SonicScoop's Power Sessions: Chris Lord-Alge - Part 2 "Mixing & the Magic Chains"

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In this video, Chris Lord-Alge talks about his never-look-back style of mixing in Studio G at Avatar Studios in an interview with NYC artist/engineer Erica Glyn.

[@dizzyvisionz4493]

I got to operate a SSL 4000g and I'm telling you it's a boss,!!! Much respect to the older guys who worked to perfect these boards.

[@emmittbrazillesr.897]

Chris is the man.. That guys experience is almost boundless in this profession.. If I could afford it, I would have him mix everything I make.

[@TheShpmusic]

I love this engineer attitude he is the greatest at what he does and that's music.

[@rhythmdroid]

So if they ever make a dramatic biopic based on CLA's life...I'm thinkin Nicolas Cage....

[@diregremo]

RhythmDroid... it would definitely have to be dramatic.

[@koreanfriedchildren]

i came here for this comment

[@joshi.vaidik]

And also cla could be in Nicolas Cage's biopic too

[@yoyoyayu]

The interruption of the enumeration at 7:20 is so fucking hilarious hahaha

[@EtcEtcAndEtc]

The fact that people pay a fortune for Chris to mix their records means that the multitrack is provided to him in the best possible condition.... So 3 hours of mixing, without having to rescue sounds, do much editing, etc, is totally reasonable. No disrespect to Chris' art, but he's in a very lucky position and people should take that into account - I think mix engineers get more credit than songwriters and performers a lot of the time!

[@diregremo]

EtcEtcAndEtc Yeah, he can mix in three hours, because his assistant spends even longer editing all the music.

[@mrNCSUman]

Well this didn’t age well, nowadays you can complete a mix in an hour if you aren’t second guessing yourself and know what you’re going for

[@roflcopterrr]

I don't get this. does CLA think that people prefer to mix on a laptop because they want to? Or because not everyone can afford a $70,000 SSL console?

[@RapjackLP]

70k? That´s cute, but I would say 50/50

[@roflcopterrr]

+RapjackLP sorry - 200,000 SSL, 60,000 in preamps and another 50000 on mics

[@andrewsinclair5899]

Prices have gone down over the years

[@djvartan]

Best interviewer ever.

[@kimrunic5874]

Does anyone know where I can buy some magic chains

[@diegooliveirabenjamin]

Yeah, Vintage King, Sound Pure and Sweetwater :)

[@p.m-audio]

waves - Cla signature series , there you have it all

[@kylestewart4444]

One of the biggest parts of getting a good mix done in a good amount of time is being able to commit and not mess around going back and forth. There's always time for some experimentation but you shouldn't be trying to figure out what tools and components you like whilst in the process of mixing.

[@jonmatthews4254]

3 hour mixes! That takes a lot of experience!

[@jinjer9313]

Let's see.. 2 OHs, 2-3 rooms, kick in/out, snare top/bottom, 2-4 toms, a kick sample, 1-2 snare samples =12-16 drums alone. Vocals usually have a good amount of doubles, plus backing tracks for stereo so you're anywhere from 4-20 sometimes bigger than that. let's not also forget something like MCR's Welcome to the Black Parade where they have bigger marching band type tracks, plus percussion. Just with vocals and drums/percussion/SFX alone you can have upwards to 100 tracks. If you're all about guitar tones as well, like Foo Fighters you also have a wall of guitar tracks blended to achieve a specific tone. None of that mentionedt (possibly guitars, I'll admit) but people take that as there's a lot of separate things going on when really the track count on common things can eat up close to 50 and even 100.

[@sweliam1]

Jinjer 93 With sends and auxes, 40-50 tracks is bare minimum. Most projects I work on end up around 60-70 and the largest I've done was 170.

[@ClevelandEscape]

I'm sure someone said it all ready but Nicholas cage? He even acts like him lol

[@arectrotheofficial1278]

+Kookalash I said it, its his doppleganger

[@ClevelandEscape]

ArectroThe Official o0o lol he is for sure

[@dorianwolff9538]

LMAO I was just about to post the same thing, but you beat me to it by far.

[@federicolobello9846]

Me too ahaha was posting it, he is so similar to Nicolas Cage lol

[@StereoAnthony]

The console is and SSL. Not sure what the series is but it's likely either one of a kind, rare, or super custom.

[@jwelshmanmusic]

It's an SSL 4K G+

[@frankpaws]

Love Chris, but the 4k is still a million plus dollar console. Not to mention the cost of cooling, parts ect, though less than the 9k bacon maker. But we don't all have 5 million for gear and 2 million for a facility. Bob Clearmountain does the quick mix too, but not in 3 hours. Been over at Bob's on a Springstein mix and Bob's so laid back. The lesson. Find what you like and what works, and that is always what you use. With all the plugins, you can spend weeks going, I like this on the kick, and this on the vocal, but there is this plugin that I want to try. Whether is it is WAVES, UAD, something else. Find your tool and stick with it. Nothing wrong with trying something new, but in the mix isn't the time.

[@Bob-gd4uu]

lovely interviewer and great interview!!

[@buddyalbert5808]

Seen a lot of CLA interviews, this one is really good.

[@monsterjazzlicks]

If CLA mixed this then he really is very good. It sounds totally great. The Synth Bass, Snare and Kick are wicked together. i always liked this song but kind of never knew why till now !!

[@TheMortybob]

back in 95 or so..early days of Protools for me, I use to cut dance routines for area High Schools etc. One day computer crashed, so I had to transfer everything to 1/4 inch tape and cut tape to make edits. Horrifying. I'd cut tape for narration and some music before...but this took the cake. Got thru it. Client grudgingly accepted it. Save early..save often :P is the motto.

[@ENONBEATS]

200 tracks??? Crazyy!!

[@monsterjazzlicks]

Thanks GS, i really love the Bowie song so i will check it out again with new ears !! There is another Lets Dance by Chris Montez !! lol

[@2304jackass]

Thank you for Billy Talent 3 and Dead Silence!! :)

[@monsterjazzlicks]

Is the LETS DANCE that CLA refers to the Bowie or Chris Rea one ??

[@alessandro.favero]

He's CLA, a mixing engineer who became famous because of the sound HE develops for every track. His sound is a Signature Sound, you can recognize his style when listening to records without reading his name on credits. So.. is he someone enough to say things like this? Uhm.. I guess yes. Not sayin' he's the best in the world, or for every genre, or so, just saying he is someone really really good at what he's doing.

[@J1Z06]

If I hit powerball,this fellow is getting a call!

[@TheWorldTeacher]

I noticed four persons clicked the "thumbs-down" button. Perhaps they are jealous of Mr. Alge?

[@TJmusical]

they still use tape recorder ;)

[@TheWorldTeacher]

TJmusical But tape is all the rage now ;-)

[@IhateUrFuckinFace]

What kind of board it that? What's the name of it?

[@skeezrocco]

wich speakers are that ??

[@TheLabWeMakeRecords]

i loved these so much thanks!!!!!

[@jm.Beats.]

I feel like that "15,000 mixes" was definitely exaggerated.

[@deetgeluid]

He likes to hear himself speak, still kinda dig him...

[@sticmatic]

I wonder if it's the same desk he is using in the waves.com 2012 CLA Song Competition Video? anybody sees / knows that?

[@KingCoCo]

I'm Bobbing out here

[@TheGroundBeef]

Chris Lord is NO NONSENSE

[@roanreid404]

do ur thing bro u are the boss

[@Jay_Flippen]

1:10 As a single laptop user (that sometimes uses the quasi-magical command z), I must say... Command Z and the ridiculously high level of saving points that a single DAW allows you can create a lot more options in terms of decision-branch-trees for saving different versions of whatever you're building. However, it uses up so much time and excess data when you put excess focus of the DAW (in terms of processing power) towards saving all executed actions. I need some more skills of Lord-Alge in me. I have my screwing around down to somewhat of a science... not nearly as an accurate of science as C L-A. Potato Potato.

[@bap_la_so_1]

+Jay Flippen I dont Undo so much since using Studio One because SO's undo is a bit weird lol

[@kthulhu32]

Yeah, I have to agree. If you're recording 100 plus tracks for a rock/pop song, you just haven't got any focus on the sound you're shooting for.

[@discoAL]

yeah man 200 tracks is ridiculous ..what that tells me is the artist/producer is lacking a musical know-how. and is hiding behind technology and a bunch of random elements to try and hold your interest. just because you can, does not mean you should. a little of something is better than a whole lot of nothing. EDIT that shit down. when i was growing up 24 trks was the big time.

[@frankpaws]

3 hour mix science was from his brother Thom.

[@TheOfficialHalloween]

Actually after reading this- he really do.

[@SendyTheEndless]

Can't decide what pendant to wear? Fuck it, just put 'em all on :)

[@edges01]

He refers to Bowie

[@jesse_cole]

Sounds like the magic chains are fucking with his lapel mic.

[@xGhostOfMe]

no way! nicolas cage's brother is a mix engineer??

[@thomaslenglain8594]

Be like Bob.

[@gilbertcardenas4649]

It's an SSL 4000G+

[@TheRealNewBlackMusic]

nice interview. the part about mixing 100 to 200 tracks is kind of weird. it's all just more gimmicks that kill the music!

[@meshplates]

So did the big bad wolf eat up little Red Riding Hood?

[@misteradilost]

Don't know why CLA wears a hat/cap mostly, he looks much cooler without it :)

[@redel37]

2:59

[@STFXLMNS]

yeah, more tracks these days, but not better music!

[@frankpaws]

Erica is cute.

[@BOTPlayingBlackOPS6]

Yamaha NS-10's

[@coma8coma1]

the only thing more entertaining than this video is the troll in the comments below getting trolled :)

[@Darksagan]

Ghost Rider!

[@hippyblood4]

that's "Kudos"

[@joshslavin5103]

I love the episode he did on pensado's place. He's inspiring but a bit of a dinosaur. You can do amazing work ITB with the proper discipline and musical background.

[@Slip1insider]

200 tracks f*ck me! i got close to 100 once and thought that was a lot lol, apparently less isnt more these days :p

[@michaelcandido2824]

no professional works on a song for months if they are any good and then they would not be a pro. Most Mixes are done in 8-10hrs sometimes 3 days if its a crazy track intense mix.

[@alexandre7634]

3 hours is nothing crazy, actually it's rare that a good mix engineer spends a lot of time on a song except Mutt Lange maybe 😅

[@michaelcandido2824]

@@alexandre7634 nah I said 3 days not hours. A rough mix should take 1 1/2-2 hrs

[@alexandre7634]

@@michaelcandido2824 I know mixers mixing in 2 hours from the static gain to the last automations. A mixer is here to enhance the groove, to make feel the vibe better, not to create a vibe, it doesn't take that much time when you're skilled. A mastering engineer can even take less time, a hour long in general. And this approach of mixing fast is really beneficial because you're mixing at instinct and your ears (and brain) are always fresh !

[@michaelcandido2824]

@@alexandre7634 the multi track will probably be recorded great but thats not always the case even for pro tier.

[@Incubino]

Exactly! haha

[@DeefexNYC]

200??? Omg!!!. I've never made a song with more than hmmmm 25 tracks I think, since I'm into electronic and techno. All vocalless

[@cast390]

You forgot Paul Stanley

[@HevinTSW]

he's got to be related to nicholas cage!

[@samg87]

lol his ego is all over the place

[@charliestubbs6151]

he’s worshipped by many in his field. be empathetic for the position he’s in. i think he seems like an alright guy, proud of his accomplishments, but not a devilish ego by any stretch of the imagination imo

[@arthead123]

joe satriani with a wig lol

[@GuitarosaurusRex]

I don't know... I think Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix's production work blows anything he talked about away......

[@SkyFelixMusic]

"the magic chains"

[@madelefant05]

200 tracks. Lol.

[@WhenProphecyFails]

You should have googled him before you wrote all that. You literally have no idea....

[@DESTINEAK]

200 tracks yikes

[@OlliSinger]

:D are you kidding?

[@hippyblood4]

every time i see him he wears a black shirt. i hope he washes it.

[@gideonsantoso1597]

you know nothin bro

[@dbo7826]

Gideon Santoso dude is a douche but come on man what do YOU know?