So now Billy's Mixing It too

[c***@gmail.com]

Optimistic

[Rick]

Post by c***@gmail.com
Optimistic

Pessimistic. I think the KTA studio tracks were among the poorest mix/production of any Yes album, including the abysmal Tormato. BS has probably gotten better over the years, but even more modern stuff he produces has grating elements--I particularly don't like his processing of his own voice. Hopefully Baker (is he still "producing" this?) will help balance things out.

[True]

Post by Rick

Post by c***@gmail.com
Optimistic

Pessimistic. I think the KTA studio tracks were among the poorest mix/production of any Yes album, including the abysmal Tormato. BS has probably gotten better over the years, but even more modern stuff he produces has grating elements--I particularly don't like his processing of his own voice. Hopefully Baker (is he still "producing" this?) will help balance things out.

Of course we know what mixing generally means - but I assume there was already a separate engineer working prior to BS coming in? Does anyone know about who that might be?
Also, there may be a separate person doing the final mastering - do we know about that? Sometimes you have one person doing the mix and the master.
Sometimes, I believe, he who mixes is the one who dictates the amount of reverb, compression etc. If this is the case here, then this could be very bad indeed!
I believe FFH, for example, was mixed by one man, then mastered at the end by someone else.

One would hope that RTB, as producer, will review the final mixes and bless them. Otherwise why invest in someone like RTB?
I did enjoy the interview with Steven Wilson (posted elsewhere on a.m.y recently) wherein he talked about his feelings on mixing, and his view that the glossy, compressed style is starting to sound more cheesy and dated than the spacious, warmer mixes of the 70's rock albums.

[MarkF]

Post by True
Of course we know what mixing generally means - but I assume there
was already a separate engineer working prior to BS coming in? Does
anyone know about who that might be?

So far I think all that's been announced has RTB producing from
mid-January (with no specific engineers named), then Billy separately
engineering backing vocal recordings (with Squire, Howe & Davison) early
in March, and now Billy doing the album mix in May.

Originally, Davison had said something about mixing to be done by RTB
after the band went on their Canadian tour (March 19). Obviously
something changed when Billy was brought in for album mixing.

Post by True
Also, there may be a separate person doing the final mastering - do
we know about that? Sometimes you have one person doing the mix and
the master.

Unlikely things have gotten as far as mastering yet... Billy has been
posting on Facebook with roughly daily updates as to which # track he is
mixing (finishing 5 of 9 as of May 20th.) Not sure if the mastering
engineer is chosen by the producer, or band/management, or even the
record label execs?

Post by True
I believe FFH, for example, was mixed by one man, then mastered at
the end by someone else.

FFH was engineered & mixed by Tim Weidner at the two Sarm studios in
London and LA, and mastered by John Davis at Metropolis in London. In
addition to Weidner, there were several recording engineers and
assistant engineers listed. (Also, Howe's solo track was recorded &
engineered separately from the album sessions.)

[MarkF]

Post by MarkF
Unlikely things have gotten as far as mastering yet...

Actually Billy has now posted that mixing is complete, and mastering
will be done by Maor Appelbaum, who has worked on a few Billy projects
before.

http://www.maorappelbaum.com/projects

[y***@hotmail.com]

Oh dear, this is not good news at all. I'm not at all a fan of Sherwoods engineering & producing capabilities. He tends towards sonic mud.
Guess we'll find out soon enough.

--

Paul

[True]

Post by y***@hotmail.com
Oh dear, this is not good news at all. I'm not at all a fan of Sherwoods engineering & producing capabilities. He tends towards sonic mud.
Guess we'll find out soon enough.

One can remember a number of records where various band members expressed regrets over the mix (Yesshows, Tormato, ABWH, Magnification come to mind), so the current band must be very aware of the possibility of a bad mix impacting a well written or well-recorded record. At least 3 members of the band have been quoted as saying RTB was going to do the mixes, or was just getting started with the mixes. I wonder if it was strictly a case of time - perhaps they had contracted with RTB to work for a certain period of time, and the recording portion took longer than expected? Or did perhaps RTB begin work on the mix and they decided to change plans? Here is an excerpt from a recent interview, these comments are from Steve Howe, seems he was very mindful of the importance of the mix:

"I think at this point, I think when the album's actually mixed and it's all mastered and it's all done and dusted, it'll be a lot clearer to talk about the collaboration that we've created. Recording is a big part of it, obviously, and what's on tape is definitely a big part of what we're here to talk about, but in the mix and in the general sound, the general approach, is definitely hugely affecting either it's a huge sun ray on the record or it's a huge downer on the record -- you know, it's a huge killer. It could destroy the record if it's mixed badly, which it won't be. But I'm saying, there are the two extremes. Obviously we have great confidence in Roy to have the pleasure of mixing it without us all breaking down his neck, but then he's got to get our approvals as well. So basically, we're in a new place with Roy, where we've done the recording -- not all of it was how we expected."

[Rob Allen]

Post by True

Post by y***@hotmail.com
Oh dear, this is not good news at all. I'm not at all a fan of Sherwoods engineering & producing capabilities. He tends towards sonic mud.
Guess we'll find out soon enough.

"I think at this point, I think when the album's actually mixed and it's all mastered and it's all done and dusted, it'll be a lot clearer to talk about the collaboration that we've created. Recording is a big part of it, obviously, and what's on tape is definitely a big part of what we're here to talk about, but in the mix and in the general sound, the general approach, is definitely hugely affecting either it's a huge sun ray on the record or it's a huge downer on the record -- you know, it's a huge killer. It could destroy the record if it's mixed badly, which it won't be. But I'm saying, there are the two extremes. Obviously we have great confidence in Roy to have the pleasure of mixing it without us all breaking down his neck, but then he's got to get our approvals as well. So basically, we're in a new place with Roy, where we've done the recording -- not all of it was how we expected."

meanwhile, Sherwood claims that it was Howe that contacted him to do this "work" for the band. Indeed he made that claim in a manner that suggests that it was somehow Howe's independent decision to use him for this "work".



Rob "that's some organization they've got goin' there" Allen