[brandondrury]

For a powerful musical concept to really hit home, it sometimes takes a special way of wording it. I'm calling this thread "Greatest Quotes" as I hope to highlight when a person sums up a point perfectly.

On the subject of burning cds of mixes and taking them out to the car

Originally Posted by bitflipper

Having been through the burn-car-curse-repeat process myself, I agree that it is very inefficient, time-consuming and a waste of plastic.

On the subject of growing as an audio engineer:

Originally Posted by willaz

Two years ago when I had my first sm7, I thought it was the mic that sucked, not me. Now I'm amazed what I can do with it.

On the subject of electric guitar pedals:

Originally Posted by BatPat

I strive for no pedals at all, makes you work harder.
My chain: Amp - Guitar - Idiot

In regard to compression:

Originally Posted by Wun Moshen

the concept of the compressor is nothing stays on the ground and nothing touches ceilin

In regard to maximizing creativity:

Originally posted by Pounamu
No boundaries if your not looking for accolades

On the subject of drum micing:

Originally Posted by mad scientific

i dont want to ask the questions everyone asks.. where to place mics, etc..
i have arms legs and ears and can figure out what sounds good all by myself!!

On the subject of the Mac / PC issue:

Originally Posted by richiebee

Get a Mac if you want to, but don't be led to believe that its the answer to becoming a recording engineer. Or anything for that matter.

On the subject of Songwriting / Writer's Block:

Originally Posted by Twangler

You can continue to wait for a lightning bolt of inspiration to drop out of the sky or you can take command by writing, writing and writing until you plow through to the other side of that wall of resistance.

On the subject of acoustic guitars / instruments:

Originally Posted by Charlie_M

But the thing is that it doesn't matter the cost of it - only matters that it has its own unique voice and the only real question is whether that voice ends up being flattering to your song, recording space, and signal chain. Seems like a good idea to me.

On the subject of practicing an instrument:

Originally Posted by banjobkp

Hello!
Every professional musician I have ever spoken about practice always talk about using the metronome. So don't be an ass and think that you don't have to. (Trust me, we are all asses!)

On the subject of demanding extreme "sound quality" out of state of the art equipment

Originally Posted by richiebee

..it isn't all about state-of-the-art. It's about delivery of a message.

On the subject of the high end recording gear

Originally Posted by fbeehler

Hey, I am not a Luddite, and I wouldn't trade my Pro Tools rig for a cassette 4track, but frankly the amount of fun I have had recording music has never been a function of the gear involved, but the people I have worked with, the relationships I have forged, and the sheer joy of creating art. A great song is a great song even if recorded with a tin can and string! Don't worry about having that megabuck preamp or that Neumann mic, begin where you are, and have fun!

On the subject of singing

Originally Posted by sparqee

A pro spends so much time playing their instrument that it becomes an intuitive tool of personal expression. A pro (typically) loves playing their instrument so much that they constantly strive to not only improve their existing skills but explore new methods of expression.
- Sparqee

On the subject of high end gear upgrades

Originally Posted by KillerV

Better pieces of gear have definitely improved the quality of my work, but only after I learnt how to get the most out of what I already had.

On the subject of musical intensity vs engineering

Originally Posted by Chazamatazz

emotion cuts through everything.don't you find that, when you write something on edge its so much from the heart, the technique happens easily.

On the subject of electric guitar recording

Originally Posted by brandondrury

Setting up guitar tones is a lot more like playing with boobs than calculating wave resonance. You simply mess around until something excites you. The end. Push, pull, twist, and bite to find tones that interest you. If no tones interest you find a new amp, pedal, or girl.