MWTM Q&A #10 - Tchad Blake

Exceptional Week-Long Music Production Seminars
www.mixwiththemasters.com
The MIX With The MASTERS Seminar Series is a chance for recording and mixing engineers to come and work closely with A-List record producers, engineers and mixers and improve their skills in music production. The events take place in the outstanding Studio La Fabrique, in the South of France.
At the end of his Weeklong Seminar in April 2014, Mixer Tchad Blake took the time to answer a few questions from the MWTM Facebook Page.

[@Recordingcrave]

Tschad is one of my favorites. I just love his attitude and willingness to share. I love that he's embracing the new the way he is and does not have the attitude of " the old outboard gear or go home." He had a great interview on Pensado's Place as well.

[@AdamFiregate]

agree, great guy

[@BradDollar]

Love Tchad's zoomed out perspective.

[@MikeHeebz]

Tchad is definitely one of the greatest audio engineers of our time! Thanks for sharing, always great information. =)

[@FuzzFace80]

Thanks Tchad! What a champ.

[@cboidan]

These are awesome suggestions and it's awesome to see a rad dude being cool about giving away wisdom. Thanks MWTM!

[@JunkyardSam]

Good Q&A session. I love Tchad's approach to mixing. That style and sound...

[@CreatorsMediaTools]

I'll never be anything but a hobbyist, but Tchad easily inspires me to jump into my stuff and push some tracks around! Loved the suggestion on short reverbs and keeping that low end full. Thanks, Tchad!

[@Hexspa]

"push tracks around" I like that.

[@Barncore]

This is gold

[@AdamFiregate]

I liked the suggestion on Altiverb and Valhalla reverbs need to try them out someday :). Also the multiple types of plugins to use them just for minimal colouration (tape sim, amp sim, decapitator, compression).

[@GamalielRios]

My God, his voice has changed. I hope he's ok. He's one of my favs.

[@NormSpupsEntertainment]

I heard the fella had a pretty aggressive cancer :( think radiotherapy or something must have damaged his voice, but he's beaten it AFAIK

[@GamalielRios]

Super glad to hear that he's ok. Thanks for the info.

[@jackfrost3919]

I know hey! Love Billy Bob Thorton!

[@jjjuhg]

a lot of good tips that he gave with such modesty. Thank you! Comparing to him, others don't look so nice people :-D

[@GweeGwee]

thank you

[@danielsmeyer]

This is amazing. The direct answers on plugin chains are sensational.

[@loveledyouhere]

the coolest

[@galaxophone]

I'm sure it's way too late for Tchad to see any of this, but I am curoius about plugins when it comes to major producers who probably own all of them. How do you decide what plugin to use for any given reason? Tchad's description of his plugs reminds me so much of the way I see this massive library, remembering how to get to things I like but never remembering their names/ numbers/ etc. If he really uses some half-to-whole-dozen different limiters for different vocals, how does he make the final choice? Try all of the typically vocal-friendly limiters, fiddle with each for 5 min or so, and go with what sounds best? Is there a formlua that says "#1 is best for deep female voice... #2 for male falsetto... #3 for backup gospel choir..." etc. (and, if so, where can I see this), did you personally decide what's best for what after years of fiddling, or do you just try all of them every session to be sure you get the right one? I tend to lean towards the last option, which really amplifies the stress of time limits. I can see myself sorting out a better way over many years, but I'm interested to know plugin-picking techniques to maximize efficiency if anyone out there has any.

[@desmondsunstrum6260]

Why is the intro music so much louder than the presenter? Makes me think whoever is editing the MWTM series don't really know what they are doing sonically! LOL.

[@Hexspa]

Doesn't care about mono. Well fuck.

[@n3r173]

thank you