Hangin' With The Pros

Last night (3.17.2010) my buddy Tom and I went to a seminar to see a guy named Jack Joseph Puig. I’ll let you guess how to pronounce his last name. We couldn’t figure it out till we got there. Even then, the staff at the reception didn’t know, but they had to introduce him and that’s when the secret was revealed. This was at the Sweetwater studios in Indiana. It was a long drive but a good time because Tom is great company.

Jack Joseph Puig is a top notch, high falutin’ record producer/mixer who has produced and/or mixed all kinds of artists, including the Black Crowes, Lady Gaga, the Rolling Stones, Lifehouse, Amy Grant, Weezer, Goo Goo Dolls, Sheryl Crow, Green Day, U2, John Mayer, Switchfoot, the Counting Crows, etc. etc. The list goes on and on. This guy really knows his stuff. He has paid the price to learn his craft.

So, JJP starts off the seminar with a rough vocal track by Mick Jagger of the Stones. It was recorded as a demo by Jagger in Jagger’s kitchen (which, I’m guessing, is nothing like my kitchen) and it had no fixes or effects on it at all. Plain tracking of vocal. And we watched as JJP mixed it through some digital processors and all that. He also had untreated vocal tracks for Keith Urban, Lady Gaga, Bono and others. It was really interesting stuff.

Time came at the end for questions and answers and some bone head started trying to argue with JJP about the details of one of the stories he told. It was pointless and embarrassing for us all. But then some industry guys, sound mixers and studio producers started asking some really insightful questions about the gear and the process of recording and such. It was great to be in the middle of all that.

I was encouraged in a way because I seem to get the sonic side of things. From what I am learning as I go, I seem to have a pretty good ear for how things should sound and blend on a recording. When JJP played things and asked if we could hear the nuances, I really could hear exactly what he was talking about, and that felt pretty good. But at the same time, I always walk away from these things kind of confused and feeling dumb because I just don’t get all the technical stuff very well. Levels and parameters and inputs and outputs. AAAAARGH. It’s really not my forte.

But I love every minute of it.



Oh. I almost forgot. It’s Poo eeg.


Jack Joseph Puig: Mixing Tips - Instinct vs. Intellect



More Videos & Games at Stress Management Tutorials





Peace to you.


© LW Publishing 2010