I've been a recording studio engineer for over 30 years and have worked on hundreds of projects for CD, DVD, television, film and the web. Along the way I've had the privilege of working with some legendary recording artists and award-winning productions.
I enjoy working in the studio because it requires a balance of using cutting edge technology and creative endeavor. I see myself as a 'Technology Artist'. I like that description, it really sums up what I do.
This blogsite is about sharing knowledge, creative insight and personal perspective on the projects I work on.
by Paul on October 25, 2011
It's such a basic tool, but applying an EQ filter to a track can be a powerful technique to gain clarity and definition in your mixes. Many instruments and sounds have conflicting frequencies and compete with each other for sonic space. Great mixes have clear, defined ranges of instruments in the low, mid and high frequencies. The filter allows you to remove undesired frequencies in one instrument which in turn allows others to speak.
High-Pass filter allowing frequencies higher than 200Hz to pass.
Traditional use of a filter would be to cut out low end stage rumble on a live concert recording, or maybe to remove high frequency noise on a guitar. But taken a step further, you can carve out areas in your mix to enhance clarity by using either a high-pass or low-pass filter on many of your tracks. Let's say you have 12 tracks of backing vocals. Removing the low frequencies from 100Hz on down, will add clarity to the bass guitar and bottom end of the track. In pop recordings, most of this low frequency range is not needed in vocal parts and only adds to making the low end of your mix muddy. Keyboards and synths are another big area that can be shaped with using just a filter.
Low-Pass filter allowing everything below 5,000kHz to pass.
Additionally, using a filter before any dynamic processing allows your compressor or limiter to work more efficiently.
The next time you go to insert an equalizer in a channel to add something to a sound, try thinking of subtracting something first with a filter.
I am up early today to watch the closing of a 30 year chapter of space flight for our nation. With the weather looking marginal and a dramatic last second hold at T -31 seconds, Space Shuttle Atlantis, STS-135, was hurdled into space on her last mission and with it the winding down of the NASA Shuttle program.
In the words of Commander Christopher Ferguson to Launch Director Mike Leinbach just before launch:
"The shuttle's always going to be a reflection of what a great nation can do when it dares to be bold and commits to follow through. We're not ending the journey today, Mike, we're completing a chapter of a journey that will never end. You and the thousands of men and women who gave their hearts, souls and their lives to the cause of exploration … let's light this fire one more time, Mike, and witness this nation at its best."
I grew up watching and being inspired by our quest to explore outer space, from Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and the Shuttle programs. Today, much of the technology I use in my business has its genesis in the research and development of the space program. I will miss this era of watching the most technically advanced machine ever built, travel to earth's orbit. But we move on. Many questions emerge as we contemplate our new direction in space exploration, but we will move on.
We are explorers. As human beings we are driven to discover what is over the horizon. We are on a journey that will never end.
Godspeed Atlantis!
Apart from mixing and editing at my studio in Santa Monica, I've been quite busy doing live television broadcast mixing for DIRECTV at their Los Angeles Broadcast Center. Mostly sports related shows, with some VERY early call times. I also recently finished the 5.1 mix of the 2010 Farm Aid show for broadcast.
I've also just finished working with Earth, Wind & Fire on a number of new studio tracks. We've been out at NRG and Glenwood Place studios in Burbank. Last fall I recorded them at the Hollywood Bowl with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. I am editing the video now and completing the 5.1 mixing for a DVD release later this year.
In April I spent a few days at the NAB show and attended the Apple event on Tuesday night that revealed Final Cut Pro X. It's a complete rewrite of the application and looks to be quite impressive although many, many questions remain. It's due to be released in June via the App Store.
The core new features of FCP X are:
- 64-bit Processing (FCP is no longer constrained to 4GB of RAM)
- Grand Central Dispatch – it will use all the processors in your MacPro
- GPU Rendering
- Color Management integrated with ColorSync
Along with my years of working in pro-audio, I enjoy video editing. Like working with music and audio post-production, editing video requires a balance of technical skills along with creative innovation.
