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In this video, the ever-amazing Al Schmitt records the singer-songwriter Will Knox, while sharing his life-long experience in the music industry.
He experiments with various microphones and mic placements to achieve a sound that's worthy of his sky-high expectations.
Al also tells us about his idea of mixing a record and how much treatment should be applied, as well as his own philosophy regarding sound engineering.
If you would like to know more about Al Schmitt please visit his website.
Transcript
Featured Music
If you would like to know more about the amazing Will Knox, please visit his website.
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Al Schmitt
Schmitt's engineering and mixing skills have been showcased on over 150 gold and platinum albums. With an unparalleled 24 Grammy Awards for engineering, Al Schmitt epitomizes great recording through decades of technological change.
Schmitt developed his wide-ranging engineering skills by working with many of the biggest artists and producers in pop, jazz, classical, and country throughout his career that spans over four decades.
Credits
Frank Sinatra
Ray Charles
Steely Dan
George Benson
Quincy Jones
Barbra Streisand
What do you have to say?
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mike.p
2018 Jan 15
I would love more of these videos!
I learn much from seeing how people approach the same task differently, and also having fab there, react to their different methods to his
Jazzforano
2017 Jan 12
Amazing!
cjperez
2016 Nov 29
Awesome information
bennetthughes
2016 Oct 25
I almost fell off the couch. No eq. Brilliant mic placement and selection. Lovely song lads.
Ben
courtlaw
2016 Oct 12
Had to watch this a second time. Would love to see more videos of Al Schmitt
Guillermo
2016 Aug 08
interesting , that soft , that clean, free .
tutorial incredible , thanks
robertgmartin
2016 Jul 03
That was extremely refreshing and insightful. Wow, no compression or eq ever material he records. I'm going to try to incorporate that in my recording and mixing too. It will make me work harder to get a better recording.
courtlaw
2016 Jun 24
Would love to see another video of Al !!!!
danielteo
2016 Feb 29
Great video, what a class!
miloreason833
2016 Feb 02
Just listen....
Fergie77
2016 Jan 17
I would have loved to have seen him do Toto IV.
HANSON MICHAEL
2016 Jan 02
Thank you!
rush444
2015 Dec 09
Brilliant insight.
creaktor
2015 Nov 29
by far the most inspiring I've seen. I love to see video's where it comes down to autodidact style and some common sense with natural approach. Why EQ when you can change the mic. It gives so much more.
RemyAnnDavid
2015 Nov 25
Totally fabulous to see and listen to Al Schmitt. Creating his sound through his microphone selection. Dispensing with phase altering EQ. In comparison to the completely different technique that George Massenburg is so well known for. Which involves careful manipulation of parametric equalization. So what does Al do? If he gets a recording track by George? What does George do? If he gets a recording from Al? Will George then EQ Al's recording? And will Al try to undo the EQ that Massenburg added? Or do they both just growl and snort and Say nasty things under their breath about each other?
Spudmuffin
2015 Aug 06
Kudos! As you said, that's "the most refreshing thing I've heard in a long time". I've heard about using mics as the only EQ before, from other people, but to hear it directly from Al Schmitt gives it a certain Je ne sais quoi.
This brings it back to basics. A truly FABulous way to learn recording. :) It would be an EQually powerful discipline to practice tracking to a limit of 4-tracks, bouncing as needed – like old school. No "fixing it in the mix". Just laying it down straight, brick by brick, so to speak. Seriously: imagine trying to straighten bricks after the concrete had set...
PSW
2015 Jul 14
On Fleek!
RobbyD
2015 Feb 26
"LEAKAGE is your FRIEND"!" (When you use good mics.) I love it. The name Al Schmitt has appeared on records I've loved since before I read album credits. I could spend days hangin' in a studio just to watch and listen to this master. THANKS so much for this video.
bgrichting
2015 Feb 11
Amazing stuff, could have watched way longer as Al was doing his magic :-)
Ten20SevenAudio
2015 Feb 10
Incredible.... To be half the engineer that man is would be the highest aspiration I can imagine in my career. We can all learn from his approach... Am I going to never use EQ again? Doubtful. Though, it really does challenge the ubiquitously popular notions of fledgling engineers, twisting knobs just for twisting's sake, or putting their "touch" on everything. Trying to process EVERY track was a mistake I had to unlearn when I became serious about my craft. But to see someone like Al work is simply nothing short of amazing, for every intent and purpose of the word.
Nappe
2015 Feb 08
Awesome video... back to basics and back to the true Craftsmanship of our artform!
jmr
2015 Feb 02
Great stuff, Fab! I'd love to see you step up the challenge and get a strummer/basher type
player and record that simutaniously with the vocal. I've battled that type of singer songwriter for 25 years
and it's always a struggle. In fact, I most often end up using 1 mic because phase is such a problem when either
the vocal or guitar are out of balance volume wise.
I'd love to see what Al or George or yourself would do with talent less than Will or Diana Krall.
Thanks!
Fabulous Fab
2015 Feb 02
@mer: we did not discuss his reverb techniques. this was solely focused on mic placement. He does mean reverb when he says echo.
mer
2015 Feb 02
Hey Fab, did Al talk to you about panning 3-5 reverb returns a certain way on the vocal track? I assume he meant reverb when he says echo in the video but I want to know his effects techniques since he doesn't eq anything. Thanks!
aten
2015 Jan 31
Wow. I didnt know some engineers use different mics as EQs.
morgot21
2015 Jan 31
Al Fab and Will: Masters!
jwelshman
2015 Jan 31
Awesome video, Al is the man
audio.geek
2015 Jan 31
I did really enjoy watching George in previous recording video and now watching Al to work his magic just puts a smile on my face. Thumbs up to Will, on every video he always puts in emotion into performance which is pleasure to listen.
soundbites
2015 Jan 31
Show 'em, Al!!!