This episode of Fix It In The Mic — Nashville features two recording veterans: Bil VornDick and Lynn Fuston. In the impressive control room of Ocean Way Nashville’s Studio A showcasing the world’s largest discrete Neve 8078 console, the two engineers share some of their vast knowledge of recording and mixing music. What does recording have to do with carpentry? Why is it important to pay attention to polarity when recording vocals? And how can you use figure-of-8 microphones to your advantage? This is an in-depth discussion of both fundamental approaches to recording as well as application specific advice from two seasoned engineers that is often hard to come by in today’s age of home recording.
The musical career of Bil VornDick covers well over three decades. His artistry as a producer and engineer has helped earn his clients over 40 Grammy nominations that encompass seven that won (among them Alison Krauss’ very first Grammy). The artists that Bil has worked with in the studio reads like a who’s who: Bob Dylan, Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, T Bone Burnett, Maura O’Connel, Mark O’Connor and Ralph Stanley, to name a few. Bil also gives back by giving of his time by lecturing at MTSU and Belmont University among others. Bil also helped create the sound of the Martin Guitar Retro Series (supported by Fishman) and he explains his role and how he chose the microphone for the project in the video.
A 30-year veteran of the Nashville music scene, audio engineer Lynn Fuston is the owner of 3D Audio, a music mixing and mastering company. His engineering credits include work with Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Andy Griffith, DC Talk, Andy Williams, Cynthia Clawson, Kathy Troccoli and the Gaither Vocal Band. He is a contributing writer for magazines including EQ, ProSound News, Pro Audio Review and Audio Media. Currently, he is the Technical Editor for Pro Audio Review, moderates the longest-running internet audio forum (since 1998) and teaches recording workshops in addition to studio work.
Belmont’s Ocean Way Nashville Recording Studios, founded in 1996, is located in the heart of Nashville’s Music Row. Considered one of the world’s finest recording facilities, it’s client roster reads like a who’s who of the music world spanning a range of styles from pop to classical. Housed in a 100 year old Gothic revival greystone church, Ocean Way Nashville provides an exceptional acoustical space tuned specifically for music recording and offers one of very few such spaces in the region.
