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production news & trends
studioexpresso music community worldwide
Heat
Seakers - top 25
The Heat Seekers chart lists
the best-selling titles by new and developing artists, defined as those
who have never appeared in the top 100 of The Billboard 200 chart.
Multi-Noms at the
5th Latin Grammy Awards. Congratulations!
The Latin Grammy Awards are to be broadcast live on CBS Sept. 1st
Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles
Top 5 nomination for Alejandro Sanz' No Es Lo Mismo - during one of his
Sessions at
Glenwood Place
L-R: Pictured
above is bass legend Anthony Jackson surrounded by Sanz' co-producer Lulo
Perez and Latin Grammy Engineer Nominee, Rafa Sardina.
Spanish crooner Alejandro
Sanz who won a Grammy earlier this year for Best Pop Latin Album,
received four (4) Latin Grammy nominations for his Warner release "No
Es Lo Mismo" (Best Album Of The Year; Best Male Pop Vocal Album;
Song Of The Year; Record Of The Year for the album's title track).
Lulo Perez who co-produced the album with Sanz and his engineers Rafa
Sardina and Mick
Guzauski share the honors with three nominations each, including Best
Engineer.
Legendary engineer Al
Schmitt was nominated for his work on "Trumpet Evolution,"
sharing the spotlight with Eric Schilling & Armin Steiner, engineers
(Arturo Sandoval, artist).
Also Brazilian jazz singer Maria Rita, and Cuban pianist Bebo Valdes each
received four Latin Grammy nominations, producer Tom Capone had a leading
five bids. Cafe Tacuba, Diego El Cigala, Mick Guzauski, Kevin Johansen,
Javier Limon, Pepe Loeches, Robi Draco Rosa, Rafa Sardina and Julieta
Venegas earned three nods each. Congrats Amigos!
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When it comes
to studios "built by musician for musicians," Bomb Shelter
Studios is the latest of world-class facilities created to satisfy
discriminating recording artists and engineers. |
 Take an express tour here and discover the new hideaway downtown. |
Drum Doctor
world's finest collection of drums & cures for common drum ailments
Enter the Rufus Vocalist Contest and compete for a chance to record and
tour with the original and legendary hit-making Rufus Group Read
Details Here!
One of the most commercially successful funk groups of the '70s, the multi-racial RUFUS™ are today best remembered for launching the career of soul diva Chaka Khan. Arguably the band is responsible for the genesis of NEO SOUL, bridging their brand of old school with Hip Hop, Jazz, Pop and Funky Rock with staple of hits like Sweet Thing and Tell Me Something Good
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Mr Bonzai
2004 Edition of the
Recording Industry Sourcebook is out
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LAMP Event
Featuring Producers From studioexpresso Community A highlight of the event will be a group critique session...how to improve arrangement, melody, rhythm, pacing, vocals and more. Categories are rap/hip hop, country/acoustic/folk, rock/alternative, and pop/R&B. Attendees should bring a copy of their best song and at least 5 lyric sheets to have it critiqued by top producers (first come, first served as time permits). Several artists who attended last year's event are now working with the producers from last year's event! FEATURING: Admission is $95 at the door, or $75 in advance Register NOW
at: www.acteva.com/go/lamp
Watch Video
Interviews with Top producers from Legendary Studios
Chloe White
Tonight
Writer/Songwriter
Chloe White will have a rare appearance in Los Angeles this Friday. RJ's is located
on 252 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210,
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Instant Access
to booking
top producers,mixers,
composer and studios
24x7
877-645-9777
toll free
Michael Schenker's
famous Gibson Flying V guitars are now available exclusively from
Brauer
Guitar Rentals
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The Summer of
2004 marks the launch of Madonna's appropriately named "re-Invention
Tour," which began in Los Angeles, continues through mid-September,
ending in the Netherlands. Already synonymous with constant reinvention,
this international artist has hit the road with an impressive cast
of musicians, dancers, and audio/visual experts to deliver a show
as inspirational as its moniker illustrates that it should be.
For vocals, Madonna is using a combination of SKM3072 handhelds
with ME3005 capsules and a custom headset with a Sennheiser
ME105 capsule. "Headset-wise, we're using the SK5012 pack because
it so incredibly small and works great. While in rehearsal, she
requested a capsule that would sound like her handheld, and the
Sennheiser ME105 fit the bill," says Systems Technician Gene
Phillips. Madonna's high standards for monitoring have resulted
in unique and impressive working situations for monitor engineer,
Ian Newton and vocal monitor engineer, Sean Spuehler. The two-man
team runs a dual Yamaha PM1D console configuration with a total
of 92 inputs. Sony and
Bertelsmann (BMG) Come Together The deal will bring together under one roof Sony stars such as Barbara Streisand and Beyonce and BMG stars, including Elvis Presley and Christina Aguilera. The Japanese and German parent groups argue that their businesses need to join forces to tackle the crisis in the global music industry faced with both pirate CDs and an explosion of illegal music downloading. "We're pleased that (EC officials) have recognized that the creation of Sony BMG is an appropriate and necessary response to current market conditions," said Sony Music Entertainment chairman and chief executive Andrew Lack, who will become chief executive of the combined company. According to Competition Commissioner Mario Monti, European Union gave the deal the nod despite complaints from other labels and smaller independents that a merger would reduce competition and lead to higher prices for consumers. There are no conditions attached to EC approval.
The new firm will account for 23 per cent of worldwide music sales, and one in three new releases in the US, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It still requires approval from the Federal Trade Commission in the US but that is expected within days. The deal will leave 80 per cent of the market in the hands of the "big four" - Sony/BMG, Vivendi Universal, EMI and Warner. European regulators said they would keep an eye on the market and would "carefully scrutinise" any further consolidation. The coming together of Sony and BMG takes place after EMI, the third largest record company, failed last year to buy the fourth largest - Warner Music. US Warner was eventually bought by Canadian media mogul Edgar Bronfman Jr for $2.6bn (or £1.5bn at the time). Recently, the Financial Times reported that the two companies plan to shed 2,000 jobs, or a quarter of their combined workforce.
Get Born by Jet, the hard rocking, Australian four piece who’ve been called a hybrid of AC/DC and the Stones, is garnering critical raves and Platinum sales, fueled by the success of their hot iPOD commercial and two smash singles, “Are You Gonna Be My Girl?” and “Cold Hard Bitch.” Get Born , produced
and mixed by Dave Sardy (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Marilyn Manson)
and engineered by Greg Fidelman, was mixed by Sardy at The Village
in Los Angeles, on Studio A’s classic Neve 8048 console. “I
love working at The Village,” says Sardy. “It’s one
of the few remaining top studios in the world that hasn't compromised Other current chart-topping albums worked on at The Village lately include Slipknot’s Volume 3: The Subliminal Verses, Usher’s Confessions and Janet Jackson’s Damita Jo. Heating Politics
at Firehouse!
Mike Ness, founder of the enduring punk band Social Distortion, is seen during the mastering of the band's first new album since 1996. Following rigorous touring over the past 4 years, Social Distortion has experienced a new surge of popularity both by fans and critics. The album, entitled Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll, is set for September release on Time Bomb Recordings. Pictured (L-R) are Ness, mastering engineer Bernie Grundman, and producer Cameron Webb. Terry Lippman
Takes On Streetkid Vandal Earlier this
year Streetkid Vandal released their 'Cool As The Dead' EP.
Forthcoming dates
for Streetkid Vandal are: August 6, Melbourne, The Evelyn September
28, Port Douglas
Recording
World Piano Competition The World Piano
Competition has become one of the premiere piano contests in the
world with 150 contestants chosen from more than 500 applicants,
representing over 14 countries for the junior division. The accompanying
adult competition drew the finest piano players from around the
world to compete for a grand prize of $45,000 and a performance
at Lincoln Center N.Y.C. The youth competition was for a prize of
$1,500 and a performance at Carnegie Hall.
Telefunken North
America is now shipping the Ela M12, a faithful reproduction of
the legendary C12 condenser microphone. Following the industrywide
acclaim of the Telefunken Ela M 251, winner of the prestigious 2003
TEC Award for Studio Microphone Technology, the new Ela M12 epitomizes
the classic, large diaphragm, condenser tube sound. Each Ela M12
system is handcrafted in the USA, utilizing the original Austrian
blueprints, and meticulously duplicating the original specifications.
The Ela M12 features a 9-polar pattern remote control, adjustable
from omnidirectional to hyper-cardioid. The mic houses an NOS 6072
tube, T-14 transformer and TK-12 capsule, an exact reproduction
of the CK-12 capsule found in historic prized microphones. Included
is a jewelers microphone box, flight case, swivel connector cable,
owner's manual, and 5-year limited warranty. Price: $5,995. Micing A
Black Eagle The 18-strong Black Eagle group now compose their own music, which is written and performed in the ancient Towa language of Jemez Pueblo, a community located 50 miles north of Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 1998 the group signed to Sound of America Records (SOAR), owned by Tom Bee, lead singer and founder of the legendary 70s group XIT, who has produced many of Black Eagle's releases. Currently working
on their eighth album release since 1995, the members of Black Eagle
have enjoyed a string of awards and nominations over the last several
years. In February of this year, the group won a Grammy Award for
the Best Native American Music Album for "Flying Free,"
which also won the Best Powwow Album of the Year award at the 2003
Native American Music Awards (also referred to as the Nammys). Black
Eagle's fifth album, "Life Goes On," released in 2001,
was also Grammy-nominated. "We have one big drum and put the four mics around it," explains group manager and performer George Toya. "Probably about 12 or 14 people round the drum at once, singing and drumming at the same time. Then there are three girls singing backup, and they're usually standing right behind the drum." "The mics are spaced around the drum so that all the voices can be heard equally," explains group manager and performer George Toya. "We found that the Sennheiser mics have a great balance. They really pick up so much more compared to what we were using before. Plus these mics have superior range."
 Jack Renner, Telarc's chairman and chief engineer, may be in semi-retirement, but you'd be hard pressed to draw that conclusion from his schedule. He returned a call from his Rhode Island home, where he was packing for a trip to London to record Benjamin Zander and the Philharmonic Orchestra's performance of Mahler's First Symphony. Earlier this year Renner tracked a pair of Telarc releases that feature two of the most widely respected jazz pianists of our time, Dave Brubeck and McCoy Tyner. Telarc has been making digital recordings since it first opened shop in 1978, says Renner. "Dr. Thomas Stockham's original Soundstream digital recorder was the best system available until just a few years ago," says Renner. Eventually buying parts for the Soundstream became difficult and Telarc switched over to a Sony DSD system. McCoy Tyner's "Illuminations" and Dave Brubeck's solo album, "Private Brubeck Remembers" were both recorded at Avatar Studios in Manhattan. Both projects were recorded direct to disk with no overdubs. "Avatar is a great space," says Renner. "We've worked there for a number of years. They've got an excellent technical staff, they're up to speed on DSD technology, and they're very accommodating. It's also easy to get a nine-foot piano in there!" The Brubeck session was "one of the most moving I've ever been involved with," says Renner. "Dave ran a big band while he was in the Army during World War II, and the tunes on "Private Brubeck Remembers" were all popular from that time. He recorded the entire CD in about four hours. Dave tends to just sit down at the keyboard, start playing and go until he's finished, without lead sheets or any other memory aid. He remembers all of the tunes and improvised on them. Everybody in the studio was sitting there with his or her mouths open. He's approaching his 84th birthday and his technique is all there. Fortunately we had a perfectly tuned instrument, a great recording space, a beautiful recording medium, and the outstanding ATC SCM-20 active monitors to help us capture the moment." Platinum Audio Rentals - a premier supplier of high-end pro audio gear to Southern California producers, engineers, and recording studios - recently acquired two Brauner VM1 Klaus Heyne Edition microphones. Like all Brauner microphones, the VM1 KHE is handmade in Germany. After construction, each mic is shipped to Oregon's German Masterworks for final tweaking by Klaus Heyne himself. As a result, the VM1 KHE is a truly exceptional transducer that joins ranks alongside the world's most coveted and classic microphone designs. Both ATC and Brauner VM1 Klaus Heyne Edition microphones are distributed in the U.S. by Brad Lunde's TransAudio Group www.transaudiogroup.com
Supervising Sound Editor Mike Wilhoit of Soundelux(pictured above) and Re-recording mixers Brad Sherman and Jon Taylor (both of Todd-AO) are wrapping up sound services this week on Little Black Book which was mixed on Stage S at Todd-AO Radford in Studio City, Calif. The Film is directed by Nick Hurran, and stars Brittany Murphy, Kathy Bates and Holly Hunter. Sennheiser - LA Club's choice
Avatar
Studios Producer Arif
Mardin was in recording an upcoming Queen latifah album with engineer
Michael
O'Reilly. Brian Montgomery assisted and handled all Pro Tools
editing. We understand Ron Fair is also producing tracks from this
album in Los Angeles. Studio A (NEVE
8068) was buzzing with sounds this past month for Sessions @AOL
with artists including: Joss Stone, Lonestar, Maroon 5, Story of
the Year, Butterfly Boucher, and others. Multitracking duties are
handled by engineers Greg Thompson and Anthony Ruotolo. Elliot
Scheiner and producer Bobby Columby recently recorded a track
with Chris Botti, which featured Sting on vocal. Brian Montgomery
assisted.Livingston Taylor recently in recording with producer Glenn
Rosenstein and engineer Joe Ferla. The new album features James
Taylor, Alison Kraus, Carly Simon and others. Brian Montgomery assisted.
STUDIO B's SSL9000 was kept busy with Engineer Chris Shaw recently
in mixing live shows by Phish and Trey Anastasio from the Bonnarroo
Festival. Brian Montgomery assisted.
Newly Appointed
at SSL Console manufacturer
Solid State Logic has appointed Colin Lee as product manager for
its recently introduced XLogic range of rack-mounted outboard equipment.
Lee says, “Given my long-standing interest in music, it’s
great to be back in the audio industry and to be part of a company
that I have always held in such high regard. The XLogic range is
a natural progression for SSL and I’m really looking forward
to playing a part in its future success.” Tec Awards
2004
Filmmaker George
Lucas and engineer/producer Elliot
Scheiner will be inducted into the TEC Awards Hall of Fame,
and producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis will be awarded the prestigious
Les Paul Award at the 20th Annual Technical Excellence & Creativity
Awards, to be held Saturday, October 30, at the Marriott Hotel in
San Francisco.
“We are thrilled to receive a nomination for a TEC award,” said Russ Berger, president of RBDG, located in Addison, TX. “Being nominated for an award of excellence and creativity is a significant honor since we are judged by our peers as one of the best in the business. This is the ultimate industry recognition of RBDG’s dedication to design excellence.” For general
information as well as sponsorship and ticket information please
visit www.mixfoundation.org, or contact Executive Director Karen
Dunn at (925) 939-6149 or visit the website
for list of noms. Congrats to all! ENO Digital Remasters
Eno co-wrote with David Bowie on Low, Heroes and Lodger, was a founder member of Roxy Music, as well as the producer of U2's The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby. Four of Brian Eno's early, groundbreaking albums have been digitally remastered and reissued in special edition digipak packages as part of a series called "Original Masters." Very often when albums are remastered, the tapes are re-equalized, remixed, in other words altered from the way they were originally delivered by the artist. Not so with the albums in the "Original Masters" series. "What I quickly learnt was that many of the EQ'd Production Masters at the time were absolutely 'spot on',' says Heyworth, "and why shouldn't they be when you think about it, this was the end of a long artistic endeavor and are we saying that they didn't get it right at that point? This is nonsense of course because if it was a landmark recording and sold lots of albums it must have been right! The Artist and Producer all decided at the time that this was 'it'. Should we be tampering with that piece of art-after all we don't go around saying let's Re-master a great painting." The result is a clarity and depth of sound to these albums not heard since their initial playback in the recording studio. And more important, no attempts have been made to re-equalize, remix or in any way tamper with the original EQ'ed analogue production masters. These "Original Masters" sound just as Brian Eno originally intended them to be heard.
Sweet Thing!
Berklee
Recruits Ungar Best known for her numerous production work with Leonard Cohen, Adam Cohen, Laurie Anderson, Guster...mixer/engineer LeAnne Ungar has accepted post of Associate Professor with the Berklee Music school of Production and Engineering. She will continue her commercial work from Boston as well as Los Angeles. She may be contacted at Berklee: 617-747-2483 ask for her administrative assistant Kris Quiniones or email LeAnne.
Alpert's
Vibrato 2930 Beverly
Glen Circle Live Life
and Love it too!
The Mystery
photo
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