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What makes a good engineer? There are many skills required, both technical and interpersonal. In this short episode I talk about some of those skills and how they apply to a recording session.

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Creating software plugin versions of actual hardware is challenging. Acustica did a superb job of creating a plugin version of the D.W. Fearn VT-5 Stereo Equalizer several years ago, called Ruby. And now MixWave has done the same for the VT-7 Compressor.

In this episode, I speak with Taylor Larson, founder of MixWave, about creating the VT-7 plugin. Taylor explains the process for the VT-7, and other plugins that MixWave has developed. Learn more about MixWave and their products at https://mixwave.com/

Our conversation covered a lot more than that, however. We discuss the engineering and producing aspects of music, vintage gear, and how our careers in audio evolved over the years.

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Recording sessions can be technologically complex. There are mics to set up, cables to run, headphones to deploy, maybe patching in the control room, and software and hardware to configure. It is a lot for one person to handle.

The job of assistant engineer has existed as long as recording. It not only spreads the work around, but it is also potentially a stepping-stone to becoming a fully-fledged engineer.

In this episode, I talk about the role of assistant engineer. What are their tasks? How do you teach them? I use an example of how I work with assistants in my studio, which may not be typical of most recording sessions, but it explains what my assistants do. I also discuss the same aspects from when I had a commercial studio.

You, as engineer on a session, have certain obligations as a mentor to your up-and-coming engineers. And the assistants have skills to master, plus learning about the human factors when interacting with creative people.

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Since the advent of multitrack recording, the goal of most engineers has been to keep the sound of every instrument totally isolated from all the others. That makes our job much easier, since we can adjust the mix of every track as needed, and apply effects like equalization and compression to each sound individually as needed.

But does that make the best recording? For some types of music, the answer is yes. But having all the players in the same room where they can see and hear each other often results in synergy from the musicians working together that can create exceptional music.

Without baffles, isolation booths, or overdubbing, the music can be better. But this can create problems for the mix engineer, since there can be at least some of the other instruments bleeding into the mic of an instrument you want to manipulate.

In this episode, I talk about this approach to recording, which can be very challenging. It requires a studio setup that works to help maintain the desired balance of the instruments. In essence, you are recording and mixing at the same time, although there will likely be overdubs added to the basic tracks.

This isn’t an approach for everyone. But it might be a good technique to have in your repertoire when the situation is right. It will definitely stress your skills as an engineer or a producer.

email: [email protected]
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https://dwfearn.com/

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I live and work in the woods, surrounded by wildlife. There are many species of birds and in the spring their songs are pretty amazing. Over the years, I have thought about recording those birds, but the background noise level was a problem. Although very quiet by most people’s standards, there is still a lot of man-made noise -- too much noise to make recording the birds feasible.

But an opportunity arose in May of 2020 during the Covid pandemic when there was very little travel. I took advantage of that short window to capture the spring birds in the early morning.

This episode is the story of how that recording was made. I explain the challenges I faced and the technical decisions I made to effectively make a recording that I find quite compelling.

It is recorded in DSD digital, and it is available on Outer Marker Records through our international download distributor, Native DSD. You can listen to a CD-quality version of the album for free, and purchase it in several high-resolution formats, including DSD256, which is an exact bit-for-bit file of the original master.

It’s also available on all streaming services, under my name, Doug Fearn.

I hope you find this story interesting.

https://www.nativedsd.com/product/om04100h-spring-birds-an-audiophile-recording-experience-from-doug-fearn/

https://www.outermarkerrecords.com/

email: [email protected]
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Virtually all digital recording uses a format called PCM. But there is another digital format that works in an entirely different way. It’s called DSD, for Direct Stream Digital, and you might find that it sounds better than PCM.

In this episode, I explain what DSD is, mostly from a practical, user, viewpoint.

If it sounds better, why don’t we use it? Well, DSD comes with some serious limitations. I explain those limitations and the techniques used to get around them in the world of contemporary recording.

Most people will find the shortcomings of DSD to be enough of a problem that they have no interest in it. But for those of us who are on a quest for the best sounding audio we can achieve, DSD is worth it despite its challenges.

Here is a link to Native DSD, a digital distributor that has specialized in DSD digital downloads:

https://www.nativedsd.com/

… and a link to Outer Marker Records, the label the Hazelrigg Brothers and I founded a few years go. All the releases on Outer Marker were recorded in DSD:

https://www.nativedsd.com/label/outer-marker-records/

We think DSD is the most musical recording format there is.

email: [email protected]
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Does audio quality really matter?

Our society in general has seen a major loss in quality of goods and services. Music recording has not escaped this trend.

In this short episode, I give some examples, some possible explanations, and a bit of guidance on how recordists can do a better job. It benefits the listener, even if they can’t even describe the difference between a good recording and a mediocre one.

email: [email protected]
www.youtube.com/c/DWFearn
https://dwfearn.com/

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Most recording occurs in a studio, and the design of that facility has a major effect on the quality of the recordings made there.

In this episode, I discuss some of the things that I think are most important for a successful studio. I don’t get into room design, soundproofing and sound conditioning, or even much of the infrastructure of studios and control rooms. I’ve covered a lot of that in previous episodes. Instead, I focus on the real-world, practical, aspects of what it takes – and what it costs – to make a professional studio.

I also talk about the viability of a studio as a commercial venture, and offer some thoughts on what it takes to run and studio that makes money and stays in business.

If you are happy with the results you get from recording at home, much of this will not apply to you. However, I believe everyone who records always wants an expanded and improved facility. These thoughts might inspire you to strive for something better.

Of course, building a studio is expensive – much more expensive than residential or standard commercial construction. Even renovating an existing building is expensive. I hope anyone with aspirations for building a truly professional-sounding studio will find insights here.

email: [email protected]
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https://dwfearn.com/

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Monitor speakers are a necessity for most of our recording. But I have always had a problem with the sound of speakers, and I explain why in this episode.

Speakers always exist in a space with  boundaries, even outside. Our control rooms tend to be small, and making a small room sound good for performing or listening is a challenge. The monitor speakers and the control room form a system. The acoustics of the room have a big impact on the sound.

I also compare the sound of headphones or earbuds with speakers, and provide some advantages and disadvantages of each.

And I talk about immersive formats, like Dolby Atmos and the increased requirements for the speakers and the room.

email: [email protected]
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https://dwfearn.com/

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Vinyl record sales have been increasing every year for a while now. Today, vinyl outsells CDs. Fans like vinyl for its unique sound, and the large format of the jacket.

Record pressing plants are busy! Most are backlogged for months.

The process of converting your digital mix to a vinyl record is complicated. The entire system of phonograph records is plagued by many deficiencies, which makes cutting the master lacquer disc a challenging art.

How we record and mix has impact on how good the vinyl record will sound. In this episode, I explain some of the fundamentals of the master disc-cutting process and provide some insight on how that process will change the sound of your recording.

I explain some factors in recording and mixing that will result in better-sounding vinyl records. These procedures are not complicated, but understanding these techniques will help you and your clients get the most out of the vinyl medium.

email: [email protected]
www.youtube.com/c/DWFearn
https://dwfearn.com/