Steve Albini, who sadly handed final week, gained his appreciable expertise and status working primarily with underground and different bands. Whereas his most well-known credit score stays Nirvana’s In Utero, Steve labored with a various lineup of artists corresponding to PJ Harvey, The Pixies, The Stooges, Low-cost Trick, Silkworm, Jesus Lizard, Bush, and even the mainstream Web page/Plant Strolling to Clarksdale. Oh yeah, he was a nice poker participant as properly.
In 2005 I interviewed Steve for inclusion in my Recording Engineer’s Handbook, and he was precisely the best way you’ve all the time heard – sturdy opinions primarily based on expertise, and an absolute forthrightness about his convictions. It’s a must to admire somebody who stands by their beliefs like that.
I used to be planning on having Steve on my podcast quickly however sadly that can no longer occur. You may get quite a bit from this interview although, despite the fact that I’m positive that a few of his microphone decisions modified since we did it. It’s a superb perception into his recording philosophy, so get pleasure from!
“Bobby Owsinski: Do you may have an ordinary setup while you monitor?
Steve Albini: No. I get requested to do a whole lot of totally different sorts of periods; every part from 3 piece rock bands to acoustic soloists to large sprawling acoustic ensembles to giant electrical teams the place you may have the equal of a few rock bands taking part in concurrently, so I attempt to have an open thoughts about what is predicted of me as a result of I’ve been in bands myself and I do know inside our band our methodology was totally different from different bands. I wish to give different bands that very same freedom to develop their very own vocabulary and methodology. What I do is subordinate to what they do, so there isn’t actually an ordinary setup.
Given a 3 piece rock band for instance, I would favor to have them attempt to play reside, though not essentially all in the identical room, in order that they’re interacting with one another and might accommodate one another’s little adjustments in emphasis and timing.
Given a bigger ensemble, I’ve all the time discovered that you just get higher outcomes if it’s attainable to set all people as much as play reside. I’ve performed periods with as many as 12 or 14 band members taking part in concurrently. If it’s attainable to have all people play directly, that’s the easiest way to do it.
Do you may have commonplace mics that you just use?
Relying upon what the music requires, there’s a vary of decisions to start out with. For instance, in a drum equipment if the drummer goes for an open, ambient, boomy sound, then the ambient character of the room is de facto vital, however I’ll nonetheless have shut mics on the drums as a result of that’s a great way to get a normal steadiness throughout the drum equipment. On bass drum it will rely upon whether or not there was a gap within the entrance head, or no entrance head in any respect or a closed entrance head. I usually mic each side of the bass drum. I’ll use both a small lavaliere or a clip-on condenser to mic the beater facet of the bass drum. I’ve used a Crown GLM100, Shure SM98, or a small dynamic microphone like a Beyer 201 on slightly stand by the beater facet of the drum. Then if it’s a closed entrance head, I’ll use both a big diaphragm condenser mic like a 414 or a FET 47. Usually I’d use a dynamic mic like a Beyer M88, AKG D112 or a extremely bassy microphone like a Beyer 380 for actually murky deep rumbly sound.
If there’s a gap within the entrance head and there’s a whole lot of air popping out of that gap, you must watch out about the place the mic is positioned. I don’t have nice outcomes with the mic sticking contained in the bass drum however typically it sounds fairly good with the microphone positioned barely in off-center in entrance of that gap. There I’d use an RE-20 or a D-112 or a Beyer M88, or often a 421. If there’s no entrance head in any respect and it’s a really quick, lifeless, thumping sort of sound, then I might put the mic contained in the mouth of the bass drum however very near the beater and I might most likely use both an RE-20 or D112. I’ve used different mics, like a Shure SM7 for instance.
The concept is that you just wish to file the bass drum so while you hear it on the audio system within the management room it feels like a bass drum. There are fairly just a few individuals who go for a extra stylized bass drum sound the place the bass drum doesn’t sound like a bass drum however as an alternative feels like some archetype of a recorded bass drum. I’ve by no means had a lot luck with that. Attempting to make it sound like one thing else all the time sounds humorous to me. I need it to sound just about because it does within the room.
The great factor about having a mic on the batter facet in addition to the entrance facet is that you would be able to get extra assault out of the beater when you want it by balancing that mic towards the entrance mic with out having to screw the sound up with EQ. To be able to get it to chew extra, you don’t have so as to add extra hi-frequency vitality, which may additionally actually exaggerate the spillage from the cymbals and stuff.
What determines what mics you utilize on the drum equipment?
What it ought to sound like is set by a dialog with the drummer. Completely different mics have totally different character. The RE-20 has a fairly mid-rangy kind of popping sound in case your going for a percussive bass drum sound. The D-112 has kind of a hollowed out sound and doesn’t have as a lot mid-range. It has extra assault and deep bass. The M88 doesn’t have fairly as a lot low vitality as D-112 but it surely doesn’t have as a lot mid-range vitality because the RE-20 so it’s kind of a center floor between these two. The 421 is way more durable sounding and extra pointed. It has affordable bass response but it surely’s a extra aggressive sound. The condenser mics are likely to get used when the bass drum is being performed fairly softly since you wish to choose up the character of the resonance and character of the entrance pores and skin.
There’s a whole lot of variations in sound in what you’ll name the bass drum so it’s vital to have a dialog with the drummer and to pay attention fairly intently to what the bass drum truly feels like.
Do you attempt to make the sound match into the remainder of the band or simply throughout the equipment?
The presumption that I begin with is that the drummer already has the sound labored out throughout the band. I don’t work with a whole lot of bands which can be assembled session gamers. Just about all of the bands that I file are self-contained entities that talk inside themselves in their very own approach and work out their very own issues internally, so if the drummer has acquired a selected sound to his equipment that he likes, I take that to be part of the innate sound of the band. If someone doesn’t like one thing at any level, that’s your first clue that you must cease and handle one thing, however I’m not of the opinion that I can discern what’s the greatest sound for the drum equipment inside a band. I all the time like to depart these sort of aesthetic choices as much as the band.
One other factor that I’ve observed, when the drummer has a drum equipment that has toms in it, the kind of singing resonance of the toms that goes together with the bass drum could be a large a part of the bass drum sound. Attempting to do away with these rings and resonances is kind of an ordinary apply, however I’ve by no means adopted that recommendation. I like to have the ability to hear the drum equipment as a single instrument moderately than as a set of discrete sounds. For instance, when the drummer hits the bass drum the ground tom goes “Hmmmm,” I have a tendency to love that and imagine that it’s a part of the character of the drum equipment.
Do you utilize drum tuners or change heads?
In the identical approach that I believe it’s a good suggestion for the guitarist to have new strings after they go in to file, I believe it’s a good suggestion for the drums to have new heads. We have now drumheads right here on the studio so we will swap them out if want be. I are likely to suppose that Remo Ambassador heads file higher than different drum heads. Whether or not clear or coated is kind of a efficiency alternative, however I are likely to suppose that they sound higher, or a minimum of are extra predictable of their habits, so I all the time advocate that the drummer get new heads. If he doesn’t have a choice, I might counsel Ambassadors.
If the drummer wants assist tuning his drums I’m completely happy to assist, however usually talking, a drummer that is aware of his drum equipment and performs repeatedly could have a most popular sound for his drums and I don’t wish to intrude with that.
Do you ever use solely two or three mics to seize the sound of the equipment?
Sure I do, though it’s not an ordinary factor for me. I’ve performed it when somebody is attempting to file in an idiomatic approach. Some folks just like the sound of the drums in previous Western Swing data the place there’s a barely discernible drum equipment within the background. Some folks just like the sound of the early Tamala/Motown data the place there’s an overhead microphone and perhaps a bass drum microphone and that’s nearly all of the drum sound. When somebody comes into the studio to make one thing that’s making reference to an archetype like that, I wish to attempt to accommodate them moderately than recording in a contemporary trend and pretending that’s it’s archaic.
I’ve performed some periods on 8 and 16 monitor the place it was an aesthetic option to have an actual simplistic sound to the drums the place you’ll find yourself utilizing solely a few mics. I’ve discovered {that a} bass drum mic and a mic on both facet of the drum equipment, like one by the rack tom and one by the ground tom, is a fairly good strategy to get a pleasant even sound on the drums. Sometimes, simply an overhead microphone proper over the drummers’ head and a bass drum microphone will work. For some motive I’ve discovered that ribbon mics work higher in that capability as a result of they’ve a determine 8 sample they usually are likely to attenuate the spillage from the perimeters of the room, they usually preserve the excessive hat specifically from turning into overwhelming.
If I’m recording with microphones on both facet of the drum equipment, then I’ll most likely use condenser mics, both Schoeps 221’s, C12’s or Sony C37’s.
Do you mic the excessive hat?
No. I’ll on uncommon event if the drummer is taking part in actually flippantly or doing a bunch of difficult stuff that he’s actually pleased with, however usually talking, there’s extra high-hat than you need to use [from the snare mic]. In the event that they got here up with a detrimental microphone that you would suck it out of the file, I might put one up on the hat more often than not.
Do you utilize the overheads to mic the equipment or simply as cymbal microphones?
If the drums are being recorded in a reside room with a whole lot of ambient sound, I are likely to suppose that the cymbals sound higher that approach than with mics proper up near them. I do have overheads up over the drum equipment usually simply to appropriate steadiness issues with the cymbals. Like if the crash cymbal isn’t loud sufficient, it’s good if there’s an overhead mic to convey it up, however I usually favor the sound of the cymbals at a distance.
What are you utilizing for overheads often?
I’ve had actually good luck with Coles and STC 4038 ribbon microphones. I’ve had good luck utilizing an M/S stereo pair in entrance of the drum equipment kind of chest excessive as a cymbal mic. I’ve used an AKG C-24, the Royer stereo ribbon mic, Neumann SM 2, a pair of 414’s. I’ve used any variety of issues for that M/S pair.
For overheads as particular person mics on booms over the drum equipment, I’ve had actual good luck with Schoeps 221’s, and the AKG C60 utilizing omnidirectional capsules or CK-1 cardioid capsules. I’ve used 414’s. Boy, it’s exhausting to consider one thing that I haven’t used.
Do you tailor your mic choice to the instrument?
To an extent. You may get right into a mode the place every part is an experiment and also you by no means make any choices and that tends to sluggish issues down. I are likely to make a guess as to what ought to work, and if it doesn’t sound prefer it’s doing the job, I wish to capitulate instantly and put one thing else up moderately than screwing round forcing it to work. So it’s not an extended experimental course of however extra like a few fast choices.
How do you establish the place to put the devices in a room?
If I’m conversant in the studio like those we’ve got right here at Electrical Audio, I can inform if a given location is nice or unhealthy. An important factor is the band’s consolation and their sight-lines. There’s no level in having one tiny little nook of the room the place the drums sound good if the bass participant can’t see that far, so I are likely to keep away from the unhealthy spots moderately than discovering the nice spots.
One actually revealing factor is to stroll round a room and kind of stomp and clap and holler and listen to the place you’re getting reinforcement from the room and listen to the place it sounds attention-grabbing. Wherever you discover the place that you just just like the sound of the mirrored sound is an effective place to start out. Plenty of studios are designed to have little or no mirrored vitality and assist from the room and people will be irritating environments to file in. Professionally designed Nashville model studios could be a actual chore to make data in as a result of the rooms don’t have any character. I’ve discovered a whole lot of non-professionally designed studios to be extra flattering acoustically.
How do you cope with leakage?
If there are a whole lot of devices in the identical room, you must watch out about bodily how shut they’re to at least one one other, what their orientation is, and the way shut the mics are. If there are various sources in a room, chances are high that they’re an acoustic ensemble and also you’re not coping with excessive volumes. If there’s bleed from one instrument to the opposite, it usually sounds sympathetic and good.
So that you often use the iso rooms as an alternative?
Yeah, usually if it’s a 3 piece rock band there’ll most likely be one room that’s an isolation room that can most likely have the amplifiers in it. The toughest factor to handle when it comes to bleed is when you’ve got actually quiet devices and actually loud ones taking part in within the ensemble, like when you’ve got a violinist taking part in with a rock band. Then you must discover a location for the violinist the place there’s sufficient air across the violin to make it sound regular with an affordable sight line to allow them to see what they’re doing, however you must be certain the violin isn’t so near the drums or amplifiers that the violin mic is overwhelmed.
Surprisingly sufficient, devices like accordion, buran or body drum or issues like which can be simple to cope with as a result of you possibly can take a small lavaliere and bodily mount it to the instrument so it’s proper by the sound supply. You don’t want very a lot acquire on that microphone in any respect and it’s not going to choose up very a lot bleed. It’s a lot more durable to do with devices like piano or acoustic guitar or mandolin as a result of when you’ve got the mic near the strings on these devices it sounds humorous.
Usually talking, when you’ve got a big ensemble you attempt to put bodily house between them, and then you definitely attempt to put the loud devices in a single room and the quiet ones in one other one if attainable.
What do you utilize for microphone preamps?
I’ve used all of them and there are only a few that I’ve not been capable of finding a use for. We have now about ten Ampex 351 modules that we’ve modified into mic preamps and I actually love the best way they sound, particularly when you’re utilizing a ribbon or dynamic microphone. It looks as if the best way they interface with these dynamic programs is only a pure match. They have been related eras of know-how designed to work collectively.
I actually love the GML mic preamps. They’re lifeless clear and have a whole lot of acquire and nice bass response. I additionally actually just like the John Hardy mic preamps. They’re clear, actually nice sounding, actually dependable, and have nice metering. We’ve acquired a whole lot of these Sytek mic preamps that are moderately cheap however are on par with the others that I simply talked about. They sound totally different, slightly crispier sounding with slightly extra excessive excessive finish, however they’ve a great deal of acquire and are quiet and completely dependable.
The console preamps in our Neotek consoles are additionally very nice. I take advantage of them excess of I take advantage of the console preamps when in different studios. The older one which we’ve got, the Collection Two, has a barely thicker sound that’s actually good for rock music and bass and drums. The newer Elite I don’t hesitate to make use of the preamps on something.
How do you establish what preamps to make use of? Is it a most popular mixture with a mic?
Usually talking it’s extra of a logistical issue. Like if I’ve 4 mics up on the guitars, I’ll wish to use a 4 channel preamp in order that they’re all in the identical place. If I’ve three vocal mics up that we’re experimenting with, then I’d wish to have all of them in the identical place. Once more, there’s no actual exhaustive search performed to attempt to discover the proper preamp. It’s extra a matter of creating positive that no matter alternative you make doesn’t trigger issues.
What do you utilize on snare?
I had the toughest time with snare drum once I first began making data. Once you take heed to a snare while you’re sitting on the drums it might probably have this actually explosive sound, and it might probably have a extremely refined sound. I used to be by no means pleased with the sound of snare drum on different folks’s data. It didn’t sound like a snare drum to me and often appeared like some stylized model of a snare drum, so I experimented for a very long time earlier than I discovered one thing that I used to be pleased with.
The very first thing that I discovered that I used to be pleased with was utilizing a Beyer 201 dynamic mic with a small condenser microphone like a Shure SM-98 or AKG 451 strapped to the facet of it with their diaphragms aligned. I used that mixture fairly a bit as a result of each time I attempted one thing else, it wouldn’t sound correct. The inventory options like an SM57 or a 421 simply by no means did it for me. Each time I might open the fader on a type of it will simply sound unsuitable, so I like that mixture on the highest of the snare. It looks as if I can fluctuate the steadiness between these two and get both a crisp sound or a thick sound or a popping midrange sound. With a versatile mixture of these two I might both fulfill myself or fulfill the drummer.
I did occur to seek out a few different mics that I like on snare drum. For rock drumming there’s this small tube Altec mannequin 75 that sounds fairly good. It doesn’t clip. There may be some delicate distortion, but it surely sounds good. I’ve additionally used a Sony C37 which was an actual shocker. I didn’t anticipate that one to work out however that mic sounds nice on snare drum, particularly on a shiny however bassy, flat, funky snare drum. These are the one mics that I’ve had good outcomes on. I’ve often used a backside mic, but it surely doesn’t get used quite a bit.
How do you place it?
Someplace the place it received’t get hit (laughs), however that’s not even the largest downside. You need it someplace the place it’s out of the drummers’ approach. You don’t need it to intrude with what he’s doing and also you don’t need the drummer to be preoccupied about not hitting the microphone. Each drummer’s set is barely totally different, so that you attempt to discover a place the place it’s not going to choose up an excessive amount of of the excessive hat and it’s not going to be in the best way of the drummer.
It’s good if you may get just a few inches of distance between the snare drum mic and the snare drum, however you must put it the place it would go moderately than making the drummer work round it.
How about toms?
For years I used AKG 451’s on small toms and AKG 414’s on large ones. Sometimes I might use 414’s on every part, however 451’s had a extremely nice, targeted assault and good clear resonant bass. However as a result of the matching on these mics is slightly sketchy to start out with and since they’d get banged up on a regular basis, I began on the lookout for one thing to exchange them with. The true inspiration for this was that AKG discontinued the 451 and virtually immediately these mics have been being offered by gear brokers as “classic.” These was once a commodity merchandise that you would choose up for $100 and abruptly they have been $500. The brand new reissue of the 451 is totally totally different and nothing like an authentic 451, so I needed to search for one thing else.
I talked to quite a lot of microphone producers about commissioning them to make a microphone for me however nobody was . What I wanted was a top quality condenser microphone with a small diaphragm that was both facet firing so I might place it over a tom with out it protruding within the drummers approach, or with a rotating capsule just like the previous 451’s. No person had a product that was equal till I talked to David Josephson. I had used a few of his microphones in a studio in Japan and located them to be actually good normal objective condenser microphones. He thought it will be an attention-grabbing mission, so over the course of about two years we went backwards and forwards and he ended up designing a capsule that will match on his commonplace head amplifier that was a facet firing single membrane cardioid microphone [the e22S]. I purchased a half dozen from him and he entered it into his product line.
Electrical bass; do you mic or take it direct?
It’s uncommon that I take a direct sign on a bass guitar. Once more I believe that the bass participant’s alternative of amplifiers defines the character of his taking part in and the band, so I are likely to attempt to file the bass amplifier so it sounds the identical as while you take heed to it within the room. I usually use a few microphones, one which is brighter than the opposite, as a result of relying on the steadiness of the track you might need to extend the edginess of the bass to make it poke by extra.
One mic that I take advantage of on a regular basis is a Beyer 380 which is a really wooly and deep microphone that has a whole lot of tremendous low finish. It’s a determine 8 mic so it has an enormous proximity impact. In case you transfer it in shut on the speaker cupboard you get all of the low finish you’ll ever need. Then I’ll usually have a condenser mic as properly like a 451 or a 414 or an Audio Technica 4033 or a FET 47 or any variety of issues to go with it.
I place the mics usually pretty shut and within the middle of the loudspeaker, however far sufficient away that not one of the tour of the speaker will run into the microphone.
Guitars; the place are you putting the mics?
Electrical guitar mikes are usually farther away from the cupboard as a result of when you’re actually near the speaker then the acoustic interactions with the cupboard are extra localized. In case you pull the mic farther away, then you definitely get a extra coherent sound from the cupboard as a complete. I’ve used all types of mics on electrical guitars, however I actually like ribbon mics on them. I believe the 4038 sounds nice and the Royer 121 sounds nice. Outdated RCA BK-5 and 44’s sound good on small cupboards if you must beef it up.
One mic or a number of mics?
Usually I’ll have a shiny mic and darkish mic on the cupboard, like a condenser and a ribbon mic. Since all of the audio system in a cupboard sound totally different, I attempt to discover one which’s applicable for the ribbon mic and one other one which’s applicable for the condenser.
I don’t have a whole lot of luck on guitar cupboards, I’ve to confess. I haven’t had a whole lot of luck with the standard SM57 or Sennheiser 421 or 409. I truly by no means even owned a 57 till just lately. I had to purchase one as a result of someone wished it, however I had gone practically 20 years with out one.
What do you utilize on vocals?
That’s an actual can of worms. There are as many vocal microphones and vocal types as folks singing. I do know lots of people simply throw up a U 47 and name it quits. I’ve used a U 47 with good outcomes, however I can’t say that it’s my #1 favourite vocal mic.
If I’ve a #1 favourite vocal mic, it’s most likely the Josephson microphone referred to as the 700. I’ve used that fairly a bit, however at the same time as nice a microphone as it’s and as a lot use as I get out of it, it’s not applicable for totally 75% of the folks I work with. I find yourself utilizing every part from RE-20’s to previous tube mics to ribbon mics. It completely relies upon upon the singer and the supply. That is one space that you just actually can go round in circles on the lookout for one thing that sounds good.
So your mic choice relies on the way it makes the vocal sit within the monitor?
If somebody’s voice is the focus within the music, I like to have the ability to simply take heed to that and have it’s satisfying. In case you’re listening to the voice by itself, it ought to make you suppose, “That sounds actually nice.” If that’s the focus, then you definitely wish to guarantee that it’s a rewarding pay attention.
How about piano.
I’ve had actually good luck with the Neumann SM 2 stereo mic over the piano. AKG C-12 and C-24’s sound nice too. These Audio Technica 4051’s are nice piano mics. I’ll often place them perpendicular to the harp, one on the lengthy strings and one on the quick strings. It’s a must to shuffle them out and in till the stereo picture sounds regular. The SM 2 I’ll put in entrance of the piano with the lid open kind of wanting in on the strings. Similar with the C-24.
How do you strategy acoustic guitars?
With acoustic guitars it depends upon whether or not there’s going to be singing concurrently with the acoustics. If there’s, then you must attempt to make the mics not favor the vocal. If there’s no singing, then you possibly can file the instrument at a distance and choose up some room sound and that’s good. Usually I attempt to have a stereo picture both from the viewers perspective or the gamers perspective. The Neumann SM 2 is a superb acoustic mic. Schoeps 221’s are nice. I’ve used the ATM 4051 at a distance as a result of they’re get a bit brittle when you get too shut.
In case you have an instrument that’s actually stringy and skinny sounding, a ribbon mic up shut tends to make it sound a bit heftier. The identical primary factor holds true for issues like mandolin and banjo. With banjo you must watch out as a result of it’s a brittle instrument and you must use a darker microphone.”
You possibly can learn extra from The Recording Engineer’s Handbook and my different books on the excerpt part of bobbyowsinski.com.