jacob detering is making records

I've been trudging through old blogs on myspace lately and re-posting those that I feel are still relevant or interesting. The one I'm re-introducing today was written after a visit with mastering engineer M. Brad Sarno @ Blue Jade Audio Mastering.

I don't want to get into too much detail on this topic. Suffice to say, if you know what the 'loudness war' is, the attached video is very informative. If this is a foreign topic for you, please watch and listen carefully.

**I just realized that the embedded file didn't carry over to my facebook feed**

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gmex_4hreQ

It's pretty comboggling (a great word created by my friend Josh Meng - which in Menglish means confusing / mind boggling) to think that the portion of my life spent making recordings now exceeds time spent NOT making recordings. Over the years, it's fair to say that I've recorded on nearly every format available and in just about every environment imaginable.

In the early days, I'd hole up in what used to be the old coal room in my parents basement with my Yamaha four track recorder writing and recording several songs a week. On occasion I'd even rent a Tascam PortaStudio from my local music store for a month at a time. I would use these machines until they literally stopped working... And while at the time I knew nothing technically about recording and even less about gear, the whole experience was an immensely valuable learning in songwriting and process.

Since then, in addition to owning several of my own work spaces (I never liken them to world-class recording facilities) I've worked in a myriad of spare bedroom studios, semi-commercial rooms and full-on pro facilities.

Several years ago, I stumbled on Sear Sound Studios in NYC. Both Sear Sound and owner Walter Sear are mainstays in the studio world and have been for many years, advocates for the professional studio environment. And while I find myself far less rigid than Walter in his insistence of working in a world-class facility, I do find a great deal of wisdom in the analogy he draws. I decided to repost this blog because as of a few months ago, www.searsound.com was redesigned, eliminating Walter's 'articles' page.

I guess too, I decided to blog about this after discussing the decline of music qualitatively with my new-found friend George Howard (@gah650) over dinner. And while I don't think either of us really arrived at a definitive answer to the question, advances and the proliferation of music technology did get strong mention. But I think beyond everything, what's often omitted from the record making process these days is experience. And the decline in experience and wisdom throughout the recording process is at the heart of Walter's blog. Again - I'd link to the blog, but it's no longer available; the following is from a web clipping I grabbed long ago.

http://www.facebook.com/jacobdetering
http://www.twitter.com/jacobdetering
http://www.soundcloud.com/jacobdetering

++++

DO BRAIN SURGERY AT HOME
FOR FUN AND PROFIT

I'm not very technical but I just love doing brain surgery. I couldn't see wasting all that time to get an undergraduate degree in science, then wasting four more years in medical school and another three or so as a resident, but I'm sure that I can make up for the deficit with my enthusiasm and my love of brain surgery.

First of all, you really don't need to be in a big fancy building like a hospital. I use my ping-pong table in the basement to do my surgery. (I do throw a plastic sheet over it to preserve the paint). By doing it at home, I save on rent. I admit that sometimes the neighbors complain about the occasional screams that they hear, especially late at night.

Next thing is the equipment. They have all of that shiny stuff in the operating room and believe me, you don't really need it. I equipped my Operating Room at my local 99 cent store. At the hardware department, pick up a hack saw. This is very handy for cutting off the top of the skull. If you want to get fancy, pick up a cross-cut saw, for emergencies. A good claw hammer is handy for removing any extra bone that you missed with the saws.

Move on to the housewares department. Here, for $.99, you can get a whole set of steak knives. These are very sharp and they are good for the fine work. For the rough work--get a bread knife.

In the sewing department, you can pick up a sewing kit with all kinds of needles and different colored threads This is handy to sew the scalp back in place. You can also get a set of three different-sized scissors. Sometimes they come in handy.

There! For $7 to $8, you can completely equip your operating room.

On TV, you see the OR full of assistants. This is a waste of space. If you really watch them, they are all just standing around doing nothing. In my home operating room, I have eliminated all of these unnecessary people. I do, however, engage the family dog to sit under my operating table to clean up the scraps.

You see how simple it is to do brain surgery at home? Anyone with a love of brain surgery can do it. I never read Grey's Anatomy although I did see a copy once. Very nice pictures but half of it was in Latin. Who wants to bother with that! If you really want to be a brain surgeon, all you need is the desire and enthusiasm.

My prices are very cheap since I don't have all that stupid overhead.

ANYONE NEED TO HAVE A BRAIN TUMOR REMOVED? CALL ME.

Walter Sear

If you are anything like me, you've long ago abandoned your myspace page. Anyhow, while perusing my page (http://www.myspace.com/jacobdetering) I stumbled on an old blog/image that startled me, again. I thought I might as was well post it again as it speaks volumes about me as a person:

"It's strange how every once and awhile, you stumble on something or someone that encapsulates something you think or feel so perfectly, it's almost shocking. If you're ever wondering what the hell i'm thinking - this postsecret.com entry pretty much says it all."

My partner Lauren Markow mentioned in passing conversation that in addition to blogging about the goings on in my musical world, I should begin scripting short utilitarian blogs about the record making process. As with most things, getting started is always the hardest part and at first attempt at writing, I got stuck in the usual places: What do I know about anything? Where would I begin?

Here's a novel idea - how 'bout at the beginning?

Making records is an often cathartic, emotional experience for artists. After all, it's in many ways akin to the birthing process; watching a song enter the physical world, growing from nucleus of an idea into a full on art piece. That being said, I feel it critical when considering the record making process, to set those feelings aside and honestly assess what the record needs to do for you and your career. Are you making a record as a keepsake or benchmark of your artistic growth? Or are you crafting a tool that will serve to further your career? Answer dependent, you should then decide direction, approach and ultimately the budget for your project. This considered, the following are things I frequently run into as a producer/engineer which have potential to make or break a project:

Songs are everything (songs are boss!)::
Send me your demos sooner than later. And while at it, send me everything! Songs are obviously the cornerstones of a good record. No amount of polishing, gear or playing can change that. I like to be involved in helping make play list decisions and working thru re-writes if necessary. I have a gigantic imagination, so don't bother making clean demos; if I can hear chord changes and words, I'm usually fine. If I tell you a song is 'weak' it doesn't mean I don't like you or your songs. It simply means I think you have better material in you.

Right part, right instrument::
Nothing will impact the sound or landscape of a recording like the right part performed on the right instrument. If I had a dollar for every time a drummer loaded in a 27 piece drum kit complete with piccolo snare drum and roto toms and proceeded to tell me he fancies John Bonham-esque drum sounds I'd be a wealthy man. Despite what you might think, you cannot make something sound like something it's not. Carpenters and mechanics all adhere to a simple philosophy: Use the right tool for the job, people!

The studio is not your basement::
Playing in the studio is a honed skill. For drummers, studio work is far more about playing the room and self-balancing the kit (kick to snare, snare to hat, etc) than it is about chops. Be organized about your ideas and execute them in an articulate, organized fashion! This means, don't noodle; play parts. Most brilliant session players I work with are systematic in their approach usually playing just time and fundamentals for the first several takes followed with crazier approaches after we're sure we have the part. Listen to your favorite records and REALLY assess what you hear. Here's a secret: You don't hear drum fills, guitar solos and noodling. Instead, you hear organized, memorable parts and usually, SONGS.

Listening is an art, the studio affords perspective::
Making records allows you to really hear what works and what doesn't. If you come in too sold on your own parts, you often lose the benefit of perspective that the studio offers. My guess is this is why the great players, engineers, producers and mixers all say that making music is truly the art of LISTENING, not playing.

Make your best record, not a record that's already been made::
People often ask me what happened to the music business. While I could give you a million answers, - I think the most accurate one has something to do with artists defining their success relational to something else they know as successful. Writing and making records has become a winnowed process much like a funnel. As you pour your ideas in - the options are abundant; you have creativity in writing, arrangement and engineering. But as you apply the 'success filter' to your process, you start trying to make your art sound like something else already deemed successful. You in turn choose from a palette of five 'successful' guitar sounds, three 'hot' snare and kick drum samples and you abandon your own creative, sonic signature.

Plan your work and work your plan::
In conversations with artists over the last few years, I've been offering the following advice: Assume the record itself will change nothing and that it's everything else that will make or break your career. Trust me, as someone that makes records this is tough for me to say. However, I truly believe that success with selling a record has far more to do with support/sales systems created than the creative/sonic perfection of your recording. Spend time planning about how to increase your visibility, ability to sell product and merch both online and off the stage.

J.

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Seems like not so long ago that I was sitting in a cottage somewhere in Ohio listening to Javier play thru candidate songs for his new record. It's hard to believe that the record is now nearly complete.

This week marks the end of vocal track after which we have a few tiny detail overdubs to do; then mix. While we are still working thru logistics of the offering, it's exciting that every song on the record will be offered in both English and in Spanish.

Going into this record, Javier was insistent that this be a very different record; that it stand apart from other records and songs in his portfolio. Out of the gate, the idea was to make this a very simple record both in writing and in arrangement/production. Having worked on several of Javier's records in one capacity or another, I really feel that in this record's simplicity, Javier's passion and fire are somehow allowed to shine brighter. Without spoiling surprises, this record is much, much more organic and features great supporting performances from one of the greatest groups of musicians in St. Louis.

A big, big part of this record is the bi-product of the musical mind of pianist/writer David Aholt. Again, I don't want to steal the thunder - but at first listen, you will understand David's immense influence on this record. Also bringing so much to the table - drummer Joe Meyer, bassist Eric Grossman and multi-instrumentalist/writer R. Scott Bryan.

Javier's new record will be available in stores, on itunes (and many other digital avenues) and at shows early fall 2009. I hope you all enjoy the record and if you do, please share your enthusiasm with those around you.

Thanks, all.

J.

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It's been a busy, busy few weeks. Beyond pushing ahead full on with Javier Mendoza's new record, I've also started working with brilliant singer/songwriter Caleb Travers. I started receiving demos from Caleb several months ago. After working thru material, writing and re-writing, we decided to move forward with a handful of tunes. We've spent one evening in pre-production thus far with one more evening scheduled before we begin tracking. Most times, beyond getting MP3's emailed to me, I have very little time to do pre-production on material; it was nice to sit with Caleb, drummer Joe Meyer and bassist Eric Grossman and hash out tempos, feels and parts.

I also had the pleasure of mixing a song for my good friend Taylor Mesple'. Hailing from Portland, Maine - Taylor is a great, great songwriter and amazing pianist/multi-instrumentalist. In addition to being a great songwriter and performer, Taylor owns two Portland mainstays - The Maple Room and Old Port Records.

I've also continued to work on Nashville pianist Chris Walter's new record. My last session with Chris included drummer Jim White and was completely amazing. Chris recorded saw player Natalia Paruz for one of the tunes - video of that session is amazing and can be seen, here.

Best,

J.

http://www.jacobdetering.com
http://www.redpillonline.com
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