How Does It Sound Now? Legendary Engineers And Vintage Gear

If, like me, you are fascinated to learn how the great engineers and producers created the classic recordings we all cherish, and what tools and techniques they used to achieve their goals, then How Does It Sound Now? (Routledge/Focal Press, ISBN 978‑1‑03‑285709‑1) is a book you’ll want to read from cover to cover.

First published in 2010, Gary Gottlieb’s book was recently re‑published in a second edition. Its 370 pages contain captivating interviews with 32 of the world’s best‑known engineers/producers, several of whom have, sadly, passed away since its first pressing. Just to name drop a few of the contributors, there are transcribed conversations with Alan Parsons, Chuck Ainlay, Ed Churney, Bob Ludwig, Geoff Emerick, Al Schmitt, Bob Katz, Elliot Scheiner, Bob Clearmountain, Phil Ramone... and 22 more, including a new interview with Leslie Gaston‑Bird.

The individual interviews vary greatly in their technical depth and breadth, with most going little further than commenting on the engineer’s favourite mics, key equipment and technologies used in different studios and in different eras, or mentions of unusual techniques or situations when recording specific albums. However, all the interviews contain fascinating personal reminiscences from all the contributors’ long careers and experiences, affording invaluable insights of working at the highest levels of the professional audio industry throughout its heyday years.

Something I found frustrating is that the snapshots of contributors taken during their interviews are all captioned with large quotations taken from the main text, wasting paper space and meaning much of the book ends up being read twice — the book might otherwise have filled only 200 pages!

I enjoyed reading this book greatly, and I learned many things of both technical and historic interest.

That aside, I enjoyed reading this book greatly, and I learned many things of both technical and historic interest along the way. Apparently, the original edition won the 2010 Association for Recorded Sound Collections’ Award for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research. I can see why — Gottlieb has created an important record that documents, in a very readable way, many aspects of working in the industry.