Some Mixing Tips

**JMarcomb** · 06-04-2002

awsome harvey!

This is the best information yet.
I printed this out... I will now use this as a baseline.

Thanks Alot!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**A1A2** · 06-04-2002

Harvey:

Have you ever worked/met any members from Pink Floyd? I have read some of your posts about working/hanging out with stars. It's always cool to hear the stories from someone than TV.

AL

**ozraves** · 06-04-2002

Harvey, I have a more local question than Pink Floyd. I note you are near Denton, which is where I was a jazz studies major about 20 years ago. Have you had the occasion to record any jazz studies people from University of North Texas? How would you rate them against players in LA?

Steve
www.piemusic.com

**Harvey Gerst** · 06-04-2002

Other than going to a couple of parties at Alan Parson's house in L.A., I doubt if I ever met any of Pink Floyd, or at least I wasn't aware of it if I did.

At one Alan Parson party, I spent most of the evening huddled in a corner by the hi-fi, listening to a test pressing of The Band's first album with Eric Clapton, trying to figure out what the single should be. We both agreed on "The Weight". But that's all I remember about that party.

**Harvey Gerst** · 06-04-2002

Originally posted by ozraves
Harvey, I have a more local question than Pink Floyd. I note you are near Denton, which is where I was a jazz studies major about 20 years ago. Have you had the occasion to record any jazz studies people from University of North Texas? How would you rate them against players in LA?

Steve
www.piemusic.com

Well, Jeff Barnes of Brave Combo is my first call sax/"anything you blow thru" player. Amazing musician and a joy to work with.

Lee Tamboulian is a master keyboard player - any song, any style.

Most of the players I've used from UNT have been spectacular.

**Pinky** · 06-04-2002

Harvey, stop making me feel so small, k??

And thanks for sharing your experience in such detail with us, I know everything self taught or through the shared knowledge of the music industry, huddled around a mixing board or in a "jam room."

Hats off to you for making a living in music production, it's still just a dream for me...

**ausrock** · 06-04-2002

The unsurpassed BIG PINK. I think I just about wore that vinyl out even before their second album was released................Harvey, while I couldn't argue with you about The Weight, I think Lonesome Suzie was my favourite on that album. Speaking of which did you ever hear the Blood Sweat and Tears version?

Some of my prefered listening these days is Robbie Robertson's solo work.

**Shailat** · 06-05-2002

A mic is a tool. It has to sound good be it a $20 or a $2000 mic.
Everybody knows that.

But something that almost never comes up...........will a $20 mic hold out with use EVEN when used on Weekends only ?!?.

Just becuase somebody records at home does that mean he wont get fustrated if at a time of a personal need the mic might not hold out. Some dont mind to part from their mic for a month to get fixed...or to go out and spend another day shoping for a new one or arguing with the company over was it my fault or theirs...or worse...some might not even notice a problem. but many others would rather pay more money but know that when needed it will work.
If I told somebody pay me more and I will save you time and aggrevation, many would prefer do dish out the extra money.

If budget mics are as rock solid as well made mics then they are a steal. But from my life experience you get what you pay for.
Every time I think I'm saving money and going the cheap way.....
I end up buying the more expensive product at the end after the cheapo breaks down.
I got suckered into buying a cheap fan. It looked solid....It worked great....it blew air like a classic fan...and it had a great modern shape.....3 weeks ago ( after 3 months of use) it stoped working for good.

Having heard from 3 different people who have bought some of these budget mics and ther stories (like the mic came with problems..I sent it back ..It came back fixed after one month ! 3 weeks later it broke down again this time a different problem.....one of these stories is from a member here (and if he wants to come foward he can) who told me his !. He isnt sending it back already, problems or not........)

When and if these budget mics will have a record of quality over the years I will buy a few myself but till then I would rather wait and spend the extra bucks to have a peace of mind.
A tool that cant hold up to normal use isnt even worth $20 in my opinion. Yes......$2000 mics can break down as well but they have a track record and NO $2000 mic will survive in the market with a bad track record. They will sell a few and once the name gets out , they are history.

**Randy Yell** · 06-05-2002

I don't have anything to add really but I just wanted to say that this has evolved into an excellent thread and is a fine example of what sharing information can be.
Harvey,I chuckled a bit about your stating that if you met any members of Floyd you weren't aware of it.Reminds me of the saying"if you can remember the sixties you weren't really there..."

**Newest User** · 06-05-2002

Originally posted by Harvey Gerst
(MixerMan, who gets paid big bucks to do this, will hopefully jump into this thread at some point.)

I think mixerman might argue about the big bucks for his work.

I think it would be extremely valuable to have "mixerman" come here and do some "posting" Ive read quite abit about some of his methods and have alot of respect for him. I think his ideas on what a mastering engineer should do have helped me view my mixes differently. Im becoming alot more agressive with compressing the stereo buss

Peace,
Dennis