Hal Leonard Publishes The Bruce Swedien Recording Method

Learn from the music engineer who recorded and mixed the biggest-selling albums of all time!

Montclair, NJ (September 19, 2013) – Bruce Swedien’s impact on popular music is undeniable. Engineers at all levels use Swedien’s recordings as a definitive sonic standard. The Bruce Swedien Recording Method is a timeless reference for anyone interested in capturing and mixing the best possible music recordings. From recording and mixing Michael Jackson’s albums (Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, Invincible, and HIStory), to many Quincy Jones hits (The Dude, Back on the Block, Q's Jook Joint, and many more), to the music of greats from Count Basie, Duke Ellington, the Brothers Johnson, and Natalie Cole, Bruce Swedien has always operated at the highest level of excellence and expertise.

The Bruce Swedien Recording Method explains many of the techniques Swedien has used to capture unforgettable drum, bass, guitar, keyboard, vocal, string, and brass sounds. Learn his rationale for selecting and placing microphones; see the innovative techniques he has used to create a technical workflow that emphasizes the importance of musical considerations; feel the passion invested by this iconic music engineer into doing whatever it takes to find the perfect sound for everything he records, whether tracking or mixing.

The accompanying DVD-ROM contains never-before-seen footage of Bruce Swedien working through a mix, explaining what he thinks about and why he works the way he does during the recording and mixing process. He further reveals what he looks for in a recording and the steps he takes to imprint his characteristic world-class sonic signature on the music he mixes.

“For someone who wants to learn how to record great music, there’s no one better to emulate than Bruce Swedien. Pay attention to how he records music, but just as important, pay attention to why he records music and to the care and love that go into how he works,” writes Quincy Jones in the book’s foreword. The Bruce Swedien Recording Method provides the reader with a unique insight into the approach and the mindset Swedien used to record the best-selling records of all time.

About the Author
Five-time Grammy winner – and thirteen-time Grammy nominee – Bruce Swedien recorded and mixed the best-selling album in the history of recorded music, Michael Jackson’s Thriller, yet he was first publicly recognized in 1962 with a Grammy nomination for Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” Swedien has also been awarded ten Grammy certificates and two ASCAP composer awards, and has been nominated for five TEC Awards. His standard of excellence was established early in life as the child of active symphony musicians. Long renowned as the best in the business, Swedien resides in Florida with his high school sweetheart, Bea, and has a world-class studio on his property along with an amazing collection of new and classic microphones. He generously shares his recording techniques and philosophies in his master class, “In the Studio with Bruce Swedien.”

The Bruce Swedien Recording Method
$39.99 (US)
Inventory #HL 00333302
ISBN: 9781458411198
Width: 8.5" Length: 11.0" 334 pages
More at: www.halleonardbooks.com and www.onstageandbackstage.wordpress.com

Drum Tuning and Conditioning

Excerpt from: Instrument & Vocal Recording: The Hal Leonard Recording Method 2nd Edition

Drum Conditioning

To get good drum sounds, it’s necessary to be familiar with drum tuning and dampening techniques. A bad-sounding drum is nearly impossible to get a good recorded sound from. A good-sounding drum can make your recording experience much more enjoyable.

If the drum heads are dented and stretched out, cancel the rest of your appointments for the day. You’ll be spending a substantial amount of time getting an acceptable drum sound.

If the drums aren’t high-quality instruments, there’s a good chance that the shells aren’t smooth and level, and there’s a possibility that the drums aren’t even perfectly round. If this is the case, the heads won’t seat evenly on the drum shell and there’ll be a loss of tone, detracting from the drum sound. 

Tuning

Often, the primary difference between a good-sounding drum and a bad-sounding drum lies simply in tuning. The standard approach to tuning involves:

• Tuning the top head to the tone you want

• Making sure the pitch is the same all the way around the head by tapping at each lug and adjusting the lugs until they all match

• Duplicating the sound of the top head with the bottom head

If the head isn’t tuned evenly all the way around, it won’t resonate well and you’ll probably hear more extraneous overtones than smooth tones. 

Many drummers tune each tom to a specific pitch. In fact, inside the shell some drum manufacturers even stamp the name of the note at which the drum is designed to best resonate. 

When tuning drums to a musical note, keep the configuration of the band and the type of music in mind. In a guitar band, the most common keys are E, A, G, D, and maybe C. If the drums are tuned to notes that are common to those chords, such as A, D, E, and so on, the toms will typically have good tone but the fact that the guitars and keys play those notes often will result in strong sympathetic vibrations. Although the vibrations are strong, they will reinforce the tonality of the music and they’ll blend well with the mix.

Jazz bands typically play in keys with a lot of flats (Bb, F, Eb, Ab, and so on). In this setting the drums might blend better if tuned to common notes in these keys, such as Bb, F, Eb, Ab, and so on. 

It is possible to minimize sympathetic vibrations by tuning the drums to notes that don’t sympathetically vibrate as strongly in the normal genre-specific keys. For example, tuning the drums to F, Bb, Eb, and Ab in a guitar band would minimize the ringing toms. The only problem with this approach is that the pitch of the drums might fight the tonality of the music—the listening audience could feel like something was always a little off, or that the vocals or primary instrument was out of tune. 

It does matter how the drums are tuned. Every great drummer will be aware of how the drums are tuned and how they interact with the rest of the musical ensemble. In addition, every great recording engineer must be equally aware of the drums, their sound, their pitch, and how they fit with the rest of the group in the mix.

Masterclass in Anchorage!

I had a seriously great time in Anchorage, teaching at the Masterclass with Craig Anderton! They have a great music community and a fantastic group of people. The day-long class was PACKED full of audio stuff! An the state was showing off its beauty. Thanks to all in Anchorage for a great time and a new perspective on the music biz!

New Stuff

It has truly been a thrill to work with Quincy Jones! I look forward to the other two books on the docket, Q on Film Scoring and Songwriting, and Q's Proteges! There are also a couple yet to be announced things in the wind—as soon as they're solidified I'll share.

Another exciting aspect of the coming months is the growth of a new relationship with Hal Leonard Publishing—the nice folks who published Q on Producing. I am now their Developmental Editor , which means I'm in the middle of a LOT of book projects! When I told them I wanted to help other professionals write books, I never guessed it would be at the elevated level that lies ahead. It's all very exciting and very fun. I'lll just keep blogging. More to come, soon.

Quincy Jones on the Charlie Rose show

This is a very cool interview with Quincy Jones on

the Charlie Rose show. It runs almost 15 minutes.

Click HERE to follow link to the show.

Quincy Jones talks about Jerry Hey, producing, and life.

Quincy Jones talks about Jerry Hey

New video that I posted from interviews with Quincy Jones for his book, Q on Producing.

Good Washington Post Article

Washington Post on Quincy

Thought this was cool from USA Today

Quincy Jones on the Jimmy Fallon Show

Time for a 2nd Printing

The book has been officially released for a week and a half and I found out from my publisher that it's time for a 2nd printing. Wow!! Thank you Quincy Jones!

It has been #1 on Amazon in several categories for the last few days! Very fun!

Update of Quincy's talk show tour

Quincy Jones Doing Talk Show Circuit
:: Wednesday, Nov. 10 - David Letterman: Quincy Jones, Snoop Dogg
:: Thursday, Nov. 11- Colbert Report: Quincy Jones
:: Friday, Nov. 12 - Charlie Rose
:: Saturday, Nov. 13 - Huckabee wit Mike Huckabee on Fox News
:: Monday, Nov. 15 - Late Night with Jimmy Fallon: Daniel Radcliffe, Quincy Jones, Grinderman
:: Monday, Nov. 15 - Oprah 25th Reunion of the Color Purple Cast
:: Tuesday, Nov. 16 - In-Store Event at J&R Music World - 23 Park Row, NYC
:: Wednesday, Nov. 17 - The View: Rachael Ray, Quincy Jones, Ludacris
:: Wednesday, Nov. 17 - Cenric Soul Sessions
:: Wednesday, Dec. 1 - The Tavis Smiley Show

Quincy Jones Doing Late Night Talk Shows

Quincy's Doing Late Night Talk Shows

Wednesday, November 10

David Letterman: Russell Crowe, Quincy Jones, Snoop Dogg

Thursday, November 11

Colbert Report: Quincy Jones

Monday, November 15

Jimmy Fallon: Daniel Radcliffe, Quincy Jones, Grinderman

Wednesday, November 17

The View: Rachael Ray, Quincy Jones, Ludacris

Barnes & Noble Seattle

The first time I saw one of my books in a large chain book store, I have to admit it was a rush. To be in Barnes & Noble, Borders, or any of the largest resellers—or even Guitar Center for that matter— just felt different than seeing them in a local music store or online.

Sometime in the late '90s I was in Nashville mixing an album at The Sound Kitchen for The Coats. We had gone out for lunch and, while waiting for the other guys, a couple of us had wandered across the way to Barnes & Noble and there in the music section I saw several copies of the The AudioPro Home Recording Course (the first series I did for MixBooks). That was fun, too.

Last Friday my wife and I were hanging out in downtown Seattle shopping and eating and such. We wandered into Barnes & Noble and there it was! "Q on Producing" facing forward and everything—I think there might have even been a little glow around the edges or a shimmer or something! Fun!

For me, writing books is a lot like producing an album. There's an amazing amount of sweat and toil and countless hours of thought and re-thought and writing and re-writing; however, the payoff is when it's completed and I'm holding the final product in my hand. Then to see it on the shelves of major book and trade stores and everywhere online continues the payoff.

"Q on Producing" has been a different experience, though. I doubt that there has been a second throughout the process of helping Quincy with this book that I haven't taken its importance incredibly seriously. What Quincy has discovered in his life and music needs to be shared! His knowledge of music is vast. Just read about his traditional and non-traditional training and you'll see how deep his musical well runs. Then observe his ways with people—in the studio, in life, and around the world—and you'll see the depths of his compassion, care, and love for virtually everyone. It's worth noting again and again that the mindset and methods we hear from Quincy Jones throughout "Q on Producing"are a recipe for success in virtually any endeavor.

I could go on and on about Quincy and what a fantastic experience helping him with this book has been, but back to my point in paragraph one, it was fun to see his book in Barnes & Noble a few days before the official release date. In the last week or so, it was also released on Amazon and all the other online suppliers and has consistently been in the top 100 of several categories even before the marketing gets in full force. Fun!

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Bill Gibson Music Blog: We're In!

Bill Gibson Music Blog: We're In!: "It's taken a while to get to the point where Quincy walks in the room. So, everyone is there except Quincy and his business manager, Adam...."

We're In!

It's taken a while to get to the point where Quincy walks in the room.

So, everyone is there except Quincy and his business manager, Adam. When Quincy came into the room everyone's level instantly raised a few dB. Each of us was, after all, there to meet with Quincy so you might expect this reaction but, literally over and over, this is the type of response I've witnessed. The same thing happens with Greg Phillinganes, Siedah Garrett, JR, Paul Jackson, Jr.--everybody really--and they've known and worked with him since the '80s. Quincy's personality never demands respect but his reputation deserves it. Clarence Acox from Garfield High School put it very well when he said, "Quincy gets a lot of respect because he gives a lot of respect."

There's a component in Quincy Jones that could be described as love or care or just genuine interest in others, but he tends to draw the best out of the people with whom he associates and works. Virtually everyone I've talked with about Q have said the same thing, "When Quincy comes into the studio everyone gives their very best performance!"

Some people have tried to marginalize Quincy, saying that, of course he does great work because he works with the very best people. You know what...that's BS! Quincy produced Off the Wall and Thriller and Bad and Back on the Block, and on and on using the same players and studios that were available to every other producer. There is something special about his approach that inspires and motivates. His style is not to demean and belittle musicians until they do it his way--there are no tantrums in a Quincy Jones session. His style is to provide an atmosphere for greatness to occur; to provide a structure that is at the same time firm and fluid; to uncover the greatness that lies within the souls of his musicians; to conduct hearts not instruments; to, on one hand, know exactly what he wants and, on the other hand, to be open to what he never imagined.

So, anyway, now we're in Quincy's livingroom and ready begin a dialogue that might end in an hour or that might last a lifetime...

Rappers Asking for Help

On our first meeting, we waited for a bit until we could see Quincy. Later, he told me that it was because he was working with a VERY high-profile rapper (for some reason I'm feeling I shouldn't mention his name) who is one of many rappers coming to him for help. The rap community is going through a growth stage that's probably happened in every genre where they feel the urge to get better at the music they're providing. They've been sharing that they're convinced they can make money but they want Quincy to help them raise the bar musically! And he's doing it. He's helping them see the importance of learning their musical language and studying their craft. His words are particular powerful with the rap community especially considering the important role he played in bringing rap music into the mainstream.

Quincy is a natural-born mentor and he has the creative horsepower to back up what he says. Most people don't know that he studied music very seriously and was mentored by some of the best musicians ever. Besides learning from the likes of Count Basie, Clark Terry, Duke Ellington, and Lionel Hampton, he studied arranging and composition with Nadia Boulange in Paris—she was the conductor/arranger/composer that taught Stravinsky, Aaron, Copeland, and many more iconic traditional musicians. He studied with her multiple times a week for nearly five years! That's amazing! So it will be very interesting to see how he transfers his passion for excellence and education to the rap and hip-hop scene.

These are the 24-track master tapes for Back on the Block, the album was likely the most influential in bringing rap to a wide-ranging audience.

Firtst Meeting - part 3

Waiting behind high-profile rap artist.
So we're waiting to meet with Quincy. The Group Publisher and my Executive Editor from Hal Leonard, three of Quincy's marketing consultants, and me. We're passing small talk around the room and the marketing guys are sharing some very interesting trivia about Quincy and his home. Everyone was getting to know each other and testing the grounds for a long-term and intense relationship.

At that point, I thought the process would be simpler than it really was. The part where I get to hang out with Quincy and ask him any question I could dream up was very cool--in fact, all my interactions with Quincy were very cool. His team couldn't have been nicer or more professional--they were all fantastic. My publishers couldn't have been more supportive--they were wonderful. There'll be more about that later. There's just a much greater responsibility on a project thatr epresents Quincy Jones.

After a bit of a wait, we are escorted into the living room and seated to
Team that was assembled
Quincy comes into room
Gumbo
Grilling about music

The First Meeting - Part 2

As we entered Quincy's home a few things became instantly apparent:

• Wow, what a fantastic place! (Sorry, just had to get that one out)
• Quincy is very enamored with art from around the world
• There is amazing attention to detail and balance everywhere
• Even though huge, his place feels very warm and comfortable. It is intimate in its expanse.
• Legends hang with legends.

Although, everyone has told me that Quincy is as caring and loving to the gardener as the Pope—I am a witness to his consistent kindness to everyone—his accomplishments and humanitarian activities keep him hanging with world leaders. Pictures from and with Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Colin Powell are intermixed effortlessly with Bono, Barbra Streisand, MJ, and Miles. And when asked, Quincy has a great story for ever one of them. It becomes instantly clear that these images are not trophies, they're markers for relationships with people he has grown to love—people he stands with in support of their life's mission. He is in love with people and most conversation about high profile leaders morph into his effort to help hurting and struggling people around the world.

The First Meeting - Part 2

The street leading to Quincy's gated entrance serves just a couple large estates—it's an off-shoot of a main road. So, you essentially turn off one of the most exclusive roads onto an ultra-exclusive road.

In my last entry, we had been escorted downstairs to the pool room, but I wanted to mention the feeling of entering Quincy's home. It's clear that everything Quincy does involves attention to detail. Nothing appears haphazard—everything is clean, neat, and meticulously in place. As I've gotten to know Quincy, I've learned that his attention to detail, and his energy for such, is boundless. It's clear in his home that his detail-orieted ways don't stop at music. Walking in the main entry way, we saw a light, open, and comfortable expanse with large winding stairs down to our initial destination and offshoots that appeared to lead into the inviting unknown.

A walk through Q's house is an artistic roller coaster. He has collected so many interesting and priceless artifacts in his travels! One thing I've noticed about Quincy, though, is that his possessions all seem to be about relationship rather than ownership. He isn't a man who would own a Picasso because it's impressive to own a Picasso—he would own a Picasso because he knew Picasso and there was some event or emotional connection to the man through the art. There are pictures all around of Quincy with powerful world leaders and showbiz legends. When they've come up in conversation, it has never been in boast—it's always been through an account of connection between hearts. Check out this story that didn't make it into the video for Q on Producing. Quincy talks about he and Bono meeting Pope John Paul in 1999. I love it because he it's so honest and telling. You see the man behind the legend in his reverence for the Pope while he keeps it real.