Interview with Jay Messina
by The Gearspace.com Community
3rd July 2023
Back in 2012, Record Plant NY veteran engineer Jay Messina joined us for a super interesting Q&A about his life’s work. Being based in such a legendary spot meant that he worked with the absolute top artists of his day - Aerosmith, Supertramp, The Blues Brothers, Lou Reed, The Rolling Stones, Peter Frampton, Kiss, Wayne Shorter, Steve Gadd and an almost comically long list of other “God tier” artists. Jay was generous with his time and knowledge, answering questions on recording and production, from drum recording to monitoring to favourite plugins and everything in between! Put the kettle on and read on for some A-list wisdom from behind the desk.
John didn't get hung up on listening to things under a microscope. He knew when something felt good. Knowing when to stop is a big part of the creative process.
- Jay Messina
I like to hold off on any buss compression until I'm totally happy with the mix. I do this for several reasons. If you put a compressor on the bus early in the mix, the compression action will keep changing, so you can lose your perspective. When you don't have processing on your bus right from the start, it makes you work harder to get something that sounds good. If you get a mix sounding good without something on the 2 trk bus, that means you've probably done some individual treatment of instruments. That kind of detail is what make a mix stand out. If I have a mix that I'm happy with, I'll then try some processing. If it doesn't make it better, I leave it out.
- Jay Messina
I feel it's a mistake to not be totally happy with your mix when you're finished. Expecting it to sound better after mastering is not a good habit to get into. So, to answer your question directly, I would stop processing when I am happy with the mix, and feel there is nothing else I can do to make it better.
- Jay Messina
[top]Was wondering how you approach guitar amp micing? You mentioned you like using a combo of a Sm57, MD421, U87 & C-38 . With the Sm57 & MD-421 placement do you have a go to starting placement? Or is it more generally listening for something sweet for each mic? How much do you consider phase interactions when placing mics?
Depending on how loud the amp is I'll place the 57, sometimes touching the grill, pointing right at the center of the speaker or just a little off axis. The more it's pointed at the center the brighter it is, and if the amp is loud enough, you'll get enough bottom. Taking it away from the center will add the appearance of more bottom. The 421 is placed off axis (on the same speaker) and pointing at the center. You'll need to experiment with the exact placement of that 421. Likewise with the C-38, you should experiment with it placed back about a foot. You can use the same speaker or try another. Most of the time I like to find the right balance between all the mics and print it on one track. Since it's all going to one track, if there are any phase concerns, you'll hear it. Sometimes the phase interactions can be desirable.
- Jay Messina
I would want a 14" x 24". I'd also want a Yamaha SubKick.
- Jay Messina
The tracks sounded good when I first heard them. There were a couple of last minute overdubs that I recorded in New York. We mixed it in 2 different studios, and both on Neve desks. The first studio was Manhattan Center Studios, and the place we finished it at was Chung King.
Slash was always there, but would leave Jack Douglas and myself alone, to do the mix. But if he ever heard anything he didn't like, he would speak up immediately with some cool idea. He's got great ears.
The shape and concept of the record was already there (in the recorded tracks), so for me, it was a matter of making what was recorded sound as good as I could.
- Jay Messina
[top]Three Dog Night - Hard Labor Album: Were you there for tracking? Which songs were you on for tracking or mix? What were they recording on? 24 track? Twin sync machines? If you were there for tracking, did the three singers also play on the tracks (since all are guitar players too)? Loved their drummer Floyd Sneed. This album seems to be about the time the act was slowing down or falling apart. Any memories of the 3DN sessions?
I did a few weeks of vocals with 3DN at Record Plant in Ca. Roy Cicala was recording the album but had to return to NY for some reason. He asked me to cover for him and continue with the project. I also did some mixes back in New York, but don't remember which songs. I believe it was 24 trk.
The lead on Sweet Emotion was recorded on the wooden floor section of Studio A at Record Plant. Joe probably played through a Fender tweed, which we had at Record Plant. It didn't have to be 'tear your head off' loud to get an awesome sound out of it. He was in the studio with the amp. It was not double tracked.
I don't recall if I mixed that Roberta Flack track, but the reverb of choice, at Record Plant, was one of four plates that were available for Studio A and B.
- Jay Messina
It was on the floor, and used 3 mics close to the amp. A SM57 and MD421 very close and a Sony C-37 or C-38 back a little bit. There also may have been a U87 back several feet for some ambience.
- Jay Messina
If I'm going to work in a studio where I'm not familiar with the monitors, I always bring at least one or two CD's that I know sound good, and I'm familiar with. I'll listen to them for at least 15 minutes before I do anything. I believe, at that point, your brain now knows what things are supposed to sound like. After I'm into a mix for an hour or two, I'll check that reference CD once more. If I don't get any surprises, I'll continue with my mix and check the ref once more after I have a mix that I'm happy with.
- Jay Messina
It really depends on the style of music i'm mixing. If it's something with acoustic bass, I'll usually ref a record I mixed for Chin Suzuki called 'East Bounce'. The cut that I play is called "Somewhere I Never Travelled". They've played it on one of the more 'easy listening' stations here, for years. I love the bottom on it. As far a a rock record goes, I usually ask what bands the artist likes, and go from there. I used to use Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" because of the full bandwidth of the mix. Great bottom and top.
- Jay Messina
The first thing I do is listen with no processing, then determine which piece of gear I'll go to. For bass, it's usually a Fairchild or DBX 160. I really like 1176's. They work great on guitars and drums. Fairchild or LA-2A on vocals. I have an API Lunchbox with 2 512B mic pre's and 2 560 EQ. The 560's work well on almost everything.
- Jay Messina
For the most punch from a low tom, I tend to put it in the middle, with the 2 rack toms being a little left and right of center. I like listening from the audience's perspective or how I'm looking at the drummer,in the studio, if I'm recording them. If I don't have the lo tom in the center, and they are panned from hi to lo, I always keep them in from full left/right panning. I usually do the same for hat (not panned full left or right). If I have some good room tracks, that I'm going to use a lot of in the mix, I'll bring the overheads in from the sides a bit, and keep the room tracks full left and right.
- Jay Messina
I like Genelec 1031 A's for mixing. I do not use a mono ref speaker at my studio. I generally don't listen very loud, so I don't think I have any problems with my ears caused by high volume abuse. You should reference your mixes against other material that you like, and are familiar with. You might even want to start a mix that way. Listen to something you know sounds good (at least 10 minutes or so), then start your mix.
- Jay Messina
The bass sound was through a modified Ampeg B-15. It was a combination of a DI from the output of the head plus an RE-20 on the amp. We were able to get some good grit from that amp. As far as the drums go, I may have used U87 on the toms, as well as the overheads. I also had a Shotgun MKH405 high above the snare and pointing straight at it. There was an 1176 on that mic with a lot of compression.
- Jay Messina
You can use that mic on almost anything. You definitely need the pad for high sound levels. I've used it on guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. For vocals, at my studio, I usually go into an API 512B, and right into Pro Tools, through my Mytek converters. I usually have the 80cps roll off on. If there is a chance I may have some loud passages, I put the pad on right away.
- Jay Messina
I'm assuming you're talking about mastering or over compression so that the CD is as loud as it can be.
There's nothing wrong with having your mix 'jump out' at you. This doesn't mean you over compress your mix just to make it loud. You can get that 'jump out' result from a good arrangement, and good mixing technique.
I don't want to spend my time trying to educate the public, or change the world, for that matter. Things change on a large scale when people do what they believe in, and stick to it. I'm not saying I ignore the level of what the music is at these days. I make my music as competitive as it has to be without resorting to methods I don't believe in.
- Jay Messina
I love to record right to 2 trk. I like the energy in the studio, as well as the control room. There is a certain clarity to the sound (much less processing and electronics to go through), that makes for a special recording. The key, for me, is to make everybody as comfortable as possible in order to get the best performance from everyone. I feel that is the most important thing. If the performance is not great, who cares what it sounds like. It's all about the music.
I try to create a relaxed environment right from the time I walk in the studio, and continue that throughout the session. I usually ask the musicians for their patients, while I get sounds and they get used to Headphones (if they are using them). I stagger the schedule for musicians to be in the studio, so no one is standing around waiting, for very long.
If you've done your homework and are totally prepared, you can expect a fun, and energy packed day.
- Jay Messina
I don't put anything on the stereo bus until I'm really happy with the mix. A truly dimensional mix comes from spending the time and care with individual elements of the mix. I'm not saying not to use your outboard on the stereo bus, I'm just saying wait until your happy with everything. This will make you work harder to get things to 'speak'. You should be able to focus in on anything in the mix and listen to it all the way through.
- Jay Messina
I have the peak limit set to 'off'. I have the comp attack time set to 25. I don't have a set threshold level. I've used light to heavy compression. I do like to vary the release time to either get that 'pumping' sound or, with a slow release, it tends to 'tighten' the sound.
- Jay Messina
ADR Compex F760X-RS
Dangerous? I've never suffered any physical injury from using parallel compression. If it sounds good, it is good.
All kidding aside, a rule that I believe, and follow is, you're not done with your mix until you are totally happy with it. Expecting it to sound better in mastering is a big mistake lots of people make. When I mix something, I expect very little to be done, in mastering at either Sterling or Gateway. However, if the mastering engineer has an idea that will bring the mix 'up a notch', I'm all for it. If it's a drastic change, I will study the changes very carefully. When you make a big change in mastering, you forget about all the time you're taken to get certain results on specific things in the mix. Sometimes those subtle things you labored over get masked by too much processing in mastering.
If I'm mastering something I haven't mixed, I'll do whatever I think will make the mix sound better.
- Jay Messina
Sometimes I add another mic to the snare (maybe an AKG 414 ) and use the Distressor on that mic. It might not sound great by itself, but when added to everything else, it works. I've also used them on room mics, but only if they can be stereo coupled.
- Jay Messina
I like to start with a U67, U47 or U87 (it just depends on what's available). If they don't work I like the Audio Technica 4050.
- Jay Messina
I've just finishing mixing a band from Athens, Greece (Wild Machine). I sent them the last mix, which they liked, and was happy to hear them say they've been approached by several labels. They were able to get all the recording done, in Athens, because one of the guitar players worked in a studio, and acted as the band's engineer. When they were done recording, they contacted me. I'm sure there are other engineer/producers that work with unsigned acts.
You have to be creative with your efforts to get 'noticed' online. Take advantage of all the possibilities (YouTube, Pure Volume). You can create podcasts that may benefit others, while getting exposure for yourself. Depending on how you word your description of your podcast, can determine who you get 'linked' to when a search word is entered.
Playing at local venues has always been a way to get the word out.
- Jay Messina
I'm a big believer in experimenting. That being said, with experience and trying lots of different verbs, you get to have a sense of what might be a good starting point. That may not be where you end up, but by listening to the track, you get to choose what color sounds best to you. Sometimes you might get fooled by the length of the verb, when you mute the track or stop the music (or listen to the track while being soloed). It may appear long to you, but how it sounds in the track is what counts.
- Jay Messina
Steven's scream is not quiet! He's got a lot of power and energy behind it.
When we used speakers, instead of Headphones, sometimes had a Shotgun MKH405, into the Spectrasonics pre, then an LA-2A and into a PEQ-1A. Other times, with phones, a U-87 followed by the same chain.
- Jay Messina
[top]
I like to use a compressor (especially an Audio Design - Compex Limiter F760X-RS ) that has a 'release' control. I like this because I can almost tune the compression to the tempo of the song. Or by slowing the release time, it will 'tighten' the drum sound by not bringing up all the 'in between' sound that happens between kick or snare hits. For example, that slower release time will reduce any excess cymbals on the snare track.
I mostly send kick and snare to the compressor, and try to affect some drastic limiting. It doesn't necessarily sound good by itself, but when added to the uncompressed drums, it brings them alive.
I had a very easy time, each time I worked with Kiss. It was always a lot of fun, and glamour, like going to Studio 54 after the sessions. Like most big stars, they are just people, like you and I. I've stayed in touch with Ace, over the years and recorded some tracks for him on his latest album.
- Jay Messina
Mostly, I liked them on bass and toms. I remember the tweaking being critical, especially for toms. When it was right, it really brought the toms to life.
- Jay Messina
We sometimes set the drums up near the back of the studio, and left the door open. There was a concrete hallway back there, where we placed at least one U-87. That made for some really cool ambience. Record Plant also had some nice plates, all with there own distinctive qualities. Printing some guitar effects, mixed on to the same track, can also add some unique dimension.
- Jay Messina
The Uad emt-140 plugin does a good job. It's one of my first choices, along with the Uad emt-250 for some sweet, natural sounding reverb. I can't say I've had the opportunity to A/B it to an actual plate, but I have an engineer friend who did the A/B, and said it was very close. I have put some EQ on the output of the plate to color the verb in different ways.
- Jay Messina
I have many fond memories of Record Plant. It was a special, family kind of atmosphere. If I were to pick a favorite engineer of mine, it would be Roy Cicala. He's certainly the most inventive one I know.
As far as learning some skills at RP (and A&R), I'd have to say I learned a lot from the musician friends I had, that I would bring in the studio (on off hours) and just experiment. They would want to record some songs they wrote or arranged, and I wanted to practice my engineering. I was fortunate to have, as friends, the best studio players in town. The Brecker Brothers, Mike Mainieri, Steve Gadd, Tony Levin, to name just a few. Listening to their feedback was invaluable to me, both at Record Plant and A & R Studios (I was at A&R before RP)
The 2 records that stood out to me were Sgt. Peppers' and Bridge Over Troubled Water.
- Jay Messina
Assuming you're talking about mixing, here are some very general guide lines.
If I'm looking for more bottom on the kick, I sometimes take out around 500cps and add some at 60 or below. I also add some 3k-8k for the attack of the kick. If I'm looking for brightness on the snare, I'll boost at 10K. I'll do the same for overheads. If I'm going to take something away from OH's, sometimes it's 500cps to get rid of some of the kick leakage. I like to set up a mix, from the drums, that I send to a compressor that I will add to the mix (in parallel). When I use this technique I sometimes use a lot of compression, since I can control the amount of the compressor that I add to the mix.
- Jay Messina
I recorded most of the tracks, with some overdubs, but the majority of the sweetening and mixing, Walter did in L.A. Everybody played live, with Walter being in the same room as the drums (his amp was isolated). Keith is a great drummer so I had a nice head start on the sound. I believe I used some Coles for room mics, which I printed with some compression. The bass was a combo of DI and amp. I'm not certain which mic I used. It was either a RE-20 or a U-67.
- Jay Messina
I almost always prefer a non technical description of what the artist wants to hear. I guess I've heard the strangest descriptions when working with advertising people.....like 'what's that thumping sound?' (kick drum).
I was recently in the studio with, latin jazz legend, Eddie Palmieri. When I was mixing one of the tunes, Eddie was describing that he wanted the timbale fills to 'jump out' more. He was describing this more with a visual hand movement, rather than verbal, but I understood what he meant. I took all the fills and copied them to another track (in PT's) and added a lot of compression to them and added it to the main timbale tracks. He loved it.
- Jay Messina
If I'm in a situation when I can mix on an analog console, I like to print my mix to half inch tape (usually 30 ips depending on the music). Digital has come a long way, but it's still not as 'real' sounding as tape. Tape has a fatness and warmth that digital has only come close to.
- Jay Messina
I still like the RE-20 (at least for a starter) on the bass amp. I recorded Matt Bissontte not too long ago in LA, at Capitol Studios. He had a Markbass setup. I recorded a DI and a RE-20 track. I was pleasantly surprised to be able to use more of the mic, than the DI in the mix. It's usually the other way around for me. It sounded good in the studio, so I just added a bit of compression on both the mic and DI. If I have a Fairchild available, that's what I'd use for compression. I like API 560's for bass EQ.
If I can get the amp sounding good in the studio, it's usually better than any of the amp modeling. Having the DI recorded separately means you can always experiment with modeling after the fact.
- Jay Messina
The drums were not always set up in the same way for each song. Sometimes they were in the back of the studio, with the door to the hallway left open. There was at least one U-87 in the hallway. I used U-87's for OH's (approx. 5 ft. over the kit). I positioned them so I got the snare image to be centered when listening just to the OH's (when panned full left & right). I sometimes used a Sennheiser shotgun 805, as high as I could get it, and point it straight down at the snare.
- Jay Messina
Jack Douglas and I were recording a band called Crowbar. We weren't getting the extra special performance from the lead singer on the song "Higher and Higher". We set him up on the roof, and up a ladder at the base of the water tower (for that 'higher' inspiration)
He sang his butt off.
- Jay Messina
It really depends on the way the amp sounds. As a general rule you could usually start with a Sm57, MD421 and something like a Sony C-38. I'll first solo each of the mics to see what they sound like, and then just experiment with different levels of each, in combination with one another. Sometimes a U-47 or U87 a few feet back can add some body. For a solo guitar, adding a condenser mic (with a lot of compression) across the room and facing away from the amp can give some nice size to your sound.
- Jay Messina
With someone like Ravi Shankar, the preparation and the artist's comfort is most important. If they don't feel comfortable and feel like playing, it doesn't make any difference what kind of mics you use. Also being totally ready to press 'record' is a must.
Everything was recorded at once, and in a single room. There were no overdubs or go-bo's.
- Jay Messina
Whenever it's in the budget, and practical, I prefer mixing OTB. That is not to say I don't enjoy mixing ITB. I have a private studio at home and I do most of my mixing here. I have some cool hardware (API EQ's, Compex stereo limiter, Transient Designer compressors and some effects boxes. I also have all the Universal Audio plugins. I'm always happy with the results.
When I can mix on a Neve, that is my preference. There is a definite difference in the sound. I would hope so, for something that costs so much.
If I'm going to use some parallel limiting on drums, I use my Compex. I also use API 560's on guitars, bass and kick. I still like my Transient Designer compressors on kick and bass, but sometimes it comes in handy on toms and anything else I want to get some extreme attack or sustain.
- Jay Messina
SPL Transient Designer
[top]KISS - Dynasty few questions. I would like to know about the guitar amplifiers used during the sessions, and most importantly, how you got this killer bass tone, especially on Sure know something? Was it mic'ed only or DI'ed? Or both?
I really don't remember all the guitar amps we used, but I do know we used some of Ace's extensive collection. He had some good sounding Fender Tweeds.
I believe we used an Ampeg B-15 bass amp. The sound was from the DI and mic on the amp. The mic was an RE-20.
I probably used U-87's as overheads (which picks up lots of the snare sound) and a 57 on the snare. I may have also had a Shotgun MKH405 high above the snare with a lot of limiting (1176).
The tracks were recorded at Electric Lady on a Focusrite desk, and the rest of the record was recorded at Record Plant, on Spectrasonics and API consoles. It was mixed at RP on the API.
- Jay Messina
[top]Where should I start EQ'ing? Should I start with the most important instrument for example the vocals for pop music (assuming they need EQ'ing), or go directly to an instrument that sounds like it most needs it (for example isn't sitting or sounding right)?
It's a good idea to have a sound in mind, that you want your mix to sound like. I like to think of mixing as painting a picture, so where ever you start you mix (you don't have to have a formula for how or where you start), if the sound (or color) isn't what you like, you can change it.
Perhaps you should try getting a quick rough mix of everything, without any EQ, to start with. Then EQ what doesn't jump out at you. Have fun when you mix.
- Jay Messina
I've always been a Neve fan. Especially the Neve 8078. I like mixing on an analog console, but like to incorporate some features of Pro Tools.
- Jay Messina
When I first started engineering (maybe a month or 2) somebody told me not to be lazy and go out in the studio and see what it sounds like in the room. That's something that stuck with me and I still live by.
- Jay Messina
I generally used 3 mics on each amp. Sm57, MD421 and either a Sony C-37 or C-38. Between the band's and Record Plant's collection of fine guitar amps, it made it easy to get some cool sounds. Toys was tracked, for the most part, on a Spectrasonics console. Rocks was recorded using a Dimideo desk. Like the Spectrasonics, it wasn't elaborate or fancy, but it was clean.
- Jay Messina
I like to position overheads so that the snare will be centered, when the OH's are soloed. If I can't do that with 2 mics, because of the cymbal set up, I'll add another mic so I can get a good shot at all the cymbals, and still get the desired imaging of the snare. Part of a good snare sound comes from those OH's and room mics. I try to get some symmetry from a combination of room mics. Sometimes that means adding an additional mic that I can place off center, so that when I listen to just the room mics, the stereo image is symmetrical.
I do like to print all my processing when recording. I usually compress room mics, however I don't have a set rule for what compressor I use. I have an Audio Designs Compex limiter that I use a lot. One way I use it is to send a mix of the drums to it and add the output (in parallel) to the mix. I don't have a set way of recording drums. It really depends on the drummer, the drums, the room, the moment, etc. You can have all those parameters the same, but sometimes you 'feel' like doing it differently. If you have an idea, in your head, of what you want it to sound like, you can get that result a number of different ways. It keeps it interesting for me.
Sometimes I would add some plate to toms and print it along with the overheads and hat. I usually kept the snare dry.
If I want to get rid of any kick in the OH's, I'll try to do it by covering the kick, in some way. If it wasn't covered, I sometimes take some 500hz out of the OH to get rid of the attack of the kick.
- Jay Messina
The 8 track machine was a bit of a monster, in size. It had all the Ampex 300 (?) electronics stacked above one another (with 4 to 6 inches in between). If there were any 1" reels around, we didn't have any. The tape came of hubs, and were placed on flanges, on the machine. We had a Lang plasic (weighted) top flange for ease of use. The scariest moments came when I would be fast forwarding, without that top flange. Occasionally, the tape would slowly start creeping up, in a telescope fashion (on the take up side). Most of the time I would catch it in time and stop the machine and adjust the tape. There was a couple of times I didn't catch it in time. That meant the outermost winds of tape came off the take up side, and the machine would stop. Before it stopped, there was at least 50 feet of twisted tape to deal with. It's a bit time consuming to untwist all that tape, especially if you're alone.
I made a good portion of masters for the 8 track cartridges being produced then. I would lay up the 2 trk masters, delivered to me, on the 8 trk. I had to lay them up in such a way that they were stacked in parallel on all the tracks, and made sure they all started at the same time. They would take that one inch tape and make a loop from it, and from there, they would produce the cartridges.
When there was a maintenance problem with the machine or studio, Tom Hidley (the studio designer) would be our man.
- Jay Messina
I still have and use my lunch box. It has 2 - 512B mic pre's and 2 560's. There was an API console in one of the rooms at Record Plant, that had mostly all 560's. So, it wasn't really a RP technique, as much as it was what engineers got used to, and liked, from the Studio B console.
For a record date, I usually use the pre, then into the EQ for bass and kick drum.
- Jay Messina
Of course, each instrument is different, but the mid range in a kick that I sometimes take out is in the area between 200 and 500cps. I also add some higher freq. at 3k up to 8k depending on the rest of the track and drum set. I like adding some 31 or 63 to the bottom of the bass and some at 250 and 1k.
One of the things I like about the 560 EQ is the ease at which you can try some extreme settings.
- Jay Messina
Know all the tech stuff like the back of your hand, and be yourself. Even the BIG names are people too. When you're relaxed, you're at your best. I wouldn't worry about playing any mind games. Go to your meeting, be present and listen to what they have to say, and you'll react in the appropriate manner.
- Jay Messina
For the few weeks that I was there, there were no overdubs. Miles would sometime wear phones, and other times he'd just take them off. He had a mic that was attached to his horn, so he could move around. Gil Evens was always in the studio, taking care of arrangement questions. We had 2 - 24 trk machines. When we got near the end of a reel on one machine, we'd start the other one, so we were able to record everything. We recorded in 2 different rooms (Studio A & B). A had a Spectrasonics console and B had an API.
- Jay Messina
If I was able to get the desired sound on individual instruments without compression, then that's what I did. I used to use a Shotgun mic, high above the snare, and pointed at it. I used an 1176 with a lot of compression on that mic and usually put that on a separate track. Just a little of that track in the mix added some nice energy to the drum sound. When I was at Record Plant, we used to have a Flickinger limiter that worked great on bass. When I added compression to guitars (on the buss or in parallel) I normally used an 1176.
For the most part, I did not use a mix buss compressor.
- Jay Messina
That really depends on the individual. It certainly makes editing easier for me, when recording with a click. Some players prefer hearing click, while others don't like it at all. Sometimes just the drummer will listen to it.
If it's going to affect the performance, in a negative way, then there's no question about getting rid of the click.
- Jay Messina
I can almost always find what I want with one of the Universal Audio plugins
- Jay Messina
If I'm going to mix something I haven't recorded, I always listen to a ruf mix, to get an idea of what the music is about. After I've done that, I generally start with drums, then bass (for Rock). Once they are feeling solid and connected, I'll add the rest of the track, leaving the vocals for last. For other genres, I sometimes just go for a balance of what's recorded and see what that sounds like. Once you add a compressor or EQ to one track, it changes the overall balance of things. If a mix is dragging on, and still not sounding good, I'll sometimes remove all plug-ins and outboard, and see if I've improved on the 'raw' tracks. There is something very clean about tracks that have no processing on them. That is not to say that you never use outboard processing. It just means if you insert a plug-in, make sure you are improving the sound.
[top]Was Lennon creative at the studio also? Did you learn something from him? - Barnymorales
John didn't get hung up on listening to things under a microscope. He knew when something felt good. Knowing when to stop is a big part of the creative process.
- Jay Messina
[top]Do you ever do any processing on the stereo bus when you are mixing? If so, what's the reason and vice versa if you don't. - Cegor
I like to hold off on any buss compression until I'm totally happy with the mix. I do this for several reasons. If you put a compressor on the bus early in the mix, the compression action will keep changing, so you can lose your perspective. When you don't have processing on your bus right from the start, it makes you work harder to get something that sounds good. If you get a mix sounding good without something on the 2 trk bus, that means you've probably done some individual treatment of instruments. That kind of detail is what make a mix stand out. If I have a mix that I'm happy with, I'll then try some processing. If it doesn't make it better, I leave it out.
- Jay Messina
[top]Lets say the mix is truly glistening after you've added the stereo bus processing, is there a limit to where you stop processing and leave the rest to the mastering engineer? Aside from Limiting for loudness (assuming). - Cegor
I feel it's a mistake to not be totally happy with your mix when you're finished. Expecting it to sound better after mastering is not a good habit to get into. So, to answer your question directly, I would stop processing when I am happy with the mix, and feel there is nothing else I can do to make it better.
- Jay Messina
[top]Was wondering how you approach guitar amp micing? You mentioned you like using a combo of a Sm57, MD421, U87 & C-38 . With the Sm57 & MD-421 placement do you have a go to starting placement? Or is it more generally listening for something sweet for each mic? How much do you consider phase interactions when placing mics?
When tracking do you record a buss that is a blend of all your mics or do you track everything and blend in post? - Dagger
Depending on how loud the amp is I'll place the 57, sometimes touching the grill, pointing right at the center of the speaker or just a little off axis. The more it's pointed at the center the brighter it is, and if the amp is loud enough, you'll get enough bottom. Taking it away from the center will add the appearance of more bottom. The 421 is placed off axis (on the same speaker) and pointing at the center. You'll need to experiment with the exact placement of that 421. Likewise with the C-38, you should experiment with it placed back about a foot. You can use the same speaker or try another. Most of the time I like to find the right balance between all the mics and print it on one track. Since it's all going to one track, if there are any phase concerns, you'll hear it. Sometimes the phase interactions can be desirable.
- Jay Messina
Yamaha SKRM-100 Subkick
[top]if you had to pick one and only bass drum, what size (depth x width) would you go for? - L.sicilian
I would want a 14" x 24". I'd also want a Yamaha SubKick.
- Jay Messina
[top]Ain't Life Grand is a favorite of mine. I love the overall sound, and every song has it's own thing going on. Can you elaborate on the mixing process? How did the tracks sound when you got them? What did you mix on/with? Your focus.. And so on. Anything you will share is cool. - Rythm'BackStudio
The tracks sounded good when I first heard them. There were a couple of last minute overdubs that I recorded in New York. We mixed it in 2 different studios, and both on Neve desks. The first studio was Manhattan Center Studios, and the place we finished it at was Chung King.
Slash was always there, but would leave Jack Douglas and myself alone, to do the mix. But if he ever heard anything he didn't like, he would speak up immediately with some cool idea. He's got great ears.
The shape and concept of the record was already there (in the recorded tracks), so for me, it was a matter of making what was recorded sound as good as I could.
- Jay Messina
[top]Three Dog Night - Hard Labor Album: Were you there for tracking? Which songs were you on for tracking or mix? What were they recording on? 24 track? Twin sync machines? If you were there for tracking, did the three singers also play on the tracks (since all are guitar players too)? Loved their drummer Floyd Sneed. This album seems to be about the time the act was slowing down or falling apart. Any memories of the 3DN sessions?
Toys in the Attic - "Sweet Emotion": How was the lead guitar set up and mic'd? Was it a Marshall? Stack? Was Joe in the control room with the amp out in the studio set to 11? Great sound on that. Were the lead parts double tracked?
Tonight I Celebrate My Love (Roberta Flack)...what's the reverb? Lex 250? Live chamber? Plate? - Thenoodle
I did a few weeks of vocals with 3DN at Record Plant in Ca. Roy Cicala was recording the album but had to return to NY for some reason. He asked me to cover for him and continue with the project. I also did some mixes back in New York, but don't remember which songs. I believe it was 24 trk.
The lead on Sweet Emotion was recorded on the wooden floor section of Studio A at Record Plant. Joe probably played through a Fender tweed, which we had at Record Plant. It didn't have to be 'tear your head off' loud to get an awesome sound out of it. He was in the studio with the amp. It was not double tracked.
I don't recall if I mixed that Roberta Flack track, but the reverb of choice, at Record Plant, was one of four plates that were available for Studio A and B.
- Jay Messina
[top]Can you elaborate on the wooden floor? Was the amp just placed on the floor and close mic'd or did you back off the amp in order to get some of the reflections from the floor? - Sbmusicandpost
It was on the floor, and used 3 mics close to the amp. A SM57 and MD421 very close and a Sony C-37 or C-38 back a little bit. There also may have been a U87 back several feet for some ambience.
- Jay Messina
[top]When you are mixing or recording, do you use any references for sounds or balance etc at any stage. If so, how do you approach them? Especially if you are working in a studio or place where you don´t know the rooms acoustics or speakers that well:-) - Rickard Bengtsso
If I'm going to work in a studio where I'm not familiar with the monitors, I always bring at least one or two CD's that I know sound good, and I'm familiar with. I'll listen to them for at least 15 minutes before I do anything. I believe, at that point, your brain now knows what things are supposed to sound like. After I'm into a mix for an hour or two, I'll check that reference CD once more. If I don't get any surprises, I'll continue with my mix and check the ref once more after I have a mix that I'm happy with.
- Jay Messina
[top]What are other old favorites go-to recordings as references? - Syncamorea
It really depends on the style of music i'm mixing. If it's something with acoustic bass, I'll usually ref a record I mixed for Chin Suzuki called 'East Bounce'. The cut that I play is called "Somewhere I Never Travelled". They've played it on one of the more 'easy listening' stations here, for years. I love the bottom on it. As far a a rock record goes, I usually ask what bands the artist likes, and go from there. I used to use Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" because of the full bandwidth of the mix. Great bottom and top.
- Jay Messina
API Audio 560 EQ
[top]I'm quite curious as to if you have any favorite "Go to" pieces of gear (Eqs, compressors, other) that you gravitate towards first on certain instruments. Any certain compressors or EQs (or other favorites) that you tend to reach for first on Bass guitars, guitars, vox, drums, etc? - bryan k
The first thing I do is listen with no processing, then determine which piece of gear I'll go to. For bass, it's usually a Fairchild or DBX 160. I really like 1176's. They work great on guitars and drums. Fairchild or LA-2A on vocals. I have an API Lunchbox with 2 512B mic pre's and 2 560 EQ. The 560's work well on almost everything.
- Jay Messina
[top]Could you give us a basic idea of how you like to pan a drum set? I know there are a hundred factors to consider so lets say a standard 5 piece with just hi hat ride 2 crashes ,doing a full 3 tom roll down. In a heavier rock type sound. - Phatbeatstudio
For the most punch from a low tom, I tend to put it in the middle, with the 2 rack toms being a little left and right of center. I like listening from the audience's perspective or how I'm looking at the drummer,in the studio, if I'm recording them. If I don't have the lo tom in the center, and they are panned from hi to lo, I always keep them in from full left/right panning. I usually do the same for hat (not panned full left or right). If I have some good room tracks, that I'm going to use a lot of in the mix, I'll bring the overheads in from the sides a bit, and keep the room tracks full left and right.
- Jay Messina
[top]I would like to ask you which speakers you like to use whilst mixing at home and if you use a mono reference speaker for anything. I have a loss of hearing above 16k according to a recent test i did...after all these years how are your ears??? and do you need to make any allowances based more on experience than perfect hearing. - Scruffydog
I like Genelec 1031 A's for mixing. I do not use a mono ref speaker at my studio. I generally don't listen very loud, so I don't think I have any problems with my ears caused by high volume abuse. You should reference your mixes against other material that you like, and are familiar with. You might even want to start a mix that way. Listen to something you know sounds good (at least 10 minutes or so), then start your mix.
- Jay Messina
[top]Any Cheap Trick details? Stories? I'm a huge fan of Cheap Trick, especially their first 4 or 5 albums. Is there any specifics you can share about Bun E.'s tom sound that features so prominently on songs like ELO Kiddies, and C'mon C'mon, etc...And the 'clanky' Rickenbacker bass sound on those early records -- I'm guessing it's a mic'd amp? Any distortion? - Timtoonz
The bass sound was through a modified Ampeg B-15. It was a combination of a DI from the output of the head plus an RE-20 on the amp. We were able to get some good grit from that amp. As far as the drums go, I may have used U87 on the toms, as well as the overheads. I also had a Shotgun MKH405 high above the snare and pointing straight at it. There was an 1176 on that mic with a lot of compression.
- Jay Messina
Audio-Technica AT4050
[top]I saw in another thread that you use the AT4050...As an extreme low-ended over here...It's the only condenser mic I own! - Ron Vogel
You can use that mic on almost anything. You definitely need the pad for high sound levels. I've used it on guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. For vocals, at my studio, I usually go into an API 512B, and right into Pro Tools, through my Mytek converters. I usually have the 80cps roll off on. If there is a chance I may have some loud passages, I put the pad on right away.
- Jay Messina
[top]Given the Arcane nature of this problem and difficulty educating the public, what can we do about it? - Stokestack
I'm assuming you're talking about mastering or over compression so that the CD is as loud as it can be.
There's nothing wrong with having your mix 'jump out' at you. This doesn't mean you over compress your mix just to make it loud. You can get that 'jump out' result from a good arrangement, and good mixing technique.
I don't want to spend my time trying to educate the public, or change the world, for that matter. Things change on a large scale when people do what they believe in, and stick to it. I'm not saying I ignore the level of what the music is at these days. I make my music as competitive as it has to be without resorting to methods I don't believe in.
- Jay Messina
[top]The majority of my work involves recording and mixing in-studio performances live to 2-track. I was wondering if you have any tips or advice for this type of recording, whether you prefer this approach or now-traditional production workflows, or any other insight and guidance you may have in this area. - DanH
I love to record right to 2 trk. I like the energy in the studio, as well as the control room. There is a certain clarity to the sound (much less processing and electronics to go through), that makes for a special recording. The key, for me, is to make everybody as comfortable as possible in order to get the best performance from everyone. I feel that is the most important thing. If the performance is not great, who cares what it sounds like. It's all about the music.
I try to create a relaxed environment right from the time I walk in the studio, and continue that throughout the session. I usually ask the musicians for their patients, while I get sounds and they get used to Headphones (if they are using them). I stagger the schedule for musicians to be in the studio, so no one is standing around waiting, for very long.
If you've done your homework and are totally prepared, you can expect a fun, and energy packed day.
- Jay Messina
[top]If I use EQ on the master buss should I put it on first before everything or last after everything? What do you think? - Phatbeatstudio
I don't put anything on the stereo bus until I'm really happy with the mix. A truly dimensional mix comes from spending the time and care with individual elements of the mix. I'm not saying not to use your outboard on the stereo bus, I'm just saying wait until your happy with everything. This will make you work harder to get things to 'speak'. You should be able to focus in on anything in the mix and listen to it all the way through.
- Jay Messina
[top]Compex limiter…do you use limit on or just comp? What attack time out of 25,2.5,0.25 ms do you think is a sweet spot and how much gain reduction is going on usually? - SergioS
I have the peak limit set to 'off'. I have the comp attack time set to 25. I don't have a set threshold level. I've used light to heavy compression. I do like to vary the release time to either get that 'pumping' sound or, with a slow release, it tends to 'tighten' the sound.
- Jay Messina
ADR Compex F760X-RS
[top]I Heard that parallel compression on mastering could be dangerous. And have you used it on your mixes? What's your personal opinion about it ? - Simple2nes
Dangerous? I've never suffered any physical injury from using parallel compression. If it sounds good, it is good.
All kidding aside, a rule that I believe, and follow is, you're not done with your mix until you are totally happy with it. Expecting it to sound better in mastering is a big mistake lots of people make. When I mix something, I expect very little to be done, in mastering at either Sterling or Gateway. However, if the mastering engineer has an idea that will bring the mix 'up a notch', I'm all for it. If it's a drastic change, I will study the changes very carefully. When you make a big change in mastering, you forget about all the time you're taken to get certain results on specific things in the mix. Sometimes those subtle things you labored over get masked by too much processing in mastering.
If I'm mastering something I haven't mixed, I'll do whatever I think will make the mix sound better.
- Jay Messina
[top]Do you use Distressors on the drums? If so... how? On kick/snare separately, room mics, full drum buss, parallel sends vs. straight buss inserts? - Steved
Sometimes I add another mic to the snare (maybe an AKG 414 ) and use the Distressor on that mic. It might not sound great by itself, but when added to everything else, it works. I've also used them on room mics, but only if they can be stereo coupled.
- Jay Messina
[top]Go-to male vocal mics? For rock/pop male vocals, what would be your typical mics of choice? I realize each singer requires something different, but I wondered if you find yourself reaching for a particular mic? - SOLOIST101
I like to start with a U67, U47 or U87 (it just depends on what's available). If they don't work I like the Audio Technica 4050.
- Jay Messina
[top]Can you please talk a bit about the industry regarding unsigned artists? - hAPIguy
I've just finishing mixing a band from Athens, Greece (Wild Machine). I sent them the last mix, which they liked, and was happy to hear them say they've been approached by several labels. They were able to get all the recording done, in Athens, because one of the guitar players worked in a studio, and acted as the band's engineer. When they were done recording, they contacted me. I'm sure there are other engineer/producers that work with unsigned acts.
You have to be creative with your efforts to get 'noticed' online. Take advantage of all the possibilities (YouTube, Pure Volume). You can create podcasts that may benefit others, while getting exposure for yourself. Depending on how you word your description of your podcast, can determine who you get 'linked' to when a search word is entered.
Playing at local venues has always been a way to get the word out.
- Jay Messina
[top]What's your philosophy when it comes to choosing the right Reverb effect for a song or an instrument? ! - Missswan
I'm a big believer in experimenting. That being said, with experience and trying lots of different verbs, you get to have a sense of what might be a good starting point. That may not be where you end up, but by listening to the track, you get to choose what color sounds best to you. Sometimes you might get fooled by the length of the verb, when you mute the track or stop the music (or listen to the track while being soloed). It may appear long to you, but how it sounds in the track is what counts.
- Jay Messina
Sennheiser MKH 405
[top]I read somewhere that Tyler's screams are actually very quiet in volume and he lets the vocal chain do the work in terms of volume. Is this true? Also what was the vocal chain? - Henge
Steven's scream is not quiet! He's got a lot of power and energy behind it.
When we used speakers, instead of Headphones, sometimes had a Shotgun MKH405, into the Spectrasonics pre, then an LA-2A and into a PEQ-1A. Other times, with phones, a U-87 followed by the same chain.
- Jay Messina
[top]
Which compressor do you mostly use for parallel compression and do you have any tip do dial the right sound for parallel compression on drums, both live and samples?
One extra question - How are Kiss guys, is it easy to work with them? Any good stories? - FoxMulderFBI
I like to use a compressor (especially an Audio Design - Compex Limiter F760X-RS ) that has a 'release' control. I like this because I can almost tune the compression to the tempo of the song. Or by slowing the release time, it will 'tighten' the drum sound by not bringing up all the 'in between' sound that happens between kick or snare hits. For example, that slower release time will reduce any excess cymbals on the snare track.
I mostly send kick and snare to the compressor, and try to affect some drastic limiting. It doesn't necessarily sound good by itself, but when added to the uncompressed drums, it brings them alive.
I had a very easy time, each time I worked with Kiss. It was always a lot of fun, and glamour, like going to Studio 54 after the sessions. Like most big stars, they are just people, like you and I. I've stayed in touch with Ace, over the years and recorded some tracks for him on his latest album.
- Jay Messina
[top]The old CBS Volumax Limiters. Did you find them useful? (And if so, on what?) - 12ax7
Mostly, I liked them on bass and toms. I remember the tweaking being critical, especially for toms. When it was right, it really brought the toms to life.
- Jay Messina
[top]I am curious about the Kiss Destroyer LP. The record is layered in the most lush rich ambience/reverb I have ever heard on a record. Given the fact it was 1975/76 and digital verb was not available, how did you guys obtain such a depth? Was it all ambient micing? or were there some chambers, plates or springs utilized? possibly some delay techniques? I really think the sound of Destroyer is as good as it gets sonically and its spatial component is pure genius. - Headstack
We sometimes set the drums up near the back of the studio, and left the door open. There was a concrete hallway back there, where we placed at least one U-87. That made for some really cool ambience. Record Plant also had some nice plates, all with there own distinctive qualities. Printing some guitar effects, mixed on to the same track, can also add some unique dimension.
- Jay Messina
UAD EMT 250
[top]quick follow-up (although not my original question) you've mentioned the Record Plant plates a couple of times and that you usually find what you're looking for plugin-wise with UAD... so, if you don't mind me asking, how do you like the EMT140 emulation as compared to "the real thing?" any tips or tricks to get them closer to the hardware or are you happy with how they are? - Superwack
The Uad emt-140 plugin does a good job. It's one of my first choices, along with the Uad emt-250 for some sweet, natural sounding reverb. I can't say I've had the opportunity to A/B it to an actual plate, but I have an engineer friend who did the A/B, and said it was very close. I have put some EQ on the output of the plate to color the verb in different ways.
- Jay Messina
[top]Record Plant Memories. I was just wondering if there were any memories that come to mind in particular that stand out in regard to learning techniques that really helped elevate your craft from when you worked there? Did anyone in particular influence your mixing and engineering techniques when you worked there? And what records really turned you on that you found yourself studying to find your own fingerprint as a mix engineer? I personally feel you have a sound that's all your own, but everyone has their heroes and mentors right? I always kind of look at engineering as a situation where "it takes a village to raise a child" so to speak. - Herecomesyourman
I have many fond memories of Record Plant. It was a special, family kind of atmosphere. If I were to pick a favorite engineer of mine, it would be Roy Cicala. He's certainly the most inventive one I know.
As far as learning some skills at RP (and A&R), I'd have to say I learned a lot from the musician friends I had, that I would bring in the studio (on off hours) and just experiment. They would want to record some songs they wrote or arranged, and I wanted to practice my engineering. I was fortunate to have, as friends, the best studio players in town. The Brecker Brothers, Mike Mainieri, Steve Gadd, Tony Levin, to name just a few. Listening to their feedback was invaluable to me, both at Record Plant and A & R Studios (I was at A&R before RP)
The 2 records that stood out to me were Sgt. Peppers' and Bridge Over Troubled Water.
- Jay Messina
[top]General eq and comp tips for drums: Would you mind talking about general tips on dialing in a quick drum sound? (where do you usually cut or boost, how much do you compress, etc) - JulianFernandez
Assuming you're talking about mixing, here are some very general guide lines.
If I'm looking for more bottom on the kick, I sometimes take out around 500cps and add some at 60 or below. I also add some 3k-8k for the attack of the kick. If I'm looking for brightness on the snare, I'll boost at 10K. I'll do the same for overheads. If I'm going to take something away from OH's, sometimes it's 500cps to get rid of some of the kick leakage. I like to set up a mix, from the drums, that I send to a compressor that I will add to the mix (in parallel). When I use this technique I sometimes use a lot of compression, since I can control the amount of the compressor that I add to the mix.
- Jay Messina
[top]Walter Becker's "Circus Money" album: Can you tell us a little about recording the rhythm section, especially the drums and bass sound absolutely fantastic (as well as having - obviously - a great groove)... Very punchy and warm. - FunkyKeys
I recorded most of the tracks, with some overdubs, but the majority of the sweetening and mixing, Walter did in L.A. Everybody played live, with Walter being in the same room as the drums (his amp was isolated). Keith is a great drummer so I had a nice head start on the sound. I believe I used some Coles for room mics, which I printed with some compression. The bass was a combo of DI and amp. I'm not certain which mic I used. It was either a RE-20 or a U-67.
- Jay Messina
[top]I'd be interested to hear the kind of requests you have received from musicians you've worked with. And also, what kind of results did you get trying to find the sound, what odd stuff did you discover along the way? - Syncamorea
I almost always prefer a non technical description of what the artist wants to hear. I guess I've heard the strangest descriptions when working with advertising people.....like 'what's that thumping sound?' (kick drum).
I was recently in the studio with, latin jazz legend, Eddie Palmieri. When I was mixing one of the tunes, Eddie was describing that he wanted the timbale fills to 'jump out' more. He was describing this more with a visual hand movement, rather than verbal, but I understood what he meant. I took all the fills and copied them to another track (in PT's) and added a lot of compression to them and added it to the main timbale tracks. He loved it.
- Jay Messina
[top]Just wondering whether you ever mixdown to a quality 2 track tape machine? If so do you think it sounds better than straight back to digital and how? - Fezzle
If I'm in a situation when I can mix on an analog console, I like to print my mix to half inch tape (usually 30 ips depending on the music). Digital has come a long way, but it's still not as 'real' sounding as tape. Tape has a fatness and warmth that digital has only come close to.
- Jay Messina
Electro-Voice RE20
[top]In 1986 you and Jack Douglas did a record for a band I was in called Rough Cutt. If i remember right you used a RE-20 on the Bass Amp. Is this your go to mic for Bass or do you now use the amp modeling? How do you generally treat Bass Amp vs. Bass DI (EQ, go to Compression and ect.) - mtstudios@charter
I still like the RE-20 (at least for a starter) on the bass amp. I recorded Matt Bissontte not too long ago in LA, at Capitol Studios. He had a Markbass setup. I recorded a DI and a RE-20 track. I was pleasantly surprised to be able to use more of the mic, than the DI in the mix. It's usually the other way around for me. It sounded good in the studio, so I just added a bit of compression on both the mic and DI. If I have a Fairchild available, that's what I'd use for compression. I like API 560's for bass EQ.
If I can get the amp sounding good in the studio, it's usually better than any of the amp modeling. Having the DI recorded separately means you can always experiment with modeling after the fact.
- Jay Messina
[top]Drum sound on Destroyer. I've always loved the drum sound, and tried many times to get the depth and size myself, but never can. If you can recall, could you elaborate the engineering process for the drums on Destroyer? XY Overheads 10FT above the kit? Room Mics? etc.. - Jampot
The drums were not always set up in the same way for each song. Sometimes they were in the back of the studio, with the door to the hallway left open. There was at least one U-87 in the hallway. I used U-87's for OH's (approx. 5 ft. over the kit). I positioned them so I got the snare image to be centered when listening just to the OH's (when panned full left & right). I sometimes used a Sennheiser shotgun 805, as high as I could get it, and point it straight down at the snare.
- Jay Messina
[top]What's the craziest thing you've had to do for a client? - Mojomills
Jack Douglas and I were recording a band called Crowbar. We weren't getting the extra special performance from the lead singer on the song "Higher and Higher". We set him up on the roof, and up a ladder at the base of the water tower (for that 'higher' inspiration)
He sang his butt off.
- Jay Messina
[top]What is your approach to getting BIG rock guitar sounds? Do you favor any particular mics in combination with each other? - Beechstudio
It really depends on the way the amp sounds. As a general rule you could usually start with a Sm57, MD421 and something like a Sony C-38. I'll first solo each of the mics to see what they sound like, and then just experiment with different levels of each, in combination with one another. Sometimes a U-47 or U87 a few feet back can add some body. For a solo guitar, adding a condenser mic (with a lot of compression) across the room and facing away from the amp can give some nice size to your sound.
- Jay Messina
[top]Recording Ravi Shankar. What are some special considerations when recording a classical master like Ravi Shankar? - Go Nigel Go
With someone like Ravi Shankar, the preparation and the artist's comfort is most important. If they don't feel comfortable and feel like playing, it doesn't make any difference what kind of mics you use. Also being totally ready to press 'record' is a must.
Everything was recorded at once, and in a single room. There were no overdubs or go-bo's.
- Jay Messina
[top]Besides workflow , what are your thoughts about mixing ITB with Pro Tools vs OTB on a console ? Do you hear any sonic benefits when using a console? - ScumBum
Whenever it's in the budget, and practical, I prefer mixing OTB. That is not to say I don't enjoy mixing ITB. I have a private studio at home and I do most of my mixing here. I have some cool hardware (API EQ's, Compex stereo limiter, Transient Designer compressors and some effects boxes. I also have all the Universal Audio plugins. I'm always happy with the results.
When I can mix on a Neve, that is my preference. There is a definite difference in the sound. I would hope so, for something that costs so much.
If I'm going to use some parallel limiting on drums, I use my Compex. I also use API 560's on guitars, bass and kick. I still like my Transient Designer compressors on kick and bass, but sometimes it comes in handy on toms and anything else I want to get some extreme attack or sustain.
- Jay Messina
SPL Transient Designer
[top]KISS - Dynasty few questions. I would like to know about the guitar amplifiers used during the sessions, and most importantly, how you got this killer bass tone, especially on Sure know something? Was it mic'ed only or DI'ed? Or both?
About the drums... Do you remember the mic setup used? Especially on the snare! Those snares are just awesome...
If I may still... what kind of desks were used for recording and mixing? - Ludovico
I really don't remember all the guitar amps we used, but I do know we used some of Ace's extensive collection. He had some good sounding Fender Tweeds.
I believe we used an Ampeg B-15 bass amp. The sound was from the DI and mic on the amp. The mic was an RE-20.
I probably used U-87's as overheads (which picks up lots of the snare sound) and a 57 on the snare. I may have also had a Shotgun MKH405 high above the snare with a lot of limiting (1176).
The tracks were recorded at Electric Lady on a Focusrite desk, and the rest of the record was recorded at Record Plant, on Spectrasonics and API consoles. It was mixed at RP on the API.
- Jay Messina
[top]Where should I start EQ'ing? Should I start with the most important instrument for example the vocals for pop music (assuming they need EQ'ing), or go directly to an instrument that sounds like it most needs it (for example isn't sitting or sounding right)?
I find this especially difficult when I am working with more than 10 tracks. Sometimes EQ'ing 1 track can really affect the other instruments. Conversely, I can sometimes EQ one track and there is very little difference to the mix. - Alexvdbroek
It's a good idea to have a sound in mind, that you want your mix to sound like. I like to think of mixing as painting a picture, so where ever you start you mix (you don't have to have a formula for how or where you start), if the sound (or color) isn't what you like, you can change it.
Perhaps you should try getting a quick rough mix of everything, without any EQ, to start with. Then EQ what doesn't jump out at you. Have fun when you mix.
- Jay Messina
Neve 8078 Console
[top]What is your all-time favorite console? Also, do you prefer mixing on a real desk vs mixing ITB? - Ez135
I've always been a Neve fan. Especially the Neve 8078. I like mixing on an analog console, but like to incorporate some features of Pro Tools.
- Jay Messina
[top]Is there one particular piece of advice that you got along the way that had a long lasting effect on how you work? - Houndog328
When I first started engineering (maybe a month or 2) somebody told me not to be lazy and go out in the studio and see what it sounds like in the room. That's something that stuck with me and I still live by.
- Jay Messina
[top]I was curious about the guitar tones on Aerosmith toys in the attic and Rocks LPs. Do you recall what mics you used? I read somewhere Toys were tracked on a Spectrasonics desk and you guys used an API at the old A. Warehouse is that accurate? - Headstack
I generally used 3 mics on each amp. Sm57, MD421 and either a Sony C-37 or C-38. Between the band's and Record Plant's collection of fine guitar amps, it made it easy to get some cool sounds. Toys was tracked, for the most part, on a Spectrasonics console. Rocks was recorded using a Dimideo desk. Like the Spectrasonics, it wasn't elaborate or fancy, but it was clean.
- Jay Messina
[top]Can you talk a bit about the way you balance drum overheads, room and spot mics for the rock genre and their treatments regarding eq, compression and maybe even transient designers? - hAPIguy
I like to position overheads so that the snare will be centered, when the OH's are soloed. If I can't do that with 2 mics, because of the cymbal set up, I'll add another mic so I can get a good shot at all the cymbals, and still get the desired imaging of the snare. Part of a good snare sound comes from those OH's and room mics. I try to get some symmetry from a combination of room mics. Sometimes that means adding an additional mic that I can place off center, so that when I listen to just the room mics, the stereo image is symmetrical.
I do like to print all my processing when recording. I usually compress room mics, however I don't have a set rule for what compressor I use. I have an Audio Designs Compex limiter that I use a lot. One way I use it is to send a mix of the drums to it and add the output (in parallel) to the mix. I don't have a set way of recording drums. It really depends on the drummer, the drums, the room, the moment, etc. You can have all those parameters the same, but sometimes you 'feel' like doing it differently. If you have an idea, in your head, of what you want it to sound like, you can get that result a number of different ways. It keeps it interesting for me.
Sometimes I would add some plate to toms and print it along with the overheads and hat. I usually kept the snare dry.
If I want to get rid of any kick in the OH's, I'll try to do it by covering the kick, in some way. If it wasn't covered, I sometimes take some 500hz out of the OH to get rid of the attack of the kick.
- Jay Messina
[top]1" 8 track. Can you tell us a bit about that machine? I'm curious about the workflow and maintenance since 8 track was new at the time. - babooino
The 8 track machine was a bit of a monster, in size. It had all the Ampex 300 (?) electronics stacked above one another (with 4 to 6 inches in between). If there were any 1" reels around, we didn't have any. The tape came of hubs, and were placed on flanges, on the machine. We had a Lang plasic (weighted) top flange for ease of use. The scariest moments came when I would be fast forwarding, without that top flange. Occasionally, the tape would slowly start creeping up, in a telescope fashion (on the take up side). Most of the time I would catch it in time and stop the machine and adjust the tape. There was a couple of times I didn't catch it in time. That meant the outermost winds of tape came off the take up side, and the machine would stop. Before it stopped, there was at least 50 feet of twisted tape to deal with. It's a bit time consuming to untwist all that tape, especially if you're alone.
I made a good portion of masters for the 8 track cartridges being produced then. I would lay up the 2 trk masters, delivered to me, on the 8 trk. I had to lay them up in such a way that they were stacked in parallel on all the tracks, and made sure they all started at the same time. They would take that one inch tape and make a loop from it, and from there, they would produce the cartridges.
When there was a maintenance problem with the machine or studio, Tom Hidley (the studio designer) would be our man.
- Jay Messina
API 512B
[top]I assisted both you and Jim Ball back in the early 90's - you at Sound On Sound and Jim at Water Music Recorders. You both had a Lunchbox of four API 560's and applied them in the same manner--bass drum, snare, bass di and bass amp. Was this a Record Plant technique? Do you still use 560's? - Tekis
I still have and use my lunch box. It has 2 - 512B mic pre's and 2 560's. There was an API console in one of the rooms at Record Plant, that had mostly all 560's. So, it wasn't really a RP technique, as much as it was what engineers got used to, and liked, from the Studio B console.
For a record date, I usually use the pre, then into the EQ for bass and kick drum.
- Jay Messina
[top]For a record date, I usually use the pre, then into the EQ for bass and kick drum. Are there certain ballpark settings you like to always use with the API 560 EQ on Kick and Bass? - ScumBum
Of course, each instrument is different, but the mid range in a kick that I sometimes take out is in the area between 200 and 500cps. I also add some higher freq. at 3k up to 8k depending on the rest of the track and drum set. I like adding some 31 or 63 to the bottom of the bass and some at 250 and 1k.
One of the things I like about the 560 EQ is the ease at which you can try some extreme settings.
- Jay Messina
[top]Meeting new clients. How do you approach the initial meeting/encounter when dealing with new clients....Especially the types of BIG names you work with.... -
Know all the tech stuff like the back of your hand, and be yourself. Even the BIG names are people too. When you're relaxed, you're at your best. I wouldn't worry about playing any mind games. Go to your meeting, be present and listen to what they have to say, and you'll react in the appropriate manner.
- Jay Messina
[top]Could you give us some details about recording Star People by Miles Davis. How was the setup, what mics, console...Are there any overdubs or is it all live? - Jetam
For the few weeks that I was there, there were no overdubs. Miles would sometime wear phones, and other times he'd just take them off. He had a mic that was attached to his horn, so he could move around. Gil Evens was always in the studio, taking care of arrangement questions. We had 2 - 24 trk machines. When we got near the end of a reel on one machine, we'd start the other one, so we were able to record everything. We recorded in 2 different rooms (Studio A & B). A had a Spectrasonics console and B had an API.
- Jay Messina
UREI 1176
[top]Back in the 70's you didn't have DAW's , only real hardware compressors and a limited amount. What instruments always got compression and what didn't get compression . Did you use a compressor on the Mix Buss ? - ScumBum
If I was able to get the desired sound on individual instruments without compression, then that's what I did. I used to use a Shotgun mic, high above the snare, and pointed at it. I used an 1176 with a lot of compression on that mic and usually put that on a separate track. Just a little of that track in the mix added some nice energy to the drum sound. When I was at Record Plant, we used to have a Flickinger limiter that worked great on bass. When I added compression to guitars (on the buss or in parallel) I normally used an 1176.
For the most part, I did not use a mix buss compressor.
- Jay Messina
[top]What are your thoughts on recording to a click with rock music ? - ScumBum
That really depends on the individual. It certainly makes editing easier for me, when recording with a click. Some players prefer hearing click, while others don't like it at all. Sometimes just the drummer will listen to it.
If it's going to affect the performance, in a negative way, then there's no question about getting rid of the click.
- Jay Messina
[top]What are your favorite plugins for mixing? - Mikkel
I can almost always find what I want with one of the Universal Audio plugins
- Jay Messina
[top]I was wondering when mixing how do you usually start? Do you go with the drums first and then add the rest of the instruments based on their role in the mix or you just go with what you define as the focus of the song(vocals, solo etc.) and try to create a cohesive mix around - MarioContreras
If I'm going to mix something I haven't recorded, I always listen to a ruf mix, to get an idea of what the music is about. After I've done that, I generally start with drums, then bass (for Rock). Once they are feeling solid and connected, I'll add the rest of the track, leaving the vocals for last. For other genres, I sometimes just go for a balance of what's recorded and see what that sounds like. Once you add a compressor or EQ to one track, it changes the overall balance of things. If a mix is dragging on, and still not sounding good, I'll sometimes remove all plug-ins and outboard, and see if I've improved on the 'raw' tracks. There is something very clean about tracks that have no processing on them. That is not to say that you never use outboard processing. It just means if you insert a plug-in, make sure you are improving the sound.
