Because I don't get calls for those gigs. Look at the equipment list, it's filled with guitars, snares, stomp boxes and stuff like that. I own one keyboard, one drum machine (which gets used for a click track) and no samplers. If I had a rapper come to me and say "do whatever you want" then yeah, I'd probably do the live drums and bass thing for them but it hasn't happened yet. The people that call me for that stuff (3 or 4 times a year) want to sound like Dre or whoever the newest guy on MTV2 or BET is, and I can't do that for them. I ain't got the skillz.

What's the hardest music to record and mix?


Music that I have a hard time connecting with.

How about this:

50 person amateur multi-generational and multi-gender "gospel" choir with rock band must track live music director insane transexual wants it to sound like boyz2men.

beat that you milquetoast panty-waists.

Forgot to mention quadruple-tracking THE WHOLE CHOIR. god help me.

I have a project on the horizon to record a 10 piece oldies band. Mamma help me because the task is mean.

Maybe they have 4 horns and 2 backup singers!

Good point. If someone shooved a mic up their ass and recorded it (perhaps this has been done and I just don't know it), it might be innovative, but not enjoyable.

And speaking of innovation, it's seems like most innovation these days is very temporary. Trends. Some last longer (the auto-vocode in country-pop stills seems to be running strong) than others (the Strokes vocal distortion, or the vinyl sample every g-damn R&B song had to start with a couple years ago).

That was the sphincterphone - yeah, it's been done.

Most of that can be laid at the feet of ONE producer, with some acts who really don't sing that well. It just happens that three or four of his acts are among the most visible in country these days. Then the other producers in town jump on the bandwagon...

I'm still waiting for Nashville to go back to releasing country music to country radio...

Anything with a lot of tracks. To keep track of all those tracks and learn where and when and why they have to be (without believing in a lot of tracks philosophy). Or, very sparse minimal music that must become also listenable. Music produced by a musician who's read every issue of MIX, Studio Sound and Pro Audio review who criticizes your every choice of gear. Bass player who didn't like his sound because I was using a 1066 and a UA175 for the mic. and the same setup for the DI. I asked him what he would use and he suggested an 1176 to take off the peaks, a Pultec MEQ, an LA2A for compression and last but not least a Pultec EQP, he didn't know anything about mic. pres. so I was safe there. I asked him if he had this stuff in his rack (ha). He had an Ampeg V-4 which was nice and I put a U89 in front of it, which he didn't like (he'd never heard of it). So, I wrote on the tape strip, BSmic. and BSDI when I should have written BSDI and BSmic., I asked him how the DI sounded and he said "flat, muddy and distorted" and I said "oh **** I made a mistake that's your amp" which sounded fine anyway. For 15 minutes that was difficult to mix (I used only the DI, it was easier to push up the 800Hz , no amp fan noise).
Something similar, the producer who wouldn't change a date so I could play a percussion background singer gig was really difficult to mix (I just love to play cowbell). What am I saying? Technical factors have little to do with the difficulties you find in dis biz. Hermes Trimegestis " the universe is mental".

I've got a band to mix that has THREE BASS PLAYERS (no guitar).

ALL have distorion.

ALL like feedback from the amp when not playing (and they're ALL usually playing.

The only good musician is the drummer (thank god for that, I guess)

The drummer tracked 21 songs (all under 2min., some under 1) in ONE DAY. THEN PLAYED A SHOW THAT NIGHT!

Can't wait to track Vox. Although they should be a piece of cake to mix, considering everything else is mostly low end.


Fun band to watch live. (screaming, jumping up on amps, rolling on floor, smashing into each other, smashing into crowd, bruises, some blood shed, etc...)

On the rap/R and B thing...........


Pick up Missy Elliots latest and anything done by Dr. Dre...his last one or the 50 Cent record.

And I still know a Public Enemy track when I hear it....always my favorite...new old. Chuck D....

You may not like rap but I would really question your biasness if you could hear no style and/or innovation in the game by these artists' records.


heylow

What's the hardest music to record and mix?

Bad Music!

Worse yet is bad music played badly.

I guess the hardest thing I've ever tracked was a band where both guitar players and the bass player were using Big Muff's. The drummer tuned the drums really low and muffled the hell out of them with tissues and tape. Thankfully I didn't have to mix it.

That would be the "sphincterphone". Turns your belly into a bongo. They say it's been done.

-R