Chasing the Dragon Records' Direct-to-Disc AIR Studios Recording Session (Part 1)
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- čas přidán 20. 02. 2017
- Chasing the Dragon record producer Mike Valentine’s business is underwater but he’s not complaining. The reknowned underwater cinematographer’s work can be seen in James Bond movies like “Casino Royale” and “Skyfall” as well as in “Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace”, “The Bourne Ultimatum” and dozens of other movies, television series and music videos.
Among Valentine’s other passions are music and good sound. His Chasing the Dragon label has so far released four well-received Direct-to-Disc records, including the Grammy® nominated, “A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald” performed by the popular British jazz singer Clare Teal.
Valentine and his wife and business partner Francoise invited AnalogPlanet editor Michael Fremer to attend the February 10th, 2017 recording at AIR Studios in London, of Chasing the Dragon’s upcoming new release “ESPAÑA- a tribute to Spain” featuring the music of Bizet, Chabrier and Rimsky-Korsakov.
This video provides a behind the scenes look at the pre-recording session preparations and a rehearsal session, the final takes of which in around six weeks will be available on 180g vinyl (Direct-to-Disc) as well as on “binaural” vinyl sourced from a double DSD master. You can already download from the company’s website (www.chasingthedragon.co.uk/sho...) double DSD, 24/192 and 24/192 binaural digital versions, recorded simultaneously with the D2D all-analog cut.
In the video you will “meet” Mr. Valentine and see (and hear in rehearsal) Mezzo-Soprano Rosie Middleton and the National Symphony Orchestra. Also in the video are conductor Debbie Wiseman, sound mixer Rupert Coulson and vinyl cutting engineers John Webber and Cicely Balston. Also the "Ray" referred to in the mastering suite is, of course, Ray Staff, who is now semi-retired, but who originally cut David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" album back in 1972 and also cut the more recent Bowie vinyl box set(s).
Shortly, on the analogplanet.com website you’ll be able to stream free of charge, a high resolution excerpt of the binaural head recording.
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Fremer, you have the best job in the world. Thanks, as always, for sharing this. 😀
Love that moment he turned the tape machine off. "Oh was that the tape.." :D
When you first walk in the building gives the video this beautiful "golden " look! And the sounds I'm sure are just as awesome!
How on earth did I miss this! Fantastic Michael, absolutely wonderful, thank you so much!
Fantastic footage! Thank you so much!
this video made me teary, I wish I was present in that studio. thanks for this amazing video.
@Analog Planet , another killer vid! Thanks Michael!
Fantastic video! Thank you Michael. Greetings from Canada.
Although the term "chasing the dragon" is sometimes used to describe the practice of vaporizing heroin off of aluminum foil, more often it is a term used to describe trying to reclaim the initial feeling from first using. An impossible (dragon) and dangerous (dragon) practice. The first hit is always the best. I think in this case, Chasing The Dragon refers to the passionate, yet futile attempt to achieve perfect sound.
That room is so well set up! Love how it decays even trough your (phone?)camera!
This is awesome! Thank you Michael.
Michael, I’ve watched this video so many bloody times and I love it. Such a amazing video.
FANTASTIC!
Michael fabulous job. You've always brought such great people with equal knowledge and insight in how to make all this so understandable to the average joe who loves music and the great analog hobby!
WOW! what a coincidence. I just yesterday got home Mike Valentine's other record and listening to it.
and now he is on my device!
thank you Michael.
Mike is not really truthful when he says to the symphony orchestra.
"We come up with the idea.."
and talking about Direct To Disc!
No sorry that say that Mike you did not.. I have DTD records from the 70s. In fact all recordings before the 50s where DTD then after that the magnetic tape got to be a industry standard.
But it is great that we put all the effort to get it to be as good as it can be! kudos to all of you!
It where this record I got:
CHASING THE DRAGON AUDIOPHILE RECORDINGS / VARIOUS
Catalogue Number: CHDG7.1
The nice thing there is track 2 and 3. of a cello play indoors and outdoors recorded with same recording gear and artist. I know this but not really think about what of the two surroundings I like?
Outdoors you hear only the instrument but indoors you have all of the added room acoustics!
I prefer the indoor recording. But why?? Is it because I am used and trained to listen on instruments performing in a room?? :)
what an achievement !!!! gorgeous !!!
Priceless!
Again very interesting and what a wonderful Mezzo Soprano Rosie is.
A fascinating video, totally engrossing!
i really enjoyed this alot thanks so much
excellent video we are very lucky to see this stuff cheers Michael
Fascinating. Thanks Michael!
+1
Thank you, Michael !!!
Fantastic videos.Thanks! -Are you using a 3-axis gimbal for your camera? Works wonders for me in steadying the shots.
That was a very cool watch. 👍
Thank's a lot Michael, it's just fantastic ! Carry on 😇
another fantastic video - thanks michael
Wow, wow, wow, this was really something special, thank you, I am enjoying your videos very much Michael.
Awesome fotage, indeed! Thanks for sharing this! Now I need to buy myself a church for my future studio (feeling inspired) :).
I own some of the Chasing the Dragon Vinyls, Mostly excellent. With regard to the singer, I think that was amazingly brave to book her when the 'boss' had never heard her before. Anyhow, very interesting video and well done Analogue Planet.
Just awesome
yes.... me encanta la musica americana
Fascinating video. I will probably buy some direct to disc recordings but I’d also love to hear what that binaural head recorded!
Amazing...
Michael: you may be interested to know that the harpist on this is the legendary Skaila Kanga, who has a discography a mile long, including James Taylor's debut (Apple) album, where she played all those strange linking passages between the songs.
Great studio 💫
Very Cool video! I love this!
amazing
Great! Just great.
❤️❤️❤️ talent 👍🏼
this was an awesome video.....never seen this done before....cool as shizz.....nice work!
Orchestra wore black to a recording session. very professional.
Thanks for sharing
Le RÊVE !!.. The dream sounding with something more : My horn WE15A or 13Audio ...
Cutting engineer put you in your place when you tried to put down the Technics and Concord. Good for him!
lol, I was actually thinking that is not a great set-up.
Not quite..He inferred it would be typical of people listening to dance music..That's not a very high bar. There is no argument in the fact that Technics decks are not anywhere near 'high end'..Also the DJ cartridge is a very low quality cartridge for serious listening..It is designed to be as robust as possible for use in a night club, and has a massive tracking weight...They use the deck at Air precisely BECAUSE it isn't very good..rather like the ubiquitous NS10's..They are a good representation of the average domestic crap.
One solid reason they need those setups is to test for skipping - any failure its a recut. Think like an engineer you'll understand what they actually have to do in the cutting studio, rather than coming across as a fool.
LOL
Actually a lot of lathe mastering facilities use the SL-1200 mk2 as their reference turntable. As far as cartridge, well that's the part that varies. Maybe the Ortofon DJ was very easy on the lacquer to begin with, the last thing you need is a cartridge that digs too much into the lacquer then you gotta take that to the pressing plant. Line Contact stylus would be preferred on harder materials like vinyl vs Lacquer.
Oh Oh Oh..... I saw a DA-3000 used for mastering!!! That's the deck I use! Wow!
Is that main Board equipped whit " British EQ "
Thanks for all the laborious work that you do.
4:46, it used to be the other way around in the early to mid 80s, digital was expensive and tape was cheaper!
hello, can you recommended any INTERFACE so can be able to digital my vinyls collection?
Used to live down the hill from there but it was closed then.
Michael, I am interested to know your thoughts having listened to the live orchestra... Do you think the sound from a live orchestra is a better listening experience that the best audio systems approach but cannot exceed, or do you think your audio system at home with the benefit of mixing and mastering, control over the listening environment, ia actually better than the real thing?
9:37, me three!
um aviso: o que atrapalhou no audio da filmagem e da etrvista foi batidas de algum objeto no microfone da camara durante todo o tempo da gravação o resto estava ÓTIMO👍!
great video keperra up amigo
all i want is the TAD speakers
Chasing the dragon in this context probably a reference to Steely Dan's Time Out Of Mind from Gaucho, just sayin'
Michael, I sure wish you were as good at shooting watchable video footage
as you are at analyzing audio equipment and accessories!
I don't think I could do the mix with those speakers. They are ported and I hate ports. I can always hear them. But the music sounds great. I imagine its not easy getting the imaging to sound right. I listen with electrostatic speakers which give me a big sound stage and if the recording is good everything within the sound stage has the correct size and shape.
I so wish there was less of nervous camera movement in all your videos. Compliments for the content otherwise though!
+Analog Planet I just wanted to know do you own a record cutter?
I would look around just as much, so it feels totally natural to me..! Genuinely so exciting and entertaining the stuff you're putting up lately Mike. Thank you.
What is that annoying tapping sound around 10:30 when you are recording from the balcony? Absolutely brilliant video, btw.
Great business although I hate to see churches used for anything other than what they were intended for. I have several AIR produced LPs and they are the nearest to live I've ever heard records play..utterly fabulous.
The recording engineer used to own some of my modified speakers....a man with taste lol!
One of the very best recording businesses I've come across and everyone involved has such passion for music.
wow! this must cost a fortune.
Nice job Michael. Thanx for this. Good recordings from AIR/Chasing The Dragon. Terrible album artwork. Gotta up their game on the visuals. (Graphic design matters.)
- ...in the CD era.
- It was a big error.
i wish neil diamond was there to sing to
Is it really Direct to Disc?! Looks like it’s being converted to digital first, then to analog for the disc…
Of course the ceiling is pyramids!😉
interesting video but please Mikey get a tripod and set the camera down as much as possible, also slower pan shots and try to refrain from zooming while recoding. I think I was getting seasick
I do understand. An old cinematographer friend once said, if you are hand holding a camera, treat it like a full cup of coffee. May help.
I think chasing the dragon has something to do with Nakamichi 🤔
Shows how slim the margins are - are they even positive?! If he’s complaining about 10k to fix the organ!
That room sounds appropriately glorious. Tell the guy he didn't spread joy by insulting an entire country. :)
im so jealous
how does one get to go in and tour Air studios and sit in on a recording session
you must know the right people or your famous and i just dont know it
Thanks Mikey for this behind the scenes look at a D2D recording session. I've got a lot of direct discs from the 70's and 80's and enjoy spinning them up once in a while. All that being said, HOW THE H*LL DID YOU MANAGE TO FRENCH KISS DARRYL HANNAH??????????????????????????????????????
James 73 -- who hasn't is more the question.
That comparison doesn't stand, the tap water filter is an active component, a cable is strictly passive. Unless you're using real crappy non-copper cables, an expensive and a regular one mesure, not sound, _mesure_ exactly identical; wich means any perceived difference in sound is only placebo. It's one of the numerous snake oil things arround in hi-fi; there's even people that put solid state amps on insulation tips, despite solid state not being microphonic in any way. You could litterally smash it with a hammer and you wouldn't hear in in the speakers. Thosse things make me smile, but to each their own; if you do believe it sounds better and think it's worth it, good on you. Peronally, I'd rather spend my money on more records :)
Very loud shutter sound from the photographer is annoying and seems to be cut to disc as well. Get rid of the photographer during the session or let him use camera with silent shutter or silencer for movies, otherwise he ruins this beautiful session.
Enjoyed the video overall but please next time don't talk in the studio, there are people working using theirs ears and you're distracting...
Did the musicians all wear black because they were instructed to? Or is that just their usual way of dress? Even the soprano was in a black dress.
why anyone would record in London ? British crown takes high percentage of your royalties . Very nice one of a kind studio , if it only weren't in London :( love that dry British humor .
They can't come up with 10k pounds?
What’s with the know-all argumentative interviewer?
Chasing the dragon means smoking heroin.
There is a TERRIBLE ANNOYING RUMBLE on your camera! Sounds like a scaffolding on your camera which should have been twigged before the video was put together. Very poor sound guidance!
Jesus please do something about that RATTLE and RUMBLE on your camera, its GOD F'ING AWLFUL!
Why was this not spotted on headphones when Recording?
It sounds like amateur hour! Dreadful stuff from a man of audio experience!
You need to get it sorted for future recordings!
In this day & age of X-Ray telescopes, common quadrillion operations per second computers....& you guys are still carving a channel in a piece of plastic with a tiny rock?., for data?....just discover fire or something?...would you like a T-shirt?, it's better than those Bearskins your wearing?
Vinyl sounds better than digital because it is an analogue sound. You know, how sound works in the real world. Digital music also has clipping and mastering issues.
You're exposing your ignorance with that comment...it's about the tonal qualities of the sound. Are you a cretin? Watch the video where they discuss valve mics..on paper they cannot match transistors, but the quality of the recordings are unsurpassed.
Listen in about 18:53 where they discuss mics designed in 1953...a bit of rubber stretched over a ring with a bit of wire and a magnet?? In this day age blah blah blah...The Fender Strat...1954?? A bit of wire and wood...? Surely in this day and age....?The Stradivarius...and old cigar box and a bit of pig intestine..?surely in this day and age..?