Learn Something Man...
SPlDEY
Vegas 3,375 Posts
There's been some inspiring shit online lately..
Bruce Swedien[/b] joined up with Harmony Central, and has just been dropping knowledge gems like crazy that probably some of you Strut producers can appreciate. Here's the link, and Here's some excerpts:http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?t=996583I want to see the Music Recording Industry put back in the hands of the people who love recording music for the music's sake! That's where it was when I began in the middle 1950's. Since that point in time the Music Recording Industry has been more and more controlled by the people who are only interested in the "Bottom Line"! Those are the folks who wouldn''t know a great record if it came in the room wearing Red Overshoes!---We would spend alot of time getting the Acoustic space just right. When I recorded "Basie's Band" and "Ellington's Band" and 'Woody's Band", the studio set-up was ultra important!When I started work as a professional, at Universal Recording in Chicago, I was only twenty-two years old. That point in time was the end of the Big Band era. Music recording was in a state of revolution. I got to spend every day in the studio with the likes of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Woody Herman and so on... The year just before my work at Universal, was spent working for RCA Victor in Chicago, where I recorded not only the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, but a couple of absolutely spectacular Chicago Big Bands.(And some fantastic smaller bands too!) Talk about the use of real acoustic spaces for reverbs, and the fact that today digital reverbs -- are few and far between that can even begin to reproduce the insanely complex reflection characteristics of "real" reverbs and spaces.---Anderton: Hey Bruce, was this a common technique back then? It seems vocals recorded a few decades ago have more space...was super--close miking always the "way to go," or a more recent development?Bruce: Craig, I think that in recent days in the studio, microphone technique has become a thing of the past for many. Like..... "Just get it in the computer, then we'll fix it! Or "Just get it in the computer, then we'll make it sound good!" In fact it's the other way around. If it goes in the computer sounding really good, it will always sound really good! Just listen to the radio(For five minutes if you can stand it!), you'll hear what I'm talking about....---When my pal Andres Levin and I were in Havana a couple of years ago working on a project for Sony of France, we discovered an extremely hot band there and brought them back to New York with us. The name of the band is "Yerba Buena"...Check out the entire album, please!!! It sound's great and it's doing really, really well.---Phil: Hey Bruce, I have a question for you - what are your thoughts on the trend towards smaller tracking rooms these days?Brucie: But you don't have to buy a cow just because you want a glass of milk do you? Whats wrong with finding a larger space, that sounds good to you, and then using that for a large room acoustic on your recordings when you need it, say then renting it or something? I think a lot of the recording folks today like to sit on their ass in front of a computer.... That's not how you make memorable recordings! At least I don't think so... Sitting on your ass in front of a computer may be good therapy, but it doesn't make good music....---Quincy Jones shows up at Universal Recording Studios...I first met Quincy Jones in 1959 at Universal Recording Studios In Chicago. Quincy was about 23, I had just turned 22. Quincy was a vice-president of Mercury records. He was the youngest executive with a major label in the industry, and Quincy was the only black executive with a major label in the entire industry. When we met at Universal Studios in Chicago we were recording a Dinah Washington album for Mercury records. Quincy wrote the arrangements and a guy by the name of Jack Tracy produced the album. So we spent a lot of time together. Probably for the next 2-3 years doing Mercury projects. We did something for Norman Granz and a bunch of different labels.We think alike and our tastes are alike in a lot of things. In simple terms, we like to work together. So we did a lot of wonderful projects in Chicago.... Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughn and several other things too. One of the things that's really important to me is the way Quincy and I work in the studio. We have a lot of fun while we're doing a project - and I think it shows in the music. Also, we both love good food.Then Quincy went to France, Sweden and a lot of other countries in Europe. After that he moved to New York, so we lost track of each other for quite a few years. In 1975 we hooked up again in Los Angeles. We did a couple of Brothers Johnson albums for A & M, and an album with Lesley Gore and George Benson. Also of course, we did a few Quincy Jones albums. When I started my work at Universal Recording in Chicago, one of my first assignments was to record the Oscar Peterson Trio in big, beautiful, Studio ‘A’. Studio ‘A’ was about 80 feet long, 50 feet wide with a 25 foot ceiling height. One of the best sounding large music studios in the world! Absolutely incredible sounding!!! I spent many happy days and nights, during the summer of 1959 and again during the summer of 1960, with Oscar Peterson playing piano, Ray Brown playing bass and Ed Thigpen on drums, recording on miles of tape. It was the most incredible music I had ever heard. I don't recall exactly how many albums I did with "The Trio" but suffice it to say it was quite a few. We had a superb Steinway Model B Piano in studio A. Oscar loved that instrument. He made it sound glorious. Sometimes, especially in the summer in Chicago, I had to have a piano tuner on stand-by to touch up twangy notes for Oscar. We would often do an entire album in one day. This 22 year old kid from Minneapolis had heard a Jazz trio before, but NEVER like this one! I didn't realize that jazz could be performed with such heart-felt emotion. I had never heard such dynamics in jazz before! Talk about musical excitement! I get chills just thinking about hearing those guys play. That time at Universal Studios, recording the "Oscar Peterson Trio" I call my years of "Recording The Unbelievable Music".Most of the music that I recorded with The Trio was "The Composer Series", sometimes known as "The Songbook Series", released on Verve Records with Norman Granz. However, I also got to record a live album with The Trio, in July, 1961 at the London House, on Michigan Avenue and The River in Chicago. That was great fun. I treasure those moments that I spent at Universal Recording in Chicago.... recording The Oscar Peterson Trio. I was definitely at the Right Place at the Right Time!- spidey
Bruce Swedien[/b] joined up with Harmony Central, and has just been dropping knowledge gems like crazy that probably some of you Strut producers can appreciate. Here's the link, and Here's some excerpts:http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?t=996583I want to see the Music Recording Industry put back in the hands of the people who love recording music for the music's sake! That's where it was when I began in the middle 1950's. Since that point in time the Music Recording Industry has been more and more controlled by the people who are only interested in the "Bottom Line"! Those are the folks who wouldn''t know a great record if it came in the room wearing Red Overshoes!---We would spend alot of time getting the Acoustic space just right. When I recorded "Basie's Band" and "Ellington's Band" and 'Woody's Band", the studio set-up was ultra important!When I started work as a professional, at Universal Recording in Chicago, I was only twenty-two years old. That point in time was the end of the Big Band era. Music recording was in a state of revolution. I got to spend every day in the studio with the likes of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Woody Herman and so on... The year just before my work at Universal, was spent working for RCA Victor in Chicago, where I recorded not only the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, but a couple of absolutely spectacular Chicago Big Bands.(And some fantastic smaller bands too!) Talk about the use of real acoustic spaces for reverbs, and the fact that today digital reverbs -- are few and far between that can even begin to reproduce the insanely complex reflection characteristics of "real" reverbs and spaces.---Anderton: Hey Bruce, was this a common technique back then? It seems vocals recorded a few decades ago have more space...was super--close miking always the "way to go," or a more recent development?Bruce: Craig, I think that in recent days in the studio, microphone technique has become a thing of the past for many. Like..... "Just get it in the computer, then we'll fix it! Or "Just get it in the computer, then we'll make it sound good!" In fact it's the other way around. If it goes in the computer sounding really good, it will always sound really good! Just listen to the radio(For five minutes if you can stand it!), you'll hear what I'm talking about....---When my pal Andres Levin and I were in Havana a couple of years ago working on a project for Sony of France, we discovered an extremely hot band there and brought them back to New York with us. The name of the band is "Yerba Buena"...Check out the entire album, please!!! It sound's great and it's doing really, really well.---Phil: Hey Bruce, I have a question for you - what are your thoughts on the trend towards smaller tracking rooms these days?Brucie: But you don't have to buy a cow just because you want a glass of milk do you? Whats wrong with finding a larger space, that sounds good to you, and then using that for a large room acoustic on your recordings when you need it, say then renting it or something? I think a lot of the recording folks today like to sit on their ass in front of a computer.... That's not how you make memorable recordings! At least I don't think so... Sitting on your ass in front of a computer may be good therapy, but it doesn't make good music....---Quincy Jones shows up at Universal Recording Studios...I first met Quincy Jones in 1959 at Universal Recording Studios In Chicago. Quincy was about 23, I had just turned 22. Quincy was a vice-president of Mercury records. He was the youngest executive with a major label in the industry, and Quincy was the only black executive with a major label in the entire industry. When we met at Universal Studios in Chicago we were recording a Dinah Washington album for Mercury records. Quincy wrote the arrangements and a guy by the name of Jack Tracy produced the album. So we spent a lot of time together. Probably for the next 2-3 years doing Mercury projects. We did something for Norman Granz and a bunch of different labels.We think alike and our tastes are alike in a lot of things. In simple terms, we like to work together. So we did a lot of wonderful projects in Chicago.... Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughn and several other things too. One of the things that's really important to me is the way Quincy and I work in the studio. We have a lot of fun while we're doing a project - and I think it shows in the music. Also, we both love good food.Then Quincy went to France, Sweden and a lot of other countries in Europe. After that he moved to New York, so we lost track of each other for quite a few years. In 1975 we hooked up again in Los Angeles. We did a couple of Brothers Johnson albums for A & M, and an album with Lesley Gore and George Benson. Also of course, we did a few Quincy Jones albums. When I started my work at Universal Recording in Chicago, one of my first assignments was to record the Oscar Peterson Trio in big, beautiful, Studio ‘A’. Studio ‘A’ was about 80 feet long, 50 feet wide with a 25 foot ceiling height. One of the best sounding large music studios in the world! Absolutely incredible sounding!!! I spent many happy days and nights, during the summer of 1959 and again during the summer of 1960, with Oscar Peterson playing piano, Ray Brown playing bass and Ed Thigpen on drums, recording on miles of tape. It was the most incredible music I had ever heard. I don't recall exactly how many albums I did with "The Trio" but suffice it to say it was quite a few. We had a superb Steinway Model B Piano in studio A. Oscar loved that instrument. He made it sound glorious. Sometimes, especially in the summer in Chicago, I had to have a piano tuner on stand-by to touch up twangy notes for Oscar. We would often do an entire album in one day. This 22 year old kid from Minneapolis had heard a Jazz trio before, but NEVER like this one! I didn't realize that jazz could be performed with such heart-felt emotion. I had never heard such dynamics in jazz before! Talk about musical excitement! I get chills just thinking about hearing those guys play. That time at Universal Studios, recording the "Oscar Peterson Trio" I call my years of "Recording The Unbelievable Music".Most of the music that I recorded with The Trio was "The Composer Series", sometimes known as "The Songbook Series", released on Verve Records with Norman Granz. However, I also got to record a live album with The Trio, in July, 1961 at the London House, on Michigan Avenue and The River in Chicago. That was great fun. I treasure those moments that I spent at Universal Recording in Chicago.... recording The Oscar Peterson Trio. I was definitely at the Right Place at the Right Time!- spidey
Comments
Joe Bataan
http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/DIARIES.18.0.html?act_aced=114&act_dpid=115
Mizzell brothers
http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/DIARIES.18.0.html?act_aced=114&act_dpid=116
Arthur Verocai
http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/DIARIES.18.0.html?act_aced=114&act_dpid=113
Gilberto Gil
http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/LECTURES.95.0.html?act_session=29
Claudio Simonetti
http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/LECTURES.95.0.html?act_session=114
---
By the way, if there's anything knowledge related that's inspiring you. Please hook me up!
- spidey
MY BOY went to austrailia this last year of the RBMA.
he has a great attitude, intelligence, and thought for good music...
seriously what you got???
1200 posts?
- spidey
on a real note...
you should apply[/b]
its a great experience.
Its worth it for everyone.
btw...i wasnt pointing directly at you...
And the advice about using the room and mic placement is SO important and overlooked.
I had always previously thought Oscar was a blues player but such is the folly of youth. Like the time I went to see Pharoah Sanders and the band walk onstage in this little club, and some 18-yr old girl says "Oh god! these guys are all dead old! this is going to be shit".
: DavidBannerHulkEyes :
dude i know used to run some shit for redbull and the academy. he told me since there isn't a lot of girls applying, they have a better shot of being accepted to help balance out ratios.
What the hell was she doing there anyway.
There is an old saying in the North of England "There's none so deaf as will not hear". i.e. if you come deliberately unprepared to listen, you will never, ever get it.
There's room for both types of music.
not excatly true if you go to the website, you'll see.
www.redbullmusicacaedmy.com
well maybe not, but up there for sure.
let me know if you need help with your application. you dont need 1200 posts....just to be yourself dawg. as cliche as that sounds its true...
ok, i'll tell my friend who worked for redbull and was a part of the program that he's a liar. thanks!
hhmmm.. that gives me an idea..
- spidey
hey whose your friend. i may know him.
His name is Mentiroso Baboso. Holler!
oh, im not trying to get anyone in trouble here....I got to know everyone on the staff really well and I got along with everyone great. just curious who our mutual friend is. thats all.
I dont think by naming that person they will get in trouble though. Everyone was talking about the inner workings of the academy. it was pretty common. and they publicly talked about having a diverse group that was pretty even across the board (gender, origin, musical styles, etc).
Thank you much for posting this. The Podcast page is going to set me for quite some time:
http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/PODCASTS.132.0.html
I will definitely hit you up on that, thanks.
- spidey
HA!
(someone hook me up with RBMA
dude, you out of ANYONE i know would be parfait for this. plaese to hollar.
its all on the site but it goes like this:
you fill out the 16 page application and send your music in with it. "your" music could be a mix, produced tracks, anything.
The application is very quirky and heavy at the same time. You will get asked questions that seem to be right at home with the threads on this board as of late alongside very serious questions. All the questions are designed to get you to let your guard down and really be yourself. This part is important as all the applications get screened by psychologists before they even get to the staff at the academy. They want to find the two groups of 30 participants that will work best with each other and fit in with the spirit of the academy ( no egomaniacs, people up for sharing, people down with tollerance, etc. ). Then the recommended applications make there way to the academy and a minimum of two people from the staff read each application and listen to the music. for there more of the same selecting process happens but with the inclusion of what each person will bring to the table musically.
As mentioned before diversity and balance is key here so you wont find a term with 30 heads that are all looking for raer heaters when there is free time. you get some singers, some songwriters, some djs (me), producers, rappers, and some musicians. Some cats that are just starting, some cats that have had multiple albums (term 2 had aloe blacc as a participant for example).
All I can say is the selection process really works. everyone from my term got along great. everyone was very supportive, level-headed, and mad talented! Some cats from my terms that peeps on this board may know are flying lotus and oddisee. Those dudes are talented muh-fuckas but they were not the exception to the rule talent wise at all. It was kinda mind blowing actually.....
so yeah, apply! It was an amazingly inspiring experience and has led to many lasting friendships and a handfull of networking related contacts (something I sorely lack). the lectures are fantasitc but my favorite times came in between the lectures. workin with people like harmonic 33 on a track, getting a lesson from wajeed on the deeper tools within the mpc, getting a lesson in mastering engineering from john dent, going on drinking rampages with wajeed and cinnaman (from rush hour records in amsterdam), getting my hiphop industry insider info on with chairman mao, eating the pretty fly catering, watching todd osborne destroy the 808/303/juno combo, man it really just goes on and on...
so much music crammed into so little time.