When I first heard Buried at Sea's epic, super-slow-motion Migration a few years ago, I remember thinking, "This is pretty goddamn heavy" and "This lacks any high end whatsoever." The ballsy...
Dave Jerden has engineered produced and mixed some of the most cutting edge ground breaking records in studios all around the world. Just take a listen to his engineering and mixing of Brian Eno and...
Not many in our field can make the claim of composing a bona fide alternative anthem with "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding," producing a handful of the century's most...
Neil Brockbank is part of a dying breed of true pros. For the past few years he has been traveling with celebrated songsmith Nick Lowe on Lowe's solo tours, tirelessly wearing the hats of driver,...
I interviewed Bob Weston in 2000 [Tape Op #18] about his music recording career to date. Bob and I remained in touch, and along the way I met Jason Ward, another studio guy who toured as a live...
Known as the "Father of Audio" in Arizona, Jack Miller has had a long history in the recording world that including a mid-'50's mobile recording gig in Chicago, some hit-making, late-'50s sessions in...
Tim Latham has spent the past 24 years quietly making some great sounding records (except for when he's been nominated for and won a few Grammys), first in-house at Battery Studios in New York,...
When I first heard Buried at Sea's epic, super-slow-motion Migration a few years ago, I remember thinking, "This is pretty goddamn heavy" and "This lacks any high end whatsoever." The ballsy...
Queens, NY, native Greg Calbi has stood atop the musical food chain since the mid-1970s when he burst onto the scene mastering monumental albums like John Lennon's Walls and Bridges and Bruce...
Known as the "Father of Audio" in Arizona, Jack Miller has had a long history in the recording world that includes hit-making, late-'50s sessions in Phoenix with Duane Eddy and Lee Hazlewood and a...
Neil Brockbank is part of a dying breed of true pros. For the past several years he has been traveling with celebrated songsmith Nick Lowe on Lowe's solo tours, tirelessly wearing the hats of driver,...
Doug Haire has been a staff engineer (a rarity these days) at Jack Straw Studios in Seattle since 1990. He’s recorded just about every kind of music and engineered countless live radio...
Ken McKim is truly a member of the most endangered species in the world of professional audio recording, with a knowledge and database of audio electronics that transcends decades. Ken has been the...
Dave Jerden has engineered, produced and mixed some of the most cutting-edge, ground breaking records in studios all around the world. Just take a listen to his engineering and mixing of Brian Eno...
In issue #84 I wrote an End Rant entitled "The Big Misconception." In it, I railed against the concept that a computer could replace an entire studio. I still say it can't really do as such, and to...
In mid-October, a bunch of us from Tape Op attended the new-products exhibition at the AES Convention. I'll mention some of the items on display that captivated me the most. ••• New to...
sE Electronics recently teamed up with Rupert Neve to produce a new series of microphones, including the RNR1 active ribbon (Tape Op #85) and the RN17 small-diaphragm condenser. The principle...
The CV4 comes from Miktek in Nashville, and it combines modern construction with classic tube mic design and componentry. Right off the bat, the mic gets your attention with its chrome head, brushed...
Okay, let me be as clear and concise as possible: the Telefunken AR-51 is the best condenser microphone I’ve ever tested for this mag (and I’ve tested a few). This mic utilizes circuit...
I have to say that as an engineer and producer, I’ve been blessed with being able to work with many talented singer/songwriters. The one thing I’ve discovered is that the best performances...
When Steinberg announced the plug-in versions of the Rupert Neve Designs Portico 5033 EQ (Tape Op #57) and 5043 Compressor (#59), I jumped at the chance to try them. These plug-ins are based on...
The Opticom XLA-3 uses a photocell-based detection circuit coupled with tube make-up gain. The first famous compressor with this topology, of course, is the Teletronix LA-2A; its rich and dark tone...
Fairly young and becoming something of an instant legend, the Event Opal is getting tons of attention. It’s not often that a company scales a rather diverse monitor range down to a single...
Are your ears being damaged? Do you attend loud concerts? Set up mics on fidgety drummers? Rehearse in a small room? Ride the subway? I don’t think that most of my friends are aware of the...
RockruepelWith so much amazing boutique gear available these days, I have to confess that I don’t get all that excited when I hear about yet another expensive tube compressor being made in...
Tonelux was one of the first companies to design and build summing amps, and as the field continues to grow, Tonelux has released their newest offering, the OTB16, a 16-channel summing amp designed by...
This hefty, 350-page hardbound book is based on the studio design firm Recording Architecture Limited’s 23 years of experience in recording studio design — from small, private project...
Maybe I’m old school, but I find it difficult to record and mix without a console. When making decisions about the sound of a piece of music (as opposed to the structure of the song), I find it...
SNAZZY FXIn the current age of computer-based recording, it’s easy for in-the-box effects like reverb, delay, and such to come off as sounding too “under control.” I’ve...
Glyph Production Technologies recently released a new member to its line of professional drives. Called the PortaGig 62, it packs the full features of a Glyph in a space that fits in the palm of your...
Forming a band in Hawaii and shooting for national recognition must be a difficult undertaking. Even to tour around your home state requires flights or travel by sea, and living in a tourist-based...
I've known Richard since the '80s when we both played in bands in California. Sometime in 2001 or so, Richard, J.D. Foster [Tape Op #34] and I began what was to be his sixth album. It was never...
Crock is Sam Coomes of Quasi [Tape Op #2] and Spencer Seim of Hella. Those rock credentials should indicate that the music might not be laid back or easy listening. Much of the album was initiated by...
