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July 2013

July 2013

July 2013

WELCOME

July 2013 Editor’s Note: Cutting-Edge Live

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Tom Kenny

There is a whole lotta action going on in the “live event space,” as marketeers are fond of calling it, I presume because in three simple words it covers a wide yet intermingled number of markets. To some it means corporate production, to others it’s houses of worship. There are courtrooms, boardrooms and classrooms, and there are Metreon shopping malls and outdoor plazas. Some work in stadiums and arenas and sheds, while others find their livelihood on a cruise ship or in the hotel and leisure industry. …

CURRENT

Mack Emerman, 1923-2013

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Barbara Schultz

The recording industry lost a true pioneer on May 17 with the passing of Criteria Studios founder Mack Emerman at the age of 89. Emerman not only built a successful studio in a time and place where independent studios did not yet exist, he also continued to expand and improve his facility over decades, creating the launching pad for countless engineering careers and artistic triumphs….

COVER STORY

Jason Aldean: Riding the Night Train in 2013

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Tom Kenny

>Jason Aldean puts on a rock ’n’ roll show. The roots are in country, but the approach and delivery is straight-up guitar-bass-drums, with wide dynamics and big sound. It wasn’t that long ago that long days in a van were followed by shows for maybe 100 people in a club. But since his rise that began in 2009 and exploded in 2010 with My Kinda Party, he’s been a sold-out headliner. On this month’s cover, taken in late April 2013, he played to 68,000 in the first-ever music event in Sanford Stadium on the University of Georgia campus, not far from his hometown of Macon….

FEATURES

The Lone Ranger Rides Again!

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Blair Jackson

Making a western in this day and age is a risky proposition. But leave it to Gore Verbinski—director of the mega-popular Pirates of the Caribbean films—to come up with a crowd-pleasing summer epic to give the genre a much-needed shot of adrenalin. The Lone Ranger, starring Armie Hammer in the title role and Johnny Depp as Tonto (his character elevated from sidekick to second lead) is a western for a new generation of moviegoers, a deft blending of imaginative, cleverly staged action sequences, a compelling classic story and doses of humor, both silly and dark. This just might work….

Mix Guides: Wireless Systems

7 Handheld Vocal Microphones

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By The Mix Editors

It’s summertime, and there are thousands of microphones out there on thousands of stages across the country. But as nearly every FOH engineer emphasizes, it all starts with the singer. Here are a few that have caught the ears of the Mix editors over the past couple of years. …

MUSIC

Dumpstaphunk: Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Blair Jackson

It’s been 10 years since the New Orleans good-time party band Dumpstaphunk—spearheaded by keyboardist/singer Ivan Neville and his guitar-playing cousin Ian Neville (sons of Aaron and Art Neville)—made their debut at the Crescent City’s famed Jazz & Heritage Festival. But in some ways, it feels like they’re only hitting their stride now, with the late-July release of just their second full album, Dirty Word. With nods to soul/funk pioneers Sly & the Family Stone, and various other ’60s and ’70s funkateers (including The Meters, headed by Art Neville), Dirty Word offers a remarkably fresh update on a sometimes neglected genre. …

Classic Track: “Tomorrow People” Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Blair Jackson

In the wake of Bob Marley’s death from cancer at age 36 in May 1981, there was no obvious charismatic and uniting figure in the reggae world to build on Marley’s momentum, no acts that crossed over onto U.S. rock radio the way he had on occasion. That is, until Ziggy Marley came along….

Mavis Staples’ ‘One True Vine’

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Barbara Schultz

It’s been three years since Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy first produced Mavis Staples (You Are Not Alone, Anti), and the artists have forged a close friendship that yields another masterpiece this month: the understated gospel One True Vine. Again tracked at Wilco’s studio, The Loft, by engineer Tom Schick, Staples’ voice stars, of course, in Tweedy’s rich guitar and rhythm-based arrangements. …

Emily’s Army in Jingletown

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Barbara Schultz

The young punks in Emily’s Army put as much joy as attitude into their fresh, fast original songs, and their sophomore record, Lost at Seventeen, is a real pleasure. The quartet—guitarist/singer Cole Becker, bassist/vocals Max Becker, guitarist Travis Neumann and drummer Joey Armstrong—tracked Seventeen, in Jingletown Studios (Oakland, Calif., jtrecording.com) with Green Day engineer Chris Dugan and producer (and the drummer’s dad) Billie Joe Armstrong. …

Review: Various Artists, ‘Ghost Brothers of Darkland County’

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Barbara Schultz

You don’t necessarily need any backstory to appreciate the eloquent, powerful soundtrack to John Mellencamp and Stephen King’s musical Ghost Brothers of Darkland County (Concord Music Group). These are gorgeous, spooky, swampy tracks with deep roots in electric blues, beautifully matched to the stellar cast of singers assembled by producer/musical director T Bone Burnett. …

Vocals for ‘Fossils’

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Barbara Schultz

Tucker Martine produced and engineered Crooked Still member Aoife O’Donovan’s first solo album, Fossils (Yeproc), in his studio, Flora (Portland, Ore., florarecording.com). “Most of the songs had been performed live onstage with her band, but Aoife was quick to say she wasn’t married to anything about the arrangements or presentation,” Martine says. …

LIVE

All Access: Mumford & Sons

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Photos and Text By Steve Jennings

Mix caught Mumford & Sons during a three-night, sold-out run at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, Calif., just prior to the announcement of bassist Ted Dwane’s surgery and the cancellation of dates on the Stampede Tour. Our thoughts are with him….

Mumford & Sons 2013 Tour Gallery

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM

Mix caught Mumford & Sons during a three-night, sold-out run at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, Calif., just prior to the announcement of bassist Ted Dwane’s surgery and the cancellation of dates on the Stampede Tour. Our thoughts are with him….

Juanes Tour Profile

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, By Matt Gallagher

After more than a decade of enjoying both commercial and critical success, Colombian singer/songwriter/musician Juanes continues to enthrall and energize his worldwide fan base while pursuing further evolution as an artist. His 2012 appearance on MTV Unplugged in Miami and live album Tr3s Presents Juanes: MTV Unplugged, produced by Juan Luis Guerra, took him into new musical territory. The live album won a 2012 Grammy Award as Best Latin Pop Album and a 2012 Latin Grammy Award as Album of the Year. Juanes’ experience with MTV Unplugged inspired his 2012-2013 Loud and Unplugged tour of North America and Europe with a 12-piece band featuring a wide variety of instruments. Mix attended Juanes’ stop at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco in mid-May….

Juanes 2013 Tour Gallery

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM

Mix magazine’s photo gallery of Juanes’ 2013 tour of North America features Steve Jennings’ photos of Juanes’ band and live sound engineers in San Francisco at The Warfield in mid-May 2013….

Masters of Madness: Marilyn Manson, Alice Cooper

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, By Barbara Schultz

This summer, goth-metal icons Marilyn Manson and Alice Cooper joined forces for a tour called Masters of Madness, which hits U.S. sheds and arenas through the end of June. The JBL VTX P.A. provided by Thunder Audio was selected for the tour after Manson’s FOH, George Chapman, had the opportunity to use the speakers at a festival….

Mixing the ‘Sound of Change’

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM

The Sound of Change benefit concert at London’s Twickenham Stadium featured 11 acts, including Beyonce (joined by surprise guest Jay-Z), Ellie Goulding, Florence + The Machine, Jennifer Lopez, John Legend and more. Audio for the four-hour event—which raised funds and awareness for women’s health, rights and education—was handled by UK company Britannia Row Productions….

The Killers Tour with RedNet System

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM

For the better part of 2013, The Killers—singer/keyboardist Brandon Flowers, guitarist David Keuning, bassist Mark Stoermer, and drummer Ronnie Vannucci—have been on the road in the U.S. and Europe playing arenas, stadiums and theaters in support of their 2012 release, Battle Born….

The Blues Brothers Ride Again

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, By Barbara Schultz

The latest incarnation of the long beloved Blues Brothers act is: The Official Blues Brothers Revue, a concert performed by an 8-piece band fronted by Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi look- and sound-alikes. The Revue is produced by Aykroyd and Judith Belushi, wife of the late great originator of the Joliet Jake character….

MIX REGIONAL: SOUTHEAST U.S.

Big New Studios in the Big Easy

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, By Lori Kennedy

After cutting a record at Dockside Studio in Lafayette, La., engineer/producer/musician Matt Grondin—son of Jack Grondin, one of the original drummers for .38 Special—got the idea to build an analog, vintage, Neve-based studio closer to home in New Orleans. It didn’t take him long to act; he’s now co-owner of The Parlor in the Irish Channel section of town….

MixTips: Phil Tan

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Tom Kenny

Don’t be fooled by the quiet, near-studious demeanor. Beneath the surface, hit-making mix engineer Phil Tan has an assassin’s knack for timing, a humorist’s sense of wit and a ninja’s ear for subtle power. He has worked on records that have sold more than 250 million units worldwide, and he has three big-time Grammy Awards: Best Contemporary R&B Album, 2005, Mariah Carey’s The Emancipation of Mimi; Best Rap Album, 2006, Ludacris’ Release Therapy; and Best Dance Recording, 2010, Rihanna’s Only Girl (In the World)….

Southeast U.S. News & Notes

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By The Mix Editors

Davell Crawford’s My Gift to You is a beautiful new album of NOLA music that stems from the singer/composer/pianist’s roots in soul, jazz, funk and blues. Gift features appearances by Dr. John, Crawford’s regular rhythm players—bassist Mark Brooks and drummer Joe Dyson Jr.—and a host of musicians that Crawford hand-picked to complement each tune….

Southeast U.S. Session News

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix

Blue Room Studios is in the process of building a new world-class live room designed by Eber Designs. The 500-square-foot room is scheduled to open in August…Meanwhile, Atlanta rapper Young Jeezy has been working on his fifth album under Island Def Jam with producer/recording engineer Tony Rey. Rey recently recorded and mixed a a track featuring Usher; other producers include Drumma Boy, Major, Shawty Redd and Justice League. …

COLUMNS

TechTalk: Toxic Audio?

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Kevin Becka

I recently drove cross-country from Phoenix to Nashville to start a gig as co-director and instructor at the new Blackbird Academy. I’d made the opposite drive 10 years earlier, moving west to start working for Mix after a stint as editor of then-Nashville-based Audio Media magazine. Not wanting to wrangle CDs on a road trip, I bought XM Radio, knowing how lonely it gets between towns. XM was only available as an install on higher-end vehicles at the time, so I bought a removable head unit, had it installed in the car and I loved it. …

Robair Report: Make It Hard on Yourself

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Gino Robair

People like to complain that there is too much music being created. When I hear musicians say that, it often sounds like sour grapes: What they’re really saying is that they want their music to take up the bandwidth. However, I like the fact that anyone can make music now, whether it’s with an app, an arranger keyboard or a loop-based DAW. The more the average person knows about the music-making process, the better they’ll appreciate the artists who really know what they’re doing. And in the age of shrinking music sales, we could use a bit more of that….

Ask Eddie: Loving the Challenge of Live

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Eddie Ciletti

Recording live ensemble performances is my drug of choice, and I emphasize it in all of my classes. I typically invite former and current students to participate and/or observe, and they have reciprocated by bringing me into the loop to plan, consult and be on hand for the good times and the free adrenaline rush! …

TECH REVIEWS

Yamaha CL1 Digital Mixing Console

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Steve La Cerra

The CL Series marks Yamaha’s introduction of a new generation of digital mixing consoles, raising the bar a few notches above its predecessors, which include the M7CL, LS9 and the venerable PM5D. The CL Series consists of the CL1, CL3 and CL5, the three desks differing only in channel capacity, fader complement and metering. All models feature the same 8-fader Centralogic user interface, two-fader master section (one L/R and one Mono), eight analog Omni inputs and eight analog Omni outputs on rear-panel XLRs. …

Yamaha CL1 In-Use

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Wes Maebe

I had two shows booked in to mix FOH and record a new UK soul singer.

The venue’s console wasn’t going to cut it for me to mix the band, set up monitor mixes and multi-track both shows. A few weeks earlier, I’d been invited to visit Yamaha headquarters in Milton Keynes to test drive the CL Series….

DPA Microphones d:facto II Vocal Microphone

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Steve La Cerra

Not quite two years ago, DPA Microphones debuted the d:facto vocal microphone, its first mic designed to deliver studio quality for stage applications. The original d:facto could be used wired or with wireless systems from Italian RF manufacturer Wisycom, but the new d:facto II may also be used with transmitters from Lectrosonics, Sennheiser, Shure and Sony. A unique characteristic of the d:facto II is that the same capsule/head grille may be used on either a wireless transmitter or on a wired handle. When I say “same capsule,” I literally mean that the capsule may be removed from a wireless system and moved to the wired handle—as opposed to purchasing a wireless version of the capsule. …

Genelec M030

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Michael Cooper

Many contemporary near-field monitors include factory-preset filters that compensate for unbalanced room tone and suboptimal placement, but the Genelec M030 might be the most flexible of the lot. And its down-firing bass ports and superbly beveled cabinet are sure to raise eyebrows….

Millennia Media HV-37

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Brandon T. Hickey

The fundamental design philosophy behind everything that Millennia Media produces is that for certain types of recordings, the gear shouldn’t get in the way of the sound. When trying to capture true sonic reality, the use of warm, colorful, harmonic-generating circuitry lies to our ears and changes our interpretation of the sound. This effect, at times, can be pleasant and “musical”; however, when skilled musicians are playing expertly crafted instruments in a great-sounding room, there is no need for extra musicality, and instead accurate capture is preferable. …

Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 USB Interface

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By Barry Rudolph

The Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 is a 1U, multichannel USB 2 audio interface with 18 audio inputs and up to 20 outputs, and it could be thought of as the USB version of the Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 FireWire/Thunderbolt interface. It has the same eight Focusrite preamps and front panel controls and is the only model in the Scarlett line to offer a BNC word clock output. The unit is also iOS-capable using the Camera Connection Kit—not included….

New Products July 2013

Jul 1, 2013 9:00 AM, Mix, By The Mix Editors

Prism Sound has released two new versions of SADiE 6 (www.sadie.com): SADiE 6 Professional ($1,660) and SADiE 6 Lite ($785). The new versions are aimed at users who wish to edit on the go and who don’t require audio restoration, networking or mastering capabilities. …

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