Erin Barra: The Dream I Never Knew I Had
by Ainjel Emme
Erin Barra – nicknamed "Mamma Barra" by her many clients and students due to her nurturing, hands-on approach – is a woman of many hats. She is the founder of Beats By Girlz, an...
interviews
We talk at length with record-makers about how they make records.
Annie Clark: Down the Rabbit Hole with St. Vincent
by Cian Riordan
From the early days of touring with indie luminaries The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens, to releasing six albums as St. Vincent and recently wrapping up production on a record for...
Andrew Sarlo: Sanctuary of Possibility
by Ryan Sommer
Andrew Sarlo's sense of being grounded, coupled with his simultaneous respect for personality and human emotion made for a unique and rewarding interview experience. Even with credits like Nick...
Jim Heath is Reverend Horton Heat
by Larry Crane
Reverend Horton Heat has been pushing the rockabilly envelope since 1985. Lead singer and guitarist Jim Heath is certainly the focal point, but his pal, Jimbo Wallace, has been slapping the upright...
Mark Howard: Listen Up!
by Roman Sokal
Born in the UK and raised in Canada, Grammy-winning veteran engineer/producer Mark Howard has traveled the globe, combining whatever vibe he conjures while oftentimes applying an experimental and...
Working Happy
by Justin Douglas
When I was an assistant engineer at a prominent studio – back when those two things existed – I worked a short stint with a well-known rock producer. After a long first day that featured...
Greg Laswell: Writing, Recording, Golfing
by Larry Crane
The career of songwriter Greg Laswell may seem atypical, yet it fits in with how the music world works these days. From early on in his solo career songs seemed to magically get placed on popular...
The Residents & The Odd Odyssey of Hardy Fox's Synthesizer
by Ego Plum
It’s been one year since the passing of Hardy Fox, primary songwriter and co-founder of The Residents. This story is about one of his most important musical tools, the ARP Odyssey synthesizer....
Brittany Howard & Shawn Everett: Being Imperfect
by Scott McDowell
I have a habit of getting low key obsessed with certain artists, especially producers and engineers. For months I just can't stop listening to records they've touched. Earlier this year I had a few...
Eric Valentine: Under the Hood of UnderTone
by John Baccigaluppi
We first interviewed Eric Valentine in Tape Op #45 and discussed his production career and techniques. Eric is well known as a producer and engineer for working with Third Eye Blind, Smash Mouth, Good...
The Ocean Blue's David Schelzel
by Larry Crane
The Ocean Blue have been making dreamy pop albums since the late ‘80s. Their new release, Kings and Queens / Knaves and Thieves, is a perfect example of a self-recorded album that works in the...
Arun Pandian & Devin Greenwood: Mixing a Broken Orchestra
by Bren Davies
Brian and I drove to Philly on Sunday, December 3, 2017, to attend the first of two world premier performances and recording sessions for Symphony for a Broken Orchestra by composer David Lang, a...