24-30 maart 2025
This week was mostly about exploring the workflow for mixing and mastering a 'Pure' DSD recording.
It’s quite a process to figure out, but in the end, it's also about building routine. The real challenge is making adjustments in the analog domain—like equalizing and light compression—since I’m so used to doing that digitally.
What’s especially interesting is hearing what happens when you introduce a piece of gear into the chain. Whether it’s an equalizer or a compressor, each device adds a certain effect and color, but I’m becoming more and more aware that it also takes something away from the purity of the signal.
Maybe that’s obvious to audiophiles, but in the studio, we’re often focused on "fixing" problems, so we might not always be as alert to what we’re sacrificing with every new piece of gear in the chain.
I’m realizing more and more that ‘less is more.’ My classical colleagues have known this for a long time, but for me, it’s becoming clearer, and I’m finding it an exciting challenge to record music in a more minimalist way.
I’ve also noticed that musicians are starting to recognize this sound—especially when they think of recordings from the ‘50s and ‘60s. Back then, recordings were made in a much simpler way, simply because there wasn’t as much gear available. The signal path from microphone to tape was straightforward. I think that’s part of the magic of those recordings.
This week, I also recorded 'The King, the Ghost and I,' Rob van Bavel’s trio—an album for singer Louise Alexandra. Good old swing.
I also did a test recording for ‘Boris van der Lek and the Jazz Fluencers.’ Next week, we’re recording a live album, and they’re looking for that vintage sound. They, too, are drawn to the simplicity of recording with just one stereo microphone in a beautiful space.
In this case, I do add some support mic's for the bass, trumpet (often muted), and piano. All microphone setups are inspired by photos of recordings made by Rudy van Gelder in his “Hackensack” studio. But the depth and stereo image from the main mic remain intact, giving the recording an undeniable ‘vibe.’
Today, I’ll be mastering the recording of the Erik Verwey Trio ft. Hermine Deurloo (768kHz).