When Does the Production Happen?
by Larry Crane
Years ago, while talking to the late Cosimo Matassa [Tape Op #40], I remember marveling at the sounds he had achieved while recording early hits for Little Richard, Fats Domino, Roy Brown, and many...
Columns
by Larry Crane
A Musicians Guide to Caring for Your Recordist
by Larry Crane
In the past I’ve written many End Rants about how I expect recordists to treat their clients. But I’ve also stumbled across many online forums where I’ve see recording engineers and...
Intro / TOC #119
by Larry Crane
“Despite recording studios being the place designed to capture musical ideas, in many of them it takes far too much effort to get those ideas down as they’re happening.”From...
The Real Skills You Need to Make Great Recordings
by Larry Crane
It's easy to think that amassing a pile of recording equipment is all one needs to do in order to run a successful commercial studio, but it's only a small part of the equation. What are the true...
Intro / TOC #118
by Larry Crane
A lot of times during recording sessions people ask me if I'm able to listen to music outside the studio without being super critical of what I'm hearing. Usually this follows 30 minutes of using...
Common Misconceptions About Recording
by Larry Crane
The art of recording music is one that seems to fascinate everyone. For folks that never have set foot into a recording studio, the concept of being there at the moment of inspiration, as well as...
Intro / TOC #117
by Larry Crane
Here’s one constant scenario I run into: A client comes to me with tracks to mix. They’ve recorded in a home studio, or some such modest setting. Their gear list is fairly limited, maybe...
Intro / TOC #116
by Larry Crane
A few months ago I saw an opening in my calendar. A colleague, Brent Rogers, who works across town at REX Production & Post, had offered to take me out to lunch and give me a tour of the place. It...
Intro / TOC #115
by Larry Crane
Looking back over the history of recorded music, one thing is for sure: the technology used is always in flux. When I’ve interviewed engineers from the ‘60s or ‘70s, there will...
Just Start Over
by Larry Crane
I remember a session, 17 years ago, with the band Quasi, for the album Field Studies. We'd tracked a song, "Birds." I thought the initial take was fine, and I believe we'd started overdubbing on it....
Intro / TOC #114
by Larry Crane
I’ve always understood music to be a very pure thing. In my mind, the only reason one would play music and create albums was to make art. It wasn’t until I’d been immersed in the...
Beware of the "Winner Takes All" Phenomenon
by Larry Crane
When I began Tape Op it was a reaction, in part, to the prevalence of high-end studios in other recording magazines. I'd see a photo of a giant console in a fancy room and think, "I've never made a...