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mui 601 midterm
Who are some people that might contribute to making a recording for commercial release?
o the artist/artists
o the recording engineer(s)
o the mastering engineer
o the record label executives
o studio musicians
o arrangers
o conductors
o songwriters
What are some “creative” roles a producer might take on?
o defines and keeps an eye on the creative “big picture”
o provides guidance, coaching, and sometimes discipline
o may make song, arrangement, and personnel selections
o may write songs and play instruments
What are some “administrative” roles a producer might take on?
o handles the budget, the recording fund
o handles all scheduling (studios, engineers, musicians)
o ensures product is done well and on-time, whatever it takes
What is notable about Quincy Jones’ experience and approach as a producer?
started as a jazz musician, arranger, and conductor- background in jazz gave him an advanced understanding of harmony, arrangement, and orchestration
What is notable about Sylvia Massy’s experience and approach as a producer?
known for unconventional recording techniques that bring unique textures to her productions; blends technical expertise with creativity to push the boundaries of sound
What is notable about Rick Rubin’s experience and approach as a producer?
doesn’t have much music theory knowledge, relaxed studio environment and encourages artists to explore their true sound
What was the phonautograph?
device that made a visual image of sound waves on a cylinder with a brush attached to a diaphragm. It did not play back any sounds
What is a tin foil phonograph?
recorded onto a tinfoil sheet using a stylus. The tinfoil sheet was wrapped around a grooved cylinder, and the sound was recorded as indentations into the foil
What was notable about the lead phonograph?
oldest surviving playable cylinder was created by Lambert with his lead phonograph
What was notable about the wax phonograph?
Columbia Phonograph Co produced the first record catalog in 1890
What is a gramophone?
uses a disc with a lateral-cut groove
What is the significance of the wire recorder?
very popular in homes and as “dictation” machines, more fidelity in terms of frequency response, more depth in the sound
What is “critical listening”?
primarily comes from the engineer’s point of view. You’re listening to the physical details of the music–frequency response, dynamic range, tone, imaging, and how instruments are blended together
What is “analytical listening?
all about feeling and meaning. It’s important to understand that the emotional intention of a musical performance is reflected in the sound
Describe “balance”, “panorama”, “frequency range”, and “dimension”.
o balance: do all the instruments have appropriate presence in the mix? Do any feel as if they are overpowered (masked)?
o panorama (width): where are the instruments placed in the stereo field? Most of the music we listen to is mixed in stereo. Instruments can be placed from left to right or anywhere in between. Does the stereo field of the mix feel balanced, or uneven in any way?
o frequency range (height): are all frequency ranges represented equally? Are there instruments playing in each of the frequency ranges?
o dimension (depth): do some of the elements sound closer or farther away in the mix? Is there a sense of movement in the mix?
What are we looking to identify when completing a “Sound field Analysis”?
visual representation of different instruments/signals detail how those signals are represented at any given moment in a mix
Define the following in the context of a Record Producer Agreement:
o scope of services: what exactly is the producer expected (and not expected) to do?
o liability protections: who is responsible if things go wrong?
o intellectual property ownership: who owns the work that is created? Who owns the master?
o credit: how will the producer’s name appear on packaging/liner notes
o payment (and late or non-payment): how and when does the producer get paid. What happens if they don’t get paid?
o confidentiality: is there anything that the producer can’t share with the public regarding the process
o term and termination: how long does the contract last? Can the contract be ended prior to that term for any reason?
o payment: record producers usually get paid through one or both of the following methods: fees and points
What are “points” in a producer’s contract?
points are percentages of record sales or royalties, typically paid from the artist’s royalties; may not earn points until the artist’s recording costs are recouped and producer’s advance is recouped
How points different from a fee?
fee is per song or per album or hourly rate, typically non-refundable and recoupable against the producer royalty
How are points and fees typically paid to a producer?
paid from the artist royalties
What is “recoupment”?
record label has to make back the money that they invested in the artist before the artist gets paid
What is an “advance”?
covers costs associated with making the recording
What is the “arrangement” of a musical composition?
determines what instruments will play during the piece of music; knowing how instruments can work together or play off each other
Define the following in the context of “Arrangement”
o foundation: rhythm section typically recorded first, or with the primary focus on the foundation during initial recording sessions
o pads: long sustaining note or chord. Can be strings, synths, organs, or guitar chords
o rhythm: any instrument that plays counter to the foundation. Percussion, guitar chords etc. Adds a sense of motion
o lead: lead vocal/instrument or solo
o fills: fit in spaces between lead lines
What was the British Invasion?
in the mid 1960s when English rock/pop groups gained enormous popularity in the US
Aside from the Beatles, who were some artists that were part of the British Invasion?
The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Hollies, The Who, The Animals, The Dave Clark Five, The Yardbirds, Herman’s Hermits
How was the song “Love Me Do” recorded during the first Beatles recording sessions?
the band played together and recorded all of the instrumentation (no vocals) to a mono tape, then they overdubbed their vocals by playing the mono instrument tape, sending the playback with the signal from their vocals to a second mono tape, and recording the blended signal
How was the Beatles album “Please Please Me” recorded?
the material was recorded to twin track- all instruments and vocals were recorded live, with the instruments sent to one track and the vocals (as well as guitar solos) sent to another track so they could be mixed later
What is “overdubbing”?
audio tracks that have been pre-recorded are then played back and monitored, while simultaneously recording new, doubled, or augmented tracks onto one or more available tracks of a tape recorder
What is a “punch in/drop in”?
performer can re-record and replace a specific phrase or section without recording over pre-recorded material before or after it
How did the Beatles overdub on the “Please Please Me” album? How is this different from how me might overdub today?
they overdubbed by bouncing from one twin track machine to another, listening to the previously recorded tracks over a speaker in the live room, this could be done as many times as desired. One drawback was that the overdubs could not be altered or removed once they were “committed” or finalized. Another drawback was that with each new overdub, earlier recordings would experience degradation known as “generational loss”
What is a “gobo”?
partitions to isolate instruments/vocals
What was the upgrade in recording studio technology at Abbey Road for the Beatles “I Want To Hold Your Hand” session?
first Beatles recording to make use of 4-track technology
Define the following recording studio techniques:
o double tracking: very often, the lead vocal would be recorded and heard in the mix twice, helping it to stand out in the mix
o half speed overdubbing: if a passage of music was particularly challenging to perform, the tape machine could be operated at half speed...the performance would need to be played at half speed and an octave lower than desired, so that when it was sped up it would sound in the correct octave
o echo chamber: a small room with reflective properties...a signal would be sent from the mixer to a speaker in the echo chamber, reverberate and reflect throughout the room then get re-recorded with a microphone at the other side of the room. The reflected sound would be brought back into the mix and usually blended with the original “dry” sound
Who were some American artists that were popular at the time the British Invasion started?
Roy Orbison, The Beach Boys, The Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, The Four Seasons, Jan and Dean, and The Four Tops
What are time based effects?
audio processors which operate by repeating or “replaying” a signal that has been received at the device’s input
What is reverb?
decaying signal that remains after a sound occurs, created by reflections as the sound bounces off barriers within an environment
What is long delay?
a delay that creates an audible echo, longer than 25-40 ms
What effects are created using long delay?
support, slap-back, emphasis, groove
What is short delay?
delay shorter than 35-40 ms, too short to hear a discrete echo
What effects are created using short delay? How are they different from one another?
flanging- 0-15 ms with modulation; chorusing- multiple delays, 15-35 ms with modulation; doubling- 15-35 ms, no modulation; phasing- similar to flanging but uses an all-pass filter instead of a simple delay to alter phase
When discussing a delay effect, define the following parameters:
o delay time: controls how long the device “holds” the delayed sound before replaying it
o feedback: number of repeats
o balance (or wet/dry mix): ratio of unaffected sound to affected
o depth: amount of modulation applied to the delayed signal
o rate: rate of the modulation applied to the delayed signal
What is slap back delay?
delay between 90-200 ms
When discussing a reverb effect, define the following:
o direct sound: unaffected sound from the source
o early reflections” first reflections from large structures
o reverberation: many reflections from all surfaces. Spaced closely enough in time so that they are not audible as different sounds
o predelay: the amount of time before the first reverberations of a signal are heard
o decay: indicates how long the reverb persists. Usually in terms of ms. Also known as RT60
What is an echo chamber?
a room designed with very hard, non-parallel surfaces and equipped with a speaker and microphone
What is a spring reverb?
one transducer causes a spring to vibrate and the reflected wave motions that travel through the spring are picked up by other transducers
What is a plate reverb?
a vibrating transducer feeds the sound into a 4’ x 6’ metal plate, and a pair of pick-ups extract the reverberation as vibrations bounce off the plate’s edges
What is equalization?
allows the engineer to selectively change the balance of frequencies in a signal
Why might you need to EQ a sound?
to correct specific problems in a recording or room, to overcome deficiencies in the frequency response of an instrument, to blend multiple instruments and sounds into a better overall mix, to alter sound purely for musical or creative reasons
What is bandwidth?
range of frequencies on either side of the center frequency
What is quality factor (Q)?
numerical value of bandwidth, smaller is higher number
What is a peaking filter?’
peak-shaped bell curve that can be either boosted or cut around a center frequency
What is a shelving filter?
rise or drop in frequency response at a selected frequency, which tapers off to a set level
What is a low pass filter?
allows low frequencies to pass through while high ones are attenuated
What is a high pass filter?
allows high frequencies to pass through while low ones are attenuated
What is soul music?
name given to a genre of music developed in African American communities during the 1950s and 1960s
Why was Motown Records significant?
catalog of successful artists and recordings, and was one of the few African American owned independent record labels
Who is Berry Gordy Jr?
founded Motown records in 1959 in Detroit
Who is James Jamerson?
seen today as an innovator on the bass
Who are Holland, Dozier, Holland?
Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland were a songwriting and production team who wrote for Motown between 1962 and 1967
Who were some successful Motown artists?
Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes
Why was Stax Records significant?
helped develop the “Memphis Soul (Southern Soul)” sound, music ranging from gospel to blues and funk
Who were Booker T and the MG’s?
integrated band, which was very rare for the South at this time. Booker T Jones on keyboards and AI Jackson on drums were African American, Lewie Steinberg on bass and Steve Cooper on guitar were white
Who is Steve Cooper?
guitarist for Booker T and the MG’s
Who were some successful Stax artists?
Booker T and the MG’s, David Porter, Isaac Hayes
Who was Jerry Wexler?
producer from Atlantic Records, worked with Tom Dowd as engineer
Why was Atlantic Records significant?
became known as an important American record label, specializing in jazz, R&B, and soul
Who was Ahmet Ertegun?
head of A&R for Atlantic records, focused on jazz artists
Who was Tom Dowd?
recording engineer/producer who played a big role in Atlantic’s development
What was the significance of Bobby Darin’s recording of “Splish Splash” in 1958?
first song to be recorded to 8-track in 1958
How was Philly Soul different from Motown or Stax?
made use of more intricate arrangements, heavily influenced by funk
Who were Gamble and Huff?
production/songwriting team for Philly Soul, founded Philadelphia International Records in 1971
Who were some successful artists for Philadelphia International Records?
The O’Jays, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Teddy Pendergrass, Patti Labelle
Who was Jimi Hendrix?
one of the most influential musicians in popular music, innovative electric guitar style and wild stage presence
How was Chas Chandler significant to the development of Jimi Hendrix’s career?
he was his manager and producer, helped Jimi form a band
How was the Jimi Hendrix Experience album “Are You Experienced” recorded?
recorded during 16 recording sessions at 3 different London studios
What is an Ocatvia pedal?
effects pedal designed for Jimi Hendrix- reproduces the input signal from a guitar one octave higher in pitch and adds distortion fuzz
Who is Eddie Kramer?
engineer whose approach to tracking the foundation was different from what had been done at CBS and De Lane Lea, also introduced a close mic approach in addition to the distant mic approach when recording Jimi’s guitar
What was different about Eddie Kramer’s approach to recording the Jimi Hendrix Experience than other engineers?
he recorded drums in stereo on two tracks
How was production for the Jimi Hendrix album “Electric Lady Land” different from “Are You Experienced” and “Axis: Bold as Love”?
Hendrix had grown frustrated with restrictions and took full control over production. Chas Chandler left during sessions due to Hendrix’s perfectionism and the chaotic studio environment; experimental recording techniques and layered overdubs; more just “jam sessions versus written out songs before recording”q
Why was the Jimi Hendrix album “Band of Gypsys” significant?
live album taken from a performance on Jan 1 1970 at the Fillmore Easy in NYC, fusing elements of R&B, improvisation, funk and rock, many consider it the foundation of a new genre “funk rock”
Who is Stevie Wonder?
singer, songwriter, musician, producer, his use of synths in the 1970s helped to reshape R&B and pop music
Who was Little Stevie Wonder?
child prodigy, first signed to Motown at age 11
Why were the Stevie Wonder albums “Innervisions,” “Fulfillingness’ First Finale” and “Songs in the Key of Life” significant?
he is the only artist to have won Album of the Year with three consecutive releases
What was “Tonto’s Expanding Head Band”? How were they relevant to Stevie Wonder?
electronic music duo who incorporated their synthesizers in Stevie’s recordings
What is a clavinet?
electronic keyboard instrument
Who is George Martin?
George Martin is a record producer, best known for producing The Beatles.
What does George Martin have to say concerning the differences of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s writing styles?
John was not as articulate about orchestration, whereas Paul was. John wouldn’t know exactly which instrument to write in at a specific moment, but Paul knew when he would want a specific instrument to come in.
Why does George Martin admire Brian Eno?
George admires Brian Eno because he thinks about the project for a while before jumping straight into it, and contributes something different and refreshing to his musical work. He is not a follower; he is an innovative leader.
What was Martin’s suggestion to Paul McCartney when working on Abbey Road? What did this mean? (Listen to all tracks from “Because” through “Her Majesty” on the George Martin Playlist)
George suggested that Paul should “think symphonically” and bring back themes from earlier works to use in the new record in different ways. This could mean using a melodic idea from one record and putting it in the bassline of another record.
Describe the recording process used for “Because”. (Listen to “Because” on the George Martin Playlist)
John played an arpeggio on the guitar, and then George duplicated it on electric harpsichord. They used Ringo on the drums as a metronome since there were no click tracks or drum machines at the time. Paul played bass, and then they did three tracks with three harmonies each, totaling nine harmonies.
What did George Martin learn from working with the Beatles?
George learned to never accept the obvious or second best, and to always look beyond what’s there. The Beatles were very curious and wanted to do things that weren’t possible, which made George a better producer.
What was Martin’s experience at Capitol Records in the mid 1950’s?
He found that the microphones, compressors, and limiters they used in the studio were better than what they had in England, so when he got back to England he told everyone that they had to re-equip the studio in order to make better records.
How did Martin record the first Beatles album? (Listen to “I Saw Her Standing There” through “Twist and Shout” on the George martin Playlist”)
The first Beatles album was a mono recording done on a stereo machine separated into twin tracks. All of the instruments were on one track and the vocals were on the other track, and it was recorded live in the studio.
Why does Martin think that the limitations of 4 track recording helped make Sgt. Pepper better? (Listen to “A Day in the Life” on the George Martin Playlist)
Recording on a 4 track helped them think ahead so that were better prepared for the recording. Also, it forced the performers to get it right during the recording process because they couldn’t just go back and fix it in the mix. It made them perform better.
What does Phil Ramone think is the most important aspect to a recording chain, and why?
Phil thinks that the preamp is the most important part of recording. As long as he has a good preamp, he believes that he can fix anything.
Describe Phil Ramone’s philosophy on the use of “space” in a recording, and how you can go about achieving a bigger space.
His sense of spaciousness mostly has to do with the way he records. With a small room, you can lacquer wood shades or shutters and put deadening materials on the other side of them to get rid of standing waves and make the room sound bigger. He believes that the best way to create space was to find an environment that sounded like there was an environment. Space is essential, and reverb is the only way to get it.
What are some of the “little things” that Phil Ramone describes as “making a record a record”?
Handclaps, triangles, cymbals, and shakers. You have to make sure to EQ them and make them fit into the track.
Who is Brian Wilson? What did Brian Wilson learn from Phil Spector’s productions?
Brian Wilson is the founder, lead singer, and songwriter for The Beach Boys. He learned that to achieve a similar sound to Phil’s, you need to get the musicians to “play hard.” Additionally, he learned that certain combinations of instruments could create a third sound.
How does Wilson approach his music productions?
He tries to capture his overall feeling for music on tape and bring it to life. He can hear the arrangement in his hear but not the sound, he can only hear it once the record is being made in the studio.
At the time of this interview, Wilson had been working with co-producers. Why?
Wilson was working with co-producers because he needed to bounce ideas back and forth between other people. He was struggling with writer’s and producer’s block, so it was helpful to have other people to work with.
How was Wilson able to arrange the vocal parts for the Beach Boys so well?
He treated their voices as an instrument and used their voices to create different textures. He knew their voices so well that he always instinctively knew which parts each guy would sing.
How does Wilson know when a record is “done”?
He just knew instinctively when it was done. He just knew when he had it right.
How did Brian Wilson have the Beach Boys sing their backing vocals?
They all sung around one mic, and if they needed to punch in, they all had to do it.
Why did Brian Wilson always work in mono? How did Brian Wilson use the available 4 tracks on “California Girls”?
He worked in mono because he lost his hearing in his right ear, so he couldn’t hear in stereo. All of the background orchestration was on one track, the background vocals were bounced in mono to another track, and then there were two lead vocals on the other two tracks.
106. Who is Arif Mardin?
Arif Mardin is a pianist, arranger, producer, and composer in the genres of rock, soul, rhythm, and blues.
What are Mardin’s thoughts on advances in technology at the time versus working with performers?
He believes that the advanced technology is helpful to be able to hear all of the parts and be able to quickly fill up the multitrack. However, he thinks it takes away a little bit of the gratification of hearing your work being performed by musicians for the first time.
Why does Mardin think that a musical education is so important?
He believes that it is very important to receive music education so that you know the chords and scales that will stand out and make your work stand out. He believes that you have to know the language of music to be able to produce something excellent.
What is Mardin’s typical workflow in producing a single? How long does he spend on the basic track, the vocals, the mix?
He spends two or three days on the basic track, a day for vocal overdubs, and a day and a half for the mix. He usually mixes two songs in three days and he spends about a week on a single.
Why does Mardin think that understanding the lyrical content of a song is so important as the producer?
As a producer, it is important to pay attention to the lyrical content so that you can add sounds and colors under certain lyrics to make them come alive and help the listener be able to feel and understand the lyrics.
Who is Eddie Kramer?
Eddie Kramer is an engineer/producer from South Africa who produced Kiss, Anthrax, Twisted Sister, Carly Simon, Santana, and Peter Frampton.
What is Kramer’s approach to drum mic techniques?
He uses a lot of high-quality mics and places them in the sweet spot depending on what type of sound he is going for. He also considers the room acoustics when miking drums. He usually does left-center-right overheads, close miking on toms, multiple mics on bass drum, and a mic on the snare and high hat, and recorded drums in stereo.
Why does Kramer use so many mics for the drums?
It allows for more flexibility when mixing; each mic will have its own distinct quality that will sum up to get the sound that he wants.
What does Kramer think is the most important piece of equipment for a home studio?
A decent console with good preamps.
How did Kramer record Paul Rodgers’ vocals?
He records Paul with a Shure SM57 handheld in the control room while the band is playing in the studio. The monitors are blasting but he stands behind Eddie and sings.
How does Kramer suggest improving the acoustics of a home studio?
Gaff-tape packing blankets to the wall, or wrap fiberglass with fabric and pin it to the wall.
How does Kramer get a good guitar sound?
Good miking technique on a good guitarist who already has a defined sound. He figures out where the cool speakers are and places 3 mics to capture the sound of the speaker. He then can pick and choose which mic he wants to use in the final mix because they will all sound different. Then he uses outboard gear before the signal hits the tape so it’s easier to mix.
How does Kramer approach mixing?
He would rather do most of the processing during the recording so that he doesn’t have to spend as much time mixing. He wants the original recording to be as close to the final mix as possible. When mixing, he starts with the drums and then works on panning each instrument to leave a hole for the voice and bass.
Who is Nile Rodgers?
Nile Rodgers is a guitarist who co-founded a band called Chic. He is also a producer, songwriter, and arrangement.
What is Rodgers’ approach concerning the structure and foundation of a song/recording?
If a song moves you in its rawest form, then you have a good foundation for the song. Songs should be written from the base up. Bass and bass drum are an integral part of the foundation. The stronger the foundation, the more artistic freedom you have. If the foundation is solid, it will support more layers.
What is Rodgers’ feeling on dynamics?
Artists should be able to play with intensity without necessarily playing loudly.
How does Rodgers view the relationship between producers and musicians?
A good producer should make an artist sound better, but not all producers 100% understand the musician’s intent. Every artist could benefit from a producer as long as the producer is in tune with the artist. He does not think that every producer is good enough to make an artist better.
What is Rodgers’ opinion of experimentation for sounds?
He believes that nothing is too crazy to try, and you should try anything to get the right sound for the record. He likes to question what new weird thing they could try now.
How does Rodgers record guitar?
He usually records the direct signal and then uses Amp Farm more often than re-amping the signal.
How does Rodgers record the backing track?
With a band, he tries to record the entire band with everyone playing at the same time. There is a guide vocal set up during the recording of th backing tracks.
How does Rodgers see the advances in recording technology affecting a musician’s performance?
It gives him the ability to preserve all of the musician’s takes in case they do something cool on one take. He can transfer the take anywhere without losing quality.
Why does Rodgers feel groove is so important?
The groove dictates the feel of the whole track, and it is important to get the groove feeling right before the recording starts.
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