Results 1 to 3 of 3

Thread: "Behind the Glass" - highly reccomended reading!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    977
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default "Behind the Glass" - highly reccomended reading!

    Hi Everyone,

    I wasn't sure where to post this topic but I thought that it would interest those Fretter's who are working on recording projects.
    I found this book called "Behind the Glass" which is a book containing a series of interviews with various record producers from across the world. In this book they interview tons of record producers (most of them very famous guys with a long list of credits) from both the US and UK.

    Some of the more interesting interviews were Brian Wilson, George Martin, Geoff Emmerick, Alan Parsons, Phil Ramone, etc.
    There are some great stories about some famous records, and how they were made. I especially liked the stories about recording Beatle albums and the way they worked to get some of those sounds.

    If you're at all interested in recording or engineering, this is facinating reading. It also highlights the key roles that the producer plays in working with artists to get the most out of the recording process. They also talk quite a bit about how all of this is changing with the demise of the big studios with more artists making records in their home studios.

    Here is a link to this book. I'm thinking of buying the second edition also:
    http://www.amazon.com/Behind-Glass-R.../dp/0879306149

    --Jim
    Electrics: Hamer Newport, Fender Clapton Strat, Ibanez AF86, Line6 Variax 700
    Acoustic Guitars: Taylor 514CE, Martin J40-M
    Dobro: Regal "Black Lightning Dobro"
    Mandolin: Morgan Monroe Mandolin
    Amps: Egnater Rebel 30, Vox AD120VTX, Roland Cube 60
    http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...?bandid=301718

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Lincoln, NE
    Posts
    85
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    This book sounds like a good read, I'll have to go get a copy...........thanks.
    www.myspace.com/reubenadkins


    "Your label could be here"...........Danny Gatton

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    977
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I especially liked the section with the interview from Geoff Emmerick. He was the engineer that worked with George Martin for the Beatles albums such as Revolver, The White Album, Abbey Road, etc. He had a lot of cool stories about the way they used to record Ringo's drums, Paul's bass parts, etc. He explains how the Beatles were so willing to experiment in the studio because they didn't really know what was technically possible, and didn't really care (in some ways that was an advantage for them since they didn't have any idea what was practical versus impossible). They just wanted to always sound different and kept the engineer and producer scrambling for ways to give them unique sounds.

    The key take-aways from all of the interviews I've read so far in this book, if I could paraphrase them, would be:
    - creating magic in the studio is hard work
    - most of these producers fell into their jobs out of dumb luck, and being in the right place, with the right skills, at the right time
    - don't be afraid to experiment with various mics, mic placement, etc. to see what you can come up with
    - tube gear and real echo chambers were used to get so many of the classic recordings with such a big sound
    - there are huge advantages to having a "producer" person involved who is separate from the recording artist. This person often allows the artist to be more creative while focusing on the "big picture". This dynamic is being lost with so many home studios being used to make records these days.
    Electrics: Hamer Newport, Fender Clapton Strat, Ibanez AF86, Line6 Variax 700
    Acoustic Guitars: Taylor 514CE, Martin J40-M
    Dobro: Regal "Black Lightning Dobro"
    Mandolin: Morgan Monroe Mandolin
    Amps: Egnater Rebel 30, Vox AD120VTX, Roland Cube 60
    http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...?bandid=301718

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •