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Recording Unhinged: Creative and Unconventional Music Recording Techniques
(Music Pro Guides). Recording Unhinged: Creative and Unconventional Music Recording Techniques dares you to "unlearn" safe record-making, to get out from behind the windshield, stick your head out the sunroof, and put the pedal to the metal! Sylvia Massy and her cohort of celebrity music industry producers, engineers, and recording stars discard fixed notions about how music should be recorded and explore techniques that fall outside the norm and yield emotionally powerful, incredibly personal, gut-wrenching, and even scary recordings. Joined by Hans Zimmer, Al Schmitt, Bruce Swedien, Jack Joseph Puig, Dave Pensado, Tchad Blake, Bob Clearmountain, Linda Perry, Michael Franti, Michael Beinhorn, Bob Ezrin, Geoff Emerick, and many others, this book has the stories, tips, recipes, photos, advice, diagrams, exercises, illustrations, and jokes that you won't find in any other instructional manual. And what about that cover? Recording Unhinged contains many eye-popping illustrations by Sylvia herself. As if being a celebrated producer isn't enough, Sylvia's iconic illustrations bring real and imaginary recording situations to life. Catchy Bass Lines? Engineering Marvels? How to Mic a Chicken?!! Do a swan-dive into the unknown and make studio magic with inspiration from Recording Unhinged.
- GenresMusicNonfictionArt
258 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2016
30 people are currently reading
566 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 8, 2018
Fantastic stories from industry vets on thinking outside of the box. For those of us who chose to spend our time making records, this is what keeps us coming back.
January 23, 2021
Super fun, full of off the hook ideas for recording, as well as sound advice for wrangling good performances out of musicians. Especially love the part where she hangs the singer upside down from a pillar and says, Clench your butt! Massy works at a level way above my budget here in the microstudio but all the crazy ideas are fuel for experiments. Highly recommended for recordists of all levels but especially for those contemplating recording chickens.
November 29, 2020
This is a fantastic book on the record making process! I read it cover to cover, but you could jump around as much as you like. There is so much valuable information in here. Sylvia brushes over some of her fabulous gear affinities, but focuses the entire book on the creative process of recording. With the help of a myriad of other famous record engineers and producers, Sylvia gives us real usable insight into how to create better, more interesting, more satisfying recordings. Recording Unhinged showcases how engineers keep perspective, stay creative, support the artist, and fearlessly experiment. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and feel realigned with the wonder that made me start recording in the first place. For those who aren’t audio engineers, the book provides an intimate view into the sometimes boring, sometimes chaotic zoo that is the recording session.
January 26, 2021
https://soundgirls.org/2021-recording...
If you ever need a feel-good audio extravaganza, pick up a copy of Recording Unhinged: Creative & Unconventional Music Recording Techniques by Sylvia Massy with her partner Chris Johnson. As cacophonous as its cover, illustrated by the renaissance woman herself, this title explores the rule-breaking philosophy behind many iconic albums. The subtitle says it all. Readers be warned this is no cookbook of precisely measured formulas of gear and settings. Think of it as a grab bag of inspiration, a light for dark places when all other lights go out. A tool to break out of the worst ruts.
Divided into chapters by instrument, similar to a session in your current DAW, Massy fills each chapter with audio legends telling audio lore. Some of the stories are so fantastic, that they will never be attempted again, but many of the anecdotes are exercises in “why not?” and “I hope this works.” Emphasis is placed on the latter, with many memories featuring antique one-of-a-kind microphones and synths one burnt fuse from the dumpster. It becomes a running theme to embrace the problematic gear as a challenge to occupy the brain so that the heart is free to ace the take. Mistakes are not the apocalypse, instead, they are the sources of epic sagas. Here is your permission to try the weird and possibly wonderful. On one hand, this reduces the anxiety of a perfect session for a star client, on the other hand, it could be a recipe for wasted time. Sylvia Massy documents those moments too. Sometimes even the pros are just making it up as they go.
The stories alone would be enough to pick up a copy, the icing on the cake is the candid stills, and illustrations drawn by Sylvia. Behind the scenes polaroids, and photos of iconic music history make this a coffee table book of envy. And each illustration is as wild as the stories. I am not entirely sure, but the chapter plates might be a Where’s Waldo of audio memes.
While Recording Unhinged stands alone, it pairs well with the PBS documentary series Soundbreaking, which follows a similar format and shares some of the same cast of characters. For those needing more of Sylvia’s illustrations: there are two companion coloring books. The first with a showcase reel of drawings from Recording Unhinged and the other focusing on audio icons in a Catholic saint fashion. My co-reviewer has finally figured out which end of the crayon to use and ate it up (still hasn’t kicked her paper habit). I love these add-ons, they are perfect for musicians waiting between takes or for decorating dorm room studios. One word of caution to the audio parent: some illustrations include sex, drugs, and rock & roll, use your discretion.
Nerd, as I am, I could not put this book down. And it deserves a re-read with a soundtrack to unpack each morsel. I would not recommend this as the only book on recording, but as a supplement to your current library. A secret weapon to get your mixing on the next level. Maybe put it in your laptop bag to infuse its funk in your sessions. You never know what might happen.
If you ever need a feel-good audio extravaganza, pick up a copy of Recording Unhinged: Creative & Unconventional Music Recording Techniques by Sylvia Massy with her partner Chris Johnson. As cacophonous as its cover, illustrated by the renaissance woman herself, this title explores the rule-breaking philosophy behind many iconic albums. The subtitle says it all. Readers be warned this is no cookbook of precisely measured formulas of gear and settings. Think of it as a grab bag of inspiration, a light for dark places when all other lights go out. A tool to break out of the worst ruts.
Divided into chapters by instrument, similar to a session in your current DAW, Massy fills each chapter with audio legends telling audio lore. Some of the stories are so fantastic, that they will never be attempted again, but many of the anecdotes are exercises in “why not?” and “I hope this works.” Emphasis is placed on the latter, with many memories featuring antique one-of-a-kind microphones and synths one burnt fuse from the dumpster. It becomes a running theme to embrace the problematic gear as a challenge to occupy the brain so that the heart is free to ace the take. Mistakes are not the apocalypse, instead, they are the sources of epic sagas. Here is your permission to try the weird and possibly wonderful. On one hand, this reduces the anxiety of a perfect session for a star client, on the other hand, it could be a recipe for wasted time. Sylvia Massy documents those moments too. Sometimes even the pros are just making it up as they go.
The stories alone would be enough to pick up a copy, the icing on the cake is the candid stills, and illustrations drawn by Sylvia. Behind the scenes polaroids, and photos of iconic music history make this a coffee table book of envy. And each illustration is as wild as the stories. I am not entirely sure, but the chapter plates might be a Where’s Waldo of audio memes.
While Recording Unhinged stands alone, it pairs well with the PBS documentary series Soundbreaking, which follows a similar format and shares some of the same cast of characters. For those needing more of Sylvia’s illustrations: there are two companion coloring books. The first with a showcase reel of drawings from Recording Unhinged and the other focusing on audio icons in a Catholic saint fashion. My co-reviewer has finally figured out which end of the crayon to use and ate it up (still hasn’t kicked her paper habit). I love these add-ons, they are perfect for musicians waiting between takes or for decorating dorm room studios. One word of caution to the audio parent: some illustrations include sex, drugs, and rock & roll, use your discretion.
Nerd, as I am, I could not put this book down. And it deserves a re-read with a soundtrack to unpack each morsel. I would not recommend this as the only book on recording, but as a supplement to your current library. A secret weapon to get your mixing on the next level. Maybe put it in your laptop bag to infuse its funk in your sessions. You never know what might happen.
September 27, 2020
Excellent read for recording, mixing, and production for those that already have at least a basic understanding. Full of great anecdotes and quotes and presented in an imaginative and literally colorful way.
February 8, 2022
This is one incredibly refreshing book about studio recording! When you’re tired of learning exactly how you’re supposed to do things, pick this up and remember that there are no rules. If it sounds good, if it sounds fun, and if it rocks, then it’s right!
March 17, 2022
A fantastic book with some great stories and innovative ideas for being creative when making and recording music. Not really a "how to" or any kind of manual or history, but full of interesting nuggets of information that may spark a creative breakthrough for artists and producers alike.
May 25, 2020
A great book which gives an insight into the creativity of recording. Inspiring for musical explorers.
May 27, 2021
Read it in one sitting and will go back to it whenever wanted or needed.
January 31, 2024
Great ideas for, and great stories about, recording music.
January 31, 2024
Feels like it's half educational and half memoir. Great stuff! Tons of great little anecdotes on every page. Inspiring and very fun.
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July 15, 2016781.49 M422 2016
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews