Home of hits, I mean, hits made at home, hits are where the heart is, er....

[Jules]

[wwittman]

I'm honestly curious:

name some hits made entirely at "home"

I think we can agree on what's a "hit" generally...
I'm not takling about artistically satisfying or interesting...
but HITS... as in many many many people buy it.

[Steffmo]

Mario Caldato did Tone Loc's Wild Thing on Fostex B16 half inch 16 and an Allen and Heath CMC at his hoime, end to end, perhaps except mastering.

I know "In the Air Tonight" was largely recorded at Phil Collins house on an allen and Heath Brenell 1 inch eight track.....not sure about post though.

What about MacCartney's first solo record...I think Maybe I'm Amazed was done at his house., as was a lot of the record.

I'm sure there are quite a few.

Mary J. Blige's "Your Child"...a grammy winning song, and a great record was originally mixed by Edwin Ramos in his small project room at a bigger, Neve equipped studio. Mixed on a Behringer Eurodesk, accepted and loved by the label. When the label realized they had NOT mixed it on the Neve....the suddenly didn't like it so much....paid someone 10k to remix it in a big room.

They ended up going with the original mix, by the guy that cut and understood the song, on the Berhinger.

Platinum times 3 I believe, and a Grammy.

Its not all about the iron. The heart plays a big part.

[Nitrox]

I think Eminem's 1st album was recorded\produced at Dr. Dre's home studio. Dre said it he preffers working out of the house though.

[Jules]

Buddy Holly recorded everything in his home studio...

Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morriset - done in Russ Ballards home studio

The Band recorded their double album themselves in a log cabin they lived in (not a commercial studio)

Christine Anguilera's Genie in a bottle was done at a songwriters home studio wasnt it?

David Grey recorded his debut UK hit album at home

Eurythmics - did their first hit album at home

[Jose Mrochek]

we should have this discussion 10 years from now. I think it's a bit to soon to say hit records can or not be made at home. Because 10 hit records where made at home versus 5,000 at the big studios with the big guys, doesnt yet mean the big studio enviroment is not necesary. I also suppose the hit records made at home where partially engineered or produced with big guys that had past experience in the big rooms. Once again, it's not the big SSL that will make the difference as much as the quality people you meet on a daily basis. Yes you can make a great record at home, yes you can be a kick ass producer at home, etc.. etc.. but this won't lead you into becoming successful super producer if you don't network. And big studios to me are great places to network when you are a starting a career. That is the most scary part to me really, the social aspect. it really makes no difference to the planet if you have thousands of super albums laying at different home studios all over the world without the help of the big guys, being producers or labels. yes, you can make a trillion movies to, but if you don't make it to hollywood.. well, it's just another movie that will create no real impact to society. It really goes to the point of what you are really trying to accomplish. I'm happy for you guys who are happy with having their super home studios. I haven't reached that reality check yet. I'll probably will eventualy. I definetly hope not.

[Steffmo]

Last time I was at a super big place 3 engineers came in and offered their services to my client ....basically right in front of me. Inverse networking at its best.

Look....this is a moot conversation, because its been done. Just like the "can you mix a hit record in the box?" Of course you can, its been done.

I don't think anyone is really questioning the value to the industry of the big rooms. They are invaluable. And if it is best for your client, your record, or your career you should be in one.

But there are many records that can, and will be made in other environments.

The notion that "you have to have" a big room is as silly as the notion that "you can't make a hit at home".

I remember when the argument was "you can't make a hit without a Neve or SSL", or "you can only record a hit on a Studer or Otari".

That's just big egos trying to talk cats down, and its wrong.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally posted by Jules
Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morriset - done in Russ Ballards home studio

Glen Ballard.... on ADAT's!!!

[Chad]

Originally posted by Jules
Buddy Holly recorded everything in his home studio...

Actualy very little material was recorded at his home (it was a garage and a tape machine, not realy concidered a "home studio" at the time). Holly Hop was recorded in his garage in Lubboc Texas, but after that, some material was recorded in nashville, but the vast majority of all Buddy Holly records were recorded at Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico. Petty managed ,recorded, and co-preoduced with Holly untill Buddy moved to New York. After his death, a tape was found with a few demo's on it, done in Holly's new york appartment, most notably "Peggy Sue Got Married", which Norman Pettly took and overdubbed bass drums and electric guitar over Holly's original vocals and acoustic guitar, to make the version released as a single. But besides a few exceptions, Jules, Buddy Holly records were not done by him at his house.

[Chad]

sorry for a very sloppy post with a lot of run on sentances, oh well

[Neddy Seagoon]

There are "homes" and then there are "homes". I certainly hope I don't offend anyone when I say that I'm pretty sure Paul MacCartney's and Phil Collins homes are not quite the same are yours and mine (this doesn't include you Bill Gates if you're reading this).

Also have you guys seen Glen Ballards "home studio"? It's way nicer and way better equiped than 80% in the commercial studios I've ever worked in. Even he has said it's basically a commercial studio, he just doesn't have to rent it out.

Home recording obviously is/will be the norm in the future. Could that be part of the reason that many new records sound like poop? Just a thought.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally posted by Neddy Seagoon

Also have you guys seen Glen Ballards "home studio"? It's way nicer and way better equiped than 80% in the commercial studios I've ever worked in. Even he has said it's basically a commercial studio, he just doesn't have to rent it out.

Yes. He has a Euphonix and some great outboard gear. It's actually run like a studio with a staff, etc...

[wwittman]

I think SOME of Jagged Little Pill was done on ADATs as overdubs.
Much of it done in big studios.

Same with McCartney, same with Phil Collins.. the In The Air drums were done at Townhouse.

But I'm in now way saying you "can't" make a hit record at home.

I'm saying that the "explosion" of home recording has not produced an explosion of homemade hits..
we MAY see that in ten years looking back. or we may not.

I think the economics of big studios went wrong somewhere for a variety of reasons, some of them self-inflicted (such as no more staff engineers and the spread of cookie-cutter rooms and so on)... but I don't think it's about home recording.

[Jose Mrochek]

Look....this is a moot conversation, because its been done. Just like the "can you mix a hit record in the box?" Of course you can, its been done.

does that mean it's a good thing ? did those sound better than the old school hits ? does the public care ? NO, should we ? I think so!!!

That's just big egos trying to talk cats down, and its wrong.

If I gave you the impression of having a big ego, let me clarify I probably have the smallest one in the GS community.

I don't think anyone is really questioning the value to the industry of the big rooms. They are invaluable.

Yes Sir, they are. If they where invaluable to people , they would not be closing.

[Telecastr]

Originally posted by wwittman
I think SOME of Jagged Little Pill was done on ADATs as overdubs.
Much of it done in big studios.

have you read the section in Behind The Glass about the making of this album? The whole thing was tracked at home with Glenn and Alanis. I can't remember, but it probably wasn't mixed there though.

[Ted Nightshade]

Aw, fick the huts. Who's heard a memorable recording that was a hit, anytime recently? The exceptions, if any, prove the rule.

My fave- not a hit- a footnote in jazz history, but that due to a conspiracy to discredit Alice Coltrane and the idea that John knew exactly what he was doing.

Recordings from the Coltrane Home Studio. Pretty much any Alice Coltrane albums (under her name) out there.

And the stuff at RVG's place wasn't bad either, was it? Is A Love Supreme a hit? It's a household name, practically.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally posted by Telecastr
have you read the section in Behind The Glass about the making of this album? The whole thing was tracked at home with Glenn and Alanis. I can't remember, but it probably wasn't mixed there though.

I think it was mixed at Jimmy Boyle's house....

[Elsteve9]

Just wanted to add my comments to Buddy Holly.
I lived in Clovis, NM for the past 5 years, and yes, most of Buddy Holly's stuff was done in the Norman Petty studios on 7th street. This is a retired studio, that now has some pretty killer stuff in it. It's only open about once a year, though. Very sad.

Willie Nelson, and a few other folks recorded there, too.
Clovis has alot of music history for a dirty little desert town...Odd.


-Stephen

[thethrillfactor]

Originally posted by TonyBelmont
I think it was mixed at Jimmy Boyle's house....

I thought it was mixed at Westalke by Chris Fogel?

[thethrillfactor]

Originally posted by Jules
)

Christine Anguilera's Genie in a bottle was done at a songwriters home studio wasnt it?

Mixed by Dave Way i think at Larabee.

A lot of the "home hits" are still mixed in the big studios.

[Berolzheimer]

I believe "Like a Prayer" was recorded largely at Madonna's house. Michael Blum who engineered it tells me that if you solo up the vocal tracks you can hear her dog barking in the background.

[oudplayer]

Nothing in this thread seems to indicate that in any way home studios are the new locus for hit-making. It's taken a lot of effort to think of half-a-dozen known albums, and even with those entries, mixing probably happened (or is known to have happened) at major studios.

[bunnerabb]

I love hit records....

I mean, it's been thinning out lately, but I can still see why a lot hits become hits.

I liked them a lot more back when it was much more evident as to why they became hit records. Now you have to sort of, like in a bad movie, try and leave your sense of incredulity at the popcorn counter.

[Jules]

I belive folowing the bass line in 'like a prayer' should be made an official 'sport'.

[Jules]

Apologies for my error re Buddy Holly...

[Ruphus]

Originally posted by Jules
I belive folowing the bass line in 'like a prayer' should be made an official 'sport'.

I´m rather for using the CDs as frisbees.
And I´m sure we would find enough athletes to manage the lot.

Ruphus

PS: I know I´m so biased that I can´t even acknowledge any of the pro musicians helping the kiddy crap come along. But Madonna´s career really annoyed me.
Look what a couple of blow jobs could do while yet talented artists have to work their asses off to make a living. That´s cynical.
Sorry for OT, rant over.

[adam_w]

Well, lots of the dance music that has been all over the charts in Europe has largely been made at home. And yes, some of it's not too great sounding from an AE p.o.v, then again, it's probably more noble to make records and actually get paid for it than to just talk about it, so be prepared to compromise I say.

You can't beat a nice, big live room, killer gear..actual SPACE in which to to work, etc, but I feel that the way things are going, we'll be spending less time in decent studios to our detriment.

At the mid studio level, all the gear seems to be old (in a not necessarily good way), or there isn't any so you have to bring your own.

[blackcatdigi]

Originally posted by adam_w
At the mid studio level, all the gear seems to be old (in a not necessarily good way), or there isn't any so you have to bring your own.

Mid level was the first to go. Now the high end is suffering a similar fate.

With the revolving cast of low end as the only alternative, most (nonsigned) folks who want to record will be doing it in a bedroom/basement/garage.

Not that there is anything wrong with that. But alternatives are nice.

[Ruphus]

Today I went to Home Depot and I got me a hammer, some nails, and a Bob Villa tape. So, I reckon that makes me a Master Carpenter.

Hey, no jokes about tuition videos!
Just ordered my first one today. Guitar stuff from Nuñez Gerardo, olé!
Sorry for OT, but this is promissing fun.

Ruphus

[TonyBelmont]

Originally posted by thethrillfactor
I thought it was mixed at Westalke by Chris Fogel?

I'm not a big Alanis fan, but I know Jimmy did at least one of the singles in his house (on a beautiful vintage Neve console)... It may not be credited properly in the liner notes of the CD though...