Oct 1, 2001 12:00 PM, BY MAUREEN DRONEY

It looks like you have two of every piece of gear.

Yeah, it's a little Noah's ark action. You can't go wrong with a pair of everything. Like Neve compressors. I've got these 22609s with 2254s built into them; they were from the 8058. The next ones over, from the 8068, are the orange cap 2264Xs. Then, from the 8078 I have the 32264As.

I pretty much have the whole history of the Neve compressor. I have the very first one here — the 2252. Then it went to these 2254s, these 2264Xs, and then they came up with the 33609. I have a Rev A with the metal knobs — the original Class-A ones, very rare. They remade it a few years later with the 33609 C — the Rev C — I have a modified one. I also have a pair of 1073s, in case I have to fix something.

For a diehard SSL guy, you sure know a lot about Neve gear.

Well yeah, I prefer projects that are recorded on old Neve consoles. Neve/SSL is the big complement.

What's this rumor that you don't like to change settings on your outboard gear?

It's true. On the limiters, that is. Rather than change a setting, I'll just buy another one and set it differently.

You're putting me on.

No, that's what I do. That's why I have so many. I have that one set for a certain sound, this one set for a different sound. I just power them up, plug them in and they're on the best setting. I change the EQs, but that's it. The limiters stay set to the optimum setting for that limiter. It's part of the gig; it helps the repeatability.

Okay, what's that 1176 set for?

It's a gain structure thing, really. Each 1176 that I have here has a different sound. This is fatty, this is skinny, and that one is for vocals that are too boomy. I can listen to the vocal for three words and say, “Okay, put number three on him.” Or number one, usually number one, my old blue, magical-sounding 1176 — the first ones they made. Basically, I could put covers on my gear for weeks, and not have to worry about it. I'd just say, “That one's not right, plug in the next one. Okay, that's better.”

There are certain limiters that just stay patched into certain spots of the console — been there for a long time. And they work great because I always put my tracks in the same place.

One of the most important things about mixing is having a routine. That may sound boring, but it works. I don't want to think about where the kick drum is on the console, or where the vocal is. They're always going to be in the same place, and I can worry about the song instead. Because it ain't about the gear; it's about the song. If you don't do the song justice, you shouldn't be mixing.

On my way over I was listening to songs you'd mixed for three different artists, and they all sounded completely different. I wouldn't have guessed that they were all mixed by the same person.

You would think, from how I have it set up here, that every mix is going to sound the same, like cookie-cutter mixing. No. It's just convenience. Just because tracks are parked in the same place on the console, and a lot of times are going through the same gear, doesn't mean the music will sound the same. You have to give everything its own identity for the artist. You can't put your imprint on it.

What is it you love about this [SSL 4000 G Plus] console so much?

Bottom line, this console has attitude. In 10 more years, these consoles will be like old Neves. They're classic. This one was installed in about 1985; it's modified as far as you can go, and it's in great shape. And it's got light meters, which I like. I'm all about the meters.

What do you mean?

I've got to see what's going on. I don't do this by ear only! I use the meters to balance things left and right, and to see what's going on with each fader so I can optimize the console.

They're set to show input?

No, the output of the fader — fader to mix — EQ'd and everything. It's all about maximizing the signal strength. You hit the tape machine a certain way, the tape machine is hitting the console a certain way, you're hitting the mix bus a certain way. You're at the sweet spot. All consoles have a pretty small sweet spot where it really sounds good.

That's something you don't hear mentioned much lately.

Well, everybody's thinking because they're digital, they don't have to worry about a sweet spot. Well, yeah, you do. Digital craps out so quick it's disgusting. In an all-digital console, the sweet spot is tiny — like a postage stamp. But there's a small window on any console where the headroom is right and where it really sounds the best. That's where I stay, in that window.

So, shouldn't SSL have called the new Classic console the Chris Lord-Alge “Special Edition”? You know, like a guitar.

Well, CLA is in Classic as it is. So they kind of did. Don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with new consoles. I'm not an old fogey saying I won't change anything. But when I go into a car race, I want to be in a Ferrari with a shifter, a steering wheel and a gas pedal. I don't want to have so many gauges that it deters me from winning. And I don't want to be here all night trying to figure out the console or the automation.

The main function I like about the new digital consoles is that, if I have a mix done, and my client is late, I can start the next mix, have it in memory and pick up where I left off. But everything else hasn't outweighed this desk yet. What I'd really like is another one of these consoles put back to back with this one. Just think: It's cheaper, I can have mix number one here and mix number two here…If it was up to me, I would have this console hydraulically drop to the floor and have the other one come up — like A and B stages at a concert. Bottom line, I like the way this rig works, just give me another one.

I'm an SSL guy since day one, and I like the MT, but I think this whole digital thing is in flux. Who knows where it's going to stop? To me, one big problem with a digital console is that this year it's good, next year it's not high enough resolution.

What format do you mix to?

Ampex half-inch 2-track, GP9 plus 6, and to 16-bit DATs with the Apogee PSX converter, and to CDs. I tried a couple of hard drive units, but I haven't had much success with them. I'm sure there are some great units out there, but the one that I had, as soon as it started skipping on the hard drive I gave it back.

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