The Secret Society of Lathe Trolls

bbb · Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 4 Location: Brooklyn NYC

Hello everyone,

My name is Brendan. I am very, very happy to have found this site. Info on this ultimate engineering skill set is indeed excruciatingly difficult to find so a huge thank you to Steve for setting up this forum.

By day I sing and write songs for my band wheatus. By night I engineer the sessions for said band. Everything I know about engineering I learned from brain picking followed by tinkering. I have been fortunate to have worked with some very skilled and seasoned engineers......as I am definitly not one....and never on a lathe, regretably.

I nearly lost my mind mixing our 3rd album on Pro Tools. I have had an epiphany since then. Neither I nor my band mates will ever again waste our precious Earth minutes squinting at low res 2D renderings of real life when we could be getting better at what we do by DOING IT! (on glorius 3D Mono vinyl, of course).

I was 1st bit by the lathe troll when I was 10 and my late 70's audiophile uncle played me his direct disc collection with detailed explanaition of the process as he knew it. Imagine....you used to have to be able to PLAY!

I think popular music has strayed far enough from the quality tree and I intend to lead MY OWN musical life back towards it....whatever it takes. We had a recent band meeting where the mission was set forth: Get good enough to lay it down one time or get out.....

I understand that this ethic is not a new one. That's why I'm here....to ask advice and aprenticeship if possible....I will do what it takes to respect this noble skill and learn to do it the right way. I will save and spend money on the the right rig and keep it as a recording partner for life.....a final investment.

I have considered buying some sort of vintage cutter (Rek-O-Kut, Presto ect.).....There are also some new school overseas rigs. That Vestax looks like a waste of money, although my mind is indeed open. The ultimate goal is to buy a complete rig...(Nuemann?, Westrex?, Scully?) from someone who knows how to treat such an engineering miracle. I would also be very into interning with someone who could use an extra set of observant and attentive hands.....I don't need any money....I just need the knowlege.

Anyway, thanks again to Steve and the rest of you for keeping the tables spinning and handing down some very important engineering history to us younger generations.

PS...Through my limited research it is apparent that the TYPE of music is very much a factor in an engineers approach to the cutting proccess.

wheatus is a sort of eclectic rock band....think Zappa, Rush, The Who, AC/DC with a bit of Tom Petty and Willie Nelson......Dynamic range wise we try to incorporate the best of Motown and better Hip Hop in our drum and bass sounds, 70's Prog Rock Keys.....Big Wall of Metal Guitar at times, two Andrews Sisters BV's and my whiney lead.

Thanks a million..... this forum and this idea have got me excited about recording again,

brendan b brown
wheatus

Very Happy

Steve E. · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 12:05 pm Post subject:

Dear Brendan,

I've seen your band!! I believe my acqaintance Quinn was involved in promoting you a few years back (still, maybe?) and I saw you at the Luna Lounge during...a bidding war? The details are hazy. The place was impossibly packed. The band rocked.

Well, super cool to have you here. We may be learning from you at least as much as the other way around. Welcome, welcome. I hope you find the disc-ussion you are looking for!!