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If you ever need a feel-good audio extravaganza, pick up a copy of Recording Unhinged: Creative & Unconventional Music Recording Techniques by Sylvia Massy with her partner Chris Johnson. As cacophonous as its cover, illustrated by the renaissance woman herself, this title explores the rule-breaking philosophy behind many iconic albums. The subtitle says it all. Readers be warned this is no cookbook of precisely measured formulas of gear and settings. Think of it as a grab bag of inspiration, a light for dark places when all other lights go out. A tool to break out of the worst ruts.
Divided into chapters by instrument, similar to a session in your current DAW, Massy fills each chapter with audio legends telling audio lore. Some of the stories are so fantastic, that they will never be attempted again, but many of the anecdotes are exercises in “why not?” and “I hope this works.” Emphasis is placed on the latter, with many memories featuring antique one-of-a-kind microphones and synths one burnt fuse from the dumpster. It becomes a running theme to embrace the problematic gear as a challenge to occupy the brain so that the heart is free to ace the take. Mistakes are not the apocalypse, instead, they are the sources of epic sagas. Here is your permission to try the weird and possibly wonderful.
The stories alone would be enough to pick up a copy, the icing on the cake is the candid stills, and illustrations drawn by Sylvia. Behind the scenes polaroids, and photos of iconic music history make this a coffee table book of envy. And each illustration is as wild as the stories. I am not entirely sure, but the chapter plates might be a Where’s Waldo of audio memes.
For those needing more of Sylvia’s illustrations: there are two companion coloring books. The first with a showcase reel of drawings from Recording Unhinged and the other focusing on audio icons in a Catholic saint fashion. My co-reviewer has finally figured out which end of the crayon to use and ate it up (still hasn’t kicked her paper habit). I love these add-ons, they are perfect for musicians waiting between takes or for decorating dorm room studios. One word of caution to the audio parent: some illustrations include sex, drugs, and rock & roll, use your discretion.
Nerd, as I am, I could not put this book down. And it deserves a re-read with a soundtrack to unpack each morsel. I would not recommend this as the only book on recording, but as a supplement to your current library. A secret weapon to get your mixing on the next level. Maybe put it in your laptop bag to infuse its funk in your sessions. You never know what might happen.
You can check out this book in The SoundGirls Lending Library
Article by SoundGirl: Nicole Kirch
Another great article by SoundGirls: When We Lose Momentum
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The mission of SoundGirls.org is to inspire and empower the next generation of women in audio. Our mission is to create a supportive community for women in audio and music production, providing the tools, knowledge, and support to further their careers. SoundGirls.Org was formed in 2013 by veteran live sound engineers Karrie Keyes and Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato and operates under the Fiscal Sponsorship of The California Women’s Music Festival, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. In 2012, Karrie and Michelle participated in the “Women of Professional Concert Sound” panel at the AES Conference in San Francisco. The panel was hosted by the Women’s Audio Mission (WAM) and moderated by WAM founder Terri Winston. Terri brought together five women working in live and broadcast audio. The groundbreaking panel (which also included Jeri Palumbo, Claudia Engelhart and Deanne Franklin), provided young women and men a glimpse into life on the road, tips and advice, and a Q & A with the panelists. More importantly though, was how incredibly powerful the experience was for the panelists. We had all been in the business for 20 years or more, yet most of us had never met before that day and within minutes we bonded like long-lost sisters. We were struck by how similar our experiences, work ethics, and passions were and wondered why our paths had never crossed and how our careers would have been different had we been there to support each other through the years. Each of us are strong on our own, but together we were even stronger and a powerful force. We were empowered. Each of us had been asked hundreds of times in our careers: Are there other women doing sound? How did you get into sound? How would a young woman go about getting into sound? Through creating SoundGirls.Org, we hope to establish a place for women working in professional audio to come for support and advice, to share our success and failures, our joys and frustrations, and for empowerment and inspiration.
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