Michael Jackson’s recording engineer’s fascinating new book

“The Bruce Swedien Recording Method” is chock full of the legendary engineer’s wisdom. It’s a great read for engineers and audiophiles of any age.

Grammy Award winning recording engineer Bruce Swedien received his first nomination in 1962 for Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” and Swedien went on to record and mix most of Michael Jackson’s albums, including “Thriller,” the best-selling album of all time. Swedien also worked with Donna Summer and has been nominated for a total of 13 Grammys.

Even if you’re preparing to record a local band or Arcade Fire, the wealth of information between the covers of “The Bruce Swedien Recording Method” paperback book will give you a lot to think about. It’s not just for engineers, audiophiles will find the book a fascinating read.

You can also watch the man in action on the included DVD-ROM, and learn about what great sound is all about. He talked about picking the right microphone to do the job, and even with all his years of experience, he was always open to experimenting with mics. Listening is key, and he wound up using a Shure SM7 mic on Jackson’s vocals for “Thriller,” even though Swedien never previously thought of that mic as a great vocal mic.

You’re not going to find the right mic choice on Google, you have to figure it out for yourself, by listening to the sound, making corrections, and listening again. Swedien thinks it’s important to know first hand what unamplified instruments really sound like, because that helps form your “aural benchmark.” I agree, that sort of ear training is crucial, even if you’re only going to record amplified or electronic music.

Read More & Order: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-57614062-47/michael-jacksons-recording-engineers-fascinating-new-book/

Source: cnet / MJ-Upbeat.com