Recording - July 2021 - 27

Photos by Rob Arthur
And now we come to bass. Did you track that
direct or through an amp?
Chuck: Again, it starts with the player, and Glenn Worf is like
the greatest bass player in my world. He really elevated the vibe
and the groove of the band. We used a Millennia Media TD-1
for the direct signal, and we used one of Glenn's Ampeg B-15
flip-top amps, and then Peter went and got his own for the studio.
Peter, as a Nuendo user, do you do any of the
mixing or editing?
Peter: There was one song where I did most of it at home.
So, I did most of that myself, but when I'm in the studio with
Chuck, I leave it to him. I've been lucky, from when I did my
first album with Glyn Johns when I was 14, up to working with
Chuck. Through all of that, I have learned to be a fly on the
wall with big ears, and I listen, and I look, and I learn, but
when guys like Chuck are in the room, I shut up. [laughs]
Chuck: Peter is being modest again, but we didn't mix in the
box for this record. We mixed on the analog console, which is
an SSL G console with 'E' EQ. We were using Nuendo more as
a tape recorder with plugins. We recorded at 96 kHz through
Apogee Symphony MKII converters, and then we mixed it
down to analog tape, and we had Bob Ludwig master it.
What do you monitor on?
Chuck: We have the ATC 25 monitors with an 18 " sub
dialed in, so we have a good understanding of the bottom end
in the room-not blowing the room away.
Where were the strings done?
Chuck: That's Rob, the keyboard player!
Wow! That is impressive. I thought it was real
strings.
Chuck: He didn't just play it like a keyboard player. I think
he scored it out, played one part at a time, programmed it all,
and brought us the stems. So, it was properly arranged.
The famous
Framptom Comes Alive
drum kit.
Anything else we should know about the mixing
process?
Chuck: Generally, I'd spend a day mixing a song, and then
Peter would come in, and we would make adjustments. I would
make a ref, and we would listen to it in our own homes and
then make minor tweaks in the morning and then start the next
song. Peter is humble about his involvement in the process, but
we would always arrive at where we ended up together.
Peter: Yeah, I agree.
Is there any question you would like to answer
that I have not asked you?
Peter: [laughs] Nope! People have asked me everything
there is and more, I think. But what about you, Chuck?
Chuck: I just hope people go away from this interview understanding
that it's really about the musicianship and not the
gear. You can make a really good record with a 57 and an
M-Box. It's not the gear. The part about having all the great
stuff is that you have to gain the experience of how to use
it. That's the role of a good engineer. That's my part of the
performance-having the experience and knowing how to use
this gear, and then allowing the musicians to do what they do.
That's how we end up with a good record.
Thanks guys, this has been entertaining and
educational.
Peter: Thank you, Paul.
Chuck: Yes, thanks.
RECORDING July 2021 27
Recording - July 2021

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