Steve Albini-The Maverick Engineer and Producer Behind the Sound of Nirvana's "In Utero".

Steve Albini’s unique approach to the whole business of making music is unique in relation to the success he’s achieved. Sticking to his principals, even to his own financial detriment at times. He’s managed to take his punk rock ethos to the very top of the business. His own studio Electrical audio is a temple of analogue recording providing a traditional recording experience that’s second to none. This is the story of his rise and his work on Nirvana’s In Utero plus other big name artists.
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#stevealbini #inutero #nirvana #electricalaudio #surfarosa #pixies

[@professor_kenneth]

Rest easy Steve 🙏🏻 you were brilliant mate 👍🏻 Steve's in utero remixed 2013 is absolutely brilliant... really awesome. Nirvana paid Steve 2million$ for his work on in utero.

[@thesean3194]

Intelligent and a hard worker. This dude never took a day off, because he loved the process of making music so much. Very rare these days.

[@indigohammer5732]

With "Rid of Me", Albini placed microphones in buckets and taped to the walls, the ran them through noise gates to capture the room sound.

[@IsmaelMulti]

Steve is the perfect "punk producer". I love his approach and ethics

[@AG-mz7vm]

RIP Steve!

[@PrecisionPointTennis]

Great piece on Steve. I recorded 10 albums of music with him starting at his house with Heather there

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@tedcruzforgayrights2045]

Sick vid my guy

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@AnodyneHipsterInfluencer]

Great video. I see many similarities between Steve Albini and Bruce Swedien from a practical, recording standpoint. Two people many fans may not initially see as kindred but I certainly do. Now of course, you won't see Steve Albini working with a Quincy Jones type impresario or _any_ producer for that matter but there are many other ways I see the two of them as similar and I often wonder if Steve took a lot from Swedien in his practical approaches to capturing sound. Like perhaps he'd come across some of Swedien's literature and/or interviews. The first similarity I see being their absolute passion for microphones and the fact that they'd just as easily reach for and use a $250 Audio Technica (Bruce) or Oktava (Steve) as quickly as they would a several thousand dollar vintage Neumann (Bruce) or Lomo (Steve). Steve doesn't wear his passion for microphones on his sleeve in the same way Swedien did but it doesn't take long in watching videos on Steve or being around him to pick up very quickly that he has a real passion for microphones. In a manner very similar to Swedien in that their collections are at once comprehensive and eclectic. They also both _travel_ with their mics. Like Swedien, Albini will bring along his own personal collection of microphones when he's not recording at his "home base" of Electrical Audio. The next similarity I see between them is their preference and use of 16 track 2" tape wherever and whenever possible/practical. Getting more frequency bandwidth on the 2" reel for each track as compared to a 24 track 2", for maximum audio fidelity. They each have different methods in how they use it - with Swedien using 16 track machines to record harmony vocals and the foundational instrumental tracks before recording them to the 24 track master reel as 2 tracks of stereo. Saving bandwidth and tracks on the master reel. Steve may very well employ that technique but I've seen no document of it. How he does use 16 track 2" machines though is by encouraging artists to use them whenever possible to retain the highest audio fidelity. When working in off site studios with multiple machines at his disposal, he's also slaved two 16 track 2" machines together for bands needing more tracks but wanting to retain the highest audio quality. The next similarity is their shared view - and sparing use of - compression. Seeing transients and dynamics as inherent, key aspects of performances. With seeking to keep them intact and incorporate them into the mix as paramount in what _propels_ recorded music. Keeps it visceral, exciting and aids in its groove/feel. If and when transients and dynamic spikes clip and are far too aggressive/grating/unflattering to be incorporated in a way that is appealing, their first instinct is not to reach for the compressor. Their first instinct is to make changes at the _source._ Via swapping out microphones, adjusting the placement of microphones etc. If the performance that was captured was exemplary, a _sparing_ and more surgical use of compression is made. Albini for instance 🚨 *Tangent warning* 🚨 (lol, sorry. As if this wasn't already a tangent) has a great and vastly underrated piece of gear (which I'm probably foolish to share as it might make them even more rare and expensive than they are. I already _just_ missed out on one I thought I had it. Being informed by a Japanese eBay dealer _after_ I purchased one that it had just previously been sold in their physical location and thus had my order cancelled 😩) which is the Urei LA-22 compressor. The special feature of this unit is that it can "zero in" on and compress whichever specific frequency band is overly resonant, spiking or could otherwise be helped by compression. Without compressing the entire signal and having the unnatural artifacts of compression so much more apparent and in-your-face. Yet another similarity they share is their appreciation for and use of reflections and room sounds. Using a myriad of ambient miking techniques - many of them stereo - to capture and implement the sound of the room to instrumental as well as vocals. Even re-amping things like synthesizer and guitar tracks to make use of the natural reflections in the rooms they're using to provide an ambiance, width and color to the recording that is as exciting and enhancing as it is natural. Often using tube mics for stereo room and reflection sounds and ribbon mics for mono placements and added "space" when recording percussion. To that end I should also mention their shared appreciation for the Altec "Coke bottle" tube microphone with the omni-directional capsule. It's Albini's go-to choice for the stereo room mics he places on the floor (As you mentioned, he has recommended the Oktava MK-012's with omni capsules in recent interviews as they do nearly as good of a job and are far easier and more affordable to acquire than the Altec's. Although the Altec's are his personal favorite for that particular application). Swedien used them several different ways and in one of his teaching videos from years ago, recommends them for use in recording upright bass. Anyhow, that's my spiel on some of the similarities I see as shared between the great Bruce Swedien and Steve Albini. I grew up a fan of Albini and Michael Jackson and - though I'm a bit embarrassed to admit it - only in the last year have I become aware of the late Bruce Swedien. Though it was not long after becoming aware of Swedien and watching his videos and interviews that I began to notice the similarities in their approaches to recording and engineering a session. As such, I've thoroughly enjoyed the videos you made on both engineers and you've earned a fan and a new subscriber. Kudos and thanks!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Wow, thank you! That is a really considered comment and a really interesting hypothesis and conclusion. Really interesting!

[@Havreflan]

@@mixingmasteringonline I would love to see a video on Swedien! This was the first time seeing any of your vids, and I liked it a lot! Edit: my bad, you already had a video on him!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! I was just about to say....I hope you like it.

[@alwaysastudent]

WOW! Bruce Swedien (RIP) is my favorite engineer of all time, and Albini (and George Duke (RIP)) are my favorite producers. The two books i read from Swedien (Make Mine Music as well as the one where he talks about his work with MJ) are great. i love this comment so very much. Thank you.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

Interesting you talk about Rid of Me after In Utero, it was actually Rid of Me that helped give Nirvana the push to go with Albini and record at Pachyderm. Rid of Me was recorded in late 92 and released in 93. I thought you were going chronologically then you switched it up halfway through and had me second-guessing. lol

[@alexfoye855]

so sick, ty for posting.

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@otreshenie]

R.I.P 😢 really sad news

[@mixingmasteringonline]

That is really sad news, the world of recording is a lot poorer without him 😞

[@winstonsmith8236]

RIP

[@KennethDumasig12]

Big Respect to him

[@areamusicale]

What? Were nirvana recorded with a computer? In 1994?

[@areamusicale]

I can't find any source whom mention digital recording. Only "tapes".

[@mixingmasteringonline]

No, all analog to tape.

[@areamusicale]

@@mixingmasteringonline Well, at minute 3:12 you said "he delayed slight differently". that's very confusing !

[@mixingmasteringonline]

​@@areamusicale He did use Delay , digital delays had been around a while even in 1994. I think the one he used was an Eventide unit intended for broadcast. I have a similar unit made by AMS. It's basically just straight delay with no feedback repeats or filters of any kind.

[@areamusicale]

@@mixingmasteringonline ah! Ok. it now makes sense.

[@CentaurPress]

Quoting the jerky boys in his letter to Nirvana 🤣