After the internet came along and made sharing of information easier, I noticed an interesting trend. Maybe it's because of that misguided impulse of "doing it the right way" that beginners attempt to apply to the recording arts. Could it be that it's related to the "Do You Really Need to be 'Doing It Like a Pro'?" End Rant I wrote for issue #159? Is it some sort of lazy internet-propagated consensus that just built up over time? Whatever has caused it, I've steadily observed an adoption of techniques that many young recordists seem to regard as absolutes. As I've probably noted one thousand times in Tape Op, there are no rules that one must follow to make a great recording. Many albums and songs we love were made in all sorts of different ways with varying gear, as well as with a wide palette of sonic results. Variety is good. What is "bad" is to assume that if one is not applying some certain techniques, that their recordings will be inferior. So, with that in mind, here's a list of recording techniques I've noticed that many seem to have adopted as mandatory. I'm here to tell you to always make these sorts of techniques a decision, not a must-do. And, of course, in the spirit of this article, feel free to ignore any of these rules as you wish!
Mix Bus Processing
I cannot count the number of times someone has gasped when I told them I wasn't going to strap a compressor, limiter, or EQ on the left/right output of my console when mixing. I can, and I have done this at times. But most of the time my mixes don't need it, and it makes my recall process easier, so I don't use one. I don't believe I ever once saw anyone do this – or even heard about it – in the '80s or '90s when I was making records as an artist.
Parallel Drum Limiting
I'm not sure when I first learned this technique, and I definitely currently use it a lot, but I can attest to making thousands of mixes without it years ago. In fact, in many styles of music it can really mess up the dynamics by bringing the close mics too close to the listener. Use carefully!
Not Mic'ing the Hi-Hat