How To Think Like A WORLD CLASS AE...

[chessparov]

This is a paraphrasing of the classic groundbreaking book in the chess world, "How To Think Like A Grandmaster", that blew the lid off many "secret Soviet" chess thinking methods back in the 70's. (by Grandmaster A. Kotov)


So...

If you were asked to contribute to a similar book on recording,
what tips and techniques in terms of "strategizing" the recording process would you offer? What's your "best stuff" on thinking
outside the box?

Figured you guys might like this title more than "How To Record Like George Martin in 10 Easy Lessons".

Chris

[faeflora]

What is this thinking you speak of?

I'm not a world class AE but I don't think when I work with audio. I just listen and fiddle dee diddle to get the sounds I want. Some people like to start off with X db of gain reduction or X db boost at X khz etc but I just do whatever I do.

[Drumsound]

My advice for mixing:
Do what the song tells you to do, not what your think is cool.

[Jay Kahrs]

Originally posted by chessparov
If you were asked to contribute to a similar book on recording,
what tips and techniques in terms of "strategizing" the recording process would you offer? What's your "best stuff" on thinking
outside the box?

One word.

Preproduction.

Have a plan in mind and make sure everyone involved is on the same page BEFORE you even THINK about touching a microphone.

[faeflora]

I agree with Jay. Session strategy and flow is VERY important. It can kill or enhance the vibe and performance. Keeping everyone organized is also imporant. And tough.

[Wiggy Neve Slut]

Have good food and catering if its going to be a long drawn out production. It will stop a lot of fights and headaches later on.. lol good beer and sushi.. what could an AE want more of?.... apart from gear?

Wiggy

[TOR]

a little OT, but are there any resources on the net that go into detail about preproduction and how to organise it all properly?

Cheerz for any help... on my way to thinking like a world class AE

~T

[Curve Dominant]

posted by chessparov:
How To Think Like A WORLD CLASS AE...

This is a paraphrasing of the classic groundbreaking book in the chess world, "How To Think Like A Grandmaster", that blew the lid off many "secret Soviet" chess thinking methods back in the 70's. (by Grandmaster A. Kotov)


So...

If you were asked to contribute to a similar book on recording,
what tips and techniques in terms of "strategizing" the recording process would you offer? What's your "best stuff" on thinking
outside the box?

It seems you would know the answer to that better than most of these blokes would.

1) Dominate the centre of the board
2) Open lanes of attack for key pieces early
3) Cover your weakest position with every move

Beyond that, the analogy is flawed. Chess is warfare in microcosm. Producing a great recording is not. Great music is about love, not war. The precepts of war do not apply to the precepts of love.

It seems you are seeking some secret formula for success. In this industry, as in most, the secret of success is: There is no secret.

Work hard, work long, work smart. Move from one failure to the next with no lack of enthusiasm. Duplicate you efforts wherever and whenever possible.

But MOST importantly, surround yourself with the most talented and intelligent people this industry has to offer. This is where your chess analogy ultimately fails. This is a team-oriented business, not a one-on-one sport like chess.

[VotaIdiota]

Originally posted by Wiggy Neve Slut
Have good food and catering if its going to be a long drawn out production. It will stop a lot of fights and headaches later on.. lol good beer and sushi.. what could an AE want more of?.... apart from gear?

I'll pass on the sushi. I get some serious gag reflex everytime I eat that stuff.
Now, beer on the other hand.... More like a "gimme another!" reflex.

[VotaIdiota]

Originally posted by Curve Dominant

Beyond that, the analogy is flawed. Chess is warfare in microcosm. Producing a great recording is not. Great music is about love, not war.

Apparently, you've never heard about how Spector liked to do things.

[chessparov]

Curve, chess is also...

A (challenging) search for truth, and on the higher levels, one for beauty. White pieces and
Black pieces a form of Yin/Yang.

My intention wasn't to find a "magic pill", rather to discuss systems of thought. (bingo Vota!)
Spector, for example, was inspired to apply Wagnerian style ideas into rock.
There are others, like Tony Visconti, who consistantly use innovative creative techniques.

And "Like" in the thread title only meant principles you've learned from personal insight, or from others, that have expanded your creativity.

Thanks for all the interesting responses so far.

Chris

[Robotnik]

A worldclass AE:
- is always positive - never uses words like "no" or "impossible"
- is always ready to record
- always takes notes and documents the session
- is polite to the musicans
- knows how to make worldclass headphone mixes for the band
- never talks when the music is playing
- communicates well with the producer and assistant AE
- knows when to move on
- knows not to over do it
- never talks about gear or recording theory - saves it for the Gearslutz forum or the pub

[Songhead]

Not being a WCAE, I can't speak as one, but having worked with some, what I've experienced includes.

1) It's all about the song. If you don't have a good song, no amount of cool tricks and great recording techniques is going to make it one. If the song doesn't hold it's own in a raw stripped down format (piano & vox, or gtr & vox), move on and work on a good song.

2) What you add is as important as what you take away. In pre-pro I always found myself adding "just one more track or texture" to try and fill out a song. In final production, the process of taking out certain elements at certain points of the song really added life to the mix.

3) Don't fix it in the mix. Get it right while you are tracking. Mixing is for pulling it all together, not fixing mistakes.

4) Document your sessions. Mic's, placements, console settings, outboard, signal flow, everything. It takes some extra time, but is well worth it.

[chessparov]

It would be interesting if hypothetically there were two panels of
top engineers, those 30+ years ago ala Putnam, Levine, etc.,
and a contemporary group.

I bet there would be common agreement among the AE's of yore of the overuse of overdubbing as a crutch for many projects,
whereas better arrangements are a superior method.

Do you guys agree that emphasis on the entire band tracking at once would lead to an overall improvement in recordings and arrangements? This seems to be the legacy of the older classic recordings.

Chris

[ozraves]

I don't know if I've worked with any world class AEs but I've worked with one pretty great one.

Here's what I gleaned from those sessions:

1. Be on time;

2. Don't allow any girlfriends, wives or significant others near the recording studio;

3. Set reasonable goals for what you can accomplish each session;

4. Use positive reinforcement with the talent;

5. Remember this is a business but it is art as well;

6. The performances on each side of the glass rise and fall in relation to the other;

7. Plan.

Steve
www.mojopie.com

[OKden]

World class AE's cost alot, record/mix records that sell millions of units, don't own turtlenecks, and have never appeared in anyones advertising.

[Jay Kahrs]

Or you could read the Mixerman diary of Bitch Slap and learn everything they do.


Practice it. Live it. Learn it. Love it.


























Then do the opposite.

[Curve Dominant]

Or you could read the Mixerman diary of Bitch Slap and learn everything they do.

Practice it. Live it. Learn it. Love it.

Then do the opposite.

Yeah, right?

"How To Tank The Career Of Platinum Selling Band In 97,346 Easy Steps."

Seriously, though...

Chessparov, et al, here's a tip: Steven Covey's "Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People." Covey lays out a very simple formula which one can easily apply to any industry or endeavor, and get positive results.

[chessparov]

Thanks Curve, Covey's book is definitely worth a re-read (in my case).

Not as sure about the "no girlfriends", etc., as long as they know their place-being non-intrusive. Unless they can play a mean tamborine.

Some performers, like Sinatra at Capitol, could really pour it on in front of a (quiet) live audience in the studio. Many singers, including myself, feed off the audience's presence.

Chris

[alphajerk]

Originally posted by Jay Kahrs
Have a plan in mind and make sure everyone involved is on the same page BEFORE you even THINK about touching a microphone.

plans are good to throw out the window. i lose a plan as soon as they step into the studio.


i have a better word than preproduction: ADAPT.

[leckieisagod]

Originally posted by alphajerk

i have a better word than preproduction: ADAPT.

Is that the new Alesis Digital Recorder, AJ?

[doug_hti]

Originally posted by Robotnik
A worldclass AE:
- is always positive - never uses words like "no" or "impossible"
- is always ready to record
- always takes notes and documents the session
- is polite to the musicans
- knows how to make worldclass headphone mixes for the band
- never talks when the music is playing
- communicates well with the producer and assistant AE
- knows when to move on
- knows not to over do it
- never talks about gear or recording theory - saves it for the Gearslutz forum or the pub

I'm not a fan of "absolutes" or "always" but assuming that you are the AE and not the producer as well, this covers things pretty well IMO.

The green engineers I've been around seem to always have something to prove and seem to be a bit more outspoken once you are nice to them and they feel like they have the authority to be open and it's a matter of minutes before they overstep their boundary. The better engineers I've been around always have suggestions, but only when asked and never as a definitive or condescending way in comparison..

-And making the artist comfortable is huge. that doesn't neccessarily mean the right environment of candles, couches, sushi, and beer, etc, but the right attitude that isn't too invasive, yet is still warm and engaging...learning to understand what gets the artist(s) in a groove.

-Being consistent and predictable to the artist(s) and producer(s)

[alphajerk]

Originally posted by leckieisagod
Is that the new Alesis Digital Recorder, AJ?

nah... but digi could use it for their convertors [adaPT]

[dave-G]

Originally posted by OKden
World class AE's cost alot, record/mix records that sell millions of units, don't own turtlenecks, and have never appeared in anyones advertising.

Whoa there cowboy. Have you ever actually done a blind A-B-X test between an engineer with a turtleneck and one without? I own a turtleneck, and I'm sure I could mix circles around these new-school, non-turtleneck-owning, punk-ass engineers.

Besides, nowadays everyone with a mock-turtleneck in their bedroom thinks they're a world class audio engineer.



-dave

[RKrizman]

Originally posted by Jay Kahrs
One word.

Preproduction.

Have a plan in mind and make sure everyone involved is on the same page BEFORE you even THINK about touching a microphone.

OR....... always work in a recording environment, always have mics up, record everything, capture all the first thoughts. Construct in the studio. Why not, since you, and everybody else, have your own studio.

Anyhow, that's what I've been doing lately. I'm always writing, arranging, re-thinking, recording and mixing at the same time, as a single process. Seems to me like the best way to take advantage of the new technology. There's never the point at which I say," okay, NOW I'm putting up some blank tape, NOW, I'm hitting RECORD, NOW it's for real."

It's always for real. And, hopefully, for fun.

-R

[Curve Dominant]

quote:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by OKden
World class AE's cost alot, record/mix records that sell millions of units, don't own turtlenecks, and have never appeared in anyones advertising.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


Whoa there cowboy. Have you ever actually done a blind A-B-X test between an engineer with a turtleneck and one without? I own a turtleneck, and I'm sure I could mix circles around these new-school, non-turtleneck-owning, punk-ass engineers.

Besides, nowadays everyone with a mock-turtleneck in their bedroom thinks they're a world class audio engineer.



-dave

I actually found my mixes improving noticably when I started wearing turtlenecks. I think it's because the ears are so close to the neck, and so a warmly insulated neck keeps the inner ear canal supple.

I related this to Dr. Robert Sataloff, who's a world-renown otorolaryngologist (I hope I spelled that right) at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (which is a few blocks from my studio), and he said I might possibly maybe perhaps could concievably (if only theoretically) be onto something (he sounded very semi-sincere when he told me that, I should add, and I was really convinced he kinda meant it).

So I did some mixes both with and without the turtlenecks, and sent them to Lynn Fuston for analysis (that was two years ago and I haven't heard back from him yet, but we all know how busy Lynn is!).

You know, now I'm thinking: we should present a white paper to AES on this subject. Those meetings can be kinda dull (not that I would know because I personally don't attend them, I just heard they can be dull), and wouldn't it really spice up a future AES meeting to have a discussion about the effects of turtlenecks on auditory responses?? Hell, yeah!

Gosh, the level of scientific discourse for the cause of advancement of our craft on these forums can be SO DAMN INSPIRING! I need more milk and cookies now, this is so exciting.

[littledog]

No world-class AE here, but still manage to learn a few things.


(I play Go, not chess. Actually find it more interesting and elegant.)

My meagre contributions to the "book":

1) Respect the music. Don't get in the way of the music. Don't try to force the music to be something it isn't. It is not always necessary to put your "signature" on everything. If it sounds like a great mix already when you throw up the faders, move on to the next tune.

2) Don't be afraid to admit you don't know something. Everyone can't be equally expert in every style. Ask the artists for help in making stylistic decisions. Get their recommendations for reference CD's to help you get inside the style. If you are confronted with a weird or exotic instrument, don't be afraid to ask the musician how other engineers have mic'ed it, and how happy were they with the resulting sound.

3) Listen. Mix and track with your ears, not with your eyes. When tracking, maintain concentration. Have some ideas which sections of which takes are potential keepers. Give feedback after takes, if asked for it. Identify problem spots in the songs. Take notes. Know when the time falters, when something is sung out of tune, or other performance issues.

4) Keep an open mind to the artist's vision. Just because they want you to try something you think is "wrong", respect the possibility maybe they actually are on to something new and original.