Mixing / Production

'70s band Magic Carpet waited 25 years to release a follow-up to their 1972 debut album — and '90s technology enabled them to do it all at home this time around. Alisha Sufit, who played, sang and engineered the sessions, explains how it all happened...

Butch Vig came to fame for his work on the seminal Nirvana album Nevermind, going on to make a name for himself in post-punk indie production. Now he's hit the big time as both artist and producer, as part of internationally-successful band Garbage. Richard Buskin caught up with him to talk about roots, reincarnation, and rubbish...

Musicians, arrangers and producers Jean-Phillipe Rykiel and François Breant are well known in their native France as pioneers of Western and African crossover music, and for their willingness to use technology to produce new and challenging forms of music. Paul Tingen paid them each a visit at their Parisian studios to discuss their working methods.

He's an accomplished producer, remixer, writer, programmer, guitarist, bassist and keyboard player — is there no end to Danny Saber's abilities? Richard Buskin talks to him about his blending of pop, rock, hip-hop and trip-hop sensibilities, as well as the commercially unorthodox results that have placed him in international demand.

West Productions' innovative work on the audio post-production of cult TV series 'The X-Files' netted the company two Emmy awards in 1996. Paul White talks to company founder David West about the sound element of major TV programmes, including X-Files creator Chris Carter's new series, 'Millennium'.

It was once taken for granted that freelance engineers would use the standard outboard provided by the studio they were working in. But the explosion in the amount of gear available means that now they often have to assemble personal rack to be sure of getting access to their tools of choice. Dan Daley explores the phenomenon...

This American classical composer writes rock songs as well as concertos and has a home studio complete with contemporary synths and a computer-based sequencer. Paul Tingen talks to him about the best of both worlds.

Mark Snow's quirky yet haunting X-File theme tune was last year's surprise worldwide chart hit, and his atmospheric scoring plays an important part in setting the mood for this darkly compelling television phenomenon. Derek Johnson discovers that the music is out there...

When techno gurus Eat Static's last album entered the UK charts at number 11 the techno duo threatened to overshadow the achievements of their previous group, Ozric Tentacles. On the eve of their follow-up, Jonathan Miller teleports to darkest Somerset to face conspiracy theories relating 'recovered' alien spacecraft to developments in music technology...

Aphex is celebrating 21 years in business, during which time the company has diversified from Aural Exciters into signal processing such as compression. However, Aphex President Marvin Caesar feels that the subject of compression is still widely misunderstood. Paul White asks him to set the record straight.

Despite topping over one million world-wide album sales with an established record label, America's First Lady of New Age music, Suzanne Ciani, has opted for an alternative independent route. Jonathan Miller asks why...

After much high-profile production work in the 1980s, David Lord retreated from the stress of the pop world to concentrate on chosen projects which would exercise his considerable composing and arranging talents. Paul Tingen runs him to earth at Terra Incognita studios, for a long-overdue update.

TV music composer David Lowe tells Paul White how a British Airways World commercial took him halfway around the world — and back...

Richard Buskin talks to top engineer Jon Jacobs and learns about his partnership with legendary man-behind-the-board, Geoff Emerick, and the novel techniques they employed during the making of the latest album by Elvis Costello and The Attractions.

One-time lords of synth-pop, OMD have had a chequered 18-year history, but frontman Andy McCluskey genuinely believes their 10th and latest album ranks among the band's best work. Nigel Humberstone talks to McCluskey and producer Matthew Vaughan about the making of Universal.

Hugh Padgham is one of a select band of producers whose work is always in demand by top musicians, and whose style always seem current and relevant. Richard Buskin catches up with him on a rare break in his busy schedule, to talk about his latest project with Sting and Phil Collins.

In addition to his respected solo work, Roger Eno has been involved in collaboration with brother Brian and other musicians, and is now part of Channel Light Vessel, also featuring the talents of Bill Nelson, wind player Kate St John, and Zither player Laraaji. Paul Tingen talks to him about his many musical facets.

Jazz saxophonist Courtney Pine is breaking down the barriers between acoustic and electronic sound generation, marrying jazz with modern forms such as hip hop in a cross-genre partnership which is partly forged in his own home studio. Paul White hears some Modern day jazz stories.

One of the unwitting founding fathers of so-called 'new age' music, Kitaro has journeyed down many musical roads in his 20-year career. Paul Tingen reports.

Essex dance outfit The Prodigy have long outgrown their rave beginnings, and their recent number one single 'Firestarter' points the way to a newer even harder sound. Paul Nagle tackles some burning topics of modern music-making with the group's aural architect Liam Howlett...

With a new studio album set to take their unique brand of instrumental music to the top of the charts, Ozric Tentacles are arguably the most successful truly independent band in the UK today. Jonathan Miller met leader Ed Wynne at their Somerset studio.