I'm sorry I haven't watched earlier. I went to school with you and none of what your doing surprises me. You were always smart and creative. You were one of the easiest people to talk to .
Instant subscribe. David, these videos are unbelievable. Keep up the good work. I had a similar experience being a sponge at Groovemaster in Chicago working with Johnny K as a young man. The things I learned watching him work were more valuable than I can ever put into words.
Thank you! Having mentors can be deeply helpful and meaningful. It's hard these days since so many studios are indie spots in homes. But in balance, now there's UA-cam, which is definitely an amazing resource.
This was WONDERFUL. Thank you, thank you! Zaireeka is easily one of my favorite albums of all time and I host listening parties whenever I can to introduce this lovely piece of music to whoever is willing to hear it. I hosted one that was attended by a retired A&R rep from Warner Bros. Records. He was working there during the recording and shared with us a few rad stories about the making of the album, the band, etc. and then we all listened to it. It is one of my favorite memories of all time. Thanks again for sharing your views on this magnificent record.
I thought people would be disappointed in the amount of gear talk. It's been a relief to see people enjoying the rest of it all! Thanks for the kind support.
@@davidpetersmusic I have had similar intuition about videos, yet I find that its the things I had the least expectations for end up being appreciated the most.
I am the biggest Lips and Mercury rev fan. As you say there is virtually no content on Dave of Web. Thankyou, however long this video is, it should have been longer!
Fridmann was my favourite producer of the late 90s/early 00s. Come On Die Young, Soft Bulletin, Hope & Adams - 3 life enhancing albums for me at the time. He was on fire. Weird finally seeing the place. Held a couple of Zaireeka listening parties back in the day.
Those days were kinda special up there in that the whole operation was just getting started. Those are indeed some fantastic records. I'm glad the video gave you an extra insight into it all!
Great video, man! David Fridmann is an absolute hero to me and The Soft Bulletin in particular was a massive influence in how I approach recording and mixing. Squeaky clean is fun, but destruction, and indeed deconstruction, is often more rewarding. As a child, I worshipped the Beatles and, unashamedly, the Moody Blues. Sonic aspirations are my personal fuel. I interned at a lovely studio with beautiful vintage equipment and a fantastic room, but mostly I would bring in stuff I had recorded on the newly released Digi 001 with minimal crappy mics in an unused and thoroughly untreated building in a nursing home and the guys at the studio would say, "You recorded this WHERE and on THAT?!" I'd use an array of 4 tracks for their mic pres and detune snares and tape paper to the top. Fine times! Last note: David's mixing on the new Vampire Weekend album has absolutely catapulted that band into a new level of brilliance!
It sounds like you didn't let limitations limit you in the least! I'm not sure if you know of Blake Mills (Guitarist/Producer) and Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes), but they used to have a band together and I got to do their first recordings. When I was moving overseas, they started doing their own demos on a Digi001 with two mics at their drummer's house. Those demos were INCREDIBLE! I let them borrow some BAE pres, but they couldn't be bothered, and it didn't matter in the slightest. Flavor over fancy!
How do you add these search links into a comment? 🤓 Edit: They're gone now 🫥 Maybe UA-cam dynamically adds these to fitting phrases... In this case "David Friedmann" was blue with a magnifying glass next to it and I could click on it which resulted in a UA-cam search being performed.
This video came up in my list generated by the algorithms that I watch, and I am glad.....any time Dave Fridmann's name comes up in terms of production, I'm intrigued, because as you mention, Dave doesn't do a lot of interviews and tends to let the results speak for themselves. I love your calm, measured demeanor David, and this video was well done! I have subscribed. Fridmann knocked it out of the park with Nick Cave's "Wild God" album......in many ways, I feel that it is Nick''s own "The Soft Bulletin" in terms of lyrics and songwriting. When the topic matter is about death, loss and how to cope amidst tragedy, nothing brings out that humanity more than Fridmann's production and inventive spirit as a guiding hand through that.
I'm excited to hear "Wild God". I haven't had a chance yet. Thanks for the compliments on the video. I'm trying to make it look easy, but it's not always easy!
I really appreciate this video and talk. I actually attended the recording program at Ithaca College, and ultimately was incredibly disappointed. Everyone was talking about what was going on at fredonia. When I was in High School zaireeka and soft bulletin were the records. When I got to school and realized Friedmann was at Fredonia felt so silly, shouldve been there. Wouldn’t change anything at the end of the day. Moved to NYC and found a path for writing and production. My path felt very against the grain of the conservative conservatory environment my school had. All part of the process and path. You never know what will inspire you and drive you. Next thing you know you’ve got 20+ years of experience and hanging out with musicians that challenge you. These records sonically sound like nothing else. I would just geek out on that blown out drum sound. Such intentional projects. Thanks for sharing and what a killer experience you. Truly creative process and unique albums.
For a while I moved back between Ithaca and Syracuse and had a studio built into an old church for about two years. It reminded me of what Dave had done with people traveling in. I was still nowhere near as cool. I'm glad you found your path. I think if you're motivated with a good philosophy it's hard to fail for very long.
Oh awesome! Another SUNY fredonia SRT grad! I haven’t ran into anyone else apart from the people I’ve met while in school, so that’s so cool, I wish they still had that studio C when I was in (2012-16). Dave has been such an important person in my life, he introduced me to my mentor, Greg Snow and got me into electronics repair. I eventually befriended his son Mike, and eventually had some gear that came out of my shop and into Tarbox. Dave is so simple, and I think that is his greatest quality. I miss seeing him and the rest of the family on a regular basis, and happy to say they’ve helped me gain confidence and nerve to be unique and simply, myself. Excellent video, I’ll have to subscribe now!
@@davidpetersmusic I work in Las Vegas, I work full time at the show “Awakening” repairing electronics for the Audio and Lighting/SFX/Video departments, and I run a repair shop for mostly audio equipment out of my garage. I specialize in musical instruments and recording/mixing equipment. Greg got me started with audio repairs, helping me go through a repair on a stereo gates tube compressor for the HOD for a capstone project. He is such a great guy, very serious about his craft. I definitely have passed down his technique to my friends and coworkers who I’ve taught how to solder connectors and stuff like that.
@@jonathanclarke2582 It’s such an important skill to carry forward. It’s getting harder and harder to find good musical equipment techs, even here in LA. I’m glad you found your path and that it’s working well for you. We both got lucky having Dave as a mentor!
Instant sub! 🤘 Ok here’s a fun secret weapon. Rockman Distortion Generator. It’s Tom Scholz (guitarist of Boston) custom designed transistor distortion circuit, but this particular unit has built in EQ bands, which is custom tailored for distortion. The real secret weapon part is this. Don’t use it on guitar like you’re ‘supposed’ to. Use it on drums, synths, vocals, anything. Especially in parallel. It can do nasty creamy wonders. You can still find it for not horribly expensive, on eBay/Reverb. Though the prices have gone up pretty drastically since i bought one in the 90s.
I definitely will check with my Rockman, too! Another favorite distortion box is the Pigtronix Polysaturator - a multiband parallel distortion pedal. Learned that trick from Vance Powell!
wonderful piece! have always been attracted to flaming lips’ crunchy drum sounds and been curious to learn more on who their producer has been. they all seem like a great creative team w lots of personality, bringing story into everything. thank you for your stories; what a cool experience you’ve had.
Loving this video, David. Willpower and resourcefulness seem to go a lot further than any "ideal circumstances." This is a lesson I'm still learning. Speaking of stories, I would never exploit a loophole personally, but a friend of mine *cough* got tired of going without acoustic treatment in the house he rented and not being able to tear up the walls. Instead he essentially built a pergola that lines the walls and ceiling of the room and he mounted all the ceiling acoustic treatment to it. Floor standing treatment where possible. 25 2x4 foot panels with 7" rockwool cores. The whole project took about a year, including building the treatment. There are solutions to everything. I'm amazed at how hard The Flaming Lips worked to make the music they wanted to make. That takes a lot of perseverance and determination.
That's what I'm talking about! Finding novel ways around obstacles! Creativity applies not only in the studio, but in getting into the studio. I have so many more stories like that. Just about everyone in this business does. It's kinda a requirement.
I barely remember them as wee little things. It's amazing to think of them as full-blown producer/engineers now. How cool. I love that Tarbox is now a family business.
Thank you so much for this! If I see something was done with Dave I pretty much know for sure that at least sonically I’m in for a treat. A legend in my book. I remember when Zaireeka came out. I was in college and I got a copy immediately. I corralled friends I had made in my dorm to put together the 4 stereos and I was floored (I think it even impressed some “jocks” that were in earshot). I was already a big fan of Transmissions, Clouds, and The Soft Bulletin. But this was another level. Extremely inspiring. For a time I had a solo project called Roybot. Kind of an indie synth pop thing. My live show was me plus 3 pre recorded versions of myself played on stacked TV’s. Certainly inspired by Zaireeka. Anyhow… I just love that Dave is also such a regular audio nerd. He fits in with these “freaks” so unassumingly with the best attitude. I do hope he grants more interviews when he’s ready for that. Until then, keep ‘em coming, sir! 🫡 Roy Silverstein Rarefied Recording San Diego, CA
I love the Roybot concept! I was listening to Clouds Taste Metallic the moment I decided I needed to move to LA (...before the porn speech) It was fun and fulfilling to bring back these memories. David does have at lease one interview on the Recording Studio Rockstars podcast and some of this interview footage was from a great Pitchfork doc on The Soft Bulletin. It's on UA-cam and worth a watch. I look forward to checking out the studio one of these days!
@@davidpetersmusic thanks! It was fun but unfortunately lost to time. I have no Roybot videos or anything, sadly. There is a Dave Fridmann Working Class Audio podcast episode too, I know. Thanks for pointing out these others. And my doors are open to you anytime! Cheers!
Was listening to King of nails by Sparklehorse yesterday. Those drums, they sound sooo Flaming Lips on The Soft Bulletin. Could it be? Ohhh yeah, mister David Fridmann! Love it!!
Great stories man. I really believe in the idea that you just go for things and doors open that you’ve never even considered as you move forward. I was playing in bands and recorded with this producer guy who had mixes on the radio and I somehow ended up as his assistant on a bunch of stuff. It doesn’t have to be too complicated but you do have to be in a position to interact with people on a regular basis. Eventually other people started to realize that I existed. More doors. It happens in every business. I’ve done a lot of stuff. A lot of times you just need one opening. One yes. I’m basically repeating parts of the video, but I’ve lived that wisdom and have found it to be important and true across a wide range of situations.
There's no better way to learn it than to learn it yourself through experience. Say yes when you can, show up, look for unexplored opportunities. It usually works out pretty well!
Cool Video. Long time fan of Dave's. I mixed on an Otari Series 54 a couple of times. Otari made some great boards and I almost never hear anyone talk about them.
I see the Concept Elite and Status Elite boards going pretty cheap out there. I only ever experienced Dave's, but I always wondered if the automation and everything could still be used today. Seems like they could be a great bang-for-buck console if so!
@@davidpetersmusic If you could figure out how to tie the automated faders out to midi control a Daw, it could be pretty cool controller/summer/input front end. All these big consoles for that early 90's era are going for pennies these days. They ALL need work
@@davidpetersmusicI feel those two albums are some of the most amazing albums ever recorded. The songs are amazing and the sonic qualities are just original and memorable. What I really liked about soft bulletin was the positive lyrics that were so hopeful and positive almost reassuring. I remember being a little burnt out with the darker themes on Ok computer and then hearing the soft bulletin and just feeling good and positive. Funny times the 90’s hahaha
I completely agree. Wayne made a comment about the album being labeled as them singing sad songs, but he turned it around and described it as singing songs because we're sad. I think that's where the uplifting lyrics came from. They were in a tough spot in those days, but I found Wayne to be genuinely positive and earnest. He was looking for the upside of it all.
Thanks so much for making these videos. I am enjoying them massively. I'm subscribed & very much looking forward to the next one. Greetings from England btw
@@davidpetersmusic The level loc ep was awesome (I'm going to buy a levelor later this month) but the ep on your experiences with David Fridmann & his approach to creativity was so inspiring. I'm a composer for Noiser podcasts & I spend most of my time trying to increase my efficiency & technical knowledge whilst trying to keep a playfulness & a spontaneity. All of your content so far has been unlike other things I've seen & I often laugh out loud at the humour. You obviously spend a lot of time & thought into these & after the first ep I subscribed immediately & I will undoubtedly watch everything you put out. Cheers for replying to my message, all the best 👍
Practicing both the playful side and the technical side is a great way to be comfortable in both when it comes time to balance those spinning plates! I was just talking with Ian from Standard Audio and it looked like several boxes of Level-Ors were on their way out the door. Maybe yours!
Though I had my own small studio already, this was the first time I had been in the room where real records were being made. PLus they were pulling off something that seemed impossible on paper. There was something much bigger picture going on than some cool special FX!
@@davidpetersmusic I am from Jamestown and attended Fredonia. I have a project I am working on that would serve the space well. Really happy to hear of your background and ties to the 716. Chautauqua County is beautiful this time of year.
Ha! You made it. Thank you. Nice twist to this sort of UA-cam video. You have a unique style of story telling. May the algorithm gods bless your channel.
I'm glad I was able to deliver! So far the algorithm does NOT like this video. It's doing about 20% what the Level-Loc video did, but it's a much bigger "ask" to watch this one.
Hi, thanks for making this video! I've been a fan of Dave for a long time but any information is so hard to come by. I enjoyed the video and your relaxed and comforting demeanour. Were you present for any mixing sessions with Dave and if so was there anything notable about them?
I was there off and on as they were mixing. What was notable to me was less about the gear and more about his demeanor. There was a lot of trying stuff, discarding it, trying again, discarding again, etc. It was a long time ago, so remembering what gear was wired up and exactly what it was doing is difficult, especially since it was always a moving target! Also, each sound was not the result of one tool, but a blend and interaction of many things. In those early days the H3000 was a big part of it. He got distortion in lots of ways, often from overloading particular boxes.
@@davidpetersmusic Thank you! Oh yeah I'm definitely not overly interested in specific gear. My introduction to Dave's work was in listening to and loving the Lip's Clouds Taste Metallic. I doubt there's a whole lot of overlap of what he used on that record to what he uses today but it's still so recognisably Fridmann. I was listening to the new Magdalena Bay album last week and it sounded amazing so looked up who mixed it and, of course it was Dave. I didn't clock it because it didn't have his super obvious hallmarks but it does have that energy and impact and little touches that work even though they seem like they shouldn't. I'm sure a lot of it comes down to that patience and persistence you've described, being open and undaunted and just chipping away at it. (That plus some amount of phase manipulation potentially involving this H3000 you mention)
Did Dr Steve Brule record Brule’s rules at tarbox? Inspiring. I love the F’Lips - the Sight of Sound book was an excellent read and it’s great hearing your experience with the band and Fridmann (2 ns?) anyway. Thank you for sharing.
I wish, I have my eye on one on ebay in the UK so i haven't paid for one just yet. it looks like my idea of a good time though 😁. Once this quarters PRS payment comes through then I'm gonna jump on it immediately
Recorded and stayed there in 99 the same week I got married. Now by strange coincidence I live down the street but I do all my recording at home :) I remember being pretty mystified at the time by the Otari recorder because this was still basically the ADAT era and the Otari seemed pretty next level by comparison.
Glad it landed! Did it show up in your feed in a noticeable way? This video is moving MUCH slower than the others. Maybe no one likes David Fridmann? haha
This delivered a pleasant surprise. Kind of rises above the gear curiosity we have and scratches a different itch. Life lessons. If you ever feel like making a more mixing-oriented video on the recording/mixing lessons you gained during your time at tarbox then we’d love to hear more. Ya know like 10 surprising recording/mixing techniques you noticed or how he mixes drums to be crunchy and present yet distant (parallel processing?), or how he applies distortion so heavily without ruining a mix (loved your Frid-gyver graphic eq distortion story!) or maybe what he does with those eventide boxes you mentioned. Wonder if that’s how he turns the mono drum mics you talked about into a stereo drum sound? Anyway thanks for the stories and your overall encouragement!
That would be fun, but I have two concerns: It's been a long time since I was there and a lot of details I don't remember. And I'd be uncomfortable sharing another engineer's methods, especially when I was invited in as a guest.
@@davidpetersmusic Indeed, haha! To be clear, this was expected. I do have multiple turntables but never enough systems, speakers etc. I still appreciate the conceptual aspect of the project tho.
Im a mediocre bedroom musician, casual Lips fan, and have no interest in getting into production. That said i really enjoyed the video. These kinds of stories are endlessly fascinating to me. Thanks for sharing!
@@morganghetti I love this comment, because although the video is told through a production lens, the real story here is about the philosophy and adventure of creativity.
What an enjoyable, excellent video! A lot of things to agree with, and a great mix of practical insight, fun recollections, music trivia, mindset and life philosophy. BTW as you asked for "stories" r.e. bold moves and opportunities, I might have several good ones, one of which could be the one you'll find in the description of this video, from an a totally other, weirder era and place, way back in 1989: ua-cam.com/video/jQbF-4EBD94/v-deo.html Enjoy - cheers from Europe and keep up the great work with this channel!
When I offer suggestions to people I am working with I like to say if I wasn’t interested in what you were doing and thought you could accomplish it I wouldn’t offer my opinion. If I thought you were wasting time I’d smile, say that’s great, thanks, and move on
Rule 1: The first band i joined in high school, I got in by saying I played keyboard which was a bit of an exaggeration, and then when I got it I said you know I’m actually better at guitar. 😂
Yes, Dave is a great bass player and founding member of Mercury Rev. This video was not a documentary on Dave, it was about what I took away from the Flaming Lips sessions. A documentary of Dave would be 3 hour epic.
I'm sorry I haven't watched earlier. I went to school with you and none of what your doing surprises me. You were always smart and creative. You were one of the easiest people to talk to .
I remember you and your sister well! Thanks for taking a look into my weird little creative world!
Instant subscribe. David, these videos are unbelievable. Keep up the good work. I had a similar experience being a sponge at Groovemaster in Chicago working with Johnny K as a young man. The things I learned watching him work were more valuable than I can ever put into words.
Thank you! Having mentors can be deeply helpful and meaningful. It's hard these days since so many studios are indie spots in homes. But in balance, now there's UA-cam, which is definitely an amazing resource.
This was WONDERFUL. Thank you, thank you!
Zaireeka is easily one of my favorite albums of all time and I host listening parties whenever I can to introduce this lovely piece of music to whoever is willing to hear it.
I hosted one that was attended by a retired A&R rep from Warner Bros. Records. He was working there during the recording and shared with us a few rad stories about the making of the album, the band, etc. and then we all listened to it.
It is one of my favorite memories of all time. Thanks again for sharing your views on this magnificent record.
I bet you have just as many fun stories you could share about it!
I’ve watched this video like 3-4 times already, lots of neat stories and tips that you can’t all absorb with only one watch :)
Wow, I'm always surprised when someone watching them through once! This is a high compliment. Many thanks.
The perfect mixture of stories, tech & of course philosophy!
I thought people would be disappointed in the amount of gear talk. It's been a relief to see people enjoying the rest of it all! Thanks for the kind support.
@@davidpetersmusic I have had similar intuition about videos, yet I find that its the things I had the least expectations for end up being appreciated the most.
Well, let's be happy for that. The world is more than we expect sometimes. :-)
I am the biggest Lips and Mercury rev fan. As you say there is virtually no content on Dave of Web. Thankyou, however long this video is, it should have been longer!
@@sicknoterecordings He deserves more attention, I’m just not sure he wants it!
Been itching for some insight on david, thank you so much man
He's a bit of a quiet mystery! I'm glad I could help.
Fridmann was my favourite producer of the late 90s/early 00s. Come On Die Young, Soft Bulletin, Hope & Adams - 3 life enhancing albums for me at the time. He was on fire. Weird finally seeing the place.
Held a couple of Zaireeka listening parties back in the day.
Those days were kinda special up there in that the whole operation was just getting started. Those are indeed some fantastic records. I'm glad the video gave you an extra insight into it all!
Great video, man! David Fridmann is an absolute hero to me and The Soft Bulletin in particular was a massive influence in how I approach recording and mixing. Squeaky clean is fun, but destruction, and indeed deconstruction, is often more rewarding. As a child, I worshipped the Beatles and, unashamedly, the Moody Blues. Sonic aspirations are my personal fuel. I interned at a lovely studio with beautiful vintage equipment and a fantastic room, but mostly I would bring in stuff I had recorded on the newly released Digi 001 with minimal crappy mics in an unused and thoroughly untreated building in a nursing home and the guys at the studio would say, "You recorded this WHERE and on THAT?!" I'd use an array of 4 tracks for their mic pres and detune snares and tape paper to the top. Fine times! Last note: David's mixing on the new Vampire Weekend album has absolutely catapulted that band into a new level of brilliance!
It sounds like you didn't let limitations limit you in the least! I'm not sure if you know of Blake Mills (Guitarist/Producer) and Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes), but they used to have a band together and I got to do their first recordings. When I was moving overseas, they started doing their own demos on a Digi001 with two mics at their drummer's house. Those demos were INCREDIBLE! I let them borrow some BAE pres, but they couldn't be bothered, and it didn't matter in the slightest. Flavor over fancy!
How do you add these search links into a comment? 🤓 Edit: They're gone now 🫥 Maybe UA-cam dynamically adds these to fitting phrases... In this case "David Friedmann" was blue with a magnifying glass next to it and I could click on it which resulted in a UA-cam search being performed.
This video came up in my list generated by the algorithms that I watch, and I am glad.....any time Dave Fridmann's name comes up in terms of production, I'm intrigued, because as you mention, Dave doesn't do a lot of interviews and tends to let the results speak for themselves. I love your calm, measured demeanor David, and this video was well done! I have subscribed. Fridmann knocked it out of the park with Nick Cave's "Wild God" album......in many ways, I feel that it is Nick''s own "The Soft Bulletin" in terms of lyrics and songwriting. When the topic matter is about death, loss and how to cope amidst tragedy, nothing brings out that humanity more than Fridmann's production and inventive spirit as a guiding hand through that.
I'm excited to hear "Wild God". I haven't had a chance yet. Thanks for the compliments on the video. I'm trying to make it look easy, but it's not always easy!
@@davidpetersmusic "Wild God" channels something magical on every level. :)
I really appreciate this video and talk. I actually attended the recording program at Ithaca College, and ultimately was incredibly disappointed. Everyone was talking about what was going on at fredonia. When I was in High School zaireeka and soft bulletin were the records. When I got to school and realized Friedmann was at Fredonia felt so silly, shouldve been there. Wouldn’t change anything at the end of the day. Moved to NYC and found a path for writing and production. My path felt very against the grain of the conservative conservatory environment my school had. All part of the process and path.
You never know what will inspire you and drive you. Next thing you know you’ve got 20+ years of experience and hanging out with musicians that challenge you. These records sonically sound like nothing else. I would just geek out on that blown out drum sound. Such intentional projects.
Thanks for sharing and what a killer experience you. Truly creative process and unique albums.
For a while I moved back between Ithaca and Syracuse and had a studio built into an old church for about two years. It reminded me of what Dave had done with people traveling in. I was still nowhere near as cool. I'm glad you found your path. I think if you're motivated with a good philosophy it's hard to fail for very long.
Oh awesome! Another SUNY fredonia SRT grad! I haven’t ran into anyone else apart from the people I’ve met while in school, so that’s so cool, I wish they still had that studio C when I was in (2012-16). Dave has been such an important person in my life, he introduced me to my mentor, Greg Snow and got me into electronics repair. I eventually befriended his son Mike, and eventually had some gear that came out of my shop and into Tarbox. Dave is so simple, and I think that is his greatest quality. I miss seeing him and the rest of the family on a regular basis, and happy to say they’ve helped me gain confidence and nerve to be unique and simply, myself. Excellent video, I’ll have to subscribe now!
Hello fellow Tonmeister! Greg Snow was a great help getting my stuff in order back in those days. What are you doing these days and where?
@@davidpetersmusic I work in Las Vegas, I work full time at the show “Awakening” repairing electronics for the Audio and Lighting/SFX/Video departments, and I run a repair shop for mostly audio equipment out of my garage. I specialize in musical instruments and recording/mixing equipment. Greg got me started with audio repairs, helping me go through a repair on a stereo gates tube compressor for the HOD for a capstone project. He is such a great guy, very serious about his craft. I definitely have passed down his technique to my friends and coworkers who I’ve taught how to solder connectors and stuff like that.
@@jonathanclarke2582 It’s such an important skill to carry forward. It’s getting harder and harder to find good musical equipment techs, even here in LA. I’m glad you found your path and that it’s working well for you. We both got lucky having Dave as a mentor!
Instant sub! 🤘 Ok here’s a fun secret weapon. Rockman Distortion Generator. It’s Tom Scholz (guitarist of Boston) custom designed transistor distortion circuit, but this particular unit has built in EQ bands, which is custom tailored for distortion. The real secret weapon part is this. Don’t use it on guitar like you’re ‘supposed’ to. Use it on drums, synths, vocals, anything. Especially in parallel. It can do nasty creamy wonders. You can still find it for not horribly expensive, on eBay/Reverb. Though the prices have gone up pretty drastically since i bought one in the 90s.
I do love parallel distortion! I'll check it out. Thanks for the tip!
I definitely will check with my Rockman, too! Another favorite distortion box is the Pigtronix Polysaturator - a multiband parallel distortion pedal. Learned that trick from Vance Powell!
wonderful piece! have always been attracted to flaming lips’ crunchy drum sounds and been curious to learn more on who their producer has been. they all seem like a great creative team w lots of personality, bringing story into everything. thank you for your stories; what a cool experience you’ve had.
I appreciate you taking the time to watch it! Dave Fridmann's production world is unique and a fun place to explore!
6:50 kool miki berenyi and peter kember!!
Fascinating and very engaging. Loved this!
Thank YOU for posting so much amazing (and helpful) Lips content! Your channel was a great resource and a joy to dig around.
@@davidpetersmusic My pleasure, glad you found it useful! :)
Loving this video, David. Willpower and resourcefulness seem to go a lot further than any "ideal circumstances." This is a lesson I'm still learning.
Speaking of stories, I would never exploit a loophole personally, but a friend of mine *cough* got tired of going without acoustic treatment in the house he rented and not being able to tear up the walls. Instead he essentially built a pergola that lines the walls and ceiling of the room and he mounted all the ceiling acoustic treatment to it. Floor standing treatment where possible. 25 2x4 foot panels with 7" rockwool cores. The whole project took about a year, including building the treatment. There are solutions to everything. I'm amazed at how hard The Flaming Lips worked to make the music they wanted to make. That takes a lot of perseverance and determination.
That's what I'm talking about! Finding novel ways around obstacles! Creativity applies not only in the studio, but in getting into the studio. I have so many more stories like that. Just about everyone in this business does. It's kinda a requirement.
Great video thank you for making this!
Happy it found a welcoming audience!
Great story! His son Mike mixed my latest record and was incredibly helpful in bringing my ideas to life
I barely remember them as wee little things. It's amazing to think of them as full-blown producer/engineers now. How cool. I love that Tarbox is now a family business.
So glad you finally did it! Thank you so much! :)
It felt good to remember it all and make the video. I'm glad you liked it!
Great video, Dave's been my favourite producer since The Soft Bulletin came out
He's definitely a producer's producer!
Thank you so much for this! If I see something was done with Dave I pretty much know for sure that at least sonically I’m in for a treat. A legend in my book.
I remember when Zaireeka came out. I was in college and I got a copy immediately. I corralled friends I had made in my dorm to put together the 4 stereos and I was floored (I think it even impressed some “jocks” that were in earshot). I was already a big fan of Transmissions, Clouds, and The Soft Bulletin. But this was another level. Extremely inspiring.
For a time I had a solo project called Roybot. Kind of an indie synth pop thing. My live show was me plus 3 pre recorded versions of myself played on stacked TV’s. Certainly inspired by Zaireeka.
Anyhow… I just love that Dave is also such a regular audio nerd. He fits in with these “freaks” so unassumingly with the best attitude.
I do hope he grants more interviews when he’s ready for that. Until then, keep ‘em coming, sir! 🫡
Roy Silverstein
Rarefied Recording
San Diego, CA
I love the Roybot concept! I was listening to Clouds Taste Metallic the moment I decided I needed to move to LA (...before the porn speech) It was fun and fulfilling to bring back these memories. David does have at lease one interview on the Recording Studio Rockstars podcast and some of this interview footage was from a great Pitchfork doc on The Soft Bulletin. It's on UA-cam and worth a watch. I look forward to checking out the studio one of these days!
@@davidpetersmusic thanks! It was fun but unfortunately lost to time. I have no Roybot videos or anything, sadly. There is a Dave Fridmann Working Class Audio podcast episode too, I know. Thanks for pointing out these others. And my doors are open to you anytime! Cheers!
Was listening to King of nails by Sparklehorse yesterday. Those drums, they sound sooo Flaming Lips on The Soft Bulletin. Could it be?
Ohhh yeah, mister David Fridmann!
Love it!!
So many times I hear something new I like only to find out it's from someone I'm already a fan of!
Really enjoyed this video! This is the kind of video you have to watch a few times over to fully absorb everything haha
It's dense! And I, of course, welcome multiple viewings. 😇
Thanks so very much for this. Very helpful as I'm moving forward on a new creative endeavor. Cheers! Subscribed.
@@chuckart2006 Make sure you enjoy the process and it’s already a win! Wishing you the best on it.
Great stories man. I really believe in the idea that you just go for things and doors open that you’ve never even considered as you move forward.
I was playing in bands and recorded with this producer guy who had mixes on the radio and I somehow ended up as his assistant on a bunch of stuff.
It doesn’t have to be too complicated but you do have to be in a position to interact with people on a regular basis.
Eventually other people started to realize that I existed. More doors. It happens in every business. I’ve done a lot of stuff. A lot of times you just need one opening. One yes.
I’m basically repeating parts of the video, but I’ve lived that wisdom and have found it to be important and true across a wide range of situations.
There's no better way to learn it than to learn it yourself through experience. Say yes when you can, show up, look for unexplored opportunities. It usually works out pretty well!
David, wonderful video. salute to you
I appreciate it. For some reason I felt this video was a risk. I'm glad it's landing for people.
Great combination of personal anecdotes and insight into the process! Thank you very much, and greetings from Berlin :)
@@grimsontube One fun part of UA-cam is making things that get sent across the an instant. Glad you enjoyed it!
Cool Video. Long time fan of Dave's. I mixed on an Otari Series 54 a couple of times. Otari made some great boards and I almost never hear anyone talk about them.
I see the Concept Elite and Status Elite boards going pretty cheap out there. I only ever experienced Dave's, but I always wondered if the automation and everything could still be used today. Seems like they could be a great bang-for-buck console if so!
@@davidpetersmusic If you could figure out how to tie the automated faders out to midi control a Daw, it could be pretty cool controller/summer/input front end. All these big consoles for that early 90's era are going for pennies these days. They ALL need work
Lots of untapped potential there if someone could figure that out.
love. thanks for this sir.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Love David Friedmann’s work on the Mercury Rev Deserter’s Songs album and the Flaming Lips Soft Bulletin. Great stuff!
I was around for a little bit of both, though less for Deserter's Songs. But when that album came out I really really loved it.
@@davidpetersmusicI feel those two albums are some of the most amazing albums ever recorded. The songs are amazing and the sonic qualities are just original and memorable. What I really liked about soft bulletin was the positive lyrics that were so hopeful and positive almost reassuring. I remember being a little burnt out with the darker themes on Ok computer and then hearing the soft bulletin and just feeling good and positive. Funny times the 90’s hahaha
I completely agree. Wayne made a comment about the album being labeled as them singing sad songs, but he turned it around and described it as singing songs because we're sad. I think that's where the uplifting lyrics came from. They were in a tough spot in those days, but I found Wayne to be genuinely positive and earnest. He was looking for the upside of it all.
@@davidpetersmusic that message totally came through to the listener. Changed my life. Cheers gents!
Thanks so much for making these videos. I am enjoying them massively. I'm subscribed & very much looking forward to the next one. Greetings from England btw
Hello to England! I actually lived in London for a couple years and loved it. What type of videos are your favorite?
@@davidpetersmusic The level loc ep was awesome (I'm going to buy a levelor later this month) but the ep on your experiences with David Fridmann & his approach to creativity was so inspiring. I'm a composer for Noiser podcasts & I spend most of my time trying to increase my efficiency & technical knowledge whilst trying to keep a playfulness & a spontaneity. All of your content so far has been unlike other things I've seen & I often laugh out loud at the humour. You obviously spend a lot of time & thought into these & after the first ep I subscribed immediately & I will undoubtedly watch everything you put out. Cheers for replying to my message, all the best 👍
Practicing both the playful side and the technical side is a great way to be comfortable in both when it comes time to balance those spinning plates! I was just talking with Ian from Standard Audio and it looked like several boxes of Level-Ors were on their way out the door. Maybe yours!
I think your approach to this video makes a lot of sense, as Dave’s mindset seems more critical than the gear.
Though I had my own small studio already, this was the first time I had been in the room where real records were being made. PLus they were pulling off something that seemed impossible on paper. There was something much bigger picture going on than some cool special FX!
Love me some Tarbox. Right down the road from me.
Used to be right down the road from me, however, not so much now. ...but I kinda wish it was!
@@davidpetersmusic I am from Jamestown and attended Fredonia. I have a project I am working on that would serve the space well. Really happy to hear of your background and ties to the 716. Chautauqua County is beautiful this time of year.
I miss those leaves! We get a little of it in LA, but nothing like NY, and not until December usually.
Love it
This mades me happy
I got my first studio staff job by telling the studio manager, who was screening me, that I could solder.
I got hired that day.
@@tekis0 That would have worked on me too!
Ha! You made it. Thank you.
Nice twist to this sort of UA-cam video. You have a unique style of story telling.
May the algorithm gods bless your channel.
I'm glad I was able to deliver! So far the algorithm does NOT like this video. It's doing about 20% what the Level-Loc video did, but it's a much bigger "ask" to watch this one.
Hi, thanks for making this video! I've been a fan of Dave for a long time but any information is so hard to come by. I enjoyed the video and your relaxed and comforting demeanour. Were you present for any mixing sessions with Dave and if so was there anything notable about them?
I was there off and on as they were mixing. What was notable to me was less about the gear and more about his demeanor. There was a lot of trying stuff, discarding it, trying again, discarding again, etc. It was a long time ago, so remembering what gear was wired up and exactly what it was doing is difficult, especially since it was always a moving target! Also, each sound was not the result of one tool, but a blend and interaction of many things. In those early days the H3000 was a big part of it. He got distortion in lots of ways, often from overloading particular boxes.
@@davidpetersmusic Thank you! Oh yeah I'm definitely not overly interested in specific gear. My introduction to Dave's work was in listening to and loving the Lip's Clouds Taste Metallic. I doubt there's a whole lot of overlap of what he used on that record to what he uses today but it's still so recognisably Fridmann. I was listening to the new Magdalena Bay album last week and it sounded amazing so looked up who mixed it and, of course it was Dave. I didn't clock it because it didn't have his super obvious hallmarks but it does have that energy and impact and little touches that work even though they seem like they shouldn't. I'm sure a lot of it comes down to that patience and persistence you've described, being open and undaunted and just chipping away at it. (That plus some amount of phase manipulation potentially involving this H3000 you mention)
He is definitely an H3000 master! I'll have to check out the Magdalena Bay record.
Duuude you responded to the fridmann plea! Thanks for your point of view on all this
It was a story worth telling. Thanks for the idea!
Did Dr Steve Brule record Brule’s rules at tarbox?
Inspiring. I love the F’Lips - the Sight of Sound book was an excellent read and it’s great hearing your experience with the band and Fridmann (2 ns?) anyway. Thank you for sharing.
I bet Fridmann would make a great Brule record. If anyone could...
I'll have to check out that book!
I wish, I have my eye on one on ebay in the UK so i haven't paid for one just yet. it looks like my idea of a good time though 😁. Once this quarters PRS payment comes through then I'm gonna jump on it immediately
Lots of fun, cheap way to distort things in the meantime!
Oh my goodness kid in a candy store! Dave is a ghost online! Need to get into Tarbox some day!
Dave is certainly a humble, understated dude. Fun times.
great thoughtful vid!
Thank you! I worry people are coming for gear secrets and all they get is some stinking philosophy.
Great stuff David! AAA
Many thanks! I appreciate the comment.
I’m in the picture @5:30 !
Fun! What that a Fridmann class listening thing? A session?
I think it was an Atmos thing! Hi fellow Fred SRT alumni??
goodjob
@@jonathanclarke2582 yes indeed. His son Jon was having a dolby atmos masterclass at tarbox
@@chinmeysway thankyou
Recorded and stayed there in 99 the same week I got married. Now by strange coincidence I live down the street but I do all my recording at home :) I remember being pretty mystified at the time by the Otari recorder because this was still basically the ADAT era and the Otari seemed pretty next level by comparison.
My early days were a Mackie 32x8, 3 ADATs and some Alesis Reverbs. The Otari was definitely a whole other animal! What did you record there?!
Hey I was one of those comments! Talk about delivery, thanks David 😬
Glad it landed! Did it show up in your feed in a noticeable way? This video is moving MUCH slower than the others. Maybe no one likes David Fridmann? haha
@@davidpetersmusic it did, but I am subscribed and was looking forward to this video so take that with a grain of salt.
Did the video deliver what you hoped? I'm wondering if people will be disappointed it's not a "gear secrets" thing.
This delivered a pleasant surprise. Kind of rises above the gear curiosity we have and scratches a different itch. Life lessons. If you ever feel like making a more mixing-oriented video on the recording/mixing lessons you gained during your time at tarbox then we’d love to hear more. Ya know like 10 surprising recording/mixing techniques you noticed or how he mixes drums to be crunchy and present yet distant (parallel processing?), or how he applies distortion so heavily without ruining a mix (loved your Frid-gyver graphic eq distortion story!) or maybe what he does with those eventide boxes you mentioned. Wonder if that’s how he turns the mono drum mics you talked about into a stereo drum sound? Anyway thanks for the stories and your overall encouragement!
That would be fun, but I have two concerns: It's been a long time since I was there and a lot of details I don't remember. And I'd be uncomfortable sharing another engineer's methods, especially when I was invited in as a guest.
priest driven ambulance is great!!
I've had the vinyl version of Zaireeka since it came out, still haven't played it.
Getting four turntable systems together is no easy task! At least with the CDs we had portable units back in the day.
@@davidpetersmusic Indeed, haha! To be clear, this was expected. I do have multiple turntables but never enough systems, speakers etc. I still appreciate the conceptual aspect of the project tho.
Im a mediocre bedroom musician, casual Lips fan, and have no interest in getting into production. That said i really enjoyed the video. These kinds of stories are endlessly fascinating to me. Thanks for sharing!
@@morganghetti I love this comment, because although the video is told through a production lens, the real story here is about the philosophy and adventure of creativity.
@@davidpetersmusic agreed.
awesome nuggets thankuuuu
Thank you for checking it out! I hope it was helpful.
Do you know if he used the audimax a4440 much? I use one to squash my drum room ribbon
I know he has them there but I'm not sure where they were used most. He had lots of interesting smashers in the racks!
What an enjoyable, excellent video!
A lot of things to agree with, and a great mix of practical insight, fun recollections, music trivia, mindset and life philosophy.
BTW as you asked for "stories" r.e. bold moves and opportunities, I might have several good ones, one of which could be the one you'll find in the description of this video, from an a totally other, weirder era and place, way back in 1989:
ua-cam.com/video/jQbF-4EBD94/v-deo.html
Enjoy - cheers from Europe and keep up the great work with this channel!
So many artists have fascinating stories like these. It's almost a necessary part of being an artist!
did u meet mercury rev?
Very briefly, not enough to remark upon.
are those ALTEC 1591A's in the background i see?
In my studio? Altec RS124's (converted from 438A's). I think Dave Fridmann had 1591's at his place though.
You just have the best energy about you man! Love watching your videos. Have a horrible flu right now and its providing me a nice distraction ❤️
Sad to hear about the flu. Happy to receive the supportive comment! The next few videos will be more gear-oriented, but super fun, uncovered stuff!
When I offer suggestions to people I am working with I like to say if I wasn’t interested in what you were doing and thought you could accomplish it I wouldn’t offer my opinion. If I thought you were wasting time I’d smile, say that’s great, thanks, and move on
The more you care, the more of yourself you share!
Mos def 🤟
😎
Rule 1: The first band i joined in high school, I got in by saying I played keyboard which was a bit of an exaggeration, and then when I got it I said you know I’m actually better at guitar. 😂
There ya go! Making it work!
Having a keyboard is the same as playing the keyboard as far as auditioning for a band goes 😆😆
Unless you're auditioning for YES
My dog hit “dislike” at around 27:08 😂
Now everyone shares my discomfort, even the dog! muwahahahahaha!
i almost hit the dislike button during that part as well i thought i was having a stroke! haha
@@blashuvec They say showing is better than telling!
He is an incredible bass player. And not mentioning Mercury Rev? Ok
Yes, Dave is a great bass player and founding member of Mercury Rev. This video was not a documentary on Dave, it was about what I took away from the Flaming Lips sessions. A documentary of Dave would be 3 hour epic.
5:30 oh dear.
What about it? The shot from the ceiling?
@@davidpetersmusic It's pretty evident.
Idk what you’re talking about, it’s obviously students listening to Atmos with Dave’s son John….
it's a nice story but i agree that it's a bit wishy washy