EQ Magazine - March 2008 - (Page 20)

THE ANSWER LIES WITHIN used to. You need support. The basic Pro Tools HD converters are good. Apogees may be nicer, but once they get to be as good as that, there are so many other things you need to worry about—like driving it with the Big Ben clock. The clock is very important in running a digital system, and it makes a noticeable difference on a Pro Tools rig. What does a clock do that’s so important? Northfield: The samplers that convert from analog to digital are processing information at a very high speed. If the clock driving the whole system fluctuates, it tends to cause brittleness in the sound. With bad clocking, the first thing you notice is the top end is a bit harsher— it seems to separate from the rest of the sound, and the stereo imaging isn’t quite as good. When you get the clocking the best it can be, you usually feel like the recording medium starts to disappear, and you’re just there hearing the mics coming straight off the console. What console was used, and why? Northfield: We used Avatar Studios’ old Class A Neve 8058 with the 3-band EQ. It has so many transformers in it—it’s unbelievable! Every single strip goes through six transformers before you hit tape, or, rather, the digital converters. Here’s what those transformers do: The distortion in a transformer is what is called “firstorder harmonic distortion.” This makes the distortion characteristics very sweet. Whether you use a Class A circuit such as the 8058, or a Neve with 4-band EQ—like the 8068 and 8078, which is called a Class AB circuit—the transformers are what make it sound the way it does. In my experience, real audio purists like the Class A circuit better. They don’t make consoles with that many transformers in them anymore because it’s become regarded as not technically a great thing to do to the sound. It’s also extremely expensive in terms of construction. But, musically, it’s very powerful. Did you mix the album on the Neve, as well? Northfield: I mixed on an SSL G Series—though I ran the mix bus through some Neve channel strips to maintain punch and density. The G Series is not as thick and dense. It’s more spacious and airy, and not quite as gutsy, although it’s stronger in the midrange. I choose a console based on its fundamental nature. Tracking on a Neve gives a thick, dense sound, but, with bigger arrangements, you need the spaciousness and clarity you tend to get from an SSL. The old Neves tend to get very muddy. Mike, what’s the most important advice you can give to a drummer who is trying to emulate your sound, but who doesn’t have a great room to record in, or a classic console to mix on? Portnoy: Don’t deaden your drums in an attempt to control them. If you pay attention, most technical drummers don’t employ that strategy. They want drums that sound live. And don’t tune your drums in ways that aren’t natural in regards to the shell size. Use a large drum if you want a low pitch—don’t just tune the drum down. Using a smaller drum tuned down won’t give you any kickback off the head, and it will sound sloppy. Start at the instrument, and make sure that it sounds good. If you do that, you won’t need a million dollars worth of equipment to make a good recording. http://www.jzmic.com http://www.jzmic.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of EQ Magazine - March 2008

EQ Magazine - March 2008 Contents Talk Box Sounding Board Punch In Tool Box Dream Theater Nick Drake LO-FI Recording Tricks Guitar Trax Bass Managment Key Issues Drum Heads Vocal Cords Mix Bus Cheat Sheet Tascam Gigastudio 4 Cakewalk Sonar 7 Crane Song Avocet Cad Signature Series Mic Packs Waves GTR3 Kjaerhus MPL-1 Pro SE Ableton Live 7 Centrance Micport Pro, Tapco LINK.midi 4x4, Multi-Gigabyte USB 2.0 Memory Sticks Digital Redux Electrotech, Nine Volt Audio Action Drums, Big Fish Audio Hadeeth 2 Room with a VU

EQ Magazine - March 2008

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