About different sound engineers (sound producers)

If the sound engineer to whom you came, believes that there is a set of laws in the art of sound recording, and he is one of the elect who know them – run away from there. I reviewed a lot of literature and films on the techniques of mixing and mastering. I saw a huge number of obvious mistakes, but I repeat: There are no rules in art. As a result, some “errors” give a better result than “by the rules”. From all this it follows: do not become a lover of the “rules” yourself, let the sound producer do the work, do not put a cross on it. In the end, he may surprise you.
Often a band or performer succeeds with one particular sound engineer. And many come to the conclusion that you should not change it. So you can meet a huge number of world stars, who have worked with a single sound engineer for almost their entire career, or at least for a long time. The explanation is very simple: the speaker remembers all your features, knows all your flaws and knows how to deal with them. Often the performer has his own sound. This determines the permanent sound engineer, because each sound engineer also has its own sound. There are cases when a shift leads to better results. There are cases when a change of sound engineer is forced by some reasons. There are cases when a shift leads to worse results. For example, the cult reper Coolio. His early albums were better in sound, with original warmth. His current albums sound differently and are sold in incomparably smaller volumes. Of course, not only in the sound of the reason, but this is one of them.
In our country there is a confusion in terms. In the is a sound engineer. We call it sound engineer. Rather, this concept means “creative sound engineer.” The sound producer, who also understands the concepts of music, the prospects of the project, understands music as a musician, let’s call it “sound producer”. That is, it is a creative sound engineer plus a musician. Such experts are rare.
The main secret!
I have often met such “theories” that simply no words. For example, to create a high-quality song, it is enough to record high-quality. In fact, even a high-quality recording at the studio, without attention and mastering, will not “make” you a good song, advertisement, TV show or broadcast. Mixing and mastering is usually more important than super-quality recording.
The second common myth: quality equipment is everything. In fact, it does not solve anything. That’s when the work is done well – then, so that she howled at all unsurpassed, you need expensive equipment. When I was still on my way to the right level of sound engineering, I bought one microphone for 650 cu. and one more of the best microphones for 900 at. e, a preamplifier / compressor for 650y., a sound card for $ 500, I realized that absolutely nothing gives me anything. Only by learning how to make a good product – I finally used the potential of my expensive equipment.
I will cite the above listed myths. Example: I recorded the track in not very good conditions for recording, and on the onboard sound card the cost price is 6 cu. But at the same time it was all qualitatively reduced and mastered. Record-show business the company did not notice anything and found the product to meet show business standards.
The following myth: “for the current task, the musician does not need a quality or too high quality recording” or “for a demo, no quality recording is needed”. Read about it in the section “Why and in what situations a high-quality product is needed”.
The following myth: mastering is carried out qualitatively only at mastering studios. On the one hand, this is true. In the “mastering studios” special conditions for mastering. But, given that mastering studio services cost no less than the services of recording studios, and sometimes ten times more expensive, it becomes clear. The game is usually not worth the candle. Without mastering at all – your song will sound God knows how. Of course, the studio will do the mastering not so great, but quite well. At the service of mastering studios is to resort, when you have already become a star and signed a contract with a cool show business company. Or rather, they themselves will be engaged in the organization of mastering.
The following myth: all studios are the same. In fact, they are completely different. You can find an expensive, but terribly poor-quality product. And you can find a very cheap one that makes it phenomenally high-quality, especially for its price. After all, not the main equipment, not the main ears, but the main thing is that between them.
The following myth: prices! Read about it in the section “Financial part of the work with the studio”
The following myth: a lively drum kit is written on a cool studio. In fact, high-quality recording of a live installation is one of the most difficult tasks. Here is the choice of heaps of microphones, preamps, compressors, equalizers, the choice of sound absorption, the formation of the environment to remove the “room” and “overhead”, the placement of microphones, the choice of the installation itself, iron, plastics … Therefore, many metropolitan studios still do not write drums. Usually use sampled libraries.