Reflections on Audio Feedback via email

(-1.5 db ) is about the first significant notch of audible change variant that folks notice. So sometimes when people want things down "a little" or a "hair" it could mean (-6db) or more, depending on how sensitive they are to the change, how loud they're listening, their relative perspective on life, family history, balance of power at home, body mass index etc...

When discussing audio feedback via email sometimes phone/laptop listeners work well with percentage % increase or decrease terms rather than the audio meter (+/- db) nonsense that I'm used to dealing with. So if the starting point of something in question always equals 100% , then up or down X(%) based on that is sometimes easier to translate.

For example:

Client:  "Turn up my guitar solo 10%"

Operator "10% of what ?""

Client  "10% more of what's already there."

Operator  "Oh, sure... makes sense. You are 100% correct, per usual"

Numbers don't lie.

Starry Eyed

I helped record Patti Labelle these past two days. It's never easy to act normal around a legend at first. Even in the comfort of your own studio.  I've set up vocal mics for singers thousands of times, but somehow you second guess every last move when you're setting up a mic for someone who is not only an international star, but someone who has recorded with the best of them.

So now I can officially say that both Michael McDonald and I have worked in the studio with Patti Labelle, and I think that's pretty cool. 

"Yes, Ms. Labelle... I promise I've done this before.."