Jan/Feb 2015

Welcome to issue #105 of Tape Op.

 

When we're recording music, it always feels like there's never enough time. Whenever I finish a mix, or an entire album, I always think, "But what if we'd had more time?" We could explore more possibilities. We could spend longer on a mix. Track more vocal takes, looking for the magical performance. Maybe the artist should have practiced more? Should we have taken a few days off between tracking and mixing? It seems as if every mix project I get ends up tracking overdubs up to the last minute, no matter how far in advance they book the session. But I also must be highly aware of the days allotted for sessions, and find ways to get the work done on time and at the highest quality possible.

When we plan to use a commercial recording studio we "book time." Our budget is dependent on how much time we estimate for a project. If we record at home, we might consider the sessions unrestricted by time, but we all know we have to "set aside" time in order to have the time to do the recording. Because music is an art based in time, it takes time to write and create, and it takes time to capture and manipulate in the studio. Do you have enough time to get done what you needed? Can the project be completed in time?

It all comes down to time. It always has and always will. How will you spend your time?

— Larry Crane, editor

In This Issue See more →

Richard Dodd

by Larry Crane

Even among recording, mixing, and mastering engineers, Richard Dodd's career has been a unique one, covering many styles of music. His work began in the early '70s and continues today. In that time...

Sponsored

Columns See more →

End Rant

All In

by Larry Crane

I opened my commercial recording studio (Jackpot! Recording) in 1997, after years of simultaneously having a busy home studio while working day jobs to pay the rent. Making this leap to a full-time...

Gear Geeking

Gear Geeking #105

by Andy Hong

When I saw Hüsker Dü and Soul Asylum perform at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston in 1986, the bands were loud enough to cause physical pain to my ears. The high frequencies were especially...

Sponsored

Gear Reviews See more →

One15, One18, Amp100

by Amphion Loudspeakers  |  reviewed by Adam Monk

Natural, musical, clear, detailed, open — these are all buzzwords that you hear in studio monitor speaker talk. The search for new monitors can be daunting, and wading through opinions of...

Flexiguy FG500

by NonLinearAudio  |  reviewed by Bobby Lurie

In a galaxy long ago, it was not uncommon to spend a day or two getting a snare drum sound on a big-budget record. Numerous drums were carted to the session and the pounding "thwack" would begin. The...

RX 4 Advanced, RX 4

by iZotope  |  reviewed by Larry Crane

In issue #100 of Tape Op, I extolled the virtues of iZotope RX 3 audio repair software and gave many examples of how I use this "noise reduction" plug-in suite and standalone application in tracking...

TBDD 500-series chorus

by TB Audio  |  reviewed by Scott Evans

Brian Horvitz is the proprietor of Boston area-based TB Audio. Brian produces DIY-inspired analog gear, some as kits and some ready to go. His TBDD is a "modern implementation" of Roland's classic...

Music Reviews See more →

Sponsored

 

Tape Op is a bi-monthly magazine devoted to the art of record making.

Or Learn More

Sponsored