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Exclusive Video Extract - Room Mic Compression Before & After Examples with Vance Powell

In this exclusive extract from PureMix, Grammy winner Vance Powell shows you how he punishes the stereo room mics to create the perfect glue for Tyler Bryant and The Shakedown's song Aftershock

Getting a hard hitting, thick, and punchy rock track doesn’t just come together in the mix, it starts with a vision and sonic direction from an experienced producer and engineer. Recorded live at Sputnik Sound in Nashville, Tennessee, Vance Powell teaches you the tricks he has developed over decades of live sound and studio gigs.

Tracking Rock With Vance Powell 

Four time Grammy winner Vance Powell explains his entire recording and production process and details how he sets up a tracking session for the band Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown. Learn tips and tricks to use for recording drums, bass, guitars and vocals on any project.

Vance’s signature sound is all about committing to compression, distortion and embracing bleed to create a cohesive and rocking sound.

Watch how a session happens in real time, step by step, and hear before and after comparisons as Vance explains:

  • Placing the drums and amps in the room for optimal bleed

  • Microphone placement on drums, bass, guitars, and vocals

  • Tracking workflow using SSL console and external preamps

  • How to nail a great sounding balance with the faders all at 0

  • Checking phase coherence between multiple microphones

  • Adding compression, distortion, and EQ to mics during the tracking session

  • Using creative routing and parallel processing during the tracking process

  • Adding guitar pedals as effect sends

  • Setting up headphone cue mixes

  • Producing a song without a click track

  • Recording lead vocals with effects “to tape”

Hardware

  • Sony C48

  • Shure SM57

  • Shure SM7

  • AKG D12

  • Neumann FET U47

  • Neumann KM84

  • AEA R88

  • Ampex 1101

  • Coles 4030

  • Chandler Limited TG-1

  • Sta-Level Retro

  • UA 1176

  • Empirical Labs Distressor

  • SPL Transient Designer

  • PigTronix PolySaturator

  • DBX 500 Professional "Disco" Boom Box

  • UTA MPDI4

  • CAPI MicPre

  • ARA RPQ 500 Ribbon Pre

How To Watch The Full Video

This video tutorial is available to Pro members and can be accessed by signing up to a pureMix subscription or is available to buy for $38.

Sign up to get advanced audio tutorials where Grammy winning engineers teach you mixing concepts by showing you their techniques and tricks while mixing song by Pharrell, Imagine Dragons, Ziggy Marley and more. 

If you would like to watch more free tutorials you can sign up for free at pureMix or browse the entire pureMix tutorial video library and choose the individual videos that appeal to you. 

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