This month, Session Notes goes upmarket, giving readers a chance to get their mitts on a professional multitrack session from the world's most famous studio.
Producers: Andy Warhol, Norman Dolph, Tom Wilson • Engineers: John Licata, Ami Hadani
Its status as one of pop's most influential albums is clear, but the circumstances surrounding the creation of The Velvet Underground & Nico have always been clouded. We asked Andy Warhol's co-producer to set the record straight.
When the Clash entered the studio for the first time they were determined not to sacrifice their punk principles, and the fates — not to mention a sympathetic engineer and a negligent record company — were on their side...
Melding Beatlesque pop melodies with symphonic strings, multi-layered vocals and leader Jeff Lynne's generally overblown production of his own compositions
Despite the immense power and flexibility available in modern DAW software, many people still find that the mixes they craft entirely 'in the box' sound unsatisfying. Why is that?
Producers: Beastie Boys & Mario Caldato Jr (Mario C) • Engineer: Mario Caldato Jr
The standout track from the Beastie Boys' smash hit Ill Communication album nearly didn't make it onto the record at all — and when it did, it was the eight-track ADAT mix that made the final cut.
In this month's Session Notes column, we focus on a recent overdubbing session, which demonstrated the benefits of the multi-miking approach particularly well.
Originally intended for another group, ‘Kiss’ was quickly reclaimed by Prince when he heard David Z’s arrangement. Despite record company scepticism, the track became his third number one single and rejuvenated his career.
Mic choice and technique may be important, but the other half of the recording battle is working to make musicians feel relaxed enough to deliver a great performance.
Pulp’s infectiously catchy commentary on the joys of class tourism helped propel the group to fame after nearly two decades of obscurity. Engineer David Nicholas tells us how ‘Common People’ was recorded.