My Take on Music Recording with Doug Fearn

Ever since its announcement, I have been interested in learning more about Dolby Atmos. I was skeptical at first, primarily because of my experience with “Quad” back in the 1970s. That 4-channel concept never gain any popularity with either the listening public nor in the recording community. I presumed that Atmos would be similar, just more speakers. The early demo sessions I attended left me convinced that this was going to be another dead end, like Quad. The early mixes I heard were gimmicky and did not serve the musical intent of the artist well.But as I was exposed to mixers who really understood how to use the expanded format, my interest increased. And for the public? I never thought there would be much market acceptance of a system that required many speakers. But Dolby was smart about their implementation. The system knows how many speakers you have and creates a version that fits your hardware.There’s more to Atmos, however, because of certain psychoacoustic processing that goes on, the resulting mix, in any format down to plain stereo, sounds better, with more detail and separation of sounds. I hear more things in an Atmos mix, even in headphones, than I did in the stereo mix.Shawn Dealey is the chief engineer at Sweetwater Studios in Indiana. I have been involved with several mixing projects with Shawn over the past couple of years, and I think he has an effective approach to interpreting the producer/artist/engineer’s intent, and making it into an improved version.In this episode, I talk with Shawn about his evolution as he explores the new format. I learned a lot from Shawn, and I think you will, too.This episode was recorded at Sweetwater Studio B, the main Atmos mixing room. We used AEA 44 mics, a VT-2 mic preamp, and a VT-7 compressor, the same chain I use for recording most episodes.Thanks for listening. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please pass them along to me at dwfearn@dwfearn.comemail: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

Compression and limiting are tools we use to modify the dynamic range of the music we record. In this episode, I present a brief history of where this technique came from, how it evolved over the years since the 1930s. I discuss the various ways that compression circuits work, from the variable-mu vacuum tube, to the optical compressor, the FET, the VCA, the PWM, and the digital limiters. I explain how these different approaches affect the sound in different ways.There are often a lot of adjustments on a compressor, and I go through the most common controls you are likely to encounter and what they do to the sound.Compressor and limiter effects on the music are subjective, so I try to give general guidance for getting the sound you want from your hardware and software devices.Your ideas for future episodes are always welcomed. And your comments are useful to me. You can reach me at dwfearn@dwfearn.comemail: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

This is part 2 of the Audiophiles Guide to Music Recording. You can listen to part 1 athttps://www.buzzsprout.com/942952/14335456Or you can access part 1 wherever you listen to podcasts.My Take on Music Recording is primarily aimed at people in the professional recording world, but there are a significant number of listeners who are music lovers and audiophiles. This episode provides an overview of the recording process for them. However, I think even people in our profession might enjoy how I attempt to explain the recording studio process in layman’s terms.This reflects my experience and how I work as a producer and engineer. I tend to carry over the tools and techniques that I have learned over the last five decades. They work best for me and my style of recording. I know that there are other approaches, and I try to acknowledge and explain those, too. But my focus is on what I do, which isn’t always mainstream.Your feedback on these episodes is especially interesting to me. Tell me what you think.As always, thanks for listening, commenting, and subscribing. I can always be reached at dwfearn@dwfearn.comemail: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

My Take on Music Recording is primarily aimed at people in the professional recording world, but there are a significant number of listeners who are music lovers and audiophiles. This episode provides an overview of the recording process for them. However, I think even people in our profession might enjoy how I attempt to explain the recording studio process in layman’s terms.This reflects my experience and how I work as a producer and engineer. I tend to carry over the tools and techniques that I have learned over the last five decades. They work best for me and my style of recording. I know that there are other approaches, and I try to acknowledge and explain those, too. But my focus is on what I do, which isn’t always mainstream.There is a lot to cover, so this topic is split into two episodes. I will publish the second half next week.Your feedback on these episodes is especially interesting to me. Tell me what you think.As always, thanks for listening, commenting, and subscribing. I can always be reached at dwfearn@dwfearn.comemail: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

Music is meant to be heard in an appropriate acoustical environment. But many times, we have to record in a space that does not have the right sound to it. Artificial reverb is often the solution.In this episode, I talk about good room sound in a studio, and the earliest methods of creating a reverberation sound. That started with spring reverb, then acoustic echo chambers, tape delay, plate reverbs, and finally the digital reverbs that are used today on most recordings.I discuss the origins of those techniques for creating reverb, and the strengths and weaknesses of each, along with my impression of how each of them sounds.I also provide my own insights into using reverb. What kind? How can we modify the basic sound? And how much reverb is appropriate. And maybe no reverb at all is best.Thanks for listening, subscribing, and commenting. I am always looking for your questions and suggestions for future topics.email: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

In this episode, I talk about software plug-ins vs hardware. It is a question that I get frequently from listeners. It is relatively short.Can a plug-in perfectly emulate a hardware device? What are the tradeoffs a plug-in designer needs to consider? What about a plug-in that has no hardware antecedent, but it something out of the mind of the designer? These are some of the topics considered.Thanks for listening, subscribing, and commenting. You can reach me with your questions for a future podcast, or suggest a topic you would like to know more about. Send me email at dwfearn@dwfearn.comemail: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

Every recording is made is some sort of space. It might be a room, and studio, a church, a concert hall, or even outside.The space where the music is performed, and where the microphones pick up the music always influences the sound of the recording.You might think that close-mic’ing in a dead room eliminates the contribution of the room, but it is still there, for better or worse. The room influences our perception of the performance. Our brain draws conclusions about the space. A listener may form a mental image of the musicians and the room, based on what they hear. Usually, most listeners are unaware of the space, unless it is very obvious. But it does influence their response to your recording.Learn some of the basics of acoustics that can help you make your studios and control rooms sound better.email: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

How do we make our recordings better? I have thought about this for over 50 years and in this episode, I have tried to distill what I learned into a dozen general rules.The best way to make great recordings is to start with great performers. But even if you aren’t recording the best talent in the world, there are still ways to improve what you get.email: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

What if you were suddenly confronted with recording an instrument you had never had in the studio before? Or one you never heard before? Or one you never knew existed?How do you figure out how to capture its sound? Where do you place a microphone? What microphone will you use?In this episode I suggest various ways to evaluate an unfamiliar instrument or sound, using some examples from my own experience, and a few rules of thumb to get started.This topic was suggested by a listener. If you have ideas for a episode, let me know. dwfearn@dwfearn.comemail: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

After three and a half years of producing the “My Take on Music Recording” podcast, I thought it would be useful to review the 80+ episodes and point out some of the interesting topics you might have overlooked.You might have missed some of the earlier episodes, or skipped over them because they did not interest you at the time.The most popular episode of all is the very first one, from March 2020, called “Your Hearing is Amazing.” Everything we do depends on our hearing and in this episode, I give a simplified overview or how our hearing works, and what makes it amazing. It is our most complex sense, in terms of resolution, dynamic range and frequency response. It is subject to all sorts of strange defects, like our varying sensitivity to many frequencies, depending on the loudness.That’s one example of many that I hope help you to be better at what we do.In this short episode, I point out some of the most popular topics, and several of the episodes that never received a lot of downloads. Perhaps my explanation of the contents will suggest that there are some topics you might now found more interesting and helpful.Thanks for listening, subscribing, and commenting. And your suggestions for future topics are always appreciated.email: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

My conversation with musician, producer, mixer, and mastering engineer Justin Gray continues, in this second of two parts. In this episode, Justin discusses how to provide optimum tracks for an immersive mix. He also talks about the minimum immersive monitoring system needed and why it will improve your tracks for remix into Atmos or another format.We explore loudness and how it affects an immersive mix.You can learn more about Justin Gray at his web sites:  www.SynthesisSound.comAnd  www.ImmersiveMastering.comemail: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

Justin Gray is a musician, producer, mixer, and mastering engineer based in Toronto. His credits include many major artists.He was fascinated by immersive formats long before they became mainstream.In this first part of a two-part series, we talk about the various immersive formats, of which Dolby Atmos is best known. Justin explains how they differ and what they have in common.He talks about how immersive audio can enhance the listener experience, and provide the artist with an improved palate to present his or her work.Justin discusses the challenges and rewards of re-creating a classic song in the new format.You can learn more about Justin Gray at his web sites:  www.SynthesisSound.comAnd  www.ImmersiveMastering.comemail: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

Most people have time conflicts between what they do for a living and the rest of their lives. That includes time for family and friends, hobbies, obligations, and exploring new directions.Musicians also must confront these same issues. It is often more difficult for a creative person because music and any art not generally lucrative, especially for those starting out.In this episode, I talk with singer-songwriter Corrie Lynn Green about how she manages her obligations with her family life, including a teenage daughter, her day job, which is her own business, her extended family and network of friends, while pursuing her musical career.She also talks about other challenges for the independent artist, including managing social media, choosing the right gigs to accept, travel, and keeping in touch with her fans.At the end of our conversation, one of Corrie’s songs is included.This episode was entirely spontaneous, recorded one night after two very long days of sessions.Thanks for subscribing, commenting, and helping others find My Take On Music Recording. I can be reached at dwfearn@dwfearn.comemail: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

Studios are complex technological environments and it is common for problems to arise. But a problem in the equipment might be a minor inconvenience if you have the skills to quicky determine where the trouble lies and understand how to fix it. Most problems in a studio are human errors.There are often ways to work around the problem. That keeps the session going and you may be able to solve or bypass a problem without anyone else even knowing. There is already enough pressure in most recording sessions, and no one needs to have the mood of the session disrupted by a problem.In this episode, I talk about the most common causes of problems and offer tips for determining the cause. I give several typical session problems and ways to address them.This isn’t the most exciting part of recording for most people, but troubleshooting is a skill you can develop and utilize when necessary.Thanks for listening, commenting, and subscribing. I can be reached at dwfearn@dwfearn.comemail: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

Most of you in the professional audio world have learned that Dave Hill, founder of Crane Song, died in February.Dave and I were friends for over 30 years. In this episode I tell some stories about our interactions over the decades. Not only was Dave an amazing engineer and designer, but he was also a wonderful human being.There is a terrific documentary about Dave, made by French filmmaker Alain Le Kim. It is now available on YouTube. Here is the link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68VPMNeIlVsYour comments are always appreciated. You can reach me at dwfearn@dwfearn.comemail: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

How do you decide what microphone to use for any instrument or voice you will be recording? All microphones sound different from one another, which is a wonderful tool at our disposal. Making the right choice will improve your recording, eliminate many problems at the mixing stage, and minimize the amount of processing you need.In this episode, I talk about why I chose the mics I did on two very different projects. One was a punk session and the other an acoustic singer-songwriter project. I explain why I decided to use a particular microphone, and sometimes suggest alternatives.Of course, this reflects my style of recording. I don’t expect my choices to be your choices, but perhaps this explanation will help you when it comes time to make your decisions.In this episode, I talk about microphones from AEA, BeyerDynamic, Flea, Neumann, Royer, and Shure. To be clear, I have no connection with these companies except that I love the mics they make. And I have friends at some of the companies. There are mics from many other manufacturers in my collection, but in these examples, those were the mics I used.email: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

The typical music consumer these days is listening on earbuds or headphones. Or maybe on the tiny speakers in their smartphone. Few are listening on speakers, at least none of any reasonable quality.It makes sense for us to take this into consideration when we mix a song.Engineers have always had to make adjustments and compromises in order for their mixes to translate well for the public. Since most of your work will be heard on some sort of personal listening device, it is often good to either mix using headphones, or at least check the mix that way.In this episode, I talk about my personal preference for headphones for mixing and listening, which goes back decades. Sure, I use the studio monitor speakers as another reference, but when it comes to details, I just hear more with the headphones. This is especially true when editing.Everyone has to develop their own approach to this, and I expect many people prefer monitoring and mixing through their expensive monitor speakers. And there are times when speakers are the way to go, such as when more than one person has to listen, or when you want to get that visceral experience of feeling the bass. Many people in the world of recording were saddened to hear of the death of Joe Tarsia, founder of Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia. Joe was a pioneer, always on the forefront of new technology. Many successful engineers came up under Joe’s mentorship. I know I will miss the interesting conversations I had with Joe, going back to the late 1960s.You can listen to my conversation with Joe Tarsia from 2020 in episode 26. Here is the link:https://www.buzzsprout.com/942952/5418067There is also a YouTube video of the same conversation, with some extra content, including a series of photos from Joe’s career:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMwTQ8XhY9cemail: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

Recording is a technological endeavor, but it also invariably involves people. The psychology of recording sessions has always fascinated me, so when a listener suggested that I have Terri Bright on an episode, I was intrigued by Terri’s dual career as a singer-songwriter, as well as a someone with a PhD in Applied Behavior.In this interview, we discuss how behavioral science can be applied to a recording situation, from Terri’s unique perspective as an expert in both worlds.Thanks for listening, commenting, subscribing, and sharing this podcast. I can be reached at dwfearn@dwfearn.comemail: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

What makes one piece of studio electronic gear sound different from another, similar piece?When it comes to the physical gear we need to record, there are only a few basic categories. You probably use microphones, mic preamps, equalizers, compressors, converters, reverb devices, delays, monitor amps and speakers.And for each of those categories, there could be dozens of manufacturers, and hundreds of choices. How do you choose one over the other?And why would they sound different from each other, anyway? They are fulfilling the same function, so you might suppose that the sound of each would be the same.But they are not the same.In this episode, I delve into this and explore why things sound different going through different boxes.Technical Note: This episode was recorded with an AEA KU5A cardioid ribbon mic, through a D.W. Fearn VT-2 mic preamp and VT-7 Compressor. No eq was used. My KU5A is a passive version (the KU5A is normally an active mic). I use a lot of AEA mics in my recording, but except for being friends with founder Wes Dooley, I have no affiliation with the company. email: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/

If you have listened to this podcast for any length of time, you probably know that I am a big fan of ribbon microphones.In this episode, I talk about my introduction to ribbon mics while I was in high school, and how over the years I tried to make them work for me. Eventually, ribbon mics became my favorite, and now I often do sessions that use only ribbon mics.I explain the characteristics of ribbon mics, good and bad, and suggest ways to get the most from this type of microphone. I compare the sound and pickup pattern characteristics with condenser mics, and suggest techniques for several common recording situations.I mention a video showing how we mic a grand piano with a stereo ribbon mic. Here is the link to that video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mzVne64ItQAs always, thanks for listening, commenting, and subscribing. Your feedback is valuable to me, so let me know what you think of this episode or any other. I can be reached by email at dwfearn@dwfearn.comAnd please help this podcast grow by suggesting it to your friends and sharing it on social media. Thanks.email: dwfearn@dwfearn.comwww.youtube.com/c/DWFearnhttps://dwfearn.com/