town House studios on their SSL 9000J.

The Dire Straits album On Every Street was tracked at Air studios when they were located on Oxford Street, in Studio 1, on the same custom Neve desk that is now in studio 1 at the Lynhurst location. I believe the signal path was just a pair of Sennheiser 421's through the desk. Paul Franklin is such an amazing player with incredible tone. What can I say, I'm spoiled.

I usually record Marks electrics with a Shure 57 and a Neumann U67, both mics through Neve 1073 modules. Sometimes I use some compression but mostly not since it really changes the way Mark plays. He's the consumate tone man and his dynamics are so much a part of his style. If I compress him he just digs in harder and the tone gets squashed out. His expression gets lost.

Mystical · 16th November 2005

How about compression in the mix? Do you ever compress his guitars after they are recorded?

11th November 2005	#1
Marjan Lives for gear Joined: Apr 2005 Location: Porto - Portugal Posts: 718 Thread Starter	To Chuck Ainlay... Hello Chuck..! First of all... congratulations for your work...! You're one of the engineers I admire the most! -- I'd be thankful if you could share a few thoughts... 1. What desks did you mix "Golden Heart" and "Sailing to Philadelphia" on? 2. "On Every Street"...a masterpiece. It was released in 1991, so I hope you still remember... What was the signal path used for recording the larger than life pedal steel guitar on "You And Your Friend"? 3. What's the usual signal path you prefer for tracking Mark Knopfler's electric guitars? Many thanks..! __________________ Zé Nuno

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16th November 2005	#2
Chuck Ainlay Gear interested Joined: Oct 2005 Location: Nashville Posts: 22	Thanks for the compliments. It's nice to know someone is listening. Golden heart was mixed at Air Lyndhurst studios in London on their SSL 6000 in studio 2. Sailing to Philadelphia as a whole was mixed in Air's studio 1 on their custom built Neve but the song Sailing to Philadelphia was mixed at Town House studios on their SSL 9000J. The Dire Straits album On Every Street was tracked at Air studios when they were located on Oxford Street, in Studio 1, on the same custom Neve desk that is now in studio 1 at the Lynhurst location. I believe the signal path was just a pair of Sennheiser 421's through the desk. Paul Franklin is such an amazing player with incredible tone. What can I say, I'm spoiled. I usually record Marks electrics with a Shure 57 and a Neumann U67, both mics through Neve 1073 modules. Sometimes I use some compression but mostly not since it really changes the way Mark plays. He's the consumate tone man and his dynamics are so much a part of his style. If I compress him he just digs in harder and the tone gets squashed out. His expression gets lost.

16th November 2005	#3
Mystical Gear nut Joined: Jul 2005 Location: Interstellar Overdrive Posts: 93	How about compression in the mix? Do you ever compress his guitars after they are recorded?