The Truth About Recording & Mixing – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome back to the Truth About Recording And Mixing. 

Mark Greenberg has been in the Wilco family from back before there was a Wilco. Now he manages and engineers records at Wilco’s Chicago recording studio The Loft. From his time in the band the Coctails to his role as the “everything guy” at Lounge Ax to leading the composer collective Mayfair Workshop and to his current role in Eleventh Dream Day, Mark is a part of the musical fabric of the city. This hilarious and heartwarming conversation sheds a little light on why.

The Truth About Recording And Mixing is brought to you by the Fretboard Journal from Crackle & Pop! Studio in Ballard Washington and is supported by Izotope. Get 10% off any Izotope product by going to their website and using the code FRET10 on checkout.

Topics covered:

0:00:00 Welcome back! Also ... we’re going to Chicago!

0:02:25 Welcome Mark Greenberg! Mark’s early years learning instruments, starting bands, going to art school, and starting the Coctails. Chicago in the '90s.

0:08:00 Lounge Ax!

0:11:00 The Coctails and how that led to making “music for use”. Starting the Marfair Workshop - a multi-composer workshop.

0:19:45 Getting involved with the Loft. Being called in last minute to work on Jeff’s first record with Mavis Staples.

0:24:00 The Loft - how’s it set up? How does it work? How do they keep all those instruments functioning? Using tape?

0:30:30 Listener question about the Loft and the philosophy of having an open plan studio.

0:32:30 And Zoom froze! ;-)

0:35:00 Pops Staples' final album. Stripping back the layers and rebuilding it from Pops up.

0:40:00 Wilco on the Road & what happens at the studio when Jeff Tweedy is out of town. More about the gear at the Loft & the gear that goes out on the road with the band.

0:45:00 New guitar builders, pedals, amps. Recording gear at the studio. The Neve console that once belonged to Sheryl Crow.

0:55:00 On the value of being ready for a session.

0:57:30 Solid Sound and MASS MoCA!

01:01:40 Eleventh Dream Day and making music now as compared to “then”.

01:12:00 The Wilco organization and why it works so well. Mindful leadership from the top down.

01:19:00 Scott McCaughey - Down with Wilco!

Taram EP 17 - Amy Dragon

Welcome back to the Truth About Recording And Mixing. 

After returning her social workers license with a note saying “don’t call”, Amy Dragon made her way to Portland OR pursuing her love of music to find a new career. She is now digital mastering engineer and vinyl cutting engineer at Telegraph Mastering and was also for many years the general manager at Cascade Record Pressing as they were getting their plant up and running. In this episode we talk about the process of making a vinyl record from start to finish and Amy’s in-depth knowledge and natural curiosity makes for a fun and educational listen.

The Truth About Recording And Mixing is brought to you by the Fretboard Journal from Crackle & Pop! Studio in Ballard Washington and is supported by Izotope. Get 10% off any Izotope product by going to their website and using the code FRET10 on checkout.

Topics covered:

0:00 Welcome back!

1:00 TARAM will be at the Fretboard Summit Aug 25 through 27.

2:00 This podcast was recorded using a Universal Audio Apollo Twin and Cleanfeed.com and edited using UA’s LUNA DAW.

3:25 Welcome Amy Dragon. Early days moving around the country, college and early career as a social worker. 

12:30 Moving out to Portland and finding new opportunities. Meeting Adam Gonsolves of Telegraph Mastering and starting an apprenticeship there. Telegraph’s history and growth.

17:20 Working with the Scully lathe as compared to the upgraded Neumann VMS70. Finishing up her apprenticeship become a full fledged mastering engineer.

24:40 Working at Cascade Record Pressing as they were starting up the pressing plant. Refurbishing vintage record presses and figuring it all out! Getting a pressing plant up to capacity.

34:00 Leaving Cascade to pursue a full time freelance position as a mastering engineer.

36:20 Walk us through the steps involved in making a vinyl record from the point where mixes are done to having product in hand. Cutting a proper lacquer and the challenges therein.

43:45 Electroforming and making stampers.

46:45 Direct to metal mastering.

47:45 Stampers arrive at the pressing plant. Next up, test pressings. What happens when there are problems with the test pressings. And what are common problems? Non-fill, regrind ratio, dishing, centerhole is off, walking, warping…

01:00:00 Our test pressing is approved, now moving forward with the actual production run. Issues that can occur in this phase of the process. Quality control processes at Cascade Pressing.

01:04:45 How is mastering for vinyl different from mastering for digital? Working with the physical limitations of the vinyl groove and the cutting head.

01:17:00 What questions should a band or artist be asking when looking to make a vinyl record?

01:22:30 Are new presses an advantage?

01:26:30 Should one ask for a test acetate?

01:28:30 Why does it take so long currently to make a record? Apollo Masters fire, pandemic, supply chain issues, helium shortage, a perfect storm.

01:34:00 Teaching, outreach & getting more women into audio!

01:39:00 What’s coming up? Independent Mastering Conference in Portland 2022. Helping out at Soursound Transformers.

Welcome to Episode 8 of The Truth About Recording and Mixing podcast. This week's guest is Dan Alexander, who has a new book out chronicling his adventures in making records, building studios and making thousands of vintage gear deals throughout the last four decades. It's call Dan Alexander Audio - A Vintage Odyssey (link). 

0:00 Introduction
2:10  Send us questions about studio interconnects!
3:05  Listener question about 500 series rack gear
6:25  Listener question about analog tape hiss and noise reduction
10:10 Disclaimer: Zoom audio disclaimer
11:30 Welcome to Dan Alexander
12:55 Dan’s history as a guitar dealer and his new pandemic hobby building acoustic guitars
19:20 Meeting Allen Sides and realizing vintage gear was better than current gear.
21:20 Tewksbury history
23:30 Demoes with Jonathan Richman & Earthquake
27:20 Founding Tewksbury and transitioning into buying and selling gear
32:20 The beginning of the vintage gear quest
41:15 Traveling to Europe and Asia to buy gear
47:45 Dan's plug for the Fretboard Journal
50:00 Listener question about Rupert Neve and the importance of Neve consoles
1:05:00 Listener question about upgrading a home recording setup from basic collection of mics and an interface
1:15:00 More thoughts on the current vintage gear market and current gear makers
1:24:30 Buying guitars in pawn shops and the guitars that Dan’s building today

Our sponsor for this episode are Caddis Eye Appliances and iZotope.

Submit your questions for Johnny by sending us a voice memo or email to podcast@fretboardjournal.com.

The Truth About Recording & Mixing is a bi-weekly podcast produced by the Fretboard Journal magazine, loosely based on our Truth About Vintage Amps Q&A podcast.

www.johnnysangster.com
www.cracklepopstudio.com
www.fretboardjournal.com

Topics mentioned: Logic Pro, CAPI filtered XLR 500 series rack and units, API, Chander, Retro, Neve, Tree Audio, Hairball Audio Lola, Shadow Hills, Hairball Fet 500 compressor, Spectra1964, Spectra STX100, Spectra STX600, iZotope Software, Caddis Life readers, Sennheiser HD650 headphones, Genelec speakers, Soyez Microphones, Telefunken, Royer, STC 4038,

People mentioned: Allen Sides, Rupert Neve, Peter Duncan, Don Larking, Malcolm Jackson, John Southard, Stax, Aretha Franklin, Al Jackson, Duck Dunn, Queen, John Cuniberti, Paul McCartney, Paul Scoles, Ironwood Studio, Conrad Uno, Egg Studio

Welcome to episode 7 of The Truth About Recording & Mixing hosted by Crackle & Pop's Johnny Sangster. In this episode we speak to producer and sought after mix engineer Martin Feveyear about his career and insights into producing and mixing. Martin grew up in rural England and after a few tours with the Screaming Trees decided to buy a one-way ticket to Seattle. He's been producing and engineering top quality records since. 

Topics mentioned:

01:55 Listener question about mastering for vinyl as opposed to CD as opposed to Digital Streaming
02:35 Listen comment about speaker design, polarity and whether to flip the polarity of your kick drum rather than the overheads.
05:30 Listener comment about Jack Endino episode and the discussion of '60s & '70s records with varying degrees of tape hiss and track bouncing.
07:40 Martin Feveyear and how did he get into recording? Cassette bouncing between two boomboxes, getting a 4-track and recording all the local bands, seeing some recognition.
13:30 Getting a job engineering at Wildlife Studio.
18:20 Pursuing his band at the time.
22:50 Doing live sound and touring with other bands. 
27:30 Meeting and touring with the Screaming Trees.
32:00 A one way ticket to Seattle.
42:00 Thoughts on producing - a listener question on a band preparing to go to the studio.
51:50 What is the job of the producer?
57:00 Budgets? What budgets?
01:05:30 Listener question on routines and approach when setting up a mix.
01:12:45 Philosophies on using EQs & multiband compressors.
01:18:20 Listener question about De-Essing
01:25:15 The possibility of a Martin Feveyear solo album?

Gear / software mentioned: Wildlife Studio, Trident Console, Jupiter Recording, SSL Mixing Console, Waves F6, Waves C6, TC Electronics Clarity M, Fab Filter EQ, Massy DeEsser, UAD Precision DeEsser, Waves R DeEsser, Uptone Studio

People mentioned:

Mark Lanegan, Presidents, Brandi Carlile, Duff McKagan’s Loaded, The Briefs, Damien Jurado, Kings of Leon, Screaming Trees, Nigel Palmer, The Outfield, A Thousand People, The Fuzztones, Herb Garden, Sister Psychic, Christian Fulghum, QOTSA, Model Rockets, Mudhoney, Hammerbox, Pete Droge, Green Apple Quickstep, SuperDeluxe, Mark Pickerel, The Hotels, Andrew Joslyn, Rusty Willoughby, Jason Staczek, Andy Davenhall, Mike Squires, Whitney Mongé, Shaina Shepherd, Hunter Lea

Our sponsor for this episode are Caddis Eye Appliances and iZotope.

Submit your questions for Johnny by sending us a voice memo or email to podcast@fretboardjournal.com.

The Truth About Recording & Mixing is a bi-weekly podcast produced by the Fretboard Journal magazine, loosely based on our Truth About Vintage Amps Q&A podcast.

www.johnnysangster.com
www.cracklepopstudio.com
www.fretboardjournal.com

Welcome to the sixth episode of the Truth About Recording & Mixing, hosted by Crackle & Pop!'s Johnny Sangster. This week we talk to Andrew Joslyn, violinist and orchestral arranger for people like Macklemore and Michael Bolton about a range of projects from creating huge sounding arrangements from his home studio to writing orchestrations for the Seattle Symphony.

1:40 - Another Mid-Side Demo
4:45 - Listener Question about recording distorted vocals
11:10 - Listener question about vocal mics & 3 Dimensional sound.
15:45 - Welcome to Andrew Joslyn
20:00 - Curating & scoring a series of concerts with the Seattle Symphony
24:00 - the one man symphony in a box and coming up in classical.
28:00 - getting into improvising and playing rock music.
32:00 - breaking into the Seattle scene and deciding to get a Music Business Degree from Berklee.
35:00 - meeting and beginning to work with Macklemore.
37:30 - about asking for songwriter credits when providing arrangements.
42:00 - Andrew’s solo album.
50:30 - Andrew’s studio and creating the one man orchestra.
01:04:40 - working with the Seattle Symphony and larger orchestras.
01:17:30 - Andrew’s favorite arrangers & composers & the holy grails of string recording studios.
01:22:30 - Remote Orchestral recording with Musiversal
1:26:50 - recording and reamping a string quartet in a gutted tugboat!

People mentioned - Macklemore, Martin Feveyear, Mark Lanegan, Jack Endino, Bronwynne Brent, Ivan & Alyosha, No Star, Danny Baker, Seattle Symphony, Barb Hunter, Michael Bolton, Duff McKagen, Shelby Earl, Eric Anderson, London Bridge Recording, David Axelrod, Jeff Saltzman, Eli Weinberger, Eric Eagle, Whitney Monge, Nelson Riddle Vince Mendoza, Melody Gardot, Dave Cambell, Rob Mathis, Paul Buckmeister, Leslie Odum Jr., Skywalker Ranch, Jesse Butterworth, Musiversal, Ben Hazlewood, Network, 

Gear mentioned - AKG C422, Electrovoice 665, Spectra Sonics, Empirical Labs Distressor, Drawmer 1961 EQ, ProCo Rat Distortion Pedal, Ampeg B-12 amp, SoundToys Decapitator, SansAmp Plugin, Shure SM57, Shure Vocal Master PA, Radial Reamp Boxes, Apple Computer, Hackintosh, Celemony Melodyne, Apple Logic, Avid Protools, Vicoustic Acoustic Treatment, UAD Apollo Quad, Coles 4038, Grace M501, Neumann TLM103, Advanced Audio Mics, QL Spaces, LA Scoring Studio, UAD Ocean Way Plugin, iZotope RX, Decca Tree,

Submit your questions for Johnny by sending us a voice memo or email to podcast@fretboardjournal.com.

The Truth About Recording & Mixing is a bi-weekly podcast produced by the Fretboard Journal magazine, loosely based on our Truth About Vintage Amps Q&A podcast.

www.johnnysangster.com
www.cracklepopstudio.com
www.fretboardjournal.com

Welcome to the fifth episode of the Truth About Recording & Mixing, hosted by Crackle & Pop!'s Johnny Sangster. This week we talk with engineer Jack Endino on the wonders and pitfalls of analog tape, capturing acoustic bass and many other topics. Johnny also gives a demonstration of mid-side recording. 

Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 

1:45 Listener question - getting "bigger" drum room sounds from a basement studio.
5:45 listener question on using electronic drum kits in a studio workflow.
9:05 - Johnny gives a little history and demo of Mid-Side recording.
18:20 Jack Endino! What's happening in the end times?
21:20 - Snack master dehydrator & the joys of tape machines. 
23:40 early Seattle hip hop remasters
25:50 Listener question about 70s albums and tape hiss.
30:45 Satin Noise Tape Simulation plug in
32:30 15IPS vs 30IPS and the joys of analog tape.
43:30 Listener question about recording acoustic bass
46:50 Other mics for bass and dynamic mics on vocals
50:30 Distorted vocals
52:10 Recording DI of electric guitars
55:45 Mixing in the box?
59:10 Listener question about using a TAC console for summing.
1:03:30 Foraging mushrooms
1:10:40 Listener question about using a room mic for electric guitar recording.
1:20:00 Jack Douglas Recording Steve Tyler with a shotgun mic
1:22:00 Ribbon mics
1:24:00 Where to spend your money - mic or mic pre?
1:26:35 The band Failure - Fantastic Planet - and home recording
1:28:20 Current home recordings and improving the sound at the source
1:35:40 Drum replacement software
1:37:00 Jack’s musical projects

Submit your questions for Johnny by sending us a voice memo or email to podcast@fretboardjournal.com.

The Truth About Recording & Mixing is a bi-weekly podcast produced by the Fretboard Journal magazine, loosely based on our Truth About Vintage Amps Q&A podcast.

www.johnnysangster.com
www.cracklepopstudio.com
www.fretboardjournal.com

Welcome to the third episode of the Truth About Recording & Mixing, hosted by Crackle & Pop!'s Johnny Sangster. This week, we explore the career of Ed Brooks who has worked in most all facets of professional audio and now runs Resonant Mastering.  

Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 
1:40 Listener Comment on Omni Sound Project - resource for women engineers.
2:45 Johnny demo on figure of 8 microphones
13:00 Interview with Ed Brooks - starting with his path into audio.
14:45 Working for Tapco & doing live sound
18:45 Moving into tech work with Matt Sutton
22:00 Kaye Smith / Lawson Sound & what studios where happening in town.
24:20 recording & mixing REM 1992 Automatic For The People
29:50 moving to freelance engineering and eventually to mastering.
33:30 Mastering Botch - We are the Romans
34:55 - What is mastering?
41:10 - Listener question Why mix in a control room?
52:25 - Listener question - what’s the difference between dynamics compression and bitrate / codec compression.
60:00 - what’s more important sample rate or bit depth?
62:40 - Let’s talk about acoustics! What is a room mode?
67:00 - Things to do when designing a space
77:20 - Ed’s pedal steel guitar solo record.

Submit your questions for Johnny by sending us a voice memo or email to podcast@fretboardjournal.com.

This episode is sponsored by Izotope. Use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off any of their products (link). 

The Truth About Recording & Mixing is a bi-weekly podcast produced by the Fretboard Journal magazine, loosely based on our Truth About Vintage Amps Q&A podcast.

www.johnnysangster.com
www.cracklepopstudio.com
www.fretboardjournal.com

Welcome to the third episode of the Truth About Recording & Mixing, hosted by Crackle & Pop!'s Johnny Sangster. This week, we're diving deep into the recording drums, capturing audio on a tight budget and more with Seattle’s Eric Eagle.  

Some of the topics discussed on this episode: 
1:23 Listener feedback, phase versus polarity, kick drum mic'ing
9:30 Ensuring your system maintains proper polarity; Galaxy Audio Cricket - Polarity and Continuity tester
10:56 Mixing in mono, redux
13:57: Special guest: Eric Eagle
14:49 Recording audio books
16:44 Skoor Sound, recording drums in a small room
23:08 Universal Audio Ocean Way plug-in
24:38 Pre-delaying room mics
25:25 Eric’s favorite drum mics: Microtec Geffel UM70, Coles 4038, etc.
28:45 Compressors and pre-amps on a budget: FMR Audio RNC/RNP, DIY kits (Hairball Audio 1176, Hairball Audio Lola, Chameleon Labs 7603)
36:53 Chicken or the egg: Invest in a good mic or a good mic pre-amp?
39:48 EQ'ing out an acoustic instrument’s normal sound for a better recording
44:35 Drum tuning
1:10:53 Snareweight dampeners
1:12:12 Paper towels, tea towels, pillow cases and other drum dampeners
1:16:17 Kick drum theories, Ahead Square Kick Drum beater
1:19:47 Ahead Square Kick Drum Beater
1:21:02 Kick drum heads

Submit your questions for Johnny by sending us a voice memo or email to podcast@fretboardjournal.com.

This episode is sponsored by Izotope. Use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off any of their products (link). 

The Truth About Recording & Mixing is a bi-weekly podcast produced by the Fretboard Journal magazine, loosely based on our Truth About Vintage Amps Q&A podcast.

www.johnnysangster.com
www.cracklepopstudio.com
www.fretboardjournal.com

Welcome to episode 2 of the Truth About Recording And Mixing hosted by Crackle & Pop!'s Johnny Sangster. This week's episode features mastering engineer Rachel Field for a discussion about mastering, vinyl in the current day, levels for streaming audio and the need for more women in audio.

1:00 - examples of phase discrepancies from a recent drum recording at Crackle & Pop!

6:25 - Listener topics - Zoom’s “original audio” feature

8:00 - Listener topic - beginner recordist & condenser mics

11:15 - Welcome Rachel Field / observations when listening to vinyl

15:20 - a little history on the loudness wars and what’s happening today with streaming.

21:40 - brickwall limiting and how that affects vinyl cutting

24:35 - Rachel’s mastering chain, box by box.

31:35 - which first, level or tone?

35:15 - using analog tape in the mastering chain

37:40 - recent projects in the mastering studio

39:50 - advice for the home recordists / mixers

45:20 - listener question about using spectrum analyzers

49:00 - listener question on navigating the mastering process and more on standards from streaming services. More info on what the various streaming platforms are doing to process files.

1:03:00 - why aren’t there more women engineers & producers? Resources for women in audio.

1:08:30 - more about Rachel’s path from student to engineer.

Submit your questions for Johnny by sending us a voice memo or email to podcast@fretboardjournal.com.

The Truth About Recording & Mixing is a bi-weekly podcast produced by the Fretboard Journal magazine, loosely based on our Truth About Vintage Amps Q&A podcast.

www.johnnysangster.com
www.cracklepopstudio.com
www.fretboardjournal.com

Welcome to the first-ever episode of The Truth About Recording & Mixing, hosted by Crackle & Pop!'s Johnny Sangster.

To start things off, enjoy this inspired discussion of recording rock & roll with the esteemed Kurt Bloch of the Fastbacks, Young Fresh Fellows, Minus 5 and Full Toilet! Kurt doesn’t want to talk about his home studio, "Strictly Vintage," but we do nonetheless. 

Topics:
2:20 Recent projects.
5:30 Don’t talk about Strictly Vintage.
10:20 Home drum recording setup.
22:20 Kurt’s early tape recorders and home recording.
30:00 Cheaters & Fastbacks first studio recordings.
45:00 Sound City modded amp.
48:25 Recording vocals in the living room.
53:42 Home recording drums, etc.
64:35 Revox tape machines
70:00 Tape tales: editing, spot erasing, window edits
77:00 Phase and drum mic'ing, polarity & phase with mics & effects.
83:00 Using multiple mics phase tricks for effect

Submit your questions for Johnny by sending us a voice memo or email to podcast@fretboardjournal.com.

The Truth About Recording & Mixing is a bi-weekly podcast produced by the Fretboard Journal magazine, loosely based on our Truth About Vintage Amps Q&A podcast.

www.johnnysangster.com
www.cracklepopstudio.com
www.fretboardjournal.com