Monday, November 8, 2010
When I first moved to LA, I was amazed at the caliber of musician that came into my studio for sessions. One day a great sax player showed up to do a solo on a track that I was producing for Electra. He was on time , in tune and blew his ass off. After we were satisfied that we had a good take, I chatted with him about future sessions. The player was thrilled and eager to do more work, because as he put it, “I’m just a third stringer and never get called for studio work”. I had just move to LA from Toronto and in Toronto, this guy would have been one of the top players. I never forgot that feeling. As time went by, I was involved in more and more top projects, and eventually got to work with the best studio musicians, writers, arrangers and performers. These guys were good, and certainly better than the first player I mentioned, so I then focused in to see what made them the “A” list players.
My top rhythm section could break down each beat into 5 segments and move around within that structure, in the case of session guitar players they give you 5 great solos in a row, with no way to choose the best one. This went on for quite some time till one evening in a heated discussion with George Daly of Warner Brothers Records, we got onto the subject of really great players and performers. George said, “all professionals are expected to be great, and no one ever questions that”. “What I look for is that 5% above greatness... this is what makes the difference for me”. Over time I found that he was absolutely right. Whether it’s, Rock, Classical, Country or R&B, it’s the very top of the heap that cut’s through and make the difference. Last night we were fortunate to have on of the top Hip Hop guru’s working at The Studio. Dre came into the studio, worked his magic, and within a few hours came up with his own brand of brilliance; proving once again that it’s the last 5% that really counts.
My top rhythm section could break down each beat into 5 segments and move around within that structure, in the case of session guitar players they give you 5 great solos in a row, with no way to choose the best one. This went on for quite some time till one evening in a heated discussion with George Daly of Warner Brothers Records, we got onto the subject of really great players and performers. George said, “all professionals are expected to be great, and no one ever questions that”. “What I look for is that 5% above greatness... this is what makes the difference for me”. Over time I found that he was absolutely right. Whether it’s, Rock, Classical, Country or R&B, it’s the very top of the heap that cut’s through and make the difference. Last night we were fortunate to have on of the top Hip Hop guru’s working at The Studio. Dre came into the studio, worked his magic, and within a few hours came up with his own brand of brilliance; proving once again that it’s the last 5% that really counts.
Monday, August 23, 2010
The absolute truth!
This is not another bit bashing Ozzy Osborne, but a hair raising story about a Black Sabbath session. It’s the Dio era, and the session was “The Mob Rules” for the sound track of the epic cartoon feature “Heavy Metal’. Day 1: meet and greet... Martin Birch and the Sabbath crew Vinny, Tony and Geezer Butler. Before starting, the band hung a voodoo coconut head mask at the front of the control room between the main speakers. They then jammed a cigarette into it’s mouth and let it burn down, leaving a long sagging ash precariously hanging there. Sabbath approved, nodded favorably, and got the session under way. The recording went on for well over a month, and every morning I would check out the mask to find the ash still intact. By the way, if you ever heard the guacamole dip in the patch bay urban legend, well that was me at my L.A. studio CanAm, and the band that pulled off the stunt was guess who? Anyway, at the very end of the session while running the final masters for Martin Birch, I was still mesmerized at the durability of that magical ash still firmly intact. I handed Martin the tapes, he thanked me, walked out of the door and slid it shut... the ash fell to the floor! This is the absolute truth.
Black Sabbath: In league with the devil? Doubtful. Voodoo masters? Maybe....
I'm the Studio Rat.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Recently I had the pleasure of taking part in the summer's most important musical events.
What giant concert or festival, you ask? None. A recording session with a legend? Nope. The summer's most important musical events are the ones that inspire young musicians to continue their path with imagination in tow. I'm talking about CBC's "Rock the Homestretch" and the City of Calgary's "Toast and Jam". Both of these are "battle of the bands" - style events that focus alot more on the "band" than the "battle".
So why are these events more important than the big names coming through Calgary this summer?
Here's the bottom line: Besides being popular at parties and woo-ing the opposite sex, being a musician is a ton of work for a small amount of recognition. Add that ingredient to being a teenager, and it's pretty much you vs. the world as a young musician.
When you're 16 and in a band that means everything to you, the chance to be on a big stage, broadcast on tv and radio, tour a studio like the Beach, learn about your industry and craft, and bond with your band over some lighthearted competition can be life changing. I remember competing in a battle of the bands as a teen and I felt a sense of legitimacy; that maybe I COULD do this and have some form of success.
This same sentiment I see written on the faces of parents in attendance as they realize that their kid's "noise" is valid and fulfilling self - expression that many adults wish they would have embraced as a teen.
Without these outlets for teen musicians, they are almost completely alone in their quest to improve and learn their art. Every town and city needs more talent shows, band contests, local talent radio, and community programs to nurture the future of their arts.
Thank you, CBC and City of Calgary, for the chance to help invest in the imagination of our local young musicians.
What giant concert or festival, you ask? None. A recording session with a legend? Nope. The summer's most important musical events are the ones that inspire young musicians to continue their path with imagination in tow. I'm talking about CBC's "Rock the Homestretch" and the City of Calgary's "Toast and Jam". Both of these are "battle of the bands" - style events that focus alot more on the "band" than the "battle".
So why are these events more important than the big names coming through Calgary this summer?
Here's the bottom line: Besides being popular at parties and woo-ing the opposite sex, being a musician is a ton of work for a small amount of recognition. Add that ingredient to being a teenager, and it's pretty much you vs. the world as a young musician.
When you're 16 and in a band that means everything to you, the chance to be on a big stage, broadcast on tv and radio, tour a studio like the Beach, learn about your industry and craft, and bond with your band over some lighthearted competition can be life changing. I remember competing in a battle of the bands as a teen and I felt a sense of legitimacy; that maybe I COULD do this and have some form of success.
This same sentiment I see written on the faces of parents in attendance as they realize that their kid's "noise" is valid and fulfilling self - expression that many adults wish they would have embraced as a teen.
Without these outlets for teen musicians, they are almost completely alone in their quest to improve and learn their art. Every town and city needs more talent shows, band contests, local talent radio, and community programs to nurture the future of their arts.
Thank you, CBC and City of Calgary, for the chance to help invest in the imagination of our local young musicians.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Are you "freelance"? Is the work you do project - to - project? Are you a musician? Are you planning a move to a career that is more satisfying?
Do you network in hopes of achieving more to satisfy your insatiable lust for success and professional validation?
Okay. That's most people, I think.
In my long travelled little career in music and music business, I can't count the amount of times I said to myself "they're not paying me enough to do this." When I got out of my first round of recording engineering school in 2000 I promptly got to work recording any artists I could, and I got pretty busy. I started to get phone calls from artists or companies with hardly any budget that needed something done that could lead to very interesting and rewarding opportunities down the road. I recall catching myself thinking "they're not paying me enough to even leave the house!" So I would let the opportunity pass by.
Fast forward to 2004. A conversation with an associate leads to a "small - money - but - big - potential" gig doing audio for a morning tv show. I made the decision to do it no matter what. Getting up at 3:30AM to do the show every day sucked. But while there I aggressively pursued the chance to write music for TV and did so for anyone who would let me. The small amount of creative work I snuck in at the tv station happened to lead to rather lucrative opportunities in tv and film.
Now I think back on each time in the last 6 years that something interesting, creative, and difficult came up that on the surface didn't pay much but presented some very cool potential. I'm pleased to say that If it interests me, i do it... and the payoff has been huge.
Do you network in hopes of achieving more to satisfy your insatiable lust for success and professional validation?
Okay. That's most people, I think.
In my long travelled little career in music and music business, I can't count the amount of times I said to myself "they're not paying me enough to do this." When I got out of my first round of recording engineering school in 2000 I promptly got to work recording any artists I could, and I got pretty busy. I started to get phone calls from artists or companies with hardly any budget that needed something done that could lead to very interesting and rewarding opportunities down the road. I recall catching myself thinking "they're not paying me enough to even leave the house!" So I would let the opportunity pass by.
Fast forward to 2004. A conversation with an associate leads to a "small - money - but - big - potential" gig doing audio for a morning tv show. I made the decision to do it no matter what. Getting up at 3:30AM to do the show every day sucked. But while there I aggressively pursued the chance to write music for TV and did so for anyone who would let me. The small amount of creative work I snuck in at the tv station happened to lead to rather lucrative opportunities in tv and film.
Now I think back on each time in the last 6 years that something interesting, creative, and difficult came up that on the surface didn't pay much but presented some very cool potential. I'm pleased to say that If it interests me, i do it... and the payoff has been huge.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Hi everybody! I've been told that the best way to make your blog "timeless" is not to refer to specific references to current events so that anyone who reads this blog in a year will not perceive it as "dated".
Heeding this advice, I will make no mention that the U.S. passed it's health care bill into law this week, the NHL playoff race is heating up, nor will I suggest that many have only just recovered from the green beer ingested just over a week ago.
The Beach Advanced Audio has more letters in its name than staff. If these two random variables had to be equal, we would be called "The Bea". This name would only be appropriate for a gift shop at the estate of a deceased Golden Girl.
That's correct: 6 staff. Here they are, listed by Superhero name and power:
Lanny Williamson: ACTION MAN - Action Man's powers are many; the strongest being the ability to take an idea - corny, awesome, or odd - and DO IT. Lanny's years running studios, writing ads, producing music and making projects sizzle gave him his superpower. From Black Sabbath to McCartney to Apocalypse Now, Action Man has made it all happen.
Natalie Gregory: DATA GIRL - Data Girl knows everything. Data Girl's insatiable thirst for details and information have gotten our team out of the most difficult situations that seemed hopeless. Data Girl will remind you that your 2pm meeting is now at 2:30, while scheduling classes and sessions, as she makes duplicate discs, while she's on the phone with Ben E. King, with Our Lady Peace on hold.
Derek Sylwestrzak: STYLE GUY - Style Guy is the cool head in the room. Style's superpower is listening, sweetening, clarifying, amplifying, and making a mix "pop" out. Style is The Beach's European quality control master. Style Guy knows the science of sound inside and out, taking ideas and making them ready for TV, internet, radio. Just don't put him in a pair of Old Navy jeans...
Steve Dodd: IDEA BOY - Idea Boy's superpower is creativity. Idea Boy loves a challenge. He is always writing, playing, tapping on things, making up stories, thinking about creative angles, and backing himself into corners just to enjoy the challenge of figuring a way out. Idea Boy's superpower logo is a question mark and a lightbulb... very valuable to clients in need of branding, artists, or tv and film who need music.
Crystal Palmer: SMART BOMB - Smart Bomb's superpower is her brain. As the instructor of APRA's sound 101 class, she can solder up a patch bay in no time, and tell you all about alternating current vs. direct current. Smart Bomb is an accomplished singer/ songwriter, and often she will be the one giving you a tour of our world class facility!
Paul Du Troit Schreve: GO-TO - Go-To's superpower is exactly that: He is the "go-to" guy for nearly anything. He spends 12 hours a day 7 days a week fighting crime as GO-TO. When we need something done today (or tonight) we call GO-TO. We're thinking about getting him a sidekick called "Crossfade". Perhaps a mouthy little robot or something...
Those are the inhabitants of our fortress called The Beach. They might periodically show up to write some blog posts! We're currently taking applications for a purple monkey from space who does something cute and funny at the end of each episode.
Heeding this advice, I will make no mention that the U.S. passed it's health care bill into law this week, the NHL playoff race is heating up, nor will I suggest that many have only just recovered from the green beer ingested just over a week ago.
The Beach Advanced Audio has more letters in its name than staff. If these two random variables had to be equal, we would be called "The Bea". This name would only be appropriate for a gift shop at the estate of a deceased Golden Girl.
That's correct: 6 staff. Here they are, listed by Superhero name and power:
Lanny Williamson: ACTION MAN - Action Man's powers are many; the strongest being the ability to take an idea - corny, awesome, or odd - and DO IT. Lanny's years running studios, writing ads, producing music and making projects sizzle gave him his superpower. From Black Sabbath to McCartney to Apocalypse Now, Action Man has made it all happen.
Natalie Gregory: DATA GIRL - Data Girl knows everything. Data Girl's insatiable thirst for details and information have gotten our team out of the most difficult situations that seemed hopeless. Data Girl will remind you that your 2pm meeting is now at 2:30, while scheduling classes and sessions, as she makes duplicate discs, while she's on the phone with Ben E. King, with Our Lady Peace on hold.
Derek Sylwestrzak: STYLE GUY - Style Guy is the cool head in the room. Style's superpower is listening, sweetening, clarifying, amplifying, and making a mix "pop" out. Style is The Beach's European quality control master. Style Guy knows the science of sound inside and out, taking ideas and making them ready for TV, internet, radio. Just don't put him in a pair of Old Navy jeans...
Steve Dodd: IDEA BOY - Idea Boy's superpower is creativity. Idea Boy loves a challenge. He is always writing, playing, tapping on things, making up stories, thinking about creative angles, and backing himself into corners just to enjoy the challenge of figuring a way out. Idea Boy's superpower logo is a question mark and a lightbulb... very valuable to clients in need of branding, artists, or tv and film who need music.
Crystal Palmer: SMART BOMB - Smart Bomb's superpower is her brain. As the instructor of APRA's sound 101 class, she can solder up a patch bay in no time, and tell you all about alternating current vs. direct current. Smart Bomb is an accomplished singer/ songwriter, and often she will be the one giving you a tour of our world class facility!
Paul Du Troit Schreve: GO-TO - Go-To's superpower is exactly that: He is the "go-to" guy for nearly anything. He spends 12 hours a day 7 days a week fighting crime as GO-TO. When we need something done today (or tonight) we call GO-TO. We're thinking about getting him a sidekick called "Crossfade". Perhaps a mouthy little robot or something...
Those are the inhabitants of our fortress called The Beach. They might periodically show up to write some blog posts! We're currently taking applications for a purple monkey from space who does something cute and funny at the end of each episode.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Hi!
An introduction to our blog probably starts with an introduction to me. I'm Steve Dodd - Production Designer at the Beach Advanced Audio.
Impressive name, huh? Er.. no not "Steve" but "Production Designer". We kicked around the names "Global Networking Idea Creation Specialist" and "Multimedia Client Liaison Relations Manager" but they wouldn't fit on a card, plus I'm pretty sure those names would legally allow me to own a laser gun, so "Production Designer" it is.
What do I do at the Beach? Well, because we have a small staff, I think an easier question to ask of our staff is "what do you NOT do?"
I am the Beach's creative department... meaning I get to combine my big mouth, my music abilities, enjoyment of people, some sales knowledge, and some recording engineering training to achieve what our clients need.
"What do our clients need" you ask? Good question.... we brand companies with an audio identity that they use for years... usually advertising. Radio. Internet. TV. Film.
I am also the in-house music guy for TV and movie music. I am also the "house band" for our clients who don't have one for their album project.
This blog will focus alot on what I'm up to, but not exclusively... The Beach Advanced Audio is a busy, crazy place where no day is like the last, so hopefully this blog won't have much to say about my favorite foods, Jennifer vs. Angelina, or Star Wars vs. Star Trek.
For the record, though: Lasagna, Jennifer, and Star Wars. There.... we got that out of the way.
An introduction to our blog probably starts with an introduction to me. I'm Steve Dodd - Production Designer at the Beach Advanced Audio.
Impressive name, huh? Er.. no not "Steve" but "Production Designer". We kicked around the names "Global Networking Idea Creation Specialist" and "Multimedia Client Liaison Relations Manager" but they wouldn't fit on a card, plus I'm pretty sure those names would legally allow me to own a laser gun, so "Production Designer" it is.
What do I do at the Beach? Well, because we have a small staff, I think an easier question to ask of our staff is "what do you NOT do?"
I am the Beach's creative department... meaning I get to combine my big mouth, my music abilities, enjoyment of people, some sales knowledge, and some recording engineering training to achieve what our clients need.
"What do our clients need" you ask? Good question.... we brand companies with an audio identity that they use for years... usually advertising. Radio. Internet. TV. Film.
I am also the in-house music guy for TV and movie music. I am also the "house band" for our clients who don't have one for their album project.
This blog will focus alot on what I'm up to, but not exclusively... The Beach Advanced Audio is a busy, crazy place where no day is like the last, so hopefully this blog won't have much to say about my favorite foods, Jennifer vs. Angelina, or Star Wars vs. Star Trek.
For the record, though: Lasagna, Jennifer, and Star Wars. There.... we got that out of the way.
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