Recording Engineer Edd Hartwell

We met up with ex-SARM Studios engineer Edd Hartwell at George Shilling’s studio to chat about his recording methods and we were keen to find out how serving an apprenticeship under such legends as Trevor Horn and Steve Lipson has shaped his career so far.

Edd started his musical career playing guitar and saxophone in bands until a love of recording studios and sound engineering was discovered. Edd has worked with the likes of Tony Visconti, Guy Massey, Stephen Lipson, Jim Abbiss and Trevor Horn on a regular basis, racking up UK number 1 albums and a Grammy nomination for best engineered album. Credits include The Noisettes, Ed Sheeran, Jeff Beck, The Kooks, The Prodigy, Kt Tunstall and Yes, amongst others.

Click here to watch the video 

Photographs of Edd Hartwell are in this picture gallery

 

Ken Scott at Abbey Road Studios talking with Russ Cottier about drum microphone placement

Part Two of our exclusive video interview with legendary recording engineer and producer Ken Scott shot at Abbey Road Studios with Russell Cottier asking the questions.

In this second part we asked Ken about his microphone choices and placement when recording drums and came back to making decisions as you go along when recording and how important good monitoring is.

Come back just before Christmas for the third part of our interview!

 

WATCH PART TWO OF THE INTERVIEW
RECORDED AT ABBEY ROAD

Last Week’s Part One is here 

 

 

Ken Scott’s video guide of how to record and mix drums for students and engineers is a superb DVD pack. Find out more about the EDU version by clicking here!  Its videos cover everything from basic mic techniques to mixing and everything in between. Ken walks you through the recording process and on the second disk you get to play with the drum tracks that he recorded so that you can understand how he does things.

Special thanks to Ken for giving up so much time and to everyone at Abbey Road but we’d like to mention Mirek Styles, Colette Barber and Simon Campbell for their help in making this possible! We would also like to give special thanks to Russell Cottier  for coming all the way from Liverpool to record the interview!

Come back just before Christmas for Part Three!

ken scott epik drums sample library

OTHER EXCLUSIVE KEN SCOTT VIDEO FEATURES

Watch Ken recording the Epik Drums Samples (5 Videos)

Watch Ken talking in an interview with Nijel Jopson at Abbey Road

 

Ken Scott is a legendary British recording engineer and producer who recorded The Beatles, David Bowie, Elton John, Supertramp, Pink Floyd, Jeff Beck, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Billy Cobham, Duran Duran, Dixie Dregs, Missing Persons, Devo, Lou Reed, America, George Harrison and many other iconic artists in music history. He had his start in the 60’s working as a Tape Operator at Abbey Road Studios and from there went on to engineer and produce some of the most acclaimed albums of the 20th Century. Ken has recorded timeless songs such as “I Am The Walrus”, “Rocket Man”, “Ziggy Stardust”, “Dreamer”, “Walk On The Wild Side” and many others. One of the unique aspects of Ken’s career in music is the diversity of iconic styles he has been a part of from the 60’s to today.

“EpiK DrumS – A Ken Scott Collection” is a Sonic Reality virtual instrument/plug-in for drum kits and grooves with the authentic sound and feel of timeless classic albums. Expanding the Drum Masters series with high resolution vintage drum sounds, EpiK DrumS features drum kits and grooves of 5 of the world’s best drummers all recorded and mixed by legendary producer/engineer Ken Scott.

In this first massive volume from the Ken Scott Collection, Ken has recreated the drum sounds in the style of multi-track studio sessions he recorded with David Bowie, Supertramp, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Dixie Dregs, Missing Persons, Elton John and The Beatles. These authentic classic sounds were achieved by using the same rare recording equipment, drum kits, percussion and expert technical assistance from Ross Garfield “The Drum Doctor”, advanced programming by Sonic Reality and collaboration with the original legendary drummers Bill Cobham, Terry Bozzio, Woody Woodmansey, Bob Siebenberg and Rod Morgenstein. All together it is one the most EPIK productions ever done for a software drum and groove instrument.

ISBN 10: 0739080881
ISBN 13: 9780739080887
PRICE: $29.99
 

Video Interview with Tomás de Camino Beck a.k.a “Automata” works as an engineer and record producer in Costa Rica

Russell Cottier has edited this excellent footage shot by Tomás de Camino Beck at his studio in Costa Rica.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO 

Tomás de Camino Beck a.k.a “Automata” works as an engineer and record producer in Costa Rica. He has worked with Costa Rican and Nicaraguan bands since 2009 and quickly became an emblematic figure in the emerging Costa Rica music scene.

In 2011 Tomás founded Automata Records (automatarecords.com), a record label that distributes bands produced, and recorded by Automata only, and that uses an alternative music business model of low cost fair share distribution.

Automata has recorded Costa Rican bands like Las Robertas, 424, Florian Droids, Colornoise, Parque en el Espacio, Niño Koi, Monte, Tercer Mono, Cocofunka, Los Espejos, Mr Gone and the Invisibles, to name a few.

Special thanks to Tomás for helping make this video possible and to Russell Cottier for editing!

 

Jake Jackson at the mixing desk at Air Studios

George Shilling took some time out of his holiday and visited Jake Jackson at Air Studios with the camera crew in August 2011 to find out how he has got on since winning the ‘Breakthrough Engineer’ award at The Music Producers Guild (MPG) Awards at the end of 2010.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH JAKE’S VIDEO FEATURE

Jake joined Air Studios in 1998 working on sessions with some of the most acclaimed composers in the world, now a freelance engineer in his own right, he is first choice for many composers because of his reputation as an excellent orchestral and band recording and mix engineer.

Encompassing all recording genres, his work includes, Nick Cave & Warren Ellis’s score to The Road, which he produced, recorded and mixed, and A R Rahman’s 127 hours. He has worked with Murray Gold for the last three years and their work together includes the scores for Doctor Who.

Browse our Gallery of Jake Jackson Photos that we took at Air Studios

 
Record Producer Phill Brown Video Interview

WATCH THE PHILL BROWN VIDEO INTERVIEW BY CLICKING HERE

Phill Brown, record producer and recording engineer, is one of the unsung heroes of music recording.  Many people in the business know him very well but he’s been too busy to do much self promotion and we are delighted to bring this feature to raise awareness about his career and talent.  Once you cast your eyes down his credit list, Talk Talk, Robert Plant, Dire Straits, Bob Marley, Little Feat, Jimi Hendrix, Joan Armatrading, Robert Palmer, The Coral and many, many, many, more you quickly realise the historical importance of managing to get to interview such a legend.  It also turns out that he’s a really nice guy and has so many stories to tell.

 

 

WATCH THE PHILL BROWN VIDEO INTERVIEW BY CLICKING HERE


Rather than just being someone who can talk of the past, Phill is very busy and in-demand.  He was recently nominated for a Music Producers Guild award and he has just had an amazing book of his life published.  Click here to buy Phill Brown’s book, Are We Still Rolling?  Studios, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll – One Man’s Journey Recording Classic Albums

A special thanks to Nigel Jopson of Resolution magazine for talking with Phill on camera.  The interview is possibly one of our longest and runs for just over an hour but please stick with it, there is so much in there!

Visit Phill’s website for information about his book and get in contact with him!

 
Recording engineer Clint Murphy talks on video about recording and record production

CLICK HERE TO WATCH CLINT MURPHY IN OUR VIDEO INTERVIEW

Clint Murphy, record producer and recording engineer, was based at York Street Studios in Auckland, New Zealand but in 2009 moved to the UK to be based at Modern World Studios. Clint’s spends lots of time making records in various locations around the world with ace music producer Greg Haver. George Shilling and the crew caught up with Clint at Modern World Studios in the UK while he was working behind the SSL.

This video requires the latest Quick Time codec and a fast connection to view.

Clint is a highly popular recording engineer and he comes equipped with an extensive range of techniques having spent many years working with innovative producers and artists that have inspired finding new and creative ways to make records sound special. He is also very popular because of his relaxed and calm character but he is also as fast as a demon behind the mixing desk!

Over the recent years Clint Murphy has worked with producers including Gil Norton, Greg Haver and Danton Supple, and artists such as Manic Street Preachers, Melanie C, 50 Cent, G-Unit, Blindspott, Carly Binding, The Feelers, Goldenhorse and Opshop.

To Quote Clint: “Music is my passion. I love its diversity; no two bands are the same. Whether I’m recording a rock band or a 30-piece orchestra, I get the same buzz. I love the process of making records and guiding bands through that process”.

Clint was recorded in a short video while at Modern World Studios in the UK but he spends a lot of time atYork Street Studios in New Zealand – we hope to feature York Street one day soon.

Clint can be contacted via his Myspace page.