Michael Beinhorn | AES 2014 Ask Me Anything

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At AES 2014, Audio-Technica had an informative Ask Me Anything session with Michael Beinhorn.
Across his accomplished career, producer Michael Beinhorn has worked with some of the biggest names in rock and beyond - including Herbie Hancock, Marilyn Manson, Soundgarden, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Hole…just to name a few. Among these artists, Beinhorn is credited with producing many of their “career records” - including “Superunknown” by Soundgarden, “Celebrity Skin” by Hole and “Mechanical Animals” by Marilyn Manson. Each of these projects was either the most successful and/or well-received recording by its artist. In fact, during the week of September 15, 1998, Beinhorn achieved the distinction of being the first-ever record producer to have two records simultaneously debut in the Billboard Top Ten, with “Celebrity Skin” at #9 and “Mechanical Animals” at #1, respectively.
Beinhorn went on to produce and develop artists for Atlantic Records in the years that followed, contracting with the label as a Vice-President of A&R. While in this position, he helped develop an artist named Brent Smith, who eventually formed the band Shinedown - one of Atlantic’s most successful rock bands. During this time, he also had the opportunity to work with other artists such as Pharrell Williams and Outkast on the soundtrack to Oliver Stone’s hit film “Any Given Sunday”.
Beinhorn continues to produce records for a wide variety of artists, from “Untouchables” by Korn and “…And The Glass-Handed Kites” by Mew to “Nobody’s Daughter” by Courtney Love.
But his work doesn’t stop there - in addition to his success as a producer, Beinhorn can add programmer, performer, songwriter, arranger, mixer, and engineer to his repertoire. He is also an accomplished fine artist and writer, continually pursuing his passion for free, creative expression through as many avenues as possible.
The questions that Michael Beinhorn answered from the audience and from the Internet include:
1.) [00:02:30] How did you get started in the business?
2.) [00:03:19] The new home project studios, has that put a dent into the business your in, as far as the professional producer?
3.) [00:05:19] Who is one of your mentors that you feel helped you greatly throughout your career?
[00:08:00] So he encouraged you to express yourself creatively? (Stew Martin)
4.) [00:08:30] What do you consider the best moment of your career?
5.) [00:09:39] Did you always know music was the direction you wanted to go in, or did you have other things in mind?
6.) [00:10:33] Do you have a background in music theory, or is that helpful to a producer?
7.) [00:11:04] How did you land the super unknown gig with Sound Guard?
8.) [00:11:47] George Martin claims he is the fifth Beatle and Howard Stern says, “he just suddenly turned on the tap recorder,” where do you stand on that?
9.) [00:13:17] You’re kind of known for using modular synthesizers in making records. How do you relate the process of sound design for synthesize to sound designing recorded sound?
10.) [00:15:13] With the advent of EDM, do you think rock is dead?
11.) [00:15:41] Do you think the way we make records influences the record itself, in other words, does it matter if it is analog or digital? Or is there something more important to that?
12.) [00:16:52] What has been your most challenging music undertaking to date?
13.) [00:19:13] Phil Spector was known as being a very authoritative producer and taking control of the sessions. Do you believe that was too much control, too much authoritarianism or should a producer kind of go fade into the background and let the artist take more control of the session?
14.) [00:20:17] With that being said, I know that in the industry you have to have a tough skin, but what is one of the clients that you really enjoyed working with and would you like to re-live that incident?
15.) [00:21:47] What is your opinion on brick wall recording?
16.) [00:22:42] With a $50,000 to $75,000 budget can you do the same kind of great work for that kind of money; can you make a great album for that kind of money?
17.) [00:26:44] Away from your work, what is it that you enjoy as a hobby?
18.) [00:27:23] What genre of music would you like to work with that you haven’t yet?
19.) [00:27:56] Have you ever had artistic differences with the band or the artist to the point where you had to walk off or say you don’t want your name on the project anymore?
20.) [00:28:44] What’s the longest time you’ve ever taking to record a song?
21.) [00:29:08] What are you listening to now?
For a full biography, visit www.michaelbeinhorn.com.

[@MichaelHawke1978]

yeaahh Michael ....we love you man