Pensado's Place: #45 - Wyzard

In the 45th episode of Pensado's Place, Dave and Herb are joined by bass legend and producer and songwriter Wyzard. Wyzard is best known for his work with Mother's Finest, touring and recording with Stevie Nicks, and being one of Prince's biggest influences. For more info on Wyzard, visit his myspace page here: http://www.myspace.com/wyzard1.

Wyzard shares his tips on recording Bass, and provides a few licks of his own for viewers in a live ITL segment, as well as answers a few viewer questions.

Last but not least, Pensado's Place has teamed up with Vintage King to give away a Neve 1073LB 500 Series mic pre! To enter the contest simply go to here: http://www.thisweekin.promojam.com/neve and share on facebook to enter. For more information on the Neve 1073LB, click here:http://www.vintageking.com/Neve-1073LB

Amy Winehouse Finished Writing Songs for Third LP, Planned Jazz Album With ?uestlove

Billboard has posted an article which speaks on the fact that Amy had plans to do an alternative album but sadly passed away before the album became a reality. While working on the current album Salaam and I spoke about the project and the song "Halftime" featuring Amy on vocals and guitar, Salaam on bass, ?uestlove on drums and James Poyser on keys gives you an idea of what the project might have sounded like.


Here are some excerpts from the article:
"Amy Winehouse had written all the songs that were to appear on her third album. She even picked out song titles."

"Music producer Salaam Remi said the soul singer, who died over the summer, was not rushing to release that new material, instead planning to drop a jazz album first with a "supergroup" including ?uestlove of the Roots. ?uestlove did make the new album, though. He appears on the track "Half Time."" (one of my favorites on the album. I really enjoyed mixing the song. Salaam, ?uestlove and James Poyser did impeccable work on it.)
Remi, who worked on the singer's two albums, "Frank" and "Back to Black," produced most of the upcoming CD, saying Winehouse was a perfectionist when it came to composing music.
"She was taking her time with it, and at the end of the day all of her songs are somewhat autobiographical, so she had to live through something, then get out of it and then look back at it to be able to write about it," he said.
"Remi has produced for the Fuguees, Nas, Jazmine Sullivan and Nelly Furtado. He produced the song "Block Party" from TLC member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and Winehouse sought him out after hearing the track. Remi says that Winehouse usually wrote songs while playing the guitar and that the new album sounds just as good as her critically acclaimed predecessors."


Read the entire article here.

Sterling Audio Ocean Way Series ST6050 FET Microphone

Sterling Audio in colloboration with "legendary engineer/producer and multiple GRAMMY® recipient Allen Sides", has designed the Sterling Audio Ocean Way Series ST6050 FET Microphone. Knowing Allen Sides' reputation the ST6050 should be a stellar performer in the current crop of microphones.

From the website:

"The ST6050 was inspired by Ocean Way’s expansive collection of microphones, all with exceptional sound quality and unique sonic characteristics that span many decades and musical eras. By combining classic capsule and FET design with modern manufacturing techniques, the ST6050 yields stunning clarity with a rich, warm, open sound and a silky top end that exquisitely captures vocals and acoustic instruments."

"The capsule on the ST6050 is one inch in diameter, eight microns thick and gold-sputtered, built with traditional machining and exceptionally tight manufacturing tolerances. Each is hand-assembled and tested."

"The ST6050 has a robust transformer design with side-by-side windings that yield an even low-frequency response while maintaining openness and top-end air. The chassis consists of a chrome-plated, woven-brass grill with steel head frame, plus a heavy brass body with chrome plated closing ring. The ST6050 microphone package includes a SM-7 shock mount, attractive wood storage case and windscreen."

SPECIFICATIONS:

Capsule
1” diameter, 8 micron thick, gold-sputtered capsule. Traditional machining and exceptionally tight manufacturing tolerances for individual parts. Hand-assembly and testing of final capsule

FET Preamp
Select modernization of traditional FET design for exceptional consistency. Extremely tight component tolerances. Optimized PCB ground planes improve grounding and increase RFI/EMI rejection. Requires 48V phantom power

Transformer
Robust transformer design with side-by-side windings yield even low frequency response while maintaining openness and top-end air.

Chassis
Chrome plated, woven-brass grill with steel head frame. Heavy brass body with chrome plated closing ring

Includes
SM-7 shock mount, Windscreen, Wooden storage case.

Available January 2012.

ST6050 MSRP $1699.99 but you can pre-order for $999 at GC-Pro.

Brainworx NEW! Vertigo VSC-2 Plugin 20% off

The Brainworx Vertigo VSC-2 Compressor plugin is based on the hardware VSC-2 compressor which I blogged about here. The hardware VSC-2 is highly regarded by many engineers and if you ever wanted to demo the VSC-2 now's your chance.
Brainworx' plugins are exceptional and I'm quite sure the VSC-2 plugin will be just as good as the hardware.

From the website:
"Vertigo’s first plugin release, made in close cooperation with Brainworx, and based upon Vertigo’s Big Impact Design sets a new standard for Tracking, Mix Bus and Mastering applications."
"The VSC-2 plugin captures all the fine nuances of the $6,000 flagship VCA compressor."

"“We are amazed how accurate the plugin simulates the real deal. We have compared it to the hardware several times now in a professional studio and cannot hear any difference at all. Is that good or bad?!?”, says Andreas Eschenwecker, CEO of Vertigo Sound."

"The VSC-2 plugin offers the same flexibility and precision in the stereo version, and to emulate the dual mono approach of the hardware we have developed a true mono version of the plugin as well."

Take a look at this video with Dirk of Brainworx showing some of the VSC-2 features:

Download a demo of the VSC-2 on Brainworx website..

Brainworx is currently selling the VSC-2 plugin for $199 (20% off) on their online webshop.

Fear does not stop death, it stops life ...

Pensado's Place: #44 - Bobby Owsinski

In this must watch episode Dave and Herb are joined by Bobby Owsinski who drops a wealth of knowledge about various topics including the future of the recording industry, using social media to increase business and even tips on 5.1 mixing.
Bobby Owsinski is not only a producer and musician but an author of such books as The Mixing Engineer's Handbook" (which includes Dave), "The Recording Engineer's Handbook" and "Music 3.0".

Salaam Remi on his friendship with Amy and her colloboration with Nas

Amy Winehouse and Salaam Remi had much more than a producer/artist relationship. They were actually good friends who had a deep personal and musical connection. Salaam and I first met Amy (along with her then manager Nick Shymansky) when she was 18 yrs old. I remember hearing her sing for the first time. She was sitting in Salaam's studio on the couch with her guitar and started playing a song she was working on. I was behind the console checking some connections and both our jaws dropped to the floor when she started singing.... the rest is history.

Pic taken by Amy of Nick, Salaam & myself at lunch while working on her album "Frank".

Here's a video interview of Salaam talking about Amy the artist and the person, their friendship and her connection to Nas:

Here's an excerpt from an article MTV News did with Salaam Remi on Amy's and Nas' collaboration on "Like Smoke":

"The late Amy Winehouse and Nas had a mutual bond that few knew about.

Not only do Amy and Nas share the same September 14 birthday, but according to producer Salaam Remi, they have a number of collaborations that were left on the cutting-room floor. The recently released "Like Smoke" is the first time fans got to hear them in tandem.

"Amy sang on records that we never put out with Nas," the multiplatinum hitmaker told MTV News last month in New York's Jungle Studios. "As far as them now getting on the same record, that was a conversation in play for the last couple of years but that just didn't happen yet, and when I listened to that song, I was like, you know what? This makes sense, to actually make that happen as far as things that she wants to do that didn't happen yet." 

"Like Smoke" will appear on Amy's December 6 posthumous album,Lioness: Hidden Treasures, and features Nas dropping a pair of brand-new verses in between Winehouse's bluesy vocal. Though Amy wasn't around to hear the rhymes Nas dropped just a couple of weeks ago, Salaam is confident that based off her admiration for the Queensbridge rapper, she would approve...."

Read the rest of the article here.

Amy's & Nas' Vox and Efx settings for "Like Smoke"

I mixed 9 out of 12 songs on Amy's "Lioness: Hidden Treasures" album at Metropolis Studios in London. I will do a post on the great experience I had working there but today I'm posting about Amy's 1st single "Like Smoke" featuring Nas.
All 9 songs were mixed completely in the box (ITB) with a combination of UAD-2, Waves, Sonnox and Abbey Road/EMI plugins.
I mixed the songs in Studio E monitoring through the SSL K console on multiple monitors such as:
1. Yamaha NS10s
2. Auratone (mono)
3. AE 22 Nearfield Monitors
4. M&K studio monitors
5. PMC mains.

Here are snapshots of the actual plugins used on the vocals for "Like Smoke":

Amy's settings are as follows. The order of the plugins are from top to bottom and these were placed on the insert:

The effects I used on Amy are the following:

I used a combination of both the IR1 and RenVerb to get the reverb sound that was needed for the song.

For her delay I  used the stock DigiRack Plugin:

and for chorus the stock Air Chorus:

Nas' vocal chain consists of the following plugins. From top to bottom on the inserts:

His effects are as follows:
Same reverbs as Amy but to a much lesser degree.

His delays are:

and for chorus I used a combination of the UAD Dimension D and the same Air Chorus
posted above:

Amy's "Lioness:Hidden Treasures"album was produced by Grammy Winning producers Salaam Remi
and Mark Ronson.

Twitter:
@metropolisgroup
@Nas
@amywinehouse
@SaLaAMReMi
@UAudio
@WavesAudioLtd
@AbbeyRoad
@solidstatelogic
@YamahaCommAudio
@PMCSpeakers
@MKSOUNDUSA

R.I.P. Hip-Hop Legend and Actor Heavy D.

The man most knew as Heavy D was a positive force and inspiration to many in the music industry.
Sadly he passed away yesterday at the young age of 44. He will definitely be missed. His last tweet simply stated "Be Inspired" and those who knew him will tell you that's the type of person he was.
As Dougie Fresh said "He kept it real with everyone and would tell you what you needed to hear."
He was also an actor that took his craft very seriously and appeared in several movies, tv shows and even plays.

Here's an excerpt from a NYTimes article:

"The Los Angeles County coroner’s office confirmed the death Tuesday evening, saying that Heavy D had collapsed at his home and was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he died shortly after noon. The cause of death was not known as of Tuesday night, but the Beverly Hills police said that there was no evidence of foul play and that the death appeared to be “medically related.”

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Heavy D was one of hip-hop’s most popular and charismatic figures, a girthy slickster who was an eager seducer and was unafraid of the dance floor. He was the frontman of Heavy D & the Boyz, which became the first act signed to Uptown Records, the label that was integral in building the bridge between hip-hop and R&B.

Thanks in part to production from the New Jack Swing auteur Teddy Riley that matched hard-snapping drums with sensual melodies, Heavy D & the Boyz became key figures in the softening of hip-hop’s sharp edges. The group released five albums between 1987 and 1994, three of which went platinum: “Big Tyme” (1989) “Peaceful Journey” (1991) and “Nuttin’ but Love” (1994)."

"In the mid-1990s he became the president of Uptown Records, and in several other ways his influence extended beyond his albums. He recorded the theme song to the popular comedy variety show “In Living Color”; recorded hit songs with both Michael Jackson (“Jam” in 1991) and Janet Jackson (“Alright” in 1990); and had a hilarious cameo in the video for “One More Chance,” an early hit for the Notorious B.I.G., who followed in Heavy D’s big-man footsteps."

Here are some of the videos that made him a household name:

Here is his final performance at the 2011 BET Awards:

and here's an interview he did with Tim Westwood on Radio 1Xtra:

R.I.P. Heavy D.

My condolences to your family, friends and fans.

Pelonis 4288 Studio Monitors

Chris Pelonis of Pelonis Sound And Acoustics recently announced the 4288 Speaker System.
The 4288 is based on the Model 42 System which I blogged about earlier and is comprised of an "MDF enclosure which houses a 4” dual concentric Tannoy driver handling the mid and high frequencies up to 35kHz and a custom designed 8” woofer providing deep, accurate bass response down to 27Hz. The system is driven by 400W of combined power. Free software allows for the Model 4288 to be fine tuned via USB for optimum performance in any environment."A limited run of 50 systems is available now with a full production run by early Spring 2012.

Here's a quick video of the Pelonis 4288 at the AES 2011 show:

I spoke to Chris and Dave via email and they said the 4288's are like having a "Model 42 system with extended low frequency response". I look forward to doing some extensive listening/mixing on the 4288's.

MSRP $2199 per pair.

Pelonis Sound And Acoustics is known not only for their speakers but also acoustics, systems design, wiring and installation.

Visit their website at Pelonis Sound.

WAVES NOVEMBER SPECIALS

For a limited time only, when you purchase a $199 Waves plugin or bundle, you'll receive a $200 voucher toward your next purchase. Vouchers valid within 14 days of purchase toward 25% off single plugins/50% off bundles. Offers valid through November 30th, 2011 only. Send to a Friend

Waves Inc. | 2800 Merchants Drive | Knoxville, TN | 37912 | United States

UA's Studio Upgrade Special

I've been a big supporter of the UAD platform since the beginning​ and recently mixed songs for Amy's album using their UAD-2 Satellite extensively. They are currently running a special wherein you get a free free UAD-2 Satellite when you purchase the LA-610 Tube ChannelStrip. The special lasts till Dec 31st.:

Ready to upgrade your sound, fast? Purchase a new LA-610 MkII Classic Tube Recording Channel before Dec. 31st and Get a UAD-2 DUO PCIe Card or UAD-2 DUO Satellite Firewire Package FREE — an $899 Value!
There are plenty of analog channel strips on the market, but only one that can significantly upgrade your studio's analogand digital sound. From October 1st through December 31st, purchase our best-selling LA-610 MkII Classic Tube Recording Channel and UA will give you your choice of a UAD-2 DUO DSP Accelerator Package (PCIe card) or UAD-2 Satellite DSP Accelerator Package (Firewire unit) — an $899 Value — absolutely FREE!
The LA-610 MkII Classic Tube Recording Channel is the world's most popular professional channel strip, combining an all-tube, vintage mic preamp design with authentic Teletronix T4 opto-compression circuitry. The UAD-2 DUO DSP Accelerator Package, on the other hand, is a workhorse of modern mixing, giving you unrestricted access to award-winning UAD Powered Plug-Ins on your Mac and PC.
How it works: Purchase a new LA-610 MkII Classic Tube Recording Channel from an Authorized UA Dealer by December 31st, 2011. Then complete the Mail-In Rebate card, and send it along with a copy of your receipt, to: UA's Total Studio Upgrade Offer, c/o Universal Audio, Inc., 1700 Green Hills Rd., Scotts Valley, CA 95066. We'll then send you your choice of a FREE UAD-2 DUO (PCIe card, core model) or UAD-2 Satellite (Firewire unit, core model). See complete details and limitations below.
Got questions on this promotion? Drop us a line at info@uaudio.com. Or call us at 1-877-698-2834 (US).
Click here to learn more about the UAD-2 Platform.

US and Canada Customers - Promotional Details and Limitations: Offer applies to UAD-2 DUO PCIe or UAD-2 Satellite DUO Firewire "core" models only. Qualifying LA-610 MkII product must purchased new, from an Authorized UA Dealer. Offer valid to U.S. and Canadian residents only, while supplies last. This promotion expires 12:00am, January 1st, 2012. By submitting your mail-in rebate form you will automatically be added to our webzine mailing list. Note that UAD-2 units will not be shipped to P.O. boxes. A secure residential or commercial shipping address in the U.S. or Canada is necessary for redemption. You must include proof of purchase via a sales receipt that clearly indicates the name of the Authorized UA Dealer. All forms must be received by January 31st, 2012. Please allow up to 8 weeks for processing.

Phone Support:

• USA: 877-MY-UAUDIO
•           [877-698-2834]
• Int'l: +1-831-440-1176
• FAX: +1-831-461-1550

Available from 9am - 5pm
Monday through Friday, PST

Online Support:

• General Inquiries
• info@uaudio.com
• Technical Support
• & Webstore Issues
• Support Request

Mailing Address:

• Universal Audio, Inc.
• 1700 Green Hills Rd
• Scotts Valley CA 95066-4926

​

AEA releases RPQ500 preamp for API 500 series

AEA (Audio Engineering Associates) has a well earned reputation for making products that provide the ultimate in sonics and build quality.

They recently released a 500 series version of their RPQ Ribbon microphone Preamp:

From the website:

"The new RPQ500 module is based on the successful design of the full-rack RPQ preamplifier and provides the same ultra-clean, high-gain signal path that has earned

AEA preamps their great reputation. The RPQ500 has been enhanced with additional features, turning it into a workhorse tool for any API 500 compatible rack.

The RPQ500 delivers the bandwidth and quietness needed for high resolution 

recording. JFET circuit topology delivers all the dynamics, subwoofer bass, and 

fast transients that your microphones can record. No Load™ input impedance 

above 10,000 Ω means the RPQ500 will not load down a mic and change its sound. 

Low Energy Storage™circuit design instantly recovers from overloads for superior 

dynamic performance.

The CurveShaperTM offers a natural option for sculpting your sound right at the start 

of the signal path. Switchable and tunable low frequency (LF) and high frequency 

(HF) contour controls allow you to tame proximity problems and provide HF 

extension and slope control. The high-frequency CurveShaperTM excels at adding a 

touch of air or presence, and the low-frequency control can remove boxiness and 

boominess in a fast and unobtrusive way. The bottom line is a versatile channel strip 

that will deliver an unadulterated performance in any application."

FEATURES:

• 80 dB of quiet JFET gain
• High-impedance No LoadTM inputs
• CurveShaperTM EQ for extended highs and articulate lows
• Line-level input mode for using the EQ during mixdown
• Output level control
• VPR alliance application pending

The first 100 units of the RPQ500 preamp will ship by Christmas 2011 at a list price of $649.00