HD Tracks
It seems that uncompressed delivery of singles and records is gaining momentum as more titles become available. Just ran into Norman Chesky of HD Tracks, and the company just signed a deal with Universal for content. $15.98 a record, $2.49 a track. Check it out. Not much more for a song as it should be heard.
Mixing With Attitude
Once again, the Recording Academy put on a stellar Grammy Soundtable, their 26th in conjunction with AES. This time around, the topic was Mixing With Attitude, and P&E Wing exec director Maureen Droney matched up three very unique personalities, each at the top of their game, then brought in Nile Rodgers to moderate and keep them in line. Chris Lord-Alge started off by describing his setup, which hasn’t changed in years and has been moved to his new facility, Mix L.A. He’s at an SSL 4000 E Series with 48-track Sony digital tape machine. He’ll keep it up, he says, as long as he can find tape. Chuck Ainlay out of Backstage in Nashville sits at an SSL 9000J and uses Nuendo, sometimes working with Mark Knopfler in London on his Neve 88r or API, with an EMI Red 4 tube desk, which he jokingly called the “most ridiculous bass DI ever!” Then Tony Maserati said he has no real console in his setup, though he makes use of numerous summing sources, including a 16-channel Chandler, Dangerous 2-bus and a Neve sidecar.
Legacy of Les
Just ran into Russ Paul, know as Les Jr. in some circles. He spent yesterday walking the floor and running into old friends…Eddie Kramer, Phil Ramone, heck, everybody here seemed to know Les and want to share a story. Today Russ wanted to see Eveanna Manley, so we made a beeline to her booth and they shared a big hug. This afternoon at the TEC Awards, when the tribute to Les takes place…well, it will be something special.
Yamaha Road Warriers
Yamaha Commercial has pulled a 53-foot trailer into the main hall, representing their latest effort to take training and education to the people where they live. Based out of Nashville and aimed primarily at the house of worship market, the new vehicle is double expansion and quite spacious with five networked stations representing each of the console line, the main attraction when you walk in being the PM5D front and center. An additional roomy space in the rear is set up for clinc-style training. Look for it in a town near you.
API Sells a Vision
API kicked off their second-day press conference with an appearance by Bob Weir (Grateful Dead, Ratdog), who just purchased a Vision console for his home studio. Weir told the crowd that he first encountered the API name nearly 40 years ago, when he and the Dead went into a San Francisco studio to record “American Beauty.” Now he’s back full circle and “pleased as punch,” thinking that “he might buy another.” Weir was followed by the head of the MP&E department at Berklee College of Music, which just purchased three Legacy Plus boards, calling it the “most musical console on Earth, with the definitive tools that students need.” The company was also showing off the 1608, with Grammy-winning engineer Vance Powell doing demos. And they had a new 500 Series compressor on display, the 527. Now it’s on to their 40th-anniversary bash tonight at the Roseland Ballroom. Hottest ticket at the show, with Sonny Landreth as the house band and a scheduled guest appearance by Mr. Weir himself. Should be fun!
For more blog postshttp://blog.mixonline.com/mixblog/category/aes-2009
