Dave and Herb, you are blessing the world and a whole new generation of mix engineers, producers, and artists with such important knowledge and with such passion. You have no idea how grateful we are that you are opening up a once closed world to all us who are so eager to learn what has made the music of our time so special and sound so good. From the depths of my heart. Thank you.
I got rid of my TV 15 years ago because I couldn't stand to watch that banal crap any longer. Man, the internet RULES. This is my TV now. What a great hour of watchin'.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and insights with the legion of aspiring artists. You're all very kind. A session like this with Bob Clearmountain is pretty darn special indeed!
There are only so many questions you can ask him before you realize, there are no magic Clearmountain settings, it’s all talent and an amazing set of ears..
Late to this party but glad I made it. Awesome advise truly enjoyed this show, great respect for your talent Bob. Thank you Bob, and Dave and Herb for making it happen.
Incredible. This is what this show should all be about. Learnt a lot on first watch, and will definitely revisit again. As a side note - how much of a fan girl is Dave!
I don't think I could love this interview more than I do! Wow, just amazing to hear how Bob approaches his mixes more like a great conductor than anything else!
Yes, he does. But I'm really starting to appreciate Herb. When the show first started I thought that Dave should ask all the questions, but I really love Herb's take on things. This show is really coming into its own. Thanks PP!
in the 80s there was a lot of different music I loved, Tina Turner, Steve Winwood, Bowie, Chic .. and it turns out Mr Clearmountain was behind these records. The artists are great, but its Bob mix, how he made the drums sound huge.... and gave it bounce. I never knew the same guy did all those records.. Amazing.
Love love love Bob Clearmountain's work, and hearing his approach is exactly how I approach my own music that you haven't heard yet, lol. It's about taste, exactly, and imaging the stage, and the roles of "players" on the stage to create the story. He's so cool. I dream of working with such a great mix engineer & producer.
wow, I get a little something if not a lot from every show but This is by far my favorite into the Lair program. Bob is just sincere and logical to a point that everything just starts to fall into perspective. I get the feeling that Bob puts a big emphasis at making things as natural and realistic for the art (the music) as opposed to the modern trends of making things just sound DIFFERENT or LOUD. Thanks Bob! Tom
Damn that was great! I saw someone saying only 38K views? But only the real interested learning engineers will come and watch and learn from these videos. Wow kudos to Pensado's Place! Love it!
Thank you Dave and Herb for providing this platform enabling great engineers (and artists) the forum to articulate their craft. What I believe important is for new engineers to "get to no" so they don't waist significant time and money purchasing/using the wrong equipment. The advice you gave will save 1000's of hours and 10's of thousands of dollars to anyone watching. May I provide a short summary, and some possible suggestions: SM57 - Purchase new or used. 1178 - Great circuit, but wiring and connections are old. Consider something similar, a clone, or DYI. LA3A - Same issues, consider something similar, a clone, or DYI. Plate Reverb - DYI 16/18 gauge 4 x 8 sheet of low carbon steel from the steel supply company, add two transducers and two springs to hold it off the wall, then you'll be reverb-in. Stairwell Reverb - Use your current home stairs, Garage, bathroom, or any room with vaulted ceiling SSL EQ - Old and $$$$, something similar, a clone, or DYI. Apogee - Quartet or Symphony. consider new, used, or refurbished. Pultec EQP-1A3 - Old and $$$$, something similar, a clone, or DYI. Roland SE3000, and a Yamaha D5000 - If you can find one, go buy it. Good resale value, or try the Bricasti M7. The M7 is new, quiet (116 db), analog or digital in/out, multiple powerful reverb engines, and just sounds great. It's basically a portable Church, Studio, Hall, Plate, etc, in a little 2" rack-able box. For instance, you can record in your bedroom closet, and sound like you’re in one of the greatest Churches or Studios in the world. Lastly, the old stuff can be large, finicky, and expensive, but there are reasonable solutions like the Portico 2 from Rupert Neve. The Portico 2 has everything you need (except for the reverb/delay) in an intergraded 3.5” rack. It’s current, supported, it comes with a transformer coupled mic pre, Line-in/thru and and FET DI, De-Esser, Pultec type parametric eq, an LA type compressor with side-chain-"ducking" input, and a "Texture/Silk" headroom circuit. Just add some reverb and delay, and you're on your way. Lastly, what's interesting is almost every item Mr Clearmountain discussed, would be included in a Neve Portico 2 / Bricasti M7 combination. And, if you buy them used, when you're done, you could sell it for what you bought it for. Thx Scotty
Dave, I've just discovered this show. I love you man, you're great. You've got this part self-effacing, part depressive (I just mean it in as an informal adjective) but all honest personable personality. I love this show. Don't change.
That snare sample thing he's talking about was a band called "The Hooters". If you do a UA-cam search for The Hooters Live Aid you'll find it. The tune starts off kinda like "Message In A Bottle" with some awkward full snare flams, that's it. Pretty cool :)
The incident that Bob refers to at 27:00 from Live Aid, was The Hooters playing "And We Danced" this portion of the show was actually not broadcast, until the bands second and final song called "All You Zombies". The only people that heard the wrong snare trigger were the 100,000+ people attending the show, not the viewers at home.
Great Engineer Bob Clearmountain worked with Billy Cobham's big Drum kit in 1978, on his recording "Simplicity Of Expression" at the Power Station N.Y.C. He was also the Remix Engineer of the whole recording. (Came out on a 2on1 CD UK Sony 1998)
Damn! Dave got a major makeover on the hair and makeup since last I saw this show. You look great man!! Awesome guest too. I have wanted to find out more about BC ever since I heard Chris Lord-Alge rave about the guy. Excellent stuff!!
After watching this interview…I have a good understanding of Bob and his mixing mindset and those of his time. These folks didn't focus on compressor graphs or eq graphs.. They knew the sound by listening to the sound and turning the knob and hearing the change based on how much they turned the knob. They didn't think as much about where visually the settings where. I mean after all what did they have to look at but a console with faders and knobs and outboard gear with more knobs. In todays mixing world mixing in the box or using daw controllers we tend to mix more with our eyes instead of our ears! I would recommend to those who have daw controllers if your controller allows being that it can provide enough information about your mix that you can make decisions by using the desk itself . Try to turn off the screen and just mix… use your ears. Don't worry so much the setting 4 to 1 or 2 to 1 or 50hz or40 Hz yes thats important to know.. but train your hears so you know what 40 Hz sounds like and what 4-1 sounds like. I learned so much by Bobs responses …Chris Lord Alge praises him and I see the influenece that Bob has on him watching him work or his mindset. Just don't think too much and never look back!
I use the Pro Tools B4 just for it's Leslie on guitars - what's also cool is to route this to a new track and make the changes from fast to slow in real time - flowing with the music. Sounds great!!
I love Dave's comment about having to mix Roxy music with a snorkel. I gave it a listen and, to be fair there was plenty of space to make that work really well. Sounds good to me! :)
This is brilliant. Most of Bobs answers are "I just do it, I don't think about it..." He listens and makes intuitive moves based on feel rather than over analyzing & calculating.
I love that he doesn't get all "tech'd" out and mostly responds with "I just turn the knobs till it sounds good." The other reply I loved when he was asked about the music industry. Seriously coming from his background in the industry and seeing where it is and going, how do you match the former?
+j readdy I agree, but when that is what it becomes about and you are nothing but a gearhead and it's not about the music and the song and the performance anymore, it's redundant. The listening public don't really care how good you are with gear and they pay your wages. Bob here obviously turns knobs and messes with gear but it's not his focus. He has a vision of the music and can go to the gear to get that, he doesn't go to the gear and see how much of it and in what ways he can use it and see what comes out. That is why he is as successfull as he is and is revered by others in the world in his industry and you are sitting wherever you are getting pissy at others remarks and making negative comments in reply. Kinda seems you are an offended gearhead, maybe. The sound of music production these days is just fine. There's no real point in trying to make it sound better, nobody cares only the boffins.
+j readdy Right off... I do get pissy when some fucking nyaff like you attacks what I post online. YOU started this ball rolling the second you did, not ME As i thought... doesn't sound like your making much actual music, just building and selling studios and playing with gear... No wonder you like gearheads so much and defend them, they are making you quite a lot of money by the sounds of it. I am sitting fine. I make actual music with my small and not so expensive home recording setup and have a good relationship with a couple of publishers. I will not engage you any further.
I think I said just that above. It's about what the vision for the song and end result calls for, not the other way around and using gear or plugins just because.
I'm just slightly late to the the party. Nevertheless, the biggest takeaway for me was Bob's thoughts on how he approaches a mix. That is, to forget about the gear and just listen to the song and get the "feel" of how the song should go. Thanks guys, great interview. Cheers.
Great Bob interview... but ironically,what was up with all the background noise? ... it sounded like you were taping inside the TCKTS office in the middle of Times Square.
What!? Bob played bass with the Dead Boys? Cheetah Chrome came down an played with my band Mudd Helmut in early 80s for awhile when he had to get out of NYC :)
If you want to hear an example of the Clearmountain "sometimes unequal stereo is ok" theory (that he talks about at 42:31) check out his mix of Soul Asylum's "I Will Still Be Laughing"
3 o´clock on a 1178 is pretty fast(75% of how fast a fast compressor can be). aahahahahahaha!! the face on Bob when Dave said it was slow.. great epesode! :)
Just asking, Clearmountain spoke about setting the 1178 at 3 O'clock which Pensado said its a slow attack. My question is doesn't the 1178 work anticlockwise to most virtual plugins and if that be so then the attack would really be fast instead of slow?
***** Get JMSN in here he seemed to like the idea he favorited my tweet when i recommended you guys do so on Twitter it would be so cool because his music is amazing and he helped with Kendrick Lamars Good kid Mad city album too!
Most engineers: I just do what the song tells me. Dave: yeah, but did it tell you to use 123ms pre-delay with 33% dampening on your chamber reverb, while simultaneously automating the decay, like you did?
"Into the lair" starts at 13:05
Bob Clearmountain interview starts at 18:12
Dave and Herb, you are blessing the world and a whole new generation of mix engineers, producers, and artists with such important knowledge and with such passion. You have no idea how grateful we are that you are opening up a once closed world to all us who are so eager to learn what has made the music of our time so special and sound so good.
From the depths of my heart. Thank you.
Well said !
I got rid of my TV 15 years ago because I couldn't stand to watch that banal crap any longer. Man, the internet RULES. This is my TV now. What a great hour of watchin'.
5 years later and still a god tier comment
5 years 4 months and 5 days later - still true.
@@holidaycomplex facts
@@JosephPembroke 6 years later still a god tier comment
Bob Clearmountain is a true example of a humble giant. So much respect.
What a class act... thanks guys, for another 'hour well spent'.
Love how Dave's holding on to the reverb question, there's something deeper there.. a 30 year obsession with the Springsteen snare, brilliant!
This man is such a great person, I feel like when I look at him im at peace
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and insights with the legion of aspiring artists. You're all very kind. A session like this with Bob Clearmountain is pretty darn special indeed!
"I'd mix ballads on rainy days" love that
I'd mix all songs on rainy days, because I like rainy days and hate the sun! 😂
Thanks to ALL for being so gracious to share your knowledge, cunning and craft at making such plush mixes! God bless!
Long live Pensados Place ! Best thing on youtube!
There are only so many questions you can ask him before you realize, there are no magic Clearmountain settings, it’s all talent and an amazing set of ears..
The golden words were uttered by Dave Pensado in conclusion.
No matter how long ago the interview was, if you listen to Bob speak you will be humbled and inspired. He is first class without doubt 🤟
Late to this party but glad I made it. Awesome advise truly enjoyed this show, great respect for your talent Bob. Thank you Bob, and Dave and Herb for making it happen.
Thank You
Pensado's Place and Bob Clearmountain Great episode🙌🙌🙌🙌🔥🔥🔥🔥.
Thanks Dave...Thanks Herb for bringing these programs to us in such a down to earth way with so much meaningful material.
Tom
Absolutely brilliant! More Bob..!!
The funklogic bit was hilarious!!
love this guy , such a simple down to earth no nonsense from the gut approach to mixing
I've only just discovered this channel and it's absolutely fantastic. Great information, great interviews, just brilliant.
Incredible. This is what this show should all be about. Learnt a lot on first watch, and will definitely revisit again.
As a side note - how much of a fan girl is Dave!
2020 and we're still waiting for that music miracle
I don't think I could love this interview more than I do! Wow, just amazing to hear how Bob approaches his mixes more like a great conductor than anything else!
Dave always asks the best questions, thanks mate!
Yes, he does. But I'm really starting to appreciate Herb. When the show first started I thought that Dave should ask all the questions, but I really love Herb's take on things. This show is really coming into its own. Thanks PP!
I love Clearmountain so much! And Dave as well off course...
in the 80s there was a lot of different music I loved, Tina Turner, Steve Winwood, Bowie, Chic .. and it turns out Mr Clearmountain was behind these records. The artists are great, but its Bob mix, how he made the drums sound huge.... and gave it bounce. I never knew the same guy did all those records.. Amazing.
Thank you for this show folks. Keep them coming.
Love love love Bob Clearmountain's work, and hearing his approach is exactly how I approach my own music that you haven't heard yet, lol. It's about taste, exactly, and imaging the stage, and the roles of "players" on the stage to create the story. He's so cool. I dream of working with such a great mix engineer & producer.
Time flies when having fun!! I can't believe that was an hour long.
This is great!!! So good to listen to theses guys and learn
wow, I get a little something if not a lot from every show but This is by far my favorite into the Lair program. Bob is just sincere and logical to a point that everything just starts to fall into perspective. I get the feeling that Bob puts a big emphasis at making things as natural and realistic for the art (the music) as opposed to the modern trends of making things just sound DIFFERENT or LOUD.
Thanks Bob!
Tom
god damn I love the Rezillos. that bass sound!!
I enjoyed this show so much. Probably the best Clearmountain interview I have ever heard. Thanks guys!
Damn that was great! I saw someone saying only 38K views? But only the real interested learning engineers will come and watch and learn from these videos. Wow kudos to Pensado's Place! Love it!
Thank you Dave and Herb for providing this platform enabling great engineers (and artists) the forum to articulate their craft. What I believe important is for new engineers to "get to no" so they don't waist significant time and money purchasing/using the wrong equipment. The advice you gave will save 1000's of hours and 10's of thousands of dollars to anyone watching.
May I provide a short summary, and some possible suggestions:
SM57 - Purchase new or used.
1178 - Great circuit, but wiring and connections are old. Consider something similar, a clone, or DYI.
LA3A - Same issues, consider something similar, a clone, or DYI.
Plate Reverb - DYI 16/18 gauge 4 x 8 sheet of low carbon steel from the steel supply company, add two transducers and two springs to hold it off the wall, then you'll be reverb-in.
Stairwell Reverb - Use your current home stairs, Garage, bathroom, or any room with vaulted ceiling
SSL EQ - Old and $$$$, something similar, a clone, or DYI.
Apogee - Quartet or Symphony. consider new, used, or refurbished.
Pultec EQP-1A3 - Old and $$$$, something similar, a clone, or DYI.
Roland SE3000, and a Yamaha D5000 - If you can find one, go buy it. Good resale value, or try the Bricasti M7. The M7 is new, quiet (116 db), analog or digital in/out, multiple powerful reverb engines, and just sounds great. It's basically a portable Church, Studio, Hall, Plate, etc, in a little 2" rack-able box. For instance, you can record in your bedroom closet, and sound like you’re in one of the greatest Churches or Studios in the world.
Lastly, the old stuff can be large, finicky, and expensive, but there are reasonable solutions like the Portico 2 from Rupert Neve. The Portico 2 has everything you need (except for the reverb/delay) in an intergraded 3.5” rack. It’s current, supported, it comes with a transformer coupled mic pre, Line-in/thru and and FET DI, De-Esser, Pultec type parametric eq, an LA type compressor with side-chain-"ducking" input, and a "Texture/Silk" headroom circuit. Just add some reverb and delay, and you're on your way. Lastly, what's interesting is almost every item Mr Clearmountain discussed, would be included in a Neve Portico 2 / Bricasti M7 combination. And, if you buy them used, when you're done, you could sell it for what you bought it for. Thx Scotty
No = know. 1000's = 1000s... etc. Good luck mate :)
soooo awesome to see someone that is not too tech and is as good as BOB Clearmountain
Still watching this in late 2020🔥
I feel I’m always taken to the 80’s or 90’s with this style of broadcasting 😂🤟🏻💣
Best show so far, i have enjoyed it, good thoughs on where music is going
Dave, I've just discovered this show. I love you man, you're great. You've got this part self-effacing, part depressive (I just mean it in as an informal adjective) but all honest personable personality. I love this show. Don't change.
Andy Wallace....and i will die happy!!
yes! me too!
That snare sample thing he's talking about was a band called "The Hooters". If you do a UA-cam search for The Hooters Live Aid you'll find it. The tune starts off kinda like "Message In A Bottle" with some awkward full snare flams, that's it. Pretty cool :)
first time Ive watched pensados place love it
Show must go on....!!!!*****
The incident that Bob refers to at 27:00 from Live Aid, was The Hooters playing "And We Danced" this portion of the show was actually not broadcast, until the bands second and final song called "All You Zombies". The only people that heard the wrong snare trigger were the 100,000+ people attending the show, not the viewers at home.
wow! ... I didn't think I would enjoy this as I did.
Outstanding! Thank you!!
Tattoo You, Avalon, The Blurred Crusade, Let's Dance, Reckless, Born In The USA and Kick. BC Defined 80's Mixing. A True Legend!!!
Legend! Good questions Dave.
Great Engineer Bob Clearmountain worked with Billy Cobham's big Drum kit in 1978, on his recording "Simplicity Of Expression" at the Power Station N.Y.C. He was also the Remix Engineer of the whole recording. (Came out on a 2on1 CD UK Sony 1998)
Damn! Dave got a major makeover on the hair and makeup since last I saw this show. You look great man!! Awesome guest too. I have wanted to find out more about BC ever since I heard Chris Lord-Alge rave about the guy. Excellent stuff!!
SO GLAD you asked about the snare sound on Born in the USA! I'm a drummer and of course I want to know this! :)
It would be great to have Bob Clearmountain back to discuss his work on the new live album from Van Halen! Love this show!
After watching this interview…I have a good understanding of Bob and his mixing mindset and those of his time. These folks didn't focus on compressor graphs or eq graphs.. They knew the sound by listening to the sound and turning the knob and hearing the change based on how much they turned the knob. They didn't think as much about where visually the settings where. I mean after all what did they have to look at but a console with faders and knobs and outboard gear with more knobs. In todays mixing world mixing in the box or using daw controllers we tend to mix more with our eyes instead of our ears! I would recommend to those who have daw controllers if your controller allows being that it can provide enough information about your mix that you can make decisions by using the desk itself . Try to turn off the screen and just mix… use your ears. Don't worry so much the setting 4 to 1 or 2 to 1 or 50hz or40 Hz yes thats important to know.. but train your hears so you know what 40 Hz sounds like and what 4-1 sounds like.
I learned so much by Bobs responses …Chris Lord Alge praises him and I see the influenece that Bob has on him watching him work or his mindset. Just don't think too much and never look back!
Great episode guys, thank you! Also, I'd love to see Bob get his own show. That'd be something!
I use the Pro Tools B4 just for it's Leslie on guitars - what's also cool is to route this to a new track and make the changes from fast to slow in real time - flowing with the music. Sounds great!!
classic line from Dave: "After I heard that album I had to mix with a snorkel, it was so wet!"
I love Dave's comment about having to mix Roxy music with a snorkel. I gave it a listen and, to be fair there was plenty of space to make that work really well. Sounds good to me! :)
This is brilliant. Most of Bobs answers are "I just do it, I don't think about it..." He listens and makes intuitive moves based on feel rather than over analyzing & calculating.
Thank you.
I love that he doesn't get all "tech'd" out and mostly responds with "I just turn the knobs till it sounds good." The other reply I loved when he was asked about the music industry. Seriously coming from his background in the industry and seeing where it is and going, how do you match the former?
Awesome show!
Legends always got something to say-----
tks!!! amazing show!!!
17:11 oh i love this fader ride hahahha so subtle, i feel identified
Wow really enjoyed this!
Speechless 👍
Great fun!
Woop woop, another fantastic video. Where's Terry Date?
Great episode guys!
Dave seems quite humbled by Bob. This was great.
Was looking for the funklogic like a snipe hunt?
This guy's got it.
The song, the feel and the mood of it.
Nothing to do with gear and endless fucking with and tweaking of knobs and gear.
+j readdy
I agree, but when that is what it becomes about and you are nothing but a gearhead and it's not about the music and the song and the performance anymore, it's redundant. The listening public don't really care how good you are with gear and they pay your wages.
Bob here obviously turns knobs and messes with gear but it's not his focus.
He has a vision of the music and can go to the gear to get that, he doesn't go to the gear and see how much of it and in what ways he can use it and see what comes out.
That is why he is as successfull as he is and is revered by others in the world in his industry and you are sitting wherever you are getting pissy at others remarks and making negative comments in reply.
Kinda seems you are an offended gearhead, maybe.
The sound of music production these days is just fine. There's no real point in trying to make it sound better, nobody cares only the boffins.
+j readdy
Right off... I do get pissy when some fucking nyaff like you attacks what I post online. YOU started this ball rolling the second you did, not ME
As i thought... doesn't sound like your making much actual music, just building and selling studios and playing with gear... No wonder you like gearheads so much and defend them, they are making you quite a lot of money by the sounds of it.
I am sitting fine.
I make actual music with my small and not so expensive home recording setup and have a good relationship with a couple of publishers.
I will not engage you any further.
As much as I agree, sometimes tweaking the knobs is what the song ask for. :)
I think I said just that above.
It's about what the vision for the song and end result calls for, not the other way around and using gear or plugins just because.
John Brown
Didn't see the other comments till now.
My apologies ;)
I'm just slightly late to the the party. Nevertheless, the biggest takeaway for me was Bob's thoughts on how he approaches a mix. That is, to forget about the gear and just listen to the song and get the "feel" of how the song should go. Thanks guys, great interview. Cheers.
Great Bob interview... but ironically,what was up with all the background noise? ... it sounded like you were taping inside the TCKTS office in the middle of Times Square.
What!? Bob played bass with the Dead Boys? Cheetah Chrome came down an played with my band Mudd Helmut in early 80s for awhile when he had to get out of NYC :)
His mixes on Tears for Fears' Seeds of Love album are astonishing too..
''So wet I had to mix with a snorkel''. ... This show gets better and better.
What a great episode. As far as Bob getting his own show - why dont you set him up to do a few ITL?
Born in the USA 🇺🇸 🗽
If you want to hear an example of the Clearmountain "sometimes unequal stereo is ok" theory (that he talks about at 42:31) check out his mix of Soul Asylum's "I Will Still Be Laughing"
Can we please get Andy Wallace hehe waiting since Pensado`s place started big fan.Great episode
ProTools14 sounds awesome!
I thought I'd hear something about NS-10m's and tissue paper.
Samples were the final nail in the coffin of most musicians .... and the death of good music.
Finally GOD joined us !!!!!
Yummy - nice episode!
what a lord
Wondering who was the band from Philadelphia Live Aid he was referring to. The Hooters?
3 o´clock on a 1178 is pretty fast(75% of how fast a fast compressor can be).
aahahahahahaha!!
the face on Bob when Dave said it was slow..
great epesode! :)
Just asking, Clearmountain spoke about setting the 1178 at 3 O'clock which Pensado said its a slow attack.
My question is doesn't the 1178 work anticlockwise to most virtual plugins and if that be so then the attack would really be fast instead of slow?
That first band at Live Aid was the Hooters.
Wish they put that Clearmountain snare on the new Springsteen Nassau releases.
But does he still use NS-10's? Surprised this was never brought up. Great video nonetheless, thanks guys!
A lot of bands have to tour more now to make money so true.He did a couple of records for the church early in their career
Be the valley but walk like the mountain.
***** Get JMSN in here he seemed to like the idea he favorited my tweet when i recommended you guys do so on Twitter it would be so cool because his music is amazing and he helped with Kendrick Lamars Good kid Mad city album too!
Herb: did you see the Pensado Awards?
Dave: I did...
Herb: HOT!
😂
Bob is the fucking wizard! There is still no better sound than the mixes from INXS's Kick, in my opinion!
Most engineers: I just do what the song tells me.
Dave: yeah, but did it tell you to use 123ms pre-delay with 33% dampening on your chamber reverb, while simultaneously automating the decay, like you did?