Interviews
By Cody Sells, Carolyn Zaldivar Snow
Being in motion while at rest is a good way to describe Detroit’s Zach Saginaw, better known as Shigeto. The self-avowed “jazz school dropout” possesses a critically vetted track record, delivering meticulous records where jazz, hip-hop, and IDM elements blossom from casual bedroom producer moments....
Interviews
I'm not even sure of when or how we met, but I've known film composer and musician/producer Michael Andrews quite a while. We co-interviewed John Stephens, the brains behind the Stephens Electronics ...
Interviews
After studying Music Production and Engineering at Berklee College of Music, Vanessa Parr headed to L.A. and promptly jumped into st...
Interviews
We interviewed producer, engineer, and mixer Chris Coady, back in 2016...
Interviews
He might be one of the best producers and artists out there, but it’d be hard to tell from...
Interviews
Paul Malinowski is a cornerstone of the Kansas City, Missouri rock scene. His production...
Jules De Martino and Katie White are The Ting Tings. Their debut record, We Started Nothing, featured the hit song, “That's Not My Name,” one you may have heard in Apple iPod ads and many films over the last several decades. Home is their fifth and newest album, produced, recorded, and mixed by Jules in their own studio spaces. A multi-instrumentalist, his enthusiasm for getting the sounds he wants is infectious, and we had a fun chat!
I met Chris Tabron in New York at the AES Convention in 2019. We stayed in touch over social media, and I started to realize this was a compelling music maker whose discography was as all over the place as my own. When I asked Larry and John at Tape Op if they’d be up for an interview with Chris, they asked if I’d want to conduct the interview. It turns out that Chris is a deeply thoughtful and incredibly intelligent guy who has worked with artists such as Robert Glasper, Beyoncé, The Strokes, Mary J. Blige, Lianne La Havas, SOHN, and Die Antwoord.
Originally from Mexico City, Felipe Castañeda is the senior house engineer at Sonic Ranch [Tape Op #94]. Felipe is currently working with two critically acclaimed indie artists at Sonic Ranch studios – Blackwater Holylight, Rachel Eckroth, Portugal. The Man, Strawberry Guy, and a Grammy-winning album (Revealer) from Madison Cunningham.
When I try to teach what compression is and how to use it, I'll always use the "shape of a waveform through time" as a way to explain what compression can do. In the synthesizer world, this is referred to as the "envelope," which includes four stages of modulation: Attack, decay, sustain, and...
The ubiquitous AKG C414 mic has been manufactured in various forms since 1971. I’ve reviewed the modern day C414 XLII [Tape Op #154] and given it high marks, so when the opportunity to check out its sibling microphone, the C414 XLS, came up, I jumped at the chance. Both of these large diaphragm...
With an extensive background as the lead tech for a pro audio retailer and the service manager for a console manufacturer, Alex “Skip” Welti founded Creation Audio Labs in 2003. He began working as a mobile tech for studios around Nashville, repairing everything from consoles to guitar amps in his...
The Bitwig Connect 4/12 is a versatile desktop audio USB-C interface that provides four inputs and twelve outputs, along with CV (control voltage) I/O and MIDI capabilities. It also sports some cool monitor and DAW control features, not to mention a special Bitwig Mode that sets it apart when used...
The PSPaudioware DRC dynamic range controller is one of the most noteworthy plug-ins I have seen in a long time. Using the dbx 118 Dynamic Range Enhancer as a foundation, the DRC is neither a clone nor an emulation. Enhanced controls offer users deeper adjustments than the original, however, the...
Each year, more examples of vintage-inspired EQs, compressors, preamps, and mics are made available. Big-name brands, as well as boutique manufacturers, seem to think we all have an endless appetite for clones of classic gear. Consequently, contemporary designs of bread-and-butter products are...
Full disclosure: I was interviewed for this book and appear in the text a bit, plus Tape Op is mentioned. However, despite my own involvement, I found this book to be an important read. As a founding concept of Tape Op, I've long held that people who mostly fixate on recording equipment are missing...
Subtitled a zine about sound, this mag includes a wide array of people and thoughts and features an arty screen-printed cover. Within its 21 pages, the first issue has an interview with Tape Op pal Matt Boudreau of Working Class Audio, an article with Kirsten Izer and Randy Belculfine discussing...
For those of us constantly striving to maximize the potential of a hybrid workflow, the LPZ-2 from Avedis Audio can make the job a little easier. It offers two levels of stereo padding to convert balanced line level signal to microphone preamp input level, prevents nonlinear source/load impedance...
The Motor Synth MkII from Gamechanger Audio is, by some margin, the most original synthesizer design I've seen (and heard!) in some time. It's a desktop unit that generates audio waveforms via its eight variable-speed internal drone motors – that's "drone" as in UAS/UAV/quadcopter. As its eight...
I’ve been a long-time enthusiast/user of the AKG C 24 stereo mic, so it was a treat to review the new P-24 from Peluso Microphone Lab. I have been a fan of Peluso for years, and several mics in their line have been on a lot of albums that I have produced, including the P-12 [Tape Op #72], P-87, and...
Anyone who mixes for hire knows the scenario: A client sends a song to be mixed without individual drum tracks (snare, kick, etc.) that are instead embedded in a single track. I'll send an email, "Hey, can I get the actual tracks for the drums so I can really mix your song?" They then email back an...
I love effects that take a sound, morph and modulate it, creating whole new textures. Valhalla's Shimmer [Tape Op #111] plug-in has been a favorite of mine for creating Brian Eno [#85] soundscapes out of almost anything. I'm always on the lookout for any tools that feature various ways to drench...
LEWITT, the respected Austrian manufacturer known for its microphones and audio interfaces, has released its first plug-in: Space Replicator. Designed for headphone use, Space Replicator lets users experience how their audio would sound when played through speakers in various virtual environments....
Apogee has long provided a range of audio professionals with tailored interface choices, from the portable Duet [Tape Op #150] and Symphony Desktop [#142] to the flagship Symphony I/O Mk II [#140]. Their latest addition, the Symphony Studio series, smartly fills the gap with single rack space...
On some level, everyone is susceptible to the dreaded panacea syndrome when it comes to adding tools to their workflow. “If I only had this one piece of gear, all my problems would be solved!” The Oven “Mojo Box” analog processor by Hendyamps and its plug-in counterpart by Brainworx (distributed by...
The Vintage 11 is a large diaphragm FET condenser microphone and is part of JZ Microphone’s “Vintage” series that includes the Vintage 67 [Tape Op #133] and Vintage 12 [#147]. The Vintage 11 has discrete Class-A electronics, JZ’s Gold Drop™ capsule technology, and is hand-built in Latvia. Its flat,...