Hi +67Stu Exactly, also discrete electronics and Transformers!! Thanks very much I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
I can testify right now, personally, that Brian's work is jaw droppingly good. The depth and dimension of his mastering on a recent EP I mixed was sensational, the most exciting I've heard and to all of the haters thinking his passion and comments are o.t.t., you are so, so, so wrong. His chain and skills sound IMMENSE. Every professional musician working in today's screwed up industry should be grateful that there are still guys out there who are this passionate about tone and sonics, compared to the usual industry bullshit of soulless, 'business as usual' demeanours, 'mastered for iTunes' starbucks corporations and and overly linear/clinical/tired sounding studio mentalities in general. Jealously, insecurity and ignorance are a hell of thing! Thank you Brian for offering a mastering craft with personality, balls and true soul.
I have intently listened to Brian Lucey's insights for hours on end, and read much more. I never tire of it, because it always makes sense and his philosophy is refreshing and incredibly inspiring. Thanks for bringing us even more of it.
Hi +noisesoundtonevibe Thanks very much for your great comment I really appreciate it! Yes Brian is extremely passionate Mastering, it's wonderful to able to hear him share his thought process! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+Brian Lucey I meant it :-) Have you ever considered making a video that would take us through the mastering of a project, explaining your choices so as to give us a glimpse of your mindset and how you react to different aspects of the music? All the best.
+noisesoundtonevibe I could but I skip around a lot with the cursor doing 1-3-5 second looks at a record song piece by piece ... so it would be hard to do. It's not fun to listen to me working, no one is ever here for that. I will think about it. It's really not something you can learn on You Tube, mostly as you're not here in the room and your take on a record would be yours. Mine is obviously mine.
My God , This is just hard to show gratitude for in mere words, thanks for being so accessible and forthright , it is like gold to the basement music folk as myself . Thanks a million times CQ
Hi +strikefirstt Yes agreed! Straight ahead to the point very blessed to be able to talk Mastering with Brian! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
That was bananas! I love the fact that Brian is using different makes of tubes in his EQ to get the best sound out of each frequency band. In fact - the musicality in that message is the same across all his equipment. Great advice.
You releases this at a good time for us. Sending him our music today to get mastered and it was great to hear him talk about his craft. I really respect his insight and you did a great job of interviewing Brian by just listening and adding your own experiences when necessary. Cheers!
I admire Brian's passion for the detailed information regarding his choice of equipment that provides the aural path for his craft, plus his appreciation for the events that lead to his position in the chain that cumulatively result in the completed work. My only wish would be to have an equal amount of time (or more, if possible) devoted to the room itself. It would be incredibly interesting to learn about his theory behind room dimensions, construction and acoustic treatment techniques. Warren, your educational contribution to those of us who love this field of the arts is fantastic and incredibly appreciated. Thank you!
Hi +Rick Lucier Fantasti comment! Agreed I don't know the ins and outs of all of the technical details, but I do one thing, Brian is passionate about what he does and he results speak for themselves! There is going to be an extended version of this video available at a later date where he talks about his room in more detail. We spoke for over an hour and this is edited down! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+Rick Lucier The room is made with freestanding Real Traps 6" walls that are absorbing at the first reflection points on the side walls and ceiling, and diffusion from my chair back to the back wall ... with RPG skylines+absorption in the ceiling. The building here is 4 levels, 2300 sq feet. open staircase and no floors are complete, so the low end is VENTING all the way up the structure. You could never build a room this small, and trap low end.
This was fantastic! Brian mastered a project I worked on a few years ago, so it was great to hear more about his process. (and see the gear the mix went through!)
What a great video.Ive been learning some mastering techniques as of late and it is so cool to hear from those who genuinely want to explain their mindset and go through the gear they use with such description and enthusiasm.Thank you Brian and Warren for all the great tours and vids.
Hi TheDragon7t, thanks for the kind words! Yes, Brian is a great guy and really willing to share his information with us! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
Hey Warren, really appreciate your Windom and also the time you put into educating the average musician. I've seen all you studio tours and love what you're doing. Any chance you know some film composers? Would love to see how they do their magic and also their studios.
Very good explanation of his workflow and great tour. Thank you!. What's interesting in this context is the use of elysia envelope to reshape dynamics. This glass of water on the desk really makes you nervous though...
Hi +Greg Boyd Yes Brian is a great guy! It was very generous of him to take us around his wonderful mastering studio! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Amazing content as always Warren...Brian's mastering philosophies and approach are always admirable...For anyone interested...check out his masterclasses on MWTM
Hi Warren :) Unrelated to mastering but HOW ON EARTH do professional recordings get that clear, upfront but siting perfectly in the mix vocal? am I right to say it's a lot to do with acoustics and how the source is very well recorded due to it's environment? My mixes sound half decent, I love them at times, then I compare them to a professional mix, obviously it's ten times better and soul destroying haha. The vocals are always so crystal clear but never too loud. I try to use all of the tricks, starting with level, I go through it all, but it's never the same. Please can you confirm it's just a very well recorded vocal in a very well treated space? THANK YOU..
Hi +Adam Callan That's a fantastic question! My live room where I cut vocals isn't completely dead, however it's not very live either. There's always a reasonable amount of compression on the vocals, I would recommend checking out my Recording Vocals and Mixing Vocals Videos, let me know how you get on! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Very cool information, and the rule of thumb is be at the right place, and now where is that LA or Austin? Thanks for sharing and Brian L. did a wonderful job going over his gear.
Great info about the valves, though most of that went over my head .. but the explanation about the V and mid-side was worth its weight in gold! Thanks for another great video
I've watched a few of these studio talks and you can hear the different rooms as picked up by that same camera. In this room there is an audible ambience but a bright one. Brian really has a whole meal philosophy with different tubes for different things. You have real network of people in LA. How is it with the engineering for live real shows? It's quite a market but a lot hotel rooms and touring of course. It's interesting to see what goes into it and I learn a lot. I've only done one album that was actually released. It was done in EMI studio with the setting of drums, bas, keyboard, Barytone, tenor and trumpet and a lead vocalist and it's on vinyl:)
Hi +rawstarmusic Thanks for your great insight! Which EMI studio did you record at? On Vinyl! Great! I am happy when the Albums I work on come out on Vinyl, brings everything full circle so I can feel like I did when I was a kid! Have a marvelous time recording, many thanks Warren
now listening to songs that Brian has mastered. so, that's the thing with the many valves. you got a point, sir! the music is winning. many thanks to Warren for another inspiring interview full with top shnizzel! as far as I hear, these productions are very classic, and vinyl ready, but also very fresh and pristine. totally "unharsh" and "undigital" though with the benefits of air band and dynamics. thus, a particular question for another PLAP episode would be, how to produce such a sound from the beginning, all those fat drums and solid guitars, and slick vocals. because the artists I have heard so far, who turned to Brian, have this in common. e.g. they love certain guitar sounds and room ambience. not the same, but quite a genre.
I couldn't agree more with what Brian says at 19:32. I had a 2192 from Universal Audio, and heard and read many many times that there is "way better options nowadays". In the end I've swap for a Lynx Hilo (wich I love now) and yes it was an improvment "conversion wise" but a reaaaal struggle for me to get used to it. And indeed thats because I first built a chain with a "sound" in mind, and learned that changing even smallest detail can really alter everything.
Hi +Adrien Sauvaget I agree! I actually still love my Lavry Blue to mix to, I've had it for several years now and I just love how it sounds! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Well, that was fun! Indeed, everything Brian endeavors to do he does with passion and an “outside of the box” mode of thinking that’s a hypnotic blend of the high intellectual with the emotive spiritual. Deadly stuff, mate. Bit like watching Einstein jump rope with Gotama. Zen And The Art Of The Tube/Transistor by Brian Lucey. Keep up the good work, sharing the passion, gentlemen. Cheers.
Hi Warren, I would love to hear a master of his A/ B'd with the mix before he worked on it. I wonder, would you say that the mix before he mastered, to a bedroom sort of guy would sound mastered? Would they put anything on the master bus or leave that for him to master? I also wonder if he can automate his analog (or even digital) hardware for his masters? Doesn't seem like it. Sorry so many questions. thanks for the vids. Cheers!
Hey Warren, great Video! Can you probably do a tour of your spitfire studio and talk a bit about your room treatment and the story of single pieces of gear? That would be really great!!
Hi +Simon Stock Thanks very much! Brian was extremely gracious to give us such a great tour!! Yes I will definitely do a tour of ,y own studio soon! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Pablo Candia aw shucks thanks very much! That's very kind of you! I appreciate the thanks! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing many thanks Warren
+louderthangod Real Traps free stanading walls, and RPG diffusor ceiling. First reflections dead. LEDE in a sense, low end trapped and escaping into the 4 story structure.
Hi +louderthangod Yes in the full over an hour video we shot there Brian does walkabout this as well! We will put the longer version at a later date. Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
So incredibly thorough! I actually feel like i understand. Now that he’s explained his full mastering chain, I’d really love to someday watch him go through his process of mastering a song so I could see If I could hear what each stage adds, fixes.
Real Traps 6" walls are what's used here. Dead at the first reflection points. Mega Trap corers. Diffusors behind the listening position. Freestanding 6" x 8 feet high (2x2, 2x4, 2x2 on top) RPG skylines and Real Traps absorbers in the ceiling (ceilings are icing, not cake). Great stuff. Not cheap but portable and sets up in a day. The larger room is a 4 story building with an open floor plan, but there is no better treatment for small room than these wall units.
Hi +Brian Lucey Thanks for the extra detail! Just so everyone knows Brian and I talked for over and hour and there is much more tooth's video, we will publish the rest at a later date. Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Hey Warren, I often notice Mastering rooms sounding brighter than mixing rooms, is this common practice and if so, does it have a purpose? Or are my ears just fooling me? :D Greetings from Germany Henning
Hi +HenningSchaar Thanks very much for your great comment I really appreciate it! We only had one mic there to pick us up talking so that wouldn't be a accurate representation of the room sound, however good high end detail is a must for a mastering engineer to be able do great work! very Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+HenningSchaar Another great video Warren.Thanks again. Hello Henning. I agree. One of the first things I notice about Warrens videos is the room tones where he visits. They all have a different tone, yet also something common among them as well. I wonder how my mixes would sound if I were to mix in a tuned room.
One of my favorite videos of your Warren! I love Brian's approach and his insight - he really gets it and knows what he's doing, and he's so articulate that it really comes through in his words and not just his sound. (Brothers is one of my favorite records too, so it was really fun to see some of the behind the scenes on that.) Thanks ever so much for making all of these videos - they're truly invaluable to so many of us up and coming producers teaching ourselves via youtube.
Hi +jlmcgrael Great! Glad you enjoyed the video! Yes Brian is a perfectionist and that's what we love in our mastering engineers! Have a marvelous time recording and mixing! Many thanks Warren
Hi +TJO Audio Yes Brian is great and very gracious to give us such a detailed look at how equipment!! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
thanks for putting this interview together. there is something missing in the interview: a talk about the room, the walls, the structure surrounding the room. it looks like he is in some sort of giant space, and he carved a smaller listening room space inside of it. maybe his listening room has thin walls, and the excess bass escapes out of his listening room into the outer room, thus reducing the need for extensive bass trapping. any chance you could do a brief add-on to this interview, describing this stuff? it was completely interesting, but there was only about a three second photo clip of the space, and no description of it. the surrounding space looked very non-symmetrical and unusual, with staircases, a very high ceiling, and a table with chairs on the second floor. there's too much "there" there to not discuss it!
Just wandering how he set up the output volume of the valve amp in relation with the signal he is sending from the computer or equipment to the amp. What is using as the master volume control? Thanks for the video!
I wonder if Brian's masters have an increase in high frequency due to the attenuation and filtering of high frequency at his ears due to the beanie? This might be the secret we've been looking for. Food for thought. Of course, his work is amazing.
Wow, coming late to the conversation here but I have to say I kept thinking how does something like LANDR even begin to claim to be in the same universe and guys like this.Great video.
I bet his beanie is actually a highly sophiscated hi frequency filter made from only the finest handmade audio fibers by the Siberian monks of Irkutsk.
Yes paper in the tweet area…I’m a live guy…but since I can remember I’ve been drawn to speakers which use paper in the 1.6-3.5to 4k range just a smoother vocal response
Hi +Christer Ekstrom Yes indeed! Brian is passionate about what he does do it shows! Creativity is key and ultimately all that matters is the results! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+Produce Like A Pro I use subtle MS in ways that no one knows, fairly often. If you could notice it, then it would be a fail. The key is monitoring, speaker width in the room/distance form speakers and frequency balance have to be in the ideal shape, or your MS will destroy the mixes, not enhance.
Another cool vid! Umm was that a glass of water sitting on the console!? Made me break into a cold sweat when I saw that! My OCD would not let me concentrate on the rest of the vid after I saw that. LOL
Hi +Mark Kinne Thanks! Yes it was great fun being able to hang with Brian and see how amazing studio! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+Brian Lucey - I actually do the same, my stuff is just slightly less pricy... Hey, I have a question... Is there a percent of normalization that is preferred for tracks when they are to be handed off for mixing/mastering? I understand that there should be a little headroom in the tracks to account for increases in different gain stages while things are being processed, but what would be a safe starting place? 90% ? 95 % ? Thanks! :-)
Normalization is something you don't need to do. Any great mix that's not clipping works just fine for any good ME. Peaks over -20 and under 0dbfs are great.
Hi +Probus Excogitatoris Thanks for the comment! Yes we had the doors and windows open to the outside, there was a beautiful breeze flowing through, but it did mean the mic that was in the room would have picked up any ambient noise from the street! Good spot! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
I love the approach, expecially the attention to the music before being caged in the "standard market product". One thing let me a little perplex, the amp. I mean, would be perfect if you sell that beatiful amp with the cd you mastered, but knowing that 99% of the users will listen to it through a solid state, wouldn't be better to work with a "worse" amp, knowing that kind of amplification is the one people will actually use to listen to music anyway?
i mean he is possibly using that amp not only for his volume amplification but also because it colours the sound. so if you recorded the sound after the amp in the signal chain you get that amps "colour" and then all you need to do is add volume and voila we all enjoy its nature?
i mean assuming the end user has a transparent amp... I guess this is where your point arises .. a tube amp gets colour then a solid state amp adds its colour and voila neither tube or solid state o naturele
Good question ... most people use Class A or Class D for the perfection of it. I use very linear tube amps (now Cary 211FE) in a CLass A push pull for the musicality AND the sufficient linearity. Bottom line, NO TWO PLAYBACK SPACES are EVER the same. Even temp and humidity change any one room. The goal is to make the best product, and a very clean tube amp makes that possible for me. I like tubes, and transformers. It's plenty clean. The amp sets the tone, for the work, a perfection-oriented amp = a perfection oriented result. A musical amp = a musical result (assuming it''s linear enough). Most tube amps are a mess and I could never use them.
Hi +Fezzler61 Thanks very much for your great comment I really appreciate it! Yes Brian was a true Gentleman to show around his fantastic set up! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
I almost had a heart attack when I saw the glass on the desk !!! those pieces are not cheap, lol,,,, Brian is obviously so meticulous, and awesome how he shares his journey and results,,,, Thanks Brian!!! Scary thing, I think I get this, lol,,,, I would love to hear him work in that room,,, I need a fly-on-a-wall costume, lol,,,
Sorry Warren and Brian about my Kelly Clarkson mistake.So I double checked this.Check out Brian's work on the new Grace Potter solo record "Midnight."This mastering Video was great.
I could. It's a little tricky because what I'm thinking and doing on a record is faster than I talk. And not very important to you. As a product or mixer your decisions need to be musical. There is nothing I can teach you about your record while mastering another record ... except to promote the principles of performance driven, artistic vision guided, bravery, fearlessness, effortlessness, etc. There is no technically perfect mix, that's not your goal. Although the shape of the V in the low end is a useful technical concept to be aware of. Punch. Style clarity etc. All comes from that. Monitoring is huge in that respect. Undeniable musicality and artistic connection is your goal. And mine. Each step unique. The best thing everyone can do is upgrade the room and monitors and be brave in presenting the song, the artist. Perfect is boring. Engineering emotions to be moved and hearts to be touched is the aim. If you hired me you could lower the gain of the master and compare. Learn from that. But it's more about the artistry for you than the tech.
Hi +Brian Lucey great words of advice! I tell everyone these days that to be a great Engineer/Producer/Mixer/Mastering Engineer in the 21st Century you need to be musical, develop an ear! The Technical side should be something we have down but the musical side must be the dominant side! Knowing your DAW inside and out for instance you should be a prerequisite. Don't spend time looking at your screen, use your ears! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+LiGHTER The V can be wide or narrow or in between ... wide is alternative rock, narrow is pop pop, most music in between in degrees. The amount of low end on the side panned sources determines the shape, along with the filtering to the center panned sources of course. Cutting below 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 on the sides alters the shape as the center image is cleaner and cleaner with less competition from the sides. Guitars an easy example. The shape of the V is usually too messy and wide for most styles, but no matter the shape it ALWAYS tells the listener what STYLE is the music, in 2 seconds, subconsciously. Clean bass and kick is more pop. Messy sides becomes "less produced" sounding as it goes. We are always comparing to the Recorded History of Music, so that is a trigger for people. The key to knowing the way to mix is SPACING left and right and good center power from bass trapping. If your monitors are too narrow you will over mix the side, if they are too wide you will under pan. Listen to refs that tell you where to put the monitors, and trap bass all you can.
+LiGHTER Exactly. "Too pop" or "too produced" is always about a deep V, not a wide one. Mastering is for me the art of subconscious manipulation and the V shape vs. the style and the song is one of the triggers for style and production that's a 1 second feel thing.
Superb! I'm glad to see that there is still someone who understands the importance of tubes and how they work, and their differences.
Hi +67Stu Exactly, also discrete electronics and Transformers!! Thanks very much I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
I can testify right now, personally, that Brian's work is jaw droppingly good. The depth and dimension of his mastering on a recent EP I mixed was sensational, the most exciting I've heard and to all of the haters thinking his passion and comments are o.t.t., you are so, so, so wrong. His chain and skills sound IMMENSE.
Every professional musician working in today's screwed up industry should be grateful that there are still guys out there who are this passionate about tone and sonics, compared to the usual industry bullshit of soulless, 'business as usual' demeanours, 'mastered for iTunes' starbucks corporations and and overly linear/clinical/tired sounding studio mentalities in general. Jealously, insecurity and ignorance are a hell of thing!
Thank you Brian for offering a mastering craft with personality, balls and true soul.
+RossFOTDP Thank you, that's very sweet of you to say. Your response is my daily goal.
These mastering videos go over my head. Don't know what they do, and how they do it, but I appreciate the results.
Hi +apinakapinastorba Thanks very much for your great comment I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+apinakapinastorba Mastering is a mindset ... overview ... tone, musicality, connection. Not for everyone. Do what YOU do !
Hi +Brian Lucey Nicely put!
I have intently listened to Brian Lucey's insights for hours on end, and read much more. I never tire of it, because it always makes sense and his philosophy is refreshing and incredibly inspiring. Thanks for bringing us even more of it.
Hi +noisesoundtonevibe Thanks very much for your great comment I really appreciate it! Yes Brian is extremely passionate Mastering, it's wonderful to able to hear him share his thought process! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+noisesoundtonevibe Thank you :)
+Brian Lucey I meant it :-) Have you ever considered making a video that would take us through the mastering of a project, explaining your choices so as to give us a glimpse of your mindset and how you react to different aspects of the music? All the best.
+noisesoundtonevibe I could but I skip around a lot with the cursor doing 1-3-5 second looks at a record song piece by piece ... so it would be hard to do. It's not fun to listen to me working, no one is ever here for that. I will think about it. It's really not something you can learn on You Tube, mostly as you're not here in the room and your take on a record would be yours. Mine is obviously mine.
My God , This is just hard to show gratitude for in mere words, thanks for being so accessible and forthright , it is like gold to the basement music folk as myself .
Thanks a million times
CQ
Hi +Colin Quigley Thanks very much for your kind words I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
It's awesome to get some insight from these mastering gurus....thanks again!
Hi +Oz Macca Thanks very much for your kind words I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
I like this guy. Nice to sit in on this quality conversation. Keep it up Warren. Much appreciated!!!!
Hi +strikefirstt Yes agreed! Straight ahead to the point very blessed to be able to talk Mastering with Brian! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Drooling on my keyboard. I could listen to you guys talk about this stuff all day.
That was bananas! I love the fact that Brian is using different makes of tubes in his EQ to get the best sound out of each frequency band. In fact - the musicality in that message is the same across all his equipment. Great advice.
You releases this at a good time for us. Sending him our music today to get mastered and it was great to hear him talk about his craft. I really respect his insight and you did a great job of interviewing Brian by just listening and adding your own experiences when necessary. Cheers!
Hi +Copperfox (The Band) That's wonderful to hear!! Yes Brian is great!! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
I admire Brian's passion for the detailed information regarding his choice of equipment that provides the aural path for his craft, plus his appreciation for the events that lead to his position in the chain that cumulatively result in the completed work. My only wish would be to have an equal amount of time (or more, if possible) devoted to the room itself. It would be incredibly interesting to learn about his theory behind room dimensions, construction and acoustic treatment techniques. Warren, your educational contribution to those of us who love this field of the arts is fantastic and incredibly appreciated. Thank you!
Hi +Rick Lucier Fantasti comment! Agreed I don't know the ins and outs of all of the technical details, but I do one thing, Brian is passionate about what he does and he results speak for themselves! There is going to be an extended version of this video available at a later date where he talks about his room in more detail. We spoke for over an hour and this is edited down! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+Rick Lucier The room is made with freestanding Real Traps 6" walls that are absorbing at the first reflection points on the side walls and ceiling, and diffusion from my chair back to the back wall ... with RPG skylines+absorption in the ceiling. The building here is 4 levels, 2300 sq feet. open staircase and no floors are complete, so the low end is VENTING all the way up the structure. You could never build a room this small, and trap low end.
Thanks for all of the insight Brian! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Great video guys. Love the philosophy. Positive Compromise is my new mantra.
Many thanks Warren
Hi +Philip Keeling Fantastic!! I agree 100% Great mantra! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
This is sophistication on a whole new level. Changing the tubes in the EQ depending on the musical material? Wow!
Hi +Bernd Schuller Thanks very much for your great comment I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+Bernd Schuller Just to be clear, same tubes every record, yet unique NOS tubes per BAND in the eq :)
+Brian Lucey thanks for the clarification, that seems much more reasonable :-)
+Bernd Schuller Right ! I'm insane for tone ... but not THAT insane.
This was fantastic! Brian mastered a project I worked on a few years ago, so it was great to hear more about his process. (and see the gear the mix went through!)
Hi +Logan Muckler Wonderful!! That's great to hear. Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+Logan Muckler Thanks Logan
What a great video.Ive been learning some mastering techniques as of late and it is so cool to hear from those who genuinely want to explain their mindset and go through the gear they use with such description and enthusiasm.Thank you Brian and Warren for all the great tours and vids.
Hi TheDragon7t, thanks for the kind words! Yes, Brian is a great guy and really willing to share his information with us! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
Love Brian Lucey's philosophy! Inspirational!
Hi +Troye Lilley Thanks very much I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
I just listened to his story in person at GrooveU. Very insightful, and inspiring. Loved listening to him
thank you for letting us access such genius by interviewing all these great engineers :)
Hi +rapofgod Thanks very much for your kind words I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Your videos are priceless, Warren. We all thank you for your time and effort. As always, looking forward to many more.
Hey Warren, really appreciate your Windom and also the time you put into educating the average musician. I've seen all you studio tours and love what you're doing. Any chance you know some film composers? Would love to see how they do their magic and also their studios.
Very good explanation of his workflow and great tour. Thank you!. What's interesting in this context is the use of elysia envelope to reshape dynamics. This glass of water on the desk really makes you nervous though...
Got to love Brain! What a great guy!
Hi +Greg Boyd Yes Brian is a great guy! It was very generous of him to take us around his wonderful mastering studio! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+Greg Boyd Thanks dude :)
do a tour of your own studio! I wanna see all the kit
Hi +dre brose definitely coming up soon ish! haha Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Amazing content as always Warren...Brian's mastering philosophies and approach are always admirable...For anyone interested...check out his masterclasses on MWTM
Great philosophy and thoughtfulness matched with excellent technical knowledge - fantastic.
Hi +chriselmsmusic I agree 100%! Thanks very much for your great comment I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Hi Warren :) Unrelated to mastering but HOW ON EARTH do professional recordings get that clear, upfront but siting perfectly in the mix vocal? am I right to say it's a lot to do with acoustics and how the source is very well recorded due to it's environment? My mixes sound half decent, I love them at times, then I compare them to a professional mix, obviously it's ten times better and soul destroying haha. The vocals are always so crystal clear but never too loud. I try to use all of the tricks, starting with level, I go through it all, but it's never the same. Please can you confirm it's just a very well recorded vocal in a very well treated space? THANK YOU..
Hi +Adam Callan That's a fantastic question! My live room where I cut vocals isn't completely dead, however it's not very live either. There's always a reasonable amount of compression on the vocals, I would recommend checking out my Recording Vocals and Mixing Vocals Videos, let me know how you get on! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Very cool information, and the rule of thumb is be at the right place, and now where is that LA or Austin? Thanks for sharing and Brian L. did a wonderful job going over his gear.
Great info about the valves, though most of that went over my head .. but the explanation about the V and mid-side was worth its weight in gold! Thanks for another great video
I've watched a few of these studio talks and you can hear the different rooms as picked up by that same camera. In this room there is an audible ambience but a bright one. Brian really has a whole meal philosophy with different tubes for different things. You have real network of people in LA. How is it with the engineering for live real shows? It's quite a market but a lot hotel rooms and touring of course. It's interesting to see what goes into it and I learn a lot. I've only done one album that was actually released. It was done in EMI studio with the setting of drums, bas, keyboard, Barytone, tenor and trumpet and a lead vocalist and it's on vinyl:)
Hi +rawstarmusic Thanks for your great insight! Which EMI studio did you record at? On Vinyl! Great! I am happy when the Albums I work on come out on Vinyl, brings everything full circle so I can feel like I did when I was a kid! Have a marvelous time recording, many thanks Warren
now listening to songs that Brian has mastered. so, that's the thing with the many valves. you got a point, sir!
the music is winning.
many thanks to Warren for another inspiring interview full with top shnizzel!
as far as I hear, these productions are very classic, and vinyl ready, but also very fresh and pristine.
totally "unharsh" and "undigital" though with the benefits of air band and dynamics.
thus, a particular question for another PLAP episode would be, how to produce such a sound from the beginning, all those fat drums and solid guitars, and slick vocals.
because the artists I have heard so far, who turned to Brian, have this in common. e.g. they love certain guitar sounds and room ambience. not the same, but quite a genre.
so much passion! very inspiring approach
Thanks Frank!
I couldn't agree more with what Brian says at 19:32. I had a 2192 from Universal Audio, and heard and read many many times that there is "way better options nowadays". In the end I've swap for a Lynx Hilo (wich I love now) and yes it was an improvment "conversion wise" but a reaaaal struggle for me to get used to it. And indeed thats because I first built a chain with a "sound" in mind, and learned that changing even smallest detail can really alter everything.
Hi +Adrien Sauvaget I agree! I actually still love my Lavry Blue to mix to, I've had it for several years now and I just love how it sounds! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Cheers Warren !
Phenomenal video. Just got the Spiral Grooves and they are incredible
Amazing interview. Thank you Warren and Brian!
love this guys format he is genius
The room sounds fairly reflective. Is he monitoring through a tube amp?
F the haters, keep doing what you do, and thanks for the video!!!
Probably the best mastering interview ever. So in-depth. Love it!
Hi +Aneek Thapar thank you very much indeed! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
+Aneek Thapar Thank you :)
Well, that was fun! Indeed, everything Brian endeavors to do he does with passion and an “outside of the box” mode of thinking that’s a hypnotic blend of the high intellectual with the emotive spiritual. Deadly stuff, mate. Bit like watching Einstein jump rope with Gotama. Zen And The Art Of The Tube/Transistor by Brian Lucey.
Keep up the good work, sharing the passion, gentlemen. Cheers.
Hi +GBS Records Thanks very much for your kind words I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Hi Warren,
I would love to hear a master of his A/ B'd with the mix before he worked on it.
I wonder, would you say that the mix before he mastered, to a bedroom sort of guy would sound mastered? Would they put anything on the master bus or leave that for him to master?
I also wonder if he can automate his analog (or even digital) hardware for his masters? Doesn't seem like it. Sorry so many questions.
thanks for the vids. Cheers!
what a room he has!
Yes agreed 100% Ben! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Hey Warren,
great Video!
Can you probably do a tour of your spitfire studio and talk a bit about your room treatment and the story of single pieces of gear? That would be really great!!
Hi +Simon Stock Thanks very much! Brian was extremely gracious to give us such a great tour!! Yes I will definitely do a tour of ,y own studio soon! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Wow thank you so much this was an amazing episode! ♥️♥️♥️
Fantastic interview! Thank you!
Hi +Troye Lilley Thanks very much for your great comment I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
i cant get tired to say thanks Warren !!! great Videos...
Pablo Candia aw shucks thanks very much! That's very kind of you! I appreciate the thanks! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing many thanks Warren
I'm curious about the room construction and treatment in those mastering rooms.
Hi +louderthangod We are going to do a video on Room construction and treatment very soon! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+louderthangod Real Traps free stanading walls, and RPG diffusor ceiling. First reflections dead. LEDE in a sense, low end trapped and escaping into the 4 story structure.
Brian Lucey Ask and ye shall receive...thank you!
Hi +louderthangod Yes in the full over an hour video we shot there Brian does walkabout this as well! We will put the longer version at a later date. Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
So incredibly thorough! I actually feel like i understand. Now that he’s explained his full mastering chain, I’d really love to someday watch him go through his process of mastering a song so I could see If I could hear what each stage adds, fixes.
Wow! That’s great to hear! Thanks for sharing
Properly geektastic - great ! Wish I was his valve supplier !
Hi +Craig Dove Haha me too! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Great tips in this video.
Hi +Derek Vincent Thanks very much for your great comment I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Real Traps 6" walls are what's used here. Dead at the first reflection points. Mega Trap corers. Diffusors behind the listening position. Freestanding 6" x 8 feet high (2x2, 2x4, 2x2 on top) RPG skylines and Real Traps absorbers in the ceiling (ceilings are icing, not cake). Great stuff. Not cheap but portable and sets up in a day. The larger room is a 4 story building with an open floor plan, but there is no better treatment for small room than these wall units.
Hi +Brian Lucey Thanks for the extra detail! Just so everyone knows Brian and I talked for over and hour and there is much more tooth's video, we will publish the rest at a later date. Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
This is a most useful and fantastic interview.. Very very interesting...
Any chance of an update on Brian’s Atmos world Warren?
Marvellous idea!
Excellent video! "Positive compromise"! Definitely feeling inspired after watching this.
Hi Brian, I agree! Great quote!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
My dad grew up and some family live that part of Ohio!! I grew up in Indiana........
Hey Warren,
I often notice Mastering rooms sounding brighter than mixing rooms, is this common practice and if so, does it have a purpose? Or are my ears just fooling me? :D
Greetings from Germany
Henning
Hi +HenningSchaar Thanks very much for your great comment I really appreciate it! We only had one mic there to pick us up talking so that wouldn't be a accurate representation of the room sound, however good high end detail is a must for a mastering engineer to be able do great work! very Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+HenningSchaar
Another great video Warren.Thanks again.
Hello Henning. I agree. One of the first things I notice about Warrens videos is the room tones where he visits. They all have a different tone, yet also something common among them as well. I wonder how my mixes would sound if I were to mix in a tuned room.
+HenningSchaar Not hardly bright. Each room unique.
+rorysmom2004 The microphone is what is common ! It's a bright mic.
RAD!!!! Brian Lucey is legit!
Hi +Mat Melton Thanks very much for your great comment I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
One of my favorite videos of your Warren! I love Brian's approach and his insight - he really gets it and knows what he's doing, and he's so articulate that it really comes through in his words and not just his sound. (Brothers is one of my favorite records too, so it was really fun to see some of the behind the scenes on that.) Thanks ever so much for making all of these videos - they're truly invaluable to so many of us up and coming producers teaching ourselves via youtube.
Hi +jlmcgrael Great! Glad you enjoyed the video! Yes Brian is a perfectionist and that's what we love in our mastering engineers! Have a marvelous time recording and mixing! Many thanks Warren
Warren your videos are great!, this one is awesome!
Thank you ever so much!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
I just finished watching video with Pete Lyman and Lathe cut, mastering room and all. What's "wrong" with this room and it's sonic image?
Love these gear videos.
Hi +TJO Audio Yes Brian is great and very gracious to give us such a detailed look at how equipment!! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
thanks for putting this interview together. there is something missing in the interview: a talk about the room, the walls, the structure surrounding the room. it looks like he is in some sort of giant space, and he carved a smaller listening room space inside of it. maybe his listening room has thin walls, and the excess bass escapes out of his listening room into the outer room, thus reducing the need for extensive bass trapping. any chance you could do a brief add-on to this interview, describing this stuff? it was completely interesting, but there was only about a three second photo clip of the space, and no description of it. the surrounding space looked very non-symmetrical and unusual, with staircases, a very high ceiling, and a table with chairs on the second floor. there's too much "there" there to not discuss it!
Just wandering how he set up the output volume of the valve amp in relation with the signal he is sending from the computer or equipment to the amp. What is using as the master volume control? Thanks for the video!
I wonder if Brian's masters have an increase in high frequency due to the attenuation and filtering of high frequency at his ears due to the beanie? This might be the secret we've been looking for. Food for thought. Of course, his work is amazing.
Hi +Craig Sowby Ha Yes Brian's work is incredible!! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+Craig Sowby lol. never the hat when working, good point :)
Lobe pass filter
What a great interview thank you Warren.
Hi +TimeMarchesOnBand Thanks very much! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren!
Cool room...but wouldn't you want to hear on system that mimics what most people listen on. Do I need a tube amp to hear what your intentions are?
As usual a great interview! The man knows what he wants and figured out how to get it. Thanks again for all of your hard work!
Hi +Ralph Peebles Agreed! It's all about passion for what we do! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Wow, coming late to the conversation here but I have to say I kept thinking how does something like LANDR even begin to claim to be in the same universe and guys like this.Great video.
Great vid. A lot of juicy wisdom.
Hi +Gene Blank Thanks very much I really appreciate it!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
I bet his beanie is actually a highly sophiscated hi frequency filter made from only the finest handmade audio fibers by the Siberian monks of Irkutsk.
+cameron campbell lol. It's vintage :)
I knew it! Sweet set up, man.
cameron campbell its also natural phase.
Yes paper in the tweet area…I’m a live guy…but since I can remember I’ve been drawn to speakers which use paper in the 1.6-3.5to 4k range just a smoother vocal response
Nice way to view even digital equipment.
Hi +nasanction Thanks very much for your great comment I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Wow, Brian Lucey is serious about his tools, nice video !
Hi +Christer Ekstrom Yes indeed! Brian is passionate about what he does do it shows! Creativity is key and ultimately all that matters is the results! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Great insight, thanks a lot!
Hi +Paul Gold Thanks very much for your great comment I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Brian is a class act. great vid!
Hi Vohs! Agreed! Brian rules!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
Thank YOU Warren :-)
Hi +Rafal Konikowski Thank YOU!! I really appreciate your support and positive comments! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
One Q: What did Brian use M/S and what L/R ?
Hi +Geir Solerød Good question! Brian can you answer that? Happy New Year! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+Produce Like A Pro I use subtle MS in ways that no one knows, fairly often. If you could notice it, then it would be a fail. The key is monitoring, speaker width in the room/distance form speakers and frequency balance have to be in the ideal shape, or your MS will destroy the mixes, not enhance.
Another cool vid! Umm was that a glass of water sitting on the console!? Made me break into a cold sweat when I saw that! My OCD would not let me concentrate on the rest of the vid after I saw that. LOL
Hi +Mark Kinne Thanks! Yes it was great fun being able to hang with Brian and see how amazing studio! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+Mark Kinne Jedi hand skills
I want this!
Hi +Louis Esterhuizen Thanks very much for your great comment I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
positive compromise, love that!
Hi Ben, yes agreed! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
my golly that was entertaining. i was glued to it.... unintentional mastering pun
Hi +TEX urgh Haha great! Thanks very much! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
GREAT stuff guys ! Thx
Hi +Torben Scharling Thanks very much I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Brave to keep that glass of water on the edge of that special rig! Especially with guests over! :-)
+Samos12 Lots of practice :)
+Brian Lucey - I actually do the same, my stuff is just slightly less pricy... Hey, I have a question... Is there a percent of normalization that is preferred for tracks when they are to be handed off for mixing/mastering? I understand that there should be a little headroom in the tracks to account for increases in different gain stages while things are being processed, but what would be a safe starting place? 90% ? 95 % ? Thanks! :-)
Normalization is something you don't need to do. Any great mix that's not clipping works just fine for any good ME. Peaks over -20 and under 0dbfs are great.
That's really helpful to know from a pro... Thanks so much for answering! :-)
Old goodie video...😍
Wow. Brian really has quality about him. Cudos. Thanks!
Hi +Geir Solerød Yes he's very passionate about what he does!! Happy New Year! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Million-dollar audio equipment.
Hat over ears :)
11:58 Was that the sound of a car? In a mastering studio? Perhaps they had some window open or something, but still strikes me as quite remarkable.
Hi +Probus Excogitatoris Thanks for the comment! Yes we had the doors and windows open to the outside, there was a beautiful breeze flowing through, but it did mean the mic that was in the room would have picked up any ambient noise from the street! Good spot! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Produce Like A Pro Aah, okay. That explains it :)
Hi +Probus Excogitatoris great thanks! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Any plug in tweaking will wreck it... man. He is so right...
I love the approach, expecially the attention to the music before being caged in the "standard market product".
One thing let me a little perplex, the amp.
I mean, would be perfect if you sell that beatiful amp with the cd you mastered, but knowing that 99% of the users will listen to it through a solid state, wouldn't be better to work with a "worse" amp, knowing that kind of amplification is the one people will actually use to listen to music anyway?
is the amps effects on the sound not recorded and thus apparent in the final cut? meaning you do get the amp in the cd recording..?
*****
To get the amp with the cd recording you have to physically sell the same amp with the cd
:)
i mean he is possibly using that amp not only for his volume amplification but also because it colours the sound. so if you recorded the sound after the amp in the signal chain you get that amps "colour" and then all you need to do is add volume and voila we all enjoy its nature?
i mean assuming the end user has a transparent amp... I guess this is where your point arises .. a tube amp gets colour then a solid state amp adds its colour and voila neither tube or solid state o naturele
Good question ... most people use Class A or Class D for the perfection of it. I use very linear tube amps (now Cary 211FE) in a CLass A push pull for the musicality AND the sufficient linearity. Bottom line, NO TWO PLAYBACK SPACES are EVER the same. Even temp and humidity change any one room. The goal is to make the best product, and a very clean tube amp makes that possible for me. I like tubes, and transformers. It's plenty clean. The amp sets the tone, for the work, a perfection-oriented amp = a perfection oriented result. A musical amp = a musical result (assuming it''s linear enough). Most tube amps are a mess and I could never use them.
I like listening to mastering engineers. They tend to be so Zen!
Hi +nuurnwui Haha yes agreed! Thanks very much for your great comment I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Brilliant!
An actual video of him mastering something would be much more interesting than just talking about the gear.
Wow. Deep.
Hi +Fezzler61 Thanks very much for your great comment I really appreciate it! Yes Brian was a true Gentleman to show around his fantastic set up! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
I almost had a heart attack when I saw the glass on the desk !!! those pieces are not cheap, lol,,,,
Brian is obviously so meticulous, and awesome how he shares his journey and results,,,, Thanks Brian!!!
Scary thing, I think I get this, lol,,,,
I would love to hear him work in that room,,, I need a fly-on-a-wall costume, lol,,,
Sorry Warren and Brian about my Kelly Clarkson mistake.So I double checked this.Check out Brian's work on the new Grace Potter solo record "Midnight."This mastering Video was great.
Hi +Omar America-Adams I love Grace Potter! Amazing artist!! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Slowed down the DC?
Iv'e heard some bullshit in my time, Brian you are up there with the best of them
+bass buster lol
Nice work, Warren! You''re the only other person I've seen use the word "recordist"!
Hi +Jake Sharp (ProfoundStudio) Haha yes indeed 'recordist'! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Columbus Ohio Rep!
Hi +Neil Tuuri Thanks very much I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Right.
Cool....
I could. It's a little tricky because what I'm thinking and doing on a record is faster than I talk. And not very important to you. As a product or mixer your decisions need to be musical. There is nothing I can teach you about your record while mastering another record ... except to promote the principles of performance driven, artistic vision guided, bravery, fearlessness, effortlessness, etc. There is no technically perfect mix, that's not your goal. Although the shape of the V in the low end is a useful technical concept to be aware of. Punch. Style clarity etc. All comes from that. Monitoring is huge in that respect. Undeniable musicality and artistic connection is your goal. And mine. Each step unique. The best thing everyone can do is upgrade the room and monitors and be brave in presenting the song, the artist. Perfect is boring. Engineering emotions to be moved and hearts to be touched is the aim. If you hired me you could lower the gain of the master and compare. Learn from that. But it's more about the artistry for you than the tech.
Hi +Brian Lucey great words of advice! I tell everyone these days that to be a great Engineer/Producer/Mixer/Mastering Engineer in the 21st Century you need to be musical, develop an ear! The Technical side should be something we have down but the musical side must be the dominant side! Knowing your DAW inside and out for instance you should be a prerequisite. Don't spend time looking at your screen, use your ears! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
+LiGHTER The V can be wide or narrow or in between ... wide is alternative rock, narrow is pop pop, most music in between in degrees. The amount of low end on the side panned sources determines the shape, along with the filtering to the center panned sources of course. Cutting below 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 on the sides alters the shape as the center image is cleaner and cleaner with less competition from the sides. Guitars an easy example. The shape of the V is usually too messy and wide for most styles, but no matter the shape it ALWAYS tells the listener what STYLE is the music, in 2 seconds, subconsciously. Clean bass and kick is more pop. Messy sides becomes "less produced" sounding as it goes. We are always comparing to the Recorded History of Music, so that is a trigger for people. The key to knowing the way to mix is SPACING left and right and good center power from bass trapping. If your monitors are too narrow you will over mix the side, if they are too wide you will under pan. Listen to refs that tell you where to put the monitors, and trap bass all you can.
+LiGHTER Exactly. "Too pop" or "too produced" is always about a deep V, not a wide one. Mastering is for me the art of subconscious manipulation and the V shape vs. the style and the song is one of the triggers for style and production that's a 1 second feel thing.
+LiGHTER The topic is mixing. I can't do a mastering example in the hypothetical, sorry.
+LiGHTER Well there you go :) I can't give a hypothetical otherwise. Never increasing the high end in the mid only, however.