14 thoughts on “Show 106 – Interview with Kim Lajoie

  1. Your joke about D112 mic and Logic Studio it’s what is keeping me listening to this podcast. No, seriously, guys this podcast it’s by far the best audio podcast that I’ve listened. Cheers from Argentina!

  2. In my opinion, this interview — and others by Jon — are too long. Tighten them up a tad. Listen to Big Al’s interviews on the (sadly) defunct Pro Studio Network podcasts. Also, I thought it was ironic that Kim Lajoie was poo-pooing his blog gear posts. Dude, your audience is speaking! They want more gear talk! Most importantly, long live Logic!

  3. If someone gave money for every time Ryan said “For sure” you guys would be loaded by now lol! Just kidding guys. Keep it up. I don’t know anyone else out there who gives this much info away for free or just for the love of what you do. You guys have said in the past, that there are people who won’t tell you how they’ve done something in a song that sounds cool because it’s a trade secret or something. I think that’s D112. I help everyone who asks me questions about this stuff (to the best of my ability anyway). Love what you guys are doing.

  4. Hey Ryan…. Are you or any of the guys own a iPhone? Well if so then are you familiar with the best podcast app available called “stitcher”? If not it’s a app that you can download for free and it’s every podcast iTunes offers with out having to go to iTunes. Naturally that’s how I found you guys a few months back but stitcher recently sent out a update and decided I guess, to kick the show out of their club…

    Be4 the update one could only listen to a podcast Most recent episode. But now after the update you can listen to the last 4 or 5….. Well!! Ever since that update you guys no longer exist. Ryan, I know you said one could listen through the web site but the down fall to that is (using a iPhone) is you can not continue surfing the web or it will leave the page.
    My favorite thing to do while listening to the show is any gear you guys praise apon I go to google images and look and see what it is. (I do that while driving and eating, HAA!) just kidding
    All I can get on stitcher is “inside home recording” it’s cool and all but you guys do a seriously good job making it feel like a personal one on one lesson in a way.

    PS: can one of you explain more on digital in’s & out’s?
    I recently bought a ART MPA digital tube mic pre.. And it has S/PDIF out and two connections for word clock. Does it make sence to run a mic through the ART into my tascam US1641 interface via S/PDIF? If not can you maybe enlighten me on any techniques with this preamp and interface. And please be honest…. In “your opinion” is this tascam pure s#%t?

  5. John Gaspara has a excellent point. I really want to thank you guys deep down for giving us, your audience, your devoted followers for all of the time and extremely valuable info. I forgot which one of you said it, but it was about forums and how they belittle any noobie looking to learn. And god forbid if that person were to ask what a DAW or mic pre were.. The poor guy would get bombarded with insults and therfore very well might give the person a negative feeling about this wonderful skill of audio recording. This is seriously why I am a fan for life and am constantly checking for the latest show…..

    PMS: the new intro is so damn good!!

  6. Hey guys. Show’s been great. I like the intro music and I couldn’t be more upset about not submitting something myself. Eh, maybe next year.

    I really wanted to ask you about how you go about checking phase when recording drums. I recently bought up a bunch of 57s and borrowed a few nice mics to record a rock song. The room sounds great and so does the drummer (luckily), but I realized the mic placement was a little janky.

    When soloed, the room mics sound phenomenal. The kick mic was isolated and fat, even if it was a D112 (johnny). The snare top was fine, but when I mixed in the snare bottom, i realized it was out of phase. Before recording, I inverted the phase through a bus and sent that into an audio track. Still though, crap.

    Many will just throw that track out (which I ended up doing), but I was wondering if time adjusting the snare bottom track will do the trick. I know yall have talked about phase in the past, but it just won’t die. If only we could go back to the good ol’ days of mono…

    anyway, thanks for the great show and keep it coming. We’re all counting on you.

    cheers!

  7. Regarding Peter Day’s comment,
    I love the long interviews, that is why i listen to podcasts. Where else can you drive around all day (i work all around Sydney) and listen to a conversation between two professionals talking about their craft. If i wanted short, edited stories i would listen to commercial radio (but they still wouldn’t be talking about home recording!) It wouldn’t bother me if the interview went on for hours.
    Love the show, thanks guys,
    Troy

  8. Kudos to Jon for a great interview and a big thanks for shining a spotlight on so many different people in this field from around the world! I’ve added Kim’s blog to my reader and am having a great time reading his thoughts.

    Jon, perhaps you could share the forums and blogs you frequent with the listeners?

    I had no problem with the length of the interview and, like Ryan, I thought it was informative and entertaining throughout. Kim’s viewpoint, although not new, is still refreshing to hear – it’s all about WHAT you’re creating.

    Was this the first show where Ryan didn’t have a segment? (GASP!)

    Keep it up guys!

    D

  9. Hey guys,

    Thanks for the interesting segment on re-amping ducks (podcast 106); can you give any recommendations on what the best microphone for recording animal noises is?

    A friend of mine created a great rock guitar solo by taping a condenser mic to the inside of a cardboard box, dropping a kitten in, and shaking the box vigorously for a two bar duration.

    I have also heard that you can get a great bongo sound by hollowing out a couple of tortoises.

    Peace and love from the UK.

    Shut Up Fool

    p.s. I’ve always imagined John looks like Moby from the sound of his voice, am I close?

  10. Fantastic interview. Much of what Kim had to say had deep resonance. Like I would have said it if I thought enough to crystallize those intuitions.

    Some highlights (I paraphrase):

    1. it’s the music stupid, the tools are just that
    2. convolution reverb is like using presets
    3. the OCD about having round numbers and mixing by ear rather than by eye

    Will definitely get a second listen on a longer drive.

  11. +1 on liking the new theme song.

    Dug the interview with Kim. One suggestion? It would’ve been fun — and more effort I know — to include a couple clips from some of Kim’s projects.

    CD

  12. Jon, your interview with Kim was really great, I took a lot out of it, very insightful.
    Sometimes I can hear typing in the background. Are you transcribing the interview in real time or just looking for D112’s on eBay?

  13. Guys, been meaning to write to thank you for putting out one of the best podcasts out there (IMO), but listening to this episode I heard something that disturbed me and felt compelled to write in. First off, great interview John. Kim is a really interesting guy and obviously very accomplished. But this talk about nothing being real in the recording process and comparing it to making a Hollywood movie is a bit extreme and in many cases just plain wrong. Many, if not most styles of recorded music, especially those made with humans playing traditional instruments get their magic from capturing reality. When I’m working with a group of talented musicians in studio my primary goal is to get them to put all of their heart and soul into it and try and capture that feeling. When it happens it’s the difference between a good track and a great one and there is no plug-in or DAW tool that you can add in later to make this happen. I’m not saying that there should be no editing, that would be ridiculous, but to come at the process from the point of view that nothing is real is to limit yourself.

    Okay, sorry for the rant, that one touched a nerve. Keep up the great work guys!

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