Interesting interview with Daniel Lanois (U2, Dylan, etc.) on recording philosophy

[Bob Womack]

He covers working with groups, creating mixes, interpersonal interaction, etc. 'Twas fascinating to me. You can find it HERE.

Bob

[rhancox]

Very cool. Thanks for sharing that. Very interesting ideas that can be applied to many things in life, not just recording.

[ljguitar]

Wow Bob…
How interesting and revealing...good stuff.

How does this compare/contrast with your world of recording?

[Bob Womack]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

How does this compare/contrast with your world of recording?

Interesting that you should ask because I was rolling it over in my mind. I am currently working as co-producer, engineer, and guitarist on a series of recordings. The producer, arranger, and keyboardist on the series is a young woman, very bright and talented. It's her first time producing others. We had to develop a working relationship as we went, and it has been interesting, challenging, and fun.

In my current collaboration, interestingly enough, we track the main tracks, do overdubs, and comp (compile) vocal takes down together. Then I'll schedule time alone to bring in my gear and sweeten the tracks with various types of guitar. My collaborator will hear them on her next update session and we'll discuss them. As a result, I usually throw a bunch of stuff onto the song as options to lessen the chance that I have to make multiple trips. That sometimes means stuff gets a down vote by my collaborator. I did my overdubs in two sessions worth on the last one with a review in between.

My collaborator is more keyed into performance. She's also very much the live performance-based musician. When she sits down to record her parts, it is often two takes and done, with perhaps a fix for a clam or two. She arrives at the session with a plan and she executes it. She basically doesn't seem to think in terms of experimenting. I, on the other hand, usually have a plan, but like to spend the time to try a few things as well. That would drive her nuts. So she comes in after my sessions and gives my additions an up/down vote. She's a fun combination of open to ideas and very opinionated so I often have to do a bit of PR before she's sold. We did a song that involved alternating between two chords and it just begged for a spacey lap steel part gliding between the chords. I sold her the idea by quoting my inspiration: Sarah McLachlan with guitarist Yves Desrosier. It turned out that she loves Sarah. Voile'!

Eno has always been a bit experimental, though he often has a tension structure prearranged for his songs and even his experimentation. It looks like a good part of that has rubbed off on Daniel and the communication they practice seems to create a great environment. I'd love to get that going with my present producer.

I usually do the mix alone. I've got my head in the current mix trends and understand the stereo image, processing, etc. By the last overdub or comp session I've got the foundation of the mix pretty well in mind and my direction pretty well in hand, so I'll describe my direction and take suggestions. Then it's off to mixing alone. first I'll do the cleanup, final EQs, and leveling and then begin working in the balancing automation. Usually, somewhere in the middle before the final mix is done I'll bring back my producer and let her hear it and make comments. Then I'm back alone executing that stuff. Finally, I'll present it to her and we bring in the executive producer for the final ok.

Something I've rarely heard anyone talk about is a feeling that sometimes appears at the start of the mixing where you've got a goal and you are having a hard time making it happen. It's an exasperated kind of, "Is this thing ever going to fall together?" Usually there is a problem area that you are struggling with that needs to be beaten. With me, it usually wants an overnight to get away from the mix. The next morning I'll go, "Ah, of course!" and it falls right in. It's not unlike working on guitar techniques, actually.

Bob

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

...Something I've rarely heard anyone talk about is a feeling that sometimes appears at the start of the mixing where you've got a goal and you are having a hard time making it happen. It's an exasperated kind of, "Is this thing ever going to fall together?" Usually there is a problem area that you are struggling with that needs to be beaten. With me, it usually wants an overnight to get away from the mix. The next morning I'll go, "Ah, of course!" and it falls right in. It's not unlike working on guitar techniques, actually.

Hi Bob…
Enjoyed your answer, thanks.

How soon after engineering a project do you set about doing mixing? For me it requires a couple days to dry my brains out.

Also, there are times when I had the studio going that one of us would engineer and the other mix and then sit down together after all that and review/tweak.

And I did certain tasks best, and the other engineer other ones so we'd call each other in to do certain parts.

Though the studio has been closed for three years now, I have a new MOTU firewire interface and am planning on recording a project over the next few months with my gigging partner - mostly 'live' renditions of our duo pieces.

Hopefully we can capture the spontaneity and freedom of working in studio the way we do live. Possibly I’ll just assign a computer and hard drive to the project and leave it set up so we can walk in with 30 minutes notice and record a take or two, do the backup/housekeeping and walk away.

[Bob Womack]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi Bob…
Enjoyed your answer, thanks.

Thank you!

How soon after engineering a project do you set about doing mixing? For me it requires a couple days to dry my brains out.

I'm in a rather interesting situation in that I work in an environment where out day-to-day fodder is audio post for video. We stay booked pretty tightly so I have automatic spacing between music sessions due to my other work. I find that somewhere along the line, either during the mixing process or between it and the recording process, I need distance. I also like distance between tracking and sweetening sessions to let things percolate inside my head and new ideas to crop up.

Also, there are times when I had the studio going that one of us would engineer and the other mix and then sit down together after all that and review/tweak. And I did certain tasks best, and the other engineer other ones so we'd call each other in to do certain parts.

I've mixed other people's projects but I haven't had it go the other way. Probably an anomaly of the places where I work.

Though the studio has been closed for three years now, I have a new MOTU firewire interface and am planning on recording a project over the next few months with my gigging partner - mostly 'live' renditions of our duo pieces.

Hopefully we can capture the spontaneity and freedom of working in studio the way we do live. Possibly I’ll just assign a computer and hard drive to the project and leave it set up so we can walk in with 30 minutes notice and record a take or two, do the backup/housekeeping and walk away.

I keep saying that about my own projects but I seem to never get around to my own work. Gotta get motivated. By the way, the method I use when I am the sole producer on a project is similar to Eno's and Daniel's method. I choose people I want to and like to work with and then set up a cooperative atmosphere where there is no "danger" in coming up with ideas. Some of the best producers I've worked with have worked by this method and I love the way it gets me involved and makes me feel some ownership. It's fun to see what others can contribute and what direction they can pull a project. It doesn't work every time because sometimes I have a pretty settled vision for the song.

Bob

[muscmp]

simply a great article, bob!!
especially the part about saying yes to other's ideas. how many times have you been in a situation where everyone wants only their ideas. obviously, this philosophy can be transferred to our every day lives also.
thanks,
mikeB.

[ronmac]

Bob, thanks for the link. Lanois is a big influence for me. Saw him live last year in a small club in Halifax. Watching him play his Les Paul, into a Vox (sans pedals), with flesh and jagged and broken finger nails was an educational experience in itself! Unbelievable touch and musicality.

He is an artist who has developed his own sonic signatures over the years. I highly recommend the Willie Nelson album "Teatro" to demonstrate his ability to create a unique room sound and production "feel" to support the essence of the music.

[endpin]

An interseting read which resonates with some things I have seen.

In my mispent youth, I had the opportunity to be a "fly on the wall" at some of T-Bone Burnett's early producing/engineering/playing efforts and the concept of brainstorming (i.e. following an idea wherever it leads) was there from the beginning with him also.