When it comes to recording, one of the questions I’m always asked is,”How do I get great sounding tracks?” The answer always starts with the musicians – but there’s so much more involved. That’s why Sweetwater Studios now offers Recording Master Classes, featuring some of the most talented musicians in the business. Aspiring engineers, producers, and musicians from around the country have come to Fort Wayne to attend these classes, for the chance to work in a world-class, Russ Berger-designed studio, and to record and interact with killer musicians.
During these 3-day workshops, we cover a variety of topics including mic placement, session setup, preamps, EQ, dynamics processing, editing, mixing, and more – all while working on tracks recorded during the workshop by world-class musicians who have played on countless albums. Some of our guest talent has included Brent Mason (George Strait, Alan Jackson, Shania Twain), Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, David Bowie), Keith Carlock (Sting, Steely Dan, James Taylor), dUg Pinnick (King’s X), Phil Naish (Sandy Patti, Dolly Parton), Tom Hemby (Vince Gill, Rob Thomas, Michael McDonald), Brian MacLeod (Madonna, Christina Aguilera, Jewel), Michael Whittaker (Cake, Lionel Ritchie, Dave Matthews Band), Adam Nitti (Dave Weckl Band, Susan Tedeschi, Jimmy Herring), Ed Goldfarb (Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, The Broadway Concert: A Romantic Journey), Stan Cotey (Giraffe, Kevin Gilbert), and Nick D’Virgilio (Genesis, Tears For Fears, Cirque Du Soleil).
The workshops are each limited to just 12 attendees, so the experience is not only hands on, but also up close and personal. By the end of each workshop, we have recorded, edited, and mixed a complete song from start to finish and explored the whole musicality of it: who’s playing what, where, and why. When you’re working with players of this caliber, the technology can really become transparent, and the music speaks for itself.
For information about upcoming workshops, contact Julie Doust at (800) 222-4700 ext. 1801.