FEATURES
Composer Nathan Barr
Jennifer Walden. Before the start of any project, there’s that “dream big” moment when anything is possible and every detail, large or small, is fluid and changeable—even a detail as massive as a Wurlitzer Theater Pipe Organ. Fitting that through the door of a dream studio is not a challenge at all. In reality, it took award-winning composer Nathan Barr six years to make that happen.
A Conversation with Joe Chiccarelli
Tom Kenny. On a Saturday afternoon in late June, Vintage King, celebrating its 25th anniversary, hosted a “Gear and Beer” Summit in Nashville on the final day of Summer NAMM. One of the highlights was an afternoon chat between Blackbird Studio owner and stellar studio and live engineer John McBride and one of the finest producer/engineers on the planet, Joe Chiccarelli.
MUSIC
St. Paul and the Broken Bones
Barbara Schultz. Producer Jack Splash will tell you that there’s a big difference between “classic” and “retro.” While he appreciates timeless, classic soul and R&B, he has no time for retro bands. So he fits right in with the eight-piece St. Paul & The Broken Bones, which displays its ’60s and ’70s influences proudly, while gravitating toward synths and effects that take the band’s sound way out beyond the confines of “retro.”
Jon Cleary’s Dyna-Mite
Barbara Schultz. The freewheeling, funky title track on Jon Cleary’s latest album was tracked live, including keeper vocals, in The Parlor studio (New Orleans). But that’s the exceptional song that proves the rule: Cleary actually takes an extremely methodical approach to record-making.
Classic Track: The Cowsills, “Hair”
Matt Hurwitz. Carl Reiner was pulling together a television special called “Wonderful World of Pizazz,” which celebrated the hippie styling of the day, and wanted The Cowsills to appear on the show performing “Hair,” the title track to the then-hit Broadway musical sensation.
LIVE
Live—All Access with Maroon 5 on the Red Pill Blues Tour
Steve Jennings. Mix caught the Maroon 5 Red Pill Blues Tour at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif., in early June, with audio production provided by Sound Image of Escondidio, Calif.
The Year of Natalia Lafourcade
Todd Berkowitz. With six studio albums and several Latin Grammy Awards to her credit, Lafourcade has earned the title as one of Mexico’s most esteemed musicians.
Vance Joy Breaks Out
Todd Berkowitz. Vance Joy hasn’t had what you’d call a slow and steady climb up the charts. It’s been one big jump after another. Now he’s headlining his own U.S. tour off his second studio album, Nation of Two. Mix caught up with FOH engineer Edgardo “Verta” Vertanessian at the band’s Seattle stop in July.
SOUND FOR PICTURE
Mix Presents Sound for Film & Television 2018
Tom Kenny. On Saturday, October 13, Mix, its parent company Future U.S., and host partner Sony Pictures Studios will welcome more than 500 sound for picture professionals, a wide range of industry sponsors, and dozens of expert panelists all focused on the tools and techniques that drive the sound for film and television markets—and that includes streaming these days.
How to Cue a Foley Session
Leslie Bloome. Foley is one of five elements that make up a film or television soundtrack, the others being dialogue, music, sound effects/sound design and background sound. Dialogue obviously holds primacy. Without clean dialogue tracks, there is no story. Music is crucial to setting the emotional tone and tenor of the piece. Sound effects and background sound are usually what gets most of the attention.
Brian Schmidt on Audio for VR/AR Experiences
Tom Kenny. Brian Schmidt’s GameSoundCon, one of the world’s leading gatherings of technologists and artists involved in interactive audio, celebrates its 10th anniversary in October. We thought now would be a good time to check in with him on what more traditional film and TV audio post pros might need to know in entering the coming wave of VR experiences.
TECHNOLOGY
New Products for September 2018
New studio and live sound products from SPL, Universal Audio, CEDAR Audio, Genelec, McDSP, Danley Sound Labs, Allen & Heath and Yamaha.
Review: API Audio 529 Stereo Compressor
Barry Rudolph. It was quite an auspicious debut when Automated Processes showed its first dual-slot 500 Series module, the 529 Stereo Compressor, which borrows significantly from the company’s flagship and immensely sought-after API 2500 Stereo Bus Compressor. The API 529 has most of the same circuitry, including the patented THRUST sidechain filter circuit. But it also has a unique processor designed for individual sources, stereo stems or as a master bus compressor.
Review: FabFilter Pro-L 2
Michael Cooper. To say I’m a fan of FabFilter plug-ins is an understatement—I use the company’s Pro-Q 2 equalizer and Pro-MB multiband plug-ins on virtually all of my projects—so I was particularly enthused to test-drive Pro-L 2, the new and improved version of FabFilter’s Pro-L mastering limiter plug-in.
Review: Focal Shape Twin
Mike Levine. Focal introduced its Shape series of self-powered nearfield studio monitors in 2017 with three models—the Shape 40, 50 and 65—all featuring newly designed drivers and tweeters, passive radiators, and a few other signatures. The series is aimed particularly at users who work in small listening rooms, such as home studios, and offers features designed to minimize acoustic issues.
DEPARTMENTS
From the Editor: Once in a While You Get Shown the Light
Tom Kenny. I sure wish I knew how to channel inspiration, call it up on demand. My life would be a whole lot easier.
Back Page Blog: September 2018
By Mike Levine and Steve La Cerra. Notes on control, survival and networked audio.
