PRESS
RELEASE
Contact: Clyne Media, Inc.
Tel: (615) 662-1616
Fax: (615) 662-1636
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE
RECORDING ACADEMY® PRODUCERS & ENGINEERS WING® GRAMMY
SOUNDTABLES® EVENT "MWA! – MIXING WITH ATTITUDE"
REVEALS MIXING SECRETS OF INDUSTRY GREATS
Top Mixers
Chuck Ainlay, Chris Lord-Alge and Tony Maserati Share Their Personal
Approaches to Mixing at GRAMMY SoundTables® Event Moderated by
Nile Rodgers at AES
SANTA
MONICA, Calif. (October 27, 2009) — A full program
of events, seminars and workshops captivated audiences at the 127th
AES Convention in New York City, with no event more packed than the
21st Annual GRAMMY SoundTables®: "MWA! – Mixing with
Attitude." The Recording Academy® Producers & Engineers
Wing® brought together GRAMMY®-winning mixers Chuck Ainlay
(Nashville), Chris Lord-Alge (L.A.) and Tony Maserati (NYC) on stage
to discuss their mixing approach, with songwriter/producer Nile Rodgers
as moderator. The conversation flowed from the mixers' technical preferences
to workflow to creative ownership, segueing into a listening session,
with behind-the-scenes details provided by each mixer on a choice
track.. Hit songs by Lee Ann Womack ("Solitary Thinking,"
mixed by Ainlay), Green Day ("East Jesus Nowhere," mixed
by Lord-Alge) and Keri Hilson featuring Akon ("Change Me,"
mixed by Maserati) showcased recent work by each mixer. The session
ran from 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, and offered
priceless mixing tips and tricks spanning musical genres, workflow
styles and the current related technical and industry challenges.
"I like
to think that I mix in the same way that a fan listens to music,"
Maserati shared. "I listen to the rough mix, put the tracks up
and start pulling things down, as I’m A-B'ing against the rough.
Then, I'll grab elements that I think are the highlights of the song.
And, it could be a part that's a total after-thought. The 'mistakes'
or after-thoughts are so often the magic."
Lord-Alge
noted that as he begins each project, he asks himself, "What
kinds of problems do I have to solve? And, how much time do I have?"
The most important thing, in his experience, is preserving a fresh
perspective throughout the project. "I don’t even want
to know the song. I want to learn it when I print it because with
music, the biggest problem is the more you hear it, the more it solidifies
in that form. So, I put everything up at once and I start automating
immediately. The real excitement happens just by going after it right
away, and mixing it almost in one pass. It's totally artistic, like
painting; it's a reckless abandonment."
To a large
extent, the approach and mixing technique employed by these mixers
is client-driven, and often they receive input from their clients
in real-time thanks to current interactive communications technology.
Sometimes from his studio in the Berkshires, Maserati works with clients
all over the world, at all hours, allowing clients to participate
in the mixing process remotely. "My clients are very involved
through live streaming, and their comments help me find new directions
on issues I might be having," said Maserati. "They're out
there listening on headphones, which may not be the best way to work,
but we're getting work done."
Meanwhile,
Ainlay regularly has clients in during mix sessions at his facility
on Music Row, and believes their presence helps get the job done.
"One of the reasons I like working on an analog console is because
you have to commit," he notes. "When you know the artist
will be showing up, the mix always seems to come together in that
last half hour before they do."
The mixers
all agreed that the effort spent trying to emulate the work of mixers
they admire results in uniquely successful work of their own. Maserati
explained, "I think my sound comes from listening to Chris' and
Chuck's and your records [to Rodgers], and wanting my snare to sound
as good. And I could work on it for days and months and it may never
sound that good, but it would sound different. It would sound like
me."
Maureen Droney,
Senior Executive Director of the Producers & Engineers Wing, who
introduced the panelists, stated, "The collected work of these
gentlemen represents a catalog of music that keeps the bar high for
excellence in mixing. We're thrilled to have them here together sharing
their knowledge, experience and passion."
Photo File:
PE_MWA_Group.JPG
Photo Caption: The Recording Academy® Producers & Engineers
Wing® presented its 21st Annual GRAMMY SoundTables®: MWA!
– Mixing with Attitude, which brought together GRAMMY®-winning
mixers Chuck Ainlay, Chris Lord-Alge and Tony Maserati together on
stage to discuss their mixing approach, with Nile Rodgers moderating.
Shown L-R: Chris Lord-Alge, Tony Maserati, Chuck Ainlay, Nile Rodgers
and P&E Wing Sr. Executive Director Maureen Droney. Photo by Joe
Kohen/WireImage.com. Photo Courtesy of The Recording Academy®/WireImage.com.
© 2009.
Established
in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers,
engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving
the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers.
Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent
peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible
brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking
professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education
and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its
mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being
of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our
culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.
For breaking news and exclusive content, join the organization's social
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and a YouTube channel subscriber at www.youtube.com/thegrammys.
Currently
more than 6,000 professionals comprise The Recording Academy Producers
& Engineers Wing, which was established for producers, engineers,
remixers, manufacturers, technologists, and other related creative
and technical professionals in the recording field. This organized
voice for the recording community addresses issues that affect the
craft of recorded music, including the development and implementation
of new technologies, technical guidelines and recommendations, and
archiving and preservation initiatives. For more information, please
visit www.producersandengineers.com.
# # #
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Robert Clyne/Clyne Media, Inc./615.662.1616/robert@clynemedia.com
Lisa Roy/310.463.1563/lisaroyaudio@mac.com
Jennifer Keppel/The Recording Academy/310.392.3777/jenniferk@grammy.com