Johnlnyc
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Sorting things out…. 30-Sep-2021 01:43:13
| CorrsClub Time: 16-Apr-2024 13:56:20 |
There are three basic steps or jobs in recording.
1…Recording
2..,Mixing
3…Mastering
The producer is usually responsible for the “project” working with the artist in getting the songs recorded and managing the actual recording sessions. The making of the music. Usually producers often have considerable musical talent themselves. For example, David Foster was in a band in Canada (they had a hit record) and is a gifted keyboard player. He is considered one of the best keyboard bass synthesizer players. A very talented song writer and arranger. Producers hire appropriate studio musicians and works with artists to ensure their musical vision is recorded. For example getting musicians performances on a multitude of tracks. I think producers are often skilled arrangers or can hire arrangers as needed, say for adding strings to a recording. The producer usually works with engineers who help select and set up microphones and equipment. Bob Clearmountain started as an engineer setting the studio up and helping Nile Rogers, Bernard Edwards record Chic. He later became a producer and settled in career wise as a mixing engineer.
The mixer basically takes what the producer and artist have recorded, puts it all together. He or she take the recorded tracks and mix them into complete songs. Clearmountain “ worked with Bowie and came up with the “bouncing guitar” at the beginning of “Let’s Dance” and is noted for working with Springsteen to get the distinctive sound of Max Weinberg’s snare drum in Born in the USA. Mixers also help how the various sounds and musicians are actually “mixed” together in a song. There is overlap as the producer often has influence with the artist in mixing decisions. How the songs sound. Clearmountain likely created several mixes. Often there’s a version with no vocals for use in backing tracks for TV performances. A version for radio or today, streaming, CD’s, records etc.
Mastering is a final step. A mastering engineer, Clearmountain often worked with Bob Ludwig. (He mastered “Forgiven not Forgotten”). Ludwig took the final mixed songs and tweaked them. Mastering engineers perform a sort of polishing of the music. They often make sure the music is as “perfect” sounding as possible. The mastering engineer is the last stop before the final mixes are delivered to the record company for release.
It can be a very detailed process from recording performances, mixing them together into songs and finally releasing them in various formats we listen to.
Hope this helps.
I think it is very interesting to follow how this process unfolds in these interviews!
As “virgin” recording artists, the Corrs normally would not have the power or control a major artist like say, Bowie or Jagger and Richards and these interviews indicate Jim Corr wielded more influence than one would expect. Foster deserves credit for recognizing Jim’s abilities and “collaborating” more than he might with a new artist.
Listening to the record it is clear there are some wonderful performances, Andrea’s vocals, Sharon’s violin etc and Foster/Jim, Clearmountain and Ludwig ensured these performances sound as good as they do.
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