Analog Meets Digital: Mixing Masterclass with Joel Hamilton [Tom Waits, Black Keys, Highly Suspect]

In this mixing masterclass for MixCon 2023, Joel Hamilton of Studio G takes us under the hood of a mix for notable indie folk / al country artist, Sparklehorse.
Learn how he mixes on an analog SSL 4000 G console, surrounded by analog hardware, yet still uses digital plugins as a crucial part of his workflow.
Big thanks to Plugin Alliance for helping make this free to the public. Check out anything they make for free at plugin-allianc...
Catch the live Q&A with Joel after the main masterclass here: kzbin.info...
Enter for 3 changes to win over $10k in free gear at the MixCon Mega Giveaway here: delicious-audi...
►Mixing Breakthroughs here: mixingbreakthr...
►Compression Breakthroughs: compressionbre...
►Mastering Demystified here: MasteringDemys...
►Become a Member! Join this channel for access to perks:
/ @sonicscoop
►See free audio tutorial videos with Justin here:
• Justin Colletti Videos...
►Get the free mastering workshop:
sonicscoop.com...
►Get the free mixing workshop:
sonicscoop.com...
►Win free stuff at
sonicscoop.com...
►Subscribe to the podcast or leave a rating and review here:
Apple: podcasts.apple...
Spotify: open.spotify.c...
#mixcon #mixingengineer #masterclass #mixingmusic #JoelHamilton #audioengineer #audiomixing #musicmixing #musicproducer #sparklehorse #tomwaits #highlysuspect #blackkeys #blakroc #rickrubin #studiog #brooklyn #brooklynrecordingstudio #recordingstudio #sslconsole #ssl #4000G #pluginalliance #analogconsole #ssl400g #marklinkous

[@SonicScoop]

►Join us for the live Q&A here: kzbin.infoURJpNzB5c4w?feature=share ►Thanks to Plugin Alliance for making this free to the public: plugin-alliance.com ►Enter the Mega Giveaway here: delicious-audio.com/mixcon-mega-giveaway/

[@richieritz5803]

This was one of the best Sonicscoop video not just for its musical content but for everything that Joel Hamilton said about his approach, the human aspect, the important lesson to always listen and to de-route from your personal agenda and serve the song with what it wants to convey. Once again, whether it's analog or in the box or hybrid vision is what matters, and it's something that can be achieved both ways within a finite set of tools.

[@SonicScoop]

100%!! One of my favorites of all time too. -Justin

[@Rhuggins]

Agree 100%

[@mdfried]

Joel is breathtakingly articulate. It's a real privilege to listen to him, thank you!

[@rome8180]

Man, I'm excited to watch this one. Sparklehorse is one of my all-time favorite bands/solo projects. They didn't put out a single album I don't love. The music is beautiful and the lyrics are evocative. I highly recommend checking out the album It's a Wonderful Life if you enjoy this. While I can get something useful out of any your mixing masterclasses, my favorite ones are where the mixer is working on the kind of music I'd actually listen to and make. I rewatch your Catherine Marks mixing masterclass regularly.

[@SonicScoop]

Awesome to hear Rome! So glad you are digging it. -Justin

[@fernandomendes-edicaodeaud2421]

Hey Joel, I want to say that is awesome to ear your talking about the mix, you are very far from the cliché explanations, I can see sincerity and feeling, not marketing. Thank you very much! Also, thank you SonicScoop for getting this video together. This means that still exists people that mix with feeling and emotion, not just for profit. Thank you again Joel.

[@diggmo]

Wow! I'm not knowingly familiar with Joel, but while listening to this I find myself wanting to write a record just so I can work with him. And I wish records I've been involved with could have gone to him. Thanks for making this happen!

[@lastdaysguitar]

Sparklehorse is a very unique group - I remember listening to one of their early albums several years ago and never heard anything quite like them before or since.

[@rome8180]

All their albums are great. I highly recommend their whole catalogue, but especially the album It's a Wonderful Life.

[@borisgrigull7772]

I like how the computer is off to the side, It says a lot and is making me rethink my own setup.. Thanks for the efforts you's make!

[@harithalfadhil2288]

Why is it off to the side tho ?

[@tonykitson195]

Wow. If ever you need a video of an engineer working in the service of the song, then this is a great example. Joel gets into the whole story of this heartachingly beautiful song and does what he can to honour that story. Many thanks.

[@craigligman]

Joel is bar none one of my absolute favorite engineers / producers I have ever listened to. His passion depth and articulation of conveying his vision, then breaking it down into how he mixes that vision is the best. I could listed to him all day long, such an inspiration! Would love to see more from Joel, thank you Justin and Sonicscoop for putting this out!

[@SonicScoop]

Agreed on all fronts Craig! Thanks for tuning in. -Justin

[@gavinvanvlack4561]

Absolutely brilliant.

[@Audiojunkk]

Excellent stuff. Love mixcon every year! Thanks again for making these wonderful videos

[@GloveBunniesVideos]

Amazing how such a subtle song can have such an impact. Very cool!

[@ajlambe1340]

Really loved this description and song! Great!

[@peterpeper4837]

Great to listen to Joel ! Thank you !

[@ernestbuckley8671]

Good stuff. Enjoyed Joels thorough explanation into how he approaches a mix.

[@marcdanielnelson317]

Excellent video Joel and Justin. Watched the whole thing!

[@SonicScoop]

So awesome to hear Marc! Thanks for tuning in. -Justin

[@WayneDawkinsThePartyMan]

It is very nice that you did this it shows the possibility. Great song by the way. Even from 2010. Sorry the no father part got me. Good to see how you use the visual digital eq to work quickly

[@redbigapplefloppa302]

With each new SonicScoop video i watch, i want to comment that the guest has great new insights for me. But i think at this point it's really adequate to compliment justin for his great curations :)

[@SonicScoop]

So awesome to hear! Thanks for tuning in! -Justin

[@zackorr421]

This was amazing

[@Sagerydian]

I feel like the tech we use today as audio engineers has so drastically improved in quality and ease of use in the last decade - and most of it is really affordable too! It is much much much harder though to find stuff that is worth being recorded in such a pristine way. Sometimes I sit in the studio, carving out some tasty transients in a lead vocal and I have a smile on my face, cause the sound is so amazing and then I listen to the whole song and I think: what the hell is even that, what am I doing here????! With gear the greatest bands of all times could only dream of, I record a "la leee hey doo doo, don't take my hand across the sand" song.

[@bobomark4136]

I used to mix like this in last 30 years. At the end of the day music is for general public. How many audio scientists like us to discover how to mix .. I wake up

[@johndugan3798]

Mark's legacy seems to be in good hands with Joel. Loved this!

[@nayanmirza2507]

Great Video... please make dave kutch video..

[@sub-jec-tiv]

I appreciate that the videos on this channel are both professional and adult-level, but also contemporary and not stuck in the past. So much half-baked bologna out there on both sides of the ‘brash youngsters who hate the idea of anything being difficult’ and ‘old crusty acolytes who hate new ideas’ spectrum… I rarely ever feel like that stuff is helpful to me as an engineer of 25+ years. Videos here are probably helpful to younger engineers, but also, particularly in these guest spots, you have people talking concept. Which at this point is more interesting and helpful than the umpteenth version of ‘what’s the knee do on a compressor?’ Not that technique videos aren’t useful, but you’ve got those covered nicely (as do 200 other people), so it’s cool to hear some more conceptual/creative perspectives. Sets you apart.

[@apatt]

GREAT JOB!

[@Rhuggins]

What an absolute genius

[@PhatLvis]

Awesome. More analog mixing, please. Despite terrific advancements and unique capabilities, plugins have never measured up to the Real Thing, and likely never will. Would be nice if he showed and told more about analog settings and moves.

[@AlexisBerthelot-u8l]

who said : "if you cant do it with a D112 then you are the problem?"

[@xicoamc]

I always say: if you can't do it with a 57 then you are the problem

[@natura808]

“If you can’t do it wit a 251 then you clearly a problem” Dalai Lama

[@ryken_]

lmao

[@eranddroory9987]

Another paid promotion video...

[@Rhuggins]

What are you even talking about

[@SonicScoop]

Would you prefer us not to have sponsors and not do videos?? And did you even watch the video? The sponsorship placement on MixCon videos is extremely limited. If you actually watched the video and typed that, I would be shocked. -Justin

[@Rhuggins]

@@SonicScoop zero percent chance he even watched

[@ernestbuckley8671]

Yes, most of these videos on YT are sponsored but Joel used a real SSL console, a hardware Distressor, and several UAD plug ins... and they did not sponsor the video.... not sure what you`re getting at. Did you actually watch the entire video?