3 Things To Learn First

[nickynicknick]

I'm finding that there is a ton questionable info for young up and coming engineers/producers on this site....so instead of complaining, I thought it might be a good idea for true High End guys to present there top three things that they think anyone that wants to do good work should learn first.... I don't consider myself high end, so I'll refrain ..but I think it would be good for young guys/girls to hear....so...


What's the three most important things you should learn first?

[plexisys]

Gain structure, signal path, and patients. If you learn those three the rest is just mechanics.

[Rick Sutton]

Originally Posted by plexisys

Gain structure, signal path, and patients. If you learn those three the rest is just mechanics.

Didn't know we considered ourselves doctors. Wish we could charge as much!
Now mechanics, I can sorta see that.

[kooz]

Diplomacy. That's the biggest in the interpersonal skill-set required in this business. I suppose it comes with patience though.

Mechanics? Plumbers...

[seaneldon]

Signal flow, gain structure, mic selection/placement.

[Drumsound]

Originally Posted by plexisys

Gain structure, signal path, and patients. If you learn those three the rest is just mechanics.

Add music and diplomacy and you're golden.

[Audio Hombre]

less is more,

committing to the strongest aspect of the song,

people skillz.if you're a knob, nobody is going to want to work with you; be prepared to also have musicians that do know a lot more than you (have years and years of studio time under their belts) come work in your studio,and even more so, people come in that think they already know it all because they surf @ gearslutz

[TravisK]

Signal flow Signal flow Signal flow

[Doc Mixwell]

I agree with all thus far! Guess there's more than three!!!

1) Superlative knowledge of Signal Flow Theory and experience makes you a super invisible ninja of doom when you become an Assistant, or even asked to touch a wire. LEarn, LiVE, LovE the Signal flow of recording environments for both analog and digital systems. 2) Generally I would say Gear Selection and Electronics, but I think Microphone selection and placement is the first of many elusive art's that comes with experience. Hanging out with people who know what they are doing is a good idea. INTERN, INTERN, INTERN you will learn something. You pick up a TON of stuff from other like-minded people. Bottom line, the more experience you have, the more you know what you can do, and what you won't and/or can't do. 3) Creativity breads individualism. Be yourself, while learning from others. You can't be anyone other than yourself with your own two ears. When you trust yourself, you will see your potential, and build on the strength of your own progress. Once you understand what you like, and what you hate, you can identify how to translate words into audio. Only then you can translate audio to words. This whole paragraph of stuff I just wrote really just breaks down into one word: Communication.


EDIT: Deep, Critical and Subjective Listening a lot helps immensely. Its definitely important for developing your skill in the long run.

[BLUElightCory]

My three (in no particular order)

1. Get the sound right at the source
2. Know gain structure and signal path (has anyone said this?)
3. Try to be open minded and knowledgeable about music theory and a variety of musical genres. This helps you communicate with the artist (probably the #1 problem I see in engineers these days).

[Bob Olhsson]

1. worse but louder always sounds better

2. after the listener has readjusted their volume control to taste, worse always sounds worse.

[icebox]

I'm no high ender but if I may interject for a moment, I'd say using the search engine on this and many other sites like it. I don't know as much about recording as a guy who's been doing it for 20 years but almost everything I do know about it I've learned here or by googling the question. Tons of answers and some of them even work!
.............And now back to the high enders......................

[Fletcher]

Make it sound good at the source... make it feel good in the room... know your shit inside and out [signal flow, gain scaling, what each tool will do for the clarity/texture of the audio, how to use acoustics to your advantage... which is part of making it sound good at the source and feeling good in the room] so you can capture a performance that mixes itself at the end of the day.

The more you know what the tools are, and what they do... the less you have to use them to achieve your ultimate goal.

Peace.

[Unclenny]

Good thread, N3.

[Stiff]

Learn the rules, then break them.
Don't fall into the gear trap.
Don't listen to people like me.

[lotus1]

1)Always remember it's the song...nothing else.
2) Listen,listen,listen.
3) Trust yourself..your judgement.Listening helps greatly with that.
After this,the rest is just mechanics. Anyone can learn to set gain,work a console,set up a PT Template.It's those who listen that make the mechanics into Art.BUT...for mechanics...1) gain structure...2) dynamic range/dynamics,how it fits into what.3) even tho this is listed last it's probably first..acoustics/sound.Mario.

[valver]

Garbage in = garbage out

The client buys dinner

Never say never

Never under estimated a 57,

Never shoot pool without a cigarette and

a doughnut with no holes is a danish

[badboymusic]

Originally Posted by Stiff

Don't listen to people like me.

I'll have to try that, thanks.

[raal]

Originally Posted by lotus1

1)Always remember it's the song...nothing else.

bingo. if you're a producer or artist who gets to pick and/or write the songs, that is.

if not, read all of the posts above... hanging out with people that know what they're doing can go a long way. if you can't do that, practice alot. if you can do that, practice alot.

BTW i'm not a true high end guy.

[lotus1]

Originally Posted by raal

bingo. if you're a producer or artist who gets to pick and/or write the songs, that is.

if not, read all of the posts above... hanging out with people that know what they're doing can go a long way. if you can't do that, practice alot. if you can do that, practice alot.

BTW i'm not a true high end guy.

What I mean is...As a participant in the creation of music/songs/recordings...Leave the ego at the door.It's not about what cool plugin,mic,amp,preamp,solo,rythm part etc....it's always about the song.What is best for that.The music is why we do this.Thats all.Thanks,Mario.

[nickynicknick]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

Make it sound good at the source... make it feel good in the room..

Thanks for all those replies...I'm just bumpin' so more people read this good stuff...BTW it's not just for beginners...I'm finding the older I get the more I have to remind myself about some fundamentals......

[cortisol]

It's a funny thing when people have holistically developed their ears whilst working with or under great engineers try to articulate things that they've learned.

How about this...

1.Take time to develop your ear and make decisions based on what you hear. Everything from mic placement to moving a fader to compressing to equalizing.

2. Signal flow and gain structure are related to both operating the gear in the chain and maintaining the choices where you are in essence breaking the rules. So, understanding discrepancies in make up gain from one piece of gear to the next is essential and the significance of mismatching the outputs of one piece of gear to the next.

3. Keep a check on the old ego as it has the potential for insensitively, missing the magic and quirks of the music of the musicians or composer. Check if your decisions for tone and sound are detrimental to the character of the music. Accept or take on board the vision of the musicians as this will result in music with its own personality rather than something going through -the insert name here- blender.

I'm definately not a high end guy but its my experience from being recorded by pro engineers and being the engineer myself.

Peace,
cortisol

[Mr. Man]

Originally Posted by TravisK

Signal flow Signal flow Signal flow

I think this needs some slight explanation. I work on a Neve console, so I understand the concept, but what do you mean by Signal Flow in the modern age of Pro Tools when DAWs have out-stripped the functionality and usefulness of large-format recording consoles and most outboard gear?

[plexisys]

I think this needs some slight explanation. I work on a Neve console, so I understand the concept, but what do you mean by Signal Flow in the modern age of Pro Tools when DAWs have out-stripped the functionality and usefulness of large-format recording consoles and most outboard gear?

Doesn't matter if it's analog or digital, signal path remains the same. You may be processing it differently but it's still along a specific path in which each step may modify or change the signal.

Mic/DI-Pre-EQ-Comp-Inserts so on and so on in the order you need to get the results.

Best lesson I ever learned was in the first place I was an intern in. The head engineer made me draw out the complete signal path on every channel/aux/sub/mix for most of the projects just to learn. I can never thank him enough flr that.

[nickynicknick]

Originally Posted by Mr. Man

I think this needs some slight explanation. I work on a Neve console, so I understand the concept, but what do you mean by Signal Flow in the modern age of Pro Tools when DAWs have out-stripped the functionality and usefulness of large-format recording consoles and most outboard gear?

Is that your three pieces of advice for up and comers?....this one's about learning fundamentals....

[nickynicknick]

Oh BTW I meant "questionable info" on this "site" not necessarily the high end forum...words!

[raal]

forgot an important one for up and coming engineers:

learn what 'headroom' means in digital and analog, and learn to treat the two platforms accordingly. Paul Frindle has shared a wealth of knowledge on this on GS and PSW.

this could also be a good place to start:

http://www.cadenzarecording.com/pape...distortion.pdf

[Paul Frindle]

Originally Posted by raal

forgot an important one for up and coming engineers:

learn what 'headroom' means in digital and analog, and learn to treat the two platforms accordingly. Paul Frindle has shared a wealth of knowledge on this on GS and PSW.

this could also be a good place to start:

http://www.cadenzarecording.com/pape...distortion.pdf

The sad thing about the above is the need to learn this and defeat the lack of it is due to naive equipment design. This is not something that ideally you would normally be concerned with. So to reset, to what I think really matters in an ideal world:

1. Above all be a slave to the art and the people that make the art. If you love the art patience, excitement, fulfilment - and ultimately creativity will come naturally.

2. You are an artist - give yourself permission to use anything and everything that helps you to make your art. Never be tied by 'rules', feel entitled to break them whenever necessary at your will.

3. Be humble. Never become closed minded, never believe that you know everything there is to know - and never believe others that claim to do so and spout religious mantras at you. Anyone who is worth listening to will know that they cannot know it all and there is no magic. And the rookie who makes music by 'banging tin lids together' may be the next big breakthrough - he has a right too :-)

and.. I take a liberty in adding a 4th.

4. Ignore commercial blurb at all costs - don't let them confuse you into becoming a neutered slave of spin, coercion, guilt and worry.

[spockstudio]

Clint Eastwood said, "Improvise, Overcome, Adapt".

Sums it up for me.

[Benmrx]

1. Signal Flow and gain staging
2. How to read VU and Peak Meters, and what those numbers mean
3. Rooms are more paramount than gear and songs/arrangement/performance more so than rooms