Vintage versus Cutting Edge

[Pred80r]

Tony,

Does it seem like the trend nowadays is leaning toward studios that are outfitted with vintage/tube/analog gear or are clients looking for the best "new" technology to work with? I constantly hear how nothing sounds as good as the old stuff and how nothing is as routable/recallable/versatile as the new technology is becoming. Which is more important to the high end clients?

EDIT - and do your clients, A&R and artists, take much interest in the gear at all..? Or do they leave 'all that stuff' up to you? - Jules, GS admin.

Thanx,
Jack

[Tony Maserati]

Originally Posted by Pred80r

Tony,

Does it seem like the trend nowadays is leaning toward studios that are outfitted with vintage/tube/analog gear or are clients looking for the best "new" technology to work with? I constantly hear how nothing sounds as good as the old stuff and how nothing is as routable/recallable/versatile as the new technology is becoming. Which is more important to the high end clients?

EDIT - and do your clients, A&R and artists, take much interest in the gear at all..? Or do they leave 'all that stuff' up to you? - Jules, GS admin.

Thanx,
Jack

Dear Jack,
Again, I'll answer as I have time; (Mack, my second is setting up a mix for me)... I think the trend in commercial studios outfitted with 'Vintage' gear is right in line with market needs. If we wanted to, we can all mix a record in our bedroom on our laptops within our DAW. ...but, if we like the sound of, or feel it's appropriate for the music, analog compression, eq and headroom via summing.

I work in a hybrid way because my ears are still 'in tuned' to that sound. Interestingly, what I'm finding is my clients (the younger ones) and the younger audiences, are becoming more and more 'tuned' to a less 'analog' sound. Crunchy mixes with little if any dynamics are becoming the norm on popular radio and charts everywhere. I'm not complaining but I'll continue to make music that works, in some way, for my ears and theirs!

t
more to come