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The daily adventures of "Mixerman"...


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Bookmarked as well... Seems frighteningly familar, though. Let's see... I would guess the Producer has taken this project on, if he is indeed "Big Time", without actually being able to have time alloted for such an endeavor, and is allowing Mixerman to "fix" things so he can come in after the fact and "save the day" for the label. In the meantime Lance gets a recording credit and brownie points for no doubt spying on the whole situation; the studio that the Producer *regularly* uses makes their money in the process. The Producer obviously doesn't have an intrinsic interest in the project, so his motivation is suspect. Said Producer, having said he thought Dumb Ass was a good drummer, is probably the guy that got the band their deal, in which case he's going to have a problem with issues regarding Dumb Ass. There's also the dichotomy of Lance knowing Producer prefers drums being set up in the original location, indicating Lance has done some sessions before, but at the same time Lance seemingly doesn't know anything? Contrary to that, if one assumes Mixerman is participating in a pre-arranged C-F in which he is taking the dive, perhaps this "totally obviously wrong" drum placement perhaps was meant to cause a problem from the start? Most likely wouldn't it be likely Producer is regarding the whole project as a "gift" to Mixerman, in exchange for basically handling the entire project? A boon-doggle for the studio? Or a situation where Producer is going to go back and say "see, I told you we needed So-and So as engineer". Apparently he wants Brendan O'Brien? Or lets see, doesn't Lanois endorse the p.a. in the room deal as well? The hair on the back of my neck is at attention for Mixerman I'm afraid....

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God, this is great stuff. I immediately flashed back to a session I was doing in the early '90s with a band that literally had never recorded before...anywhere. So I'm getting a drum sound. Everything seems okay (and the drummer, unlike Mixerman's hapless Dumb Ass, was indeed talented). The kick drum is boingy, though, and I go in and shove some packing blankets inside. I go back to the control room and ask him to try out the kick. THUMP. Me: "Okay, could you hit the kick more than once?" THUMP THUMP. Me (still being patient): "Okay, could you keep doing it until I ask you to stop?" The drummer hits the kick for about 10 seconds in straight quarter notes, then stops. Me: "Is something wrong?" Drummer: "Dude, how long do I have to do this?" Me: "Just a little while until we get a decent sound. Why?" Drummer: "I don't want to burn out doing this before we record." Me: "Don't worry. We can't record until we get a sound anyway." Drummer: "Oh, okay. But what if I get tired?" Me: "We'll take a break after we get a sound." Anyway, long story short, the guy just could never get the concept of why sounding good took precedence over immediately playing. In the end, we were happy just to have the guy's energy level surpass that of the average herion addict and rolled tape, then tried (mostly unsuccessfully) to fix the kick later with EQ and compression. Glad the only engineering I do these days is for my own goofy-ass tunes. - Jeff
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Wow, thanks for linking! First off, really good writing by the Mixerman. The whole thing reads like an elaborate parody.I hope he realizes he has an audience, and continues to write daily. It's like reading a novel in installments. SO, should we make predictions on how everything will pan out? (Yes, I said pan.) Will Willy Show ever show? Will the project ever get started? Will the project ever get completed? If the project does get completed, how many of the ten little indians will still be standing? (e.g., will Mixerman make it through to the finish line? Willy Show? Lance? The guitarist? Dear old Dumb Ass? Have we seen the last of Buck? Will the recordings ever be released? Will it chart? Will it tank? Will it set a new trend in the industry? Will it all be made into a feature film starring John Cusack as Mixerman, Jack Black as Dumb Ass, Colin Quinn as Lance (remember him as Artie's nephew on Larry Sanders?), and Phil Spector as the mysterious, reclusive Willy Show?
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Wow, the plot thickens! So...it seems that Willy Show isn't such a bad guy after all. I do like working with producers that actually let you do your job, and it sounds like Willy is leaving things open for Mixerman in a good way. If he'd been defensive about Dumb Ass/Cotton's playing ability, I would have felt bad for Mixerman in this situation, since I've been there before. But this seemed like the first day that MM really enjoyed the gig. And, the boy gets to edit with a blade (instead of a waveform). Right on! You go, Mixerman. :) - Jeff P.S. Bring your own chocolate muffin, though. Producer's rights includes the choice of muffins. Read your contract. ;)
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I've got to quit reading this at work; when Willy Show took the chocolate muffin I was rolling on the floor. This is a great piece of not only "recording-biz", but a fascinating psychological/political study besides. One question for you studio dudes: is it common to set up a PA on the drums, in the studio? I've never heard of this being done before (and apparently it didn't work).

Botch

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[quote]Originally posted by Botch: [b]is it common to set up a PA on the drums, in the studio? I've never heard of this being done before (and apparently it didn't work).[/b][/quote]Common? I don't think so. Unheard of? No. It's been done by a lot of bands. I think that Fleetwood Mac did it. Triumph used to put the PA speakers in the loading bay of the studio and mic those in addition to the drums. There are other examples whirling around in my head but I can't pull up any names at the moment. -- Rob
I have the mind of a criminal genius.....I keep it in the freezer next to mother.
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[quote] And, the boy gets to edit with a blade (instead of a waveform). Right on! [/quote]excuse my ignorance, but what is the razor blade for? is it for cutting tape or what... -cowfingers
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[quote]Originally posted by Cowfingers: [b] [quote] And, the boy gets to edit with a blade (instead of a waveform). Right on! [/quote]excuse my ignorance, but what is the razor blade for? is it for cutting tape or what... -cowfingers[/b][/quote]Wrist slashing...
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[quote]Originally posted by Cowfingers: [b]excuse my ignorance, but what is the razor blade for? is it for cutting tape or what... -cowfingers[/b][/quote]Yup, splicing tape with a razor blade. Something the old timers know and love :) Luckily I've never had to do it, from what I've heard it's a pain in the ass. -- Rob
I have the mind of a criminal genius.....I keep it in the freezer next to mother.
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[quote]Originally posted by Cowfingers: [b]excuse my ignorance, but what is the razor blade for? is it for cutting tape or what... -cowfingers[/b][/quote]Yes, it's what us "old-timers" know how to do. Mettalica's Black Album had so many edits on each track, that everybody crossed their fingers when they transferred it to the 3348.

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[quote]Originally posted by GT3: [b]I think it's obvious who Sir Arthur Conan Blowhard is :) ... One of the Lord-Alge's, y'think??[/b][/quote]That was my first thought too. Gotta be one of 'em. -- Rob
I have the mind of a criminal genius.....I keep it in the freezer next to mother.
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[quote]Originally posted by Henchman: [b] [quote]Originally posted by Cowfingers: [b]excuse my ignorance, but what is the razor blade for? is it for cutting tape or what... -cowfingers[/b][/quote]Yes, it's what us "old-timers" know how to do. Mettalica's Black Album had so many edits on each track, that everybody crossed their fingers when they transferred it to the 3348.[/b][/quote]I AM NOT AN OLD TIMER!!!! :) Yes, all those years ago, we took analog tape and something called a splicing block. You had your choice of three angles for cutting the tape, each for slightly different applications. Then, you cut sections of tape out and put them with other sections of tape. This is [i]destructive editing[/i], kiddies. You get one shot to get it right. Yes, it's still done a lot in big studios where analog is still godlike. In Mixerman's case, he'll be comping drums...taking measures here and there to make a really good section for a verse, chorus, bridge, whatever. Don't get me started on doing one-track window edits with a blade on a one-time performance 2" 24-track reel of 456. Scary ass shit!!!! :) Am I the only 34 year old here who's edited with a blade? C'mon, there's gotta be more. Please. - Jeff
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[quote]Originally posted by Botch: [b]I've got to quit reading this at work; when Willy Show took the chocolate muffin I was rolling on the floor. This is a great piece of not only "recording-biz", but a fascinating psychological/political study besides. One question for you studio dudes: is it common to set up a PA on the drums, in the studio? I've never heard of this being done before (and apparently it didn't work).[/b][/quote]One example: Jason Bonham's band "the Disregard of Timekeeping" was tracked with a tri-amped PA blowing back the drum tracks in a separate big room. This is simply a variation on the "echo chamber" which has been used on countless recordings from the early 50's (and maybe before) til today. Sometimes the speaker and microphone are towards the "lo-fi" end which gives a dirtier, thicker effect a la the 50's rockabilly records. Size of room, mics, playback system, placement of mic'ing, all play a part in the kind of effect that is created. One of the best big chambers was at Capitol studios (the long-decaying verb on the last pre-chorus of Beach Boy's "Good Vibrations"). RP
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