Pro Studio Live Steve Albini Analog Mixing Session TUTORiAL

Steve Albini is one of the most well know recording and mixing engineers in the world. He’s worked with bands and artists such as Nirvana, Jimmy Page, Foxy Shazam, and Bush, just to name a few. In this event Steve will be showing you his workflow on a mix using a 2” tape machine, API console and outboard gear. Although this session will be 100% analog, the techniques showcased can still be applied to the digital world. Watch, hear and learn a variety of mixing techniques Steve has used throughout his career.

We will begin the session with a discussion with Steve about different topics centered around recording. We will ask questions regarding analog recording, recording techniques, and his personal workflow. Then he will go through his process of calibrating the tape machine to ensure proper playback. After that he will mix a song by the band Subsurfer, which was recorded at his studio in Chicago. He will explain how the tracks were recorded and you will get to see the issues that come up as Steve raises the faders. His approach is simple but effective, and his explanations on his mixing decisions are very clear to understand. Steve has a philosophy of transparency and capturing what the band really is, and you will get to see what that means in technical terms. You will see cool tricks like creating a resonant equalizer for the bass drum, parallel compression on vocals, tape splicing, but most importantly, you will listen to music through Steve Albini’s ears and get a scope on how he solves problems and achieves his sound.

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