OT: desk, recording methods,Q for ZVex: what studio history?

[Mike Burgundy]

For Zach:
you've been a studio tech, right? I landed a job as one (jay me!) in a Protools24 style studio (analog desk, blessed be). You know, desk,
I'm interested - what was the stuff you worked with? You know, desk, recorder, recording method, preferred mics, gear, weird tricks....That stuff.
It's always good to hear the nittygritty of someone elses methods, but you, while I sincerely do not know how good you have been as a recording engineer, are truely intriguing in your approach of effects and design - this has to reflect in some way on recording.
I'd like to know some more, and I'm fairly sure I'm not the only one on this forum either. Even if you think this board isn't waiting for these kinds of threads, I'd love to learn via mail

[zachary vex]

i started a 16 track studio in 1985 and ran it until 1991, and then worked as an independed recording engineer in two different 24 track studios until 1995, when i started the effects company.  the home studio business was beginning during that period and a lot of my clients disappeared into basement studios all over town in an effort to save a few bucks.  honestly, the only thing that allowed me to survive the last year in the recording business was a relocation settlement with the city of Minneapolis when they took over my freezing-cold warehouse apartment building and displaced about 25 artists to build a bank.  it was the only thing that gave me a few months of financial security so i could start designing effects without taking a day job!

being a recording engineer has its ups and downs.  very little sleep for long stretches (weeks into months sometimes) and ENORMOUS amounts of mental and emotional effort into projects which are often as not shelved or sadly overlooked once the thing is done.  it's nothing like making pedals.  pedals work and sound fun every day, and they don't age badly like some pop music.  all you need to bring them back to life after a few years of neglect is a fresh battery!  8^)

i built up a collection of mismatched, half-assed gear with a few shining pieces (some nice ribbon mics and guitar amps and cabs, and a couple of great pieces of rack gear) but aside from being known by almost every musician in town, the reward was very slight for the effort put in.

all i can say is, i hope you love it enough to make up for the fact that unless you are a great producer who gets a cut of a few major hit records, you may end up in a labor of love for a large chunk of your life!  which isn't entirely a bad thing.  my friend chuck zwicky worked for prince, as his main engineer during a very busy segment of his career, and despite getting lots of fun projects over the years since (he did a pretty big record for dilerious and recorded a live jeff beck album recently) he's living extremely modestly.  basically, expect to work your ass off.  8^)

[Mike Burgundy]

It really is a labor of love - at least for now.
I know chances are I'm not lucky enough to be the next Erwin Musper (Scorpions, VanHalen, that stuff) but that's why I'm also a designer
People are actually gradually returning from home-studios to the real thing again, nowadays...