1.When did you start making recordings?

 

I have been simple 2 track live recordings since the late 80's.

It has only been in the last 10 years or so that I have been doing more elaborate multi-

track recording.

 

2.Wich records infuenced you on you approach to the sound?

 

I am a big fan of the live - 2 track audience recordings made popular by fans of bands

such as

The Grateful Dead. That whole approach appeals to me. Its basically capturing a moment

in time,"warts and all" as they say!

 

3.There are so many ways to work these days, (computers, plugins,..) what?s

your way to work?

 

Well, actually I don't use a computer, or plug-ins or any of that, although I DO utilize digital

( hard disc) recording, both 2 track, and multi-track, with an all-analog signal path up to the

recorders.

 

4.Your recordings have that “real thing”, this vibe that we can hear in historical

records.. it seems that you have a real vision of what the sound is about.

Can you tell us about your relation with it?

 

I am a huge fan of live recording. Its the way I like to listen to music....every one playing at

the same time, no tricks.

Most, if not all the recordings I have done that have been released to the public are live

recordings

done at the same venue, The Baked Potato, in Los Angeles. So I know that room intimate-

ly. I know how

it sounds, and what I have to do to make it sound good later, assuming it is a multi-track

recording that will

be mixed at another time. So that small room kind of "glues" the sound together, as there

is lots of leakage.

But to me, that is what makes it sound like it does! So it is real hard to do "fixes" or repla-

cement of parts,

because of the leakage, but it can, and is, done to some extent.

 

5.Do you mix down?

 

Sure!

On the gig when it is going down! See, when I do a multi-track recording, that is basically

just tracking,

capturing the individual sound sources for mixing later in a proper listening environment.

Thats easy to me.

But what I do at the same time, is a live to 2 track dynamic mix. That is where I bust my

ass! To make that live 2 track mix sound as good as possible, with effects, and everything. The goal for me there

is to make that 2 track mix sound so good that you won't want to go through the trouble of mixing it again. Some-

times it works, sometimes it doesn't, but that is where I put the real effort in.

I call it a bucking bronco! If you can stay on that horse and ride it to the end, great!

But sometimes you get bucked off.

But its not always me. The best is when the technology and performance meet

equally...and you get a great recording of an event.

I could have everything sounding great, nice blend (mix), and then some player has a bad

night or the performance is just lackluster for whatever reason. So its best when everything

comes together. But to answer your question, I prefer to let others take the multi-tracks and mix them "pro-

perly". They can use my 2 track mixes as reference to choose performances or whatever. Although some of my live

to 2 track mixes have ended up on releases.

6.What software do you like the best for tracking or mixing?

 

I don't use software or a "computer" .

I use a Mackie MDR 24/96 Hard Disc Recorder, for multi-tracking, and a Alesis Masterlink

with an Apogee Rosetta 200 converter for my 2 track mixes. I usually mix live with a Soundcraft mixer, and sometimes,

with simpler live to 2 recordings, a mixer of my own design.

 

7.What?s youʼre favourite way to track down a gutar amp?

 

Usually just a Shure SM57 just off the cone, the typical way most people do it. See, I work

with some of the greatest guitar players on the planet, so its easy for me. They "hand" me a great sound

already, so its really just a matter of pointing a mic in their general direction. I am making a bit of a joke, here but its

true! Remember, these are live recordings.

 

8.In you recording chain, whatʼs your masterpiece? (any vintage mics or pres)

 

I have some good stuff....but this is a labor of love for me, and as it is a bit of a sideline,

and not my main source of income,I can't invest the $ I would like. But that is true with everything, I guess.

But all my gear choices are a result of careful research and trial and error on the gig.

I have a beautiful Millennia STT1 Mic Pre/Compressor/EQ that I love, and some cool Stu-

der mic pre's but my secret weapon is my Soundfield SPS 422 Studio Mic System. It is a Stereo multi-capsule Mic/Preamp that I use

along with a Empirical Labs FATSO analog tape simulator.

This combination is used primarily for drum overheads to capture the entire sound of the

kit, as well as some of the band onstage, and is often what gives my recordings the sonic

"glue" I mentioned before.

I use this Soundfield mic system as the primary sound source on a lot of simple 2 track re-

cordings, and then add to that with "spot" mics, to "focus" on specific instruments and/or

vocals. These sources are then mixed live to 2 track. These techniques are basically "or-

chestral" in nature, and this is often how I work.

 

9.Does the fact of being really deep inside the sound and all itʼs details has

chnges the way you like or listen to music?

 

Well, I listen to all kinds of music, but as I said before, I really love live recordings. A lot of

my favorite recordings of all time are live recordings, such as The Allman Brothers Band Live at Fillmore East, and Jimi Hendrix

Band Of Gypsys, and many more.

I have no problem listening to less than perfect "audience" recordings of my favorite

groups. I can hear "through" the sonic imperfections to get to the music. I have a quite extensive collection of recordings (audio

and video) of Michael Landau that I have done over the years (hundreds of them !). All his various bands from throughout his

career. I went to the trouble to record all this stuff at my own expense just because I felt his music mattered to me, and I am his

friend, and I felt it should be preserved somehow.

I felt that, if its not captured, its gone forever, and the band members will never get to hear

it like the audience did, as they were "in the moment".

See, a lot of musicians don't care to hear their stuff after the fact, but some do,and if they

are friends of mine, I want to provide it for them! Its the same reason anybody wants to record their favorite band, like Grateful Dead fans,

or Phish or whoever. It just happens that I know Mike Landau, and so I got closer to the source, if you will, and was able to try to per-

fect my "technique" over a period of years. Often at the same venue, The Baked Potato.

So it went from unobtrusive (1 stereo mic) "audience" recordings to more elaborate (and intrusive) multi-track recordings that were

ultimately worthy of release to the public.

----------------(CAE part)

 

10.Youʼre famous for building great rigs, have you ever realized the rig that

produces that dreamtone you have in mind? or is it impossible to reach that

perfection?

 

Well, a "dreamtone" is really subjective, isn't it? One guy's ultimate tone is another guy's

nightmare. I just try to make a nice organized toolbox, so a player has the choices they need.

That is all I have ever done. Sure, I can recommend things, but I am not the player, so it is

up to them.

 

11.If you had to make a top 3 of guitar players for their tones who would that

be?

 

Well, Landau's right up there....he always gets a great sound.But its really hard for me to

pick just 3.

12.Who are your references of sources of inspiration?

 

When my business was just starting out(early 80's) , I enjoyed players who creatively used

effects, because that was what I was into at the time.

Historically, I loved Jimi Hendrix for that, and more recently , guys like Andy Summers,

Adrien Belew, and later the U2 guy, Edge, just to name a few.

But I was also inspired technically by Craig Anderton, an great musician/educator, who

singlehandedly sparked my interest in creating a usable effects "system".He wrote "how to" articles for Guitar Player Magazi-

ne,back in the 70's/80's....

 

13.You worked with MXR on a couple of really cool pedals, do you guys have

other projects?

 

Oh yes, several.

Coming soon is a versatile power supply, a really cool wah with switchable boost, switcha-

ble fasel inductors,and other features, and a simple loop interface for pedalboards.

 

14.What are you working on at the moment? any new CAE stuff?

 

Yes, the main thing is a new switching system, but you will just have to wait and see.

See, there are way too many copy-cats in this business. Not enough original thought going

around. But for sure It is going to be very versatile, with lots of options.

over the years, you made switchers, loopers, various effects, you worked on

amazing amps (OD100) and preamps (3+) with John Suhr..

A life dedicated to help musicians to serve music. "

 

15.What would you like the next generation to remember or learn from your

work?

 

Well, if I die tomorrow, I know I made a worthwhile contribution to this industry. And I did it

without ripping off or copying anyone else's ideas. All original thought. At least to my know-

ledge.And if anyone can prove otherwise, bring it on!

I did take Craig Anderton's loop idea, as published in Guitar Player Magazine, and ran with

it,creating my own concept as to how everything should work together to form a complete

"system".I don't mean to be bragging here, so don't take this the wrong way.

But as the late great Jaco Pastorius said, "It ain't bragging if you can back it up"...

I was lucky to start out at a time when technology was growing in leaps and bounds, and

playerswere open to these new possibilities many of us were putting forth.

But these days I am not seeing anything I have not already done, at least in my narrow

field of expertise.

This business is ruthless, and is riddled with thieves and people claiming to be experts.

But all I can do is keep doing the best I can within my means and hope people will be into

it.

 

Bob Bradshaw

Custom Audio Electronics

Los Angeles 6/2008