Tchad Blake: Mixing it Up
by Larry Crane
In Tape Op #16, my pal Stephen Murray interviewed Tchad Blake while he was in the middle of co-producing Pearl Jam's Binaural album in Seattle. Nearly two decades later, Tchad and I sat down in New...
interviews
We talk at length with record-makers about how they make records.
Jeff Tweedy: Staying Warm at The Loft
by Larry Crane
I've been in studios and rooms all over the world. I've seen where The Beatles spent hours creating masterpieces. I've been in the room where Buddy Holly's hits were made. I've stood at the mics...
Spencer Tweedy
by Larry Crane
Being that Spencer graciously helped Tape Op set up our interview with his dad, Jeff Tweedy, and that he sat patiently as I asked so many questions, we thought it'd be fun to talk to him about growing...
The Making of The National's "I Am Easy to Find"
by John Baccigaluppi
The National are a musical group who have been together for 20 years, have released multiple critically acclaimed albums, all while retaining the same lineup for the entire time. The band consists of...
Tom Schick: Being Ready, Moving Fast!
by Larry Crane
Formerly chief engineer at Sear Sound [Tape Op #41], Tom Schick proved his skills in the studio with artists like Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Sean Lennon, and Rufus Wainwright. As a freelance engineer...
Holly Herndon: Fighting Automation with Artificial Intelligence
by Angelica Tavella
In March of 2018 I met Holly Herndon at a hotel on the outskirts of Berlin, just two weeks before she was set to defend her Doctor of Musical Arts Music Composition dissertation from Stanford...
Ryan Bingham: Making Records
by Geoff Stanfield
From humble beginnings in Hobbs, New Mexico, and a childhood spent moving from oilfield to oilfield for his father's jobs, Ryan Bingham rode bulls and eventually learned to play a guitar given to him...
Avedis Kifedjian: This Issue's Overlord of Op-Amps
by John Baccigaluppi
Part of my job with Tape Op is talking with our advertisers, and I particularly enjoy talking with the smaller, boutique audio makers. Of that group, Avedis Kifedjian is one of my favorite people to...
Dave Cook: Landing at Area 52
by David Rothenberg
Dave Cook, recording and live engineer extraordinaire, has worked with The B-52s, King Crimson, Cindy Cashdollar, David Bowie, Amy Helm, Ravi Shankar, Mamadou Kelly, Maya Beiser, Suzanne Vega, and...
Mitch Dane: Carving a Path Through the Wilderness
by Larry Crane
When I visited Nashville and interviewed Vance Powell [Tape Op #82] years ago, I met his buddy, Mitch Dane, who shared the Sputnik Sound studio space with him. Over the years Mitch and I have spent...
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A Practical Guide to Loudness Metering for the Recording Studio
by Aaron Mullan
Years ago, before they hired (Tape Op contributor) Chris Koltay to tour with them, I mixed the band Deerhunter at a festival. Afterward I went to find the band and say hello. Lead singer and guitarist...