Phil Elvrum: The K Records Studio
by Bryan Bingold
Phil Elvrum is the man behind The Microphones, one of the coolest- sounding bands/recording projects out there. He records at Dub Narcotic all the time.
interviews
We talk at length with record-makers about how they make records.
Solex: Sampling bad vinyl in Amsterdam
by Pam Nicholas
I was driving along a sunny strip of highway in the middle of nowhere, fighting off road trip hypnosis and the potential disaster that goes with it, when the mix tape supplied by a friend suddenly...
John Croslin: Austin to SF to Austin
by Steve McAllister
The common: A guy enjoys fiddling with electronics and recording stuff, plays in some high- school bands and beyond, eventually ends up recording his stuff, then other people's music. The uncommon:...
Susana Baca: Craig Street records Peruvian singer
by Sasha Zand
Singer Susana Baca first came into listeners' consciousness in 1995, when she appeared on the album The Sound of Black Peru. This Afro-Peruvian anthology had come about after Luaka Bop Records...
John LaGrou: Behind the Gear with Millennia Media
by Ian Swanke
Most Tape Op articles feature the people behind the making of a record. But what about the people who make the gear that we make records on? "Behind the Gear" is a new column featuring interviews...
Bob Ezrin: Producing Pink Floyd, Kiss & Peter Gabriel
by David Bottrill, Roman Sokal
Hi Roman; In regards to your question about Bob, I once worked in a situation with him at Real World. The session was filled with great musicians from around the world, but there was a lack of...
Alan Sparhawk: Record at church, mix with Tchad
by Roman Sokal
Perhaps one of the world's current greatest bands is Low, who hail from Duluth, Minnesota. The trio, consisting of the married team of Alan Sparhawk (guitar, vocals) and Mimi Parker (percussion,...
Shelly Yakus: Nuggets of Wisdom
by Bruce Borgerson
Shelly Yakus is one of the true legends of the engineering trade, and his storied career demonstrates the value of an early start. You might even say he was born to record. His father and uncle...
Alan Douches: Mastering indie rock and more
by Jesse Cannon
Located just five minutes west of New York City, in suburban Tenafly, New Jersey, Alan Douches' West West Side Music Studios offers a quality alternative to the big name mastering facilities in New...
MORE Guitar Tuning Nightmares & How to Vanquish Them (or at Least Feel Good Trying)
by Jack Endino
Tuning Nightmares, Part II Intonation, applied fretboard math, and other unspeakable studio terrors.
Tube amps w/ Geoff Farina: Troubleshooting Tube Guitar Amps
by Geoff Farina
DISCLAIMER #1: DO NOT TRY ANYTHING BELOW UNLESS YOU HAVE READ MY PREVIOUS COLUMNS, HAVE A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF ANALOG ELECTRONICS, USING MULTIMETERS, DISCHARGING FILTER CAPACITORS, AND GUITAR...
Dave Amels: of The Bomb Factory
by John Baccigaluppi, Larry Crane
In the last six months I've been forced to learn my way around Pro Tools a bit while mixing some budget projects. Sonically, I'd rather mix through a console although I really enjoy the process of...