Legendary producer/engineer Andy Johns shares his recording techniques...

[Diamondjimi]

For anyone who does recording, here's some great advice from one of the music world's finest studio guru's...

For those who don't know about him ... Click here or Here

Enjoy...

[hambon4lif]

Just out of the fact that this guy's worked with John Bonham made me want to watch this.

good find!

[jhale667]

Agree, excellent find, DJ!

[kwame k]

It never gets old listening to him explain how he recorded When The Levee Breaks!

[Diamondjimi]

I really dig his old school techniques and preferences. For example not going too wide with the drum mix to leave room for the guitars etc. , make great sense considering the fact that you can widen the stereo field during mastering.

Speaking of Bonzo and capturing his kit with 2 mic's. I've gotten great results using 2 mic's on a kit ( back in the days of the 4 track demoing). It takes a bit of experimenting , but with the right room and kit/player it's a beautiful thing!

[kwame k]

Best kit recordings I ever had came from using 4 mics, killer room, and a properly tuned kit. Not really rocket surgery...........yet, listen to all the horribly recorded drum kits on the radio. Toms that sound like cardboard and a bass drum that's better left buried in the mix.

I agree with Andy that too many people put the snare too far forward.

[Diamondjimi]

I agree with Andy that too many people put the snare too far forward.

Big time... It's one thing I've been very conscious of. There's nothing worse than a snare cracking you in the forehead for the whole song/album regardless of how killer it's tone.

Although one snare tone that comes to mind, that is killer is this one...

[Nitro Express]

Alex Van Halen said Andy Johns was a character. He said they had a family BBQ and Johns scored a bunch of shrimp and lobster to cook on the grill and he's cooking and drinking beer and just whips his dick out and pisses on the ground. The wives were horrified because everyones children was present. LOL!

[Diamondjimi]

It must be an English thing...

[joe d'amato]

... i read a hilarious interview with andy johns on melodicrock.com in which uncle andy skewered a number of the artists he's worked with -- most notably eddie money. very funny interview ...

[Diamondjimi]

... i read a hilarious interview with andy johns on melodicrock.com in which uncle andy skewered a number of the artists he's worked with -- most notably eddie money. very funny interview ...

Got a link?

[hambon4lif]

Alex Van Halen said Andy Johns was a character. He said they had a family BBQ and Johns scored a bunch of shrimp and lobster to cook on the grill and he's cooking and drinking beer and just whips his dick out and pisses on the ground. The wives were horrified because everyones children was present. LOL!

When you have a track record like Andy Johns, the world is your urinal!

[Diamondjimi]

Well said...

[Nitro Express]

Got a link?

http://www.melodicrock.com/interviews/andyjohns.html

[hambon4lif]

http://www.melodicrock.com/interviews/andyjohns.html

Yes, mate. Yeah, I think I've asked you everything I possibly could I appreciate that. Apart from more VH gossip….
Well Ed started thinking he didn't have to listen to any body. And he fired everyone in the band. The only one left was him. Everyone else was gone. He even fired Alex.

Really?
Yeah. And they've been trying to get rid of Michael on and off for a long time. And I said, you're out of your fucking mind!
But Eddie thinks he's this sort of genius who really…We'll see. Poor old Ed's been going through a lot of shit lately. Can't say anymore…

.......wow! This must've been when Ed was sliding into his meth abyss. I never thought he would fire his brother. Crazy shit!

[Nitro Express]

Ed's genius is limited to six strings. As far as production and management goes he sucks donkey balls.

[Nitro Express]

I sometimes wonder how far Ed would have gotten without Roth in the band. Roth added a lot of color and creativity that wouldn't have been there without him. Plus, Dave was so good at doing public appearances building the excitement and mystery. Ed delivered the goods and outside of playing great guitar and looking great on stage, he was boring as shit.

[Diamondjimi]

I sometimes wonder how far Ed would have gotten without Roth in the band. Roth added a lot of color and creativity that wouldn't have been there without him. Plus, Dave was so good at doing public appearances building the excitement and mystery. Ed delivered the goods and outside of playing great guitar and looking great on stage, he was boring as shit.

True as fuck.

[jhale667]

http://www.melodicrock.com/interviews/andyjohns.html

That's a great fucking interview. Between that and those clips you can tell he's probably a really funny guy to be around... and he has definitely captured some amazing tones throughout his career.

[ashstralia]

Ed's genius is limited to six strings. As far as production and management goes he sucks donkey balls.

cool thread... what did dave say, something like 'eddie without a guitar in his hands is a shit human being'?

yep, if vh started with any other singer it probly woulda failed miserably..

whereas dave could have made any lame strip band EPIC!

the reason why the extremist is satriani's best sounding album? andy johns.

[Nitro Express]

cool thread... what did dave say, something like 'eddie without a guitar in his hands is a shit human being'?

yep, if vh started with any other singer it probly woulda failed miserably..

whereas dave could have made any lame strip band EPIC!

the reason why the extremist is satriani's best sounding album? andy johns.

Dave's dad managed VH in the club days. It was Dr. Roth that said since they were in LA, why not take advantage of the Sunset Strip and Dr. Roth had a lot to do with them getting the early gigs there. Alex Van Halen said Hollywood was like another world to him, he wasn't thinking that big. If Roth wasn't in that band, the VH brothers would be on the beer bar circuit not advancing to venues where the big wigs could see them. You had to get into the Hollywood clubs to get a record deal and Roth and his dad got that. The Van Halens didn't. They still don't get how to sell themselves. Without Dave or even Sammy they are lost as hell.

[Nitro Express]

You can have all the truck drivers and bikers think you are hot shit and own the town of Pamona, but Gene Simons and Mo Austin will never hear of you even if you are a legend in Arcadia. Roth got it. The Van Halen's didn't.