Hey Charles any tips for upcoming producers?

[silver_shake]

Hey charles !!

I was wondering if you could shed some light on how you made it in the music business. What were some of the things u did that really paid off down the road? Did you go to a "recording school"?

Was their a certain point in your career that oppened a lot of doors for you as a producer/mixer if so what was it?

Lastly any tips/advice for upcoming producers or mixers regarding the music biz?


Thanks for your time!

[Charles Dye]

Originally posted by silver_shake
I was wondering if you could shed some light on how you made it in the music business. What were some of the things u did that really paid off down the road? Did you go to a "recording school"?

silver_shake,

I studied engineering at a university, and about a year in I did an internship at a studio that led to an assistant engineering gig. So, I dropped out of college + took the job. I assisted at Crescent Moon Studio's in Miami, Gloria + Emilio Estefan's studio where Eric Schilling was the Chief Engineer (and someone I consider to have real golden ears). Eric is a great recording + mixing engineer (endless Platinum credits, Grammys, etc...) and being able to sit behind him, learning by watching him work, training my ears by listening to him get sounds while mixing was invaluable experience.

One thing I did that really paid off was that I started using hard disk systems pretty early in my carreer. In '91 I started with the NED Synclaviar + Post Pro, and the next year I bought a Sonic Solutions system together with Eric. A year after that I put together my first project studio, based on the Mackie 8Bus + DA-88s, and became adept at getting studio quality results in a project environment. By the time Desmond Child asked me to manage + cheif engineer his new Pro Tools studio in '95, my project studio + hard disk experience prepared me to make the most out of his studio.

At the time, it was accepted that you could get record quality results in a converted garage, but mixing a record @ home was just an obscene concept. I had made the transition from big studio recording to project studio, I felt why shouldn't we try to mix a record in one? Then in '98 the new PT MIX system debuted @ AES. When I came back from the show I told Desmond about it and said within a year we'll be mixing a record @ his studio. He simply laughed as if to say, "whatta ya nuts?"

Five months later we mixed Livin' La Vida Loca, Shake Your Bon Bon, and four other songs from Ricky's album there.

For me, the things I did that paid off down the road were:

• Learning to apply engineering fundamentals in new situations.
• Not being afraid of new technologies.
• Trying to spot trends before they emerged.

Originally posted by silver_shake
Was their a certain point in your career that oppened a lot of doors for you as a producer/mixer if so what was it?

For me it was mixing Vida Loca.

Originally posted by silver_shake
Lastly any tips/advice for upcoming producers or mixers regarding the music biz?

I read all the books. Not just Hit Men, I mean every last book on the subject. I knew a hell of a lot about the music business, but so did Tommy Motola. The music biz? Right now, what I know about it is irrelevant. And what we need to know hasn't been written yet. The business is still in the process of redefining itself. Sorry. I wish I could be of more help on this one. We are all at a bit of a loss.

I hope I was helpful with the other questions.

[yutsekao]

Originally posted by Charles Dye
silver_shake,

Eric is a great recording + mixing engineer (endless Platinum credits, Grammys, etc...) and being able to sit behind him, learning by watching him work, training my ears by listening to him get sounds while mixing was invaluable experience.

Hi Charles

I am new to this recording/mixing realm and so curious about how he trained your ear at that time? or what stuff he noticed but you didn't?

Sorry for my sxck english.....................

Rick

[Shan]

Speaking of Desmond Child, how is he doing. I have been a very very big fan of him since I was a kid. He's my favorite songwriter. I always checked to see who Produced and wrote some of my favorite songs. Many times next to songwriter it was Desmond Child. Killer hooks.

Shane

[Charles Dye]

Originally posted by yutsekao
I am new to this recording/mixing realm and so curious about how he trained your ear at that time? or what stuff he noticed but you didn't?

Rick,

Eric didn't talk while he was mixing + he wasn't explaining his process to me. What I meant by "training my ears by listening to him get sounds while mixing" was that I learned simply by listening to him work. As he shaped the tone of the bass, kick, snare, etc. with EQ + compression, my ears learned the difference between a flabby sound + a punchy one. Hearing the improvements take place was the education.

If you don't have an opportunity like this try to really study the sounds on records you would like to emulate. The goal is to teach your ears the sounds you like, so when you are in the studio you will know that sound when you get it. Otherwise you might pass it right by.

Hope this helps.

[yutsekao]

Hi Charles

Thanks for your answer and I'm glad to meet you and guys here cuz there'r lots information for learning!

Wish we can meet in "Real World"

Rick

[Shan]

I agree with Charles. Being a fairly new mixing engineer myself that is my main problem. Being able to hear the tracked sound and then the sound in the mix is very educational for me at the moment. Also the many ways one would arrive at that sound. You have to have an 'Ideal scene' or 'Target" sound that you are going after and work towards it for the style and song that you are working on.

For me I use many reference Cds and ask alot of questions. Another thing I did was to get in touch with some local mixing engineers who have worked on major labels and ones whos worked I liked. Gave them some money in exchange for some tutoring in the areas I was weak at. Seeing and hearing it done is the best way. Thats why I liked HDL so much. Takes me up to a week sometimes to mix one song. But I know it will get better and faster over time as I get more knowledge and experience.

Shane

[Charles Dye]

Shane,

Desmond is an amazing songwriter + without a doubt the best vocal producer I have ever worked with. The performances he could draw out of singers was nothing short of brilliant. I learned so much in my years working together with Desmond. He is now living + working in L.A.