How did you get where you are?

remo · 13th August 2004

Hi Dave, thanks for putting the time in and answering a few questions on GS!

Tech stuff aside for a moment, can you give us a brief rundown of your career moves that took you to the dizzying heights you are at now. When did you get started? Was ther a major "turning point" where it all took of for you?

What do you think of analog summi... Oops. NO TECH

Cheers,
Guy

Dave Pensado · 13th August 2004

remo, I am the one person that you should probably NOT use as a model for success. I am basically still a hippie. I just loved playing and making music all my life. Several times I thought about checking out of life early, and the one thing that kept me goin was music...making it. I played in a lot of bands, and actually just kinda fell into the recording side of things in my mid 20's. I would have tried engineering sooner, but I just assumed I wasn't good at it. I seem to have always had a knack for knowing what sounds good. I tell my assistants that I can teach anyone HOW to get a great snare sound, but I can't teach anyone WHAT a great snare sound is. Think of a great painter without the ability to pick great subjects to paint. My advice to you is to record anyone who will sit still enough to record them. I did hundreds of free sessions. One day it dawned on me that I was actually getting better! The money will come. Just record, listen to music, make music over and over. Find your pleasure in doin it, and everything will follow in time.

djui5 · 13th August 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave Pensado
remo, I am the one person that you should probably NOT use as a model for success. I am basically still a hippie. I just loved playing and making music all my life. Several times I thought about checking out of life early, and the one thing that kept me goin was music...making it. I played in a lot of bands, and actually just kinda fell into the recording side of things in my mid 20's. I would have tried engineering sooner, but I just assumed I wasn't good at it. I seem to have always had a knack for knowing what sounds good. I tell my assistants that I can teach anyone HOW to get a great snare sound, but I can't teach anyone WHAT a great snare sound is. Think of a great painter without the ability to pick great subjects to paint. My advice to you is to record anyone who will sit still enough to record them. I did hundreds of free sessions. One day it dawned on me that I was actually getting better! The money will come. Just record, listen to music, make music over and over. Find your pleasure in doin it, and everything will follow in time.

Very inspirational.

Jose Mrochek · 14th August 2004

Yep VERY !! Inspirational. Dave 2 questions along those lines, why did you do the transition to engineering from playing ? I ask this because this happens to be the case of many musicians, was it because you started to feel more passion for the recording process, or because you thought of it as being a more stable lifestyle ? And 2nd if you would have to chose between being a succesful engineer like you are now or being a succesful rock star, what would you chose ? As of today. Thanks

tonymite · 14th August 2004

I ask myself that question every single day ... and it all seems like a dream... how " did" i wind up where i is ???

Teacher · 14th August 2004

hippies kick ass!!! wheres da weed?

laughingbear · 14th August 2004

cough cough....

To do what your heart tells you is right and to do it with great pleasure, thats what I call a successful man, regardless his status or bank account. I like that!

Being a musician myself, I quickly learned to respect a good mixing engineer as a virtuous performer on his "Instrument", console and outboard.

How did he get there? On the same route the Pianist get's to perform Alexandre Scriabin's "Vers La Flame", years of hard practise.

I think it is very beneficial if a engineer learned to play an instrument himself.

Piano that is of course.... LOL.... kiddin....

Chrisac · 14th August 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave Pensado
remo, I am the one person that you should probably NOT use as a model for success. I am basically still a hippie. I just loved playing and making music all my life. Several times I thought about checking out of life early, and the one thing that kept me goin was music...making it.

Thats a very honest post dave. Of all the guest mods that have been in here your the one I have enjoyed reading the most.

Thanks

remo · 16th August 2004

Thanks Dave... great post...

Boogle · 21st August 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by remo
Thanks Dave... great post...

agreed. -especially the doing what you love part...it's usually always best to follow the heart I think.

13th August 2004	#1
remo Lives for gear Joined: Feb 2004 Location: Melbourne Posts: 548 Thread Starter	How did you get where you are? Hi Dave, thanks for putting the time in and answering a few questions on GS! Tech stuff aside for a moment, can you give us a brief rundown of your career moves that took you to the dizzying heights you are at now. When did you get started? Was ther a major "turning point" where it all took of for you? What do you think of analog summi... Oops. NO TECH Cheers, Guy

13th August 2004	#2
Dave Pensado Guest Moderator - September 08 Joined: Aug 2004 Location: los angeles Posts: 122	just loved music remo, I am the one person that you should probably NOT use as a model for success. I am basically still a hippie. I just loved playing and making music all my life. Several times I thought about checking out of life early, and the one thing that kept me goin was music...making it. I played in a lot of bands, and actually just kinda fell into the recording side of things in my mid 20's. I would have tried engineering sooner, but I just assumed I wasn't good at it. I seem to have always had a knack for knowing what sounds good. I tell my assistants that I can teach anyone HOW to get a great snare sound, but I can't teach anyone WHAT a great snare sound is. Think of a great painter without the ability to pick great subjects to paint. My advice to you is to record anyone who will sit still enough to record them. I did hundreds of free sessions. One day it dawned on me that I was actually getting better! The money will come. Just record, listen to music, make music over and over. Find your pleasure in doin it, and everything will follow in time.

14th August 2004	#4
Jose Mrochek Lives for gear Joined: Apr 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 3,830	Yep VERY !! Inspirational. Dave 2 questions along those lines, why did you do the transition to engineering from playing ? I ask this because this happens to be the case of many musicians, was it because you started to feel more passion for the recording process, or because you thought of it as being a more stable lifestyle ? And 2nd if you would have to chose between being a succesful engineer like you are now or being a succesful rock star, what would you chose ? As of today. Thanks __________________ www.thejoti.com www.myspace.com/thejoti http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR116su2Uuo ¨But, then again, I'm British and think you Yanks with your fancy pre for each track are a bunch of weirdos¨ Mark

14th August 2004	#7
laughingbear Gear maniac Joined: Sep 2003 Location: On the beach, County Donegal, Eire Posts: 215	cough cough.... To do what your heart tells you is right and to do it with great pleasure, thats what I call a successful man, regardless his status or bank account. I like that! Being a musician myself, I quickly learned to respect a good mixing engineer as a virtuous performer on his "Instrument", console and outboard. How did he get there? On the same route the Pianist get's to perform Alexandre Scriabin's "Vers La Flame", years of hard practise. I think it is very beneficial if a engineer learned to play an instrument himself. Piano that is of course.... LOL.... kiddin.... __________________ thx rgds ~^..^~ Bear

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14th August 2004	#5
tonymite Gear addict Joined: Apr 2004 Location: Melbourne Posts: 456	I ask myself that question every single day ... and it all seems like a dream... how " did" i wind up where i is ???

14th August 2004	#6
Teacher Lives for gear Joined: Sep 2002 Location: NY Posts: 1,913	hippies kick ass!!! wheres da weed?

16th August 2004	#9
remo Lives for gear Joined: Feb 2004 Location: Melbourne Posts: 548 Thread Starter	Thanks Dave... great post...