A Tour Of Universal Audio

I'm a big fan and user of Universal Audio gear and plugins, so I was fascinated by this video tour of the UA facility. It was shot by Vintage Audio and narrated by CEO Bill Putnum Jr, the son of the legendary engineer and inventor Bill Putnum. Check it out.

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The Iconic Ocean Way Studios Sold

The Famous Oceanway Studio B

One of the most iconic studios of Hollywood, Ocean Way Recording, has been sold to the holding company that owns the Sunset Gower and Sunset Bronson Studios, large independent film studios located next door to the famed studio. What that means for the long-term future of the studio is unknown, although the studio will remain in operation at least in the short term.

Ocean Way has a long history in the music world. Starting as one of the first independent recording studios in 1957, the studio was called United (then later United Western) and was originally owned by audio pioneer Bill Putnam (inventor of the UREI line of audio gear) with the backing of superstars of the day Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.

United/Ocean Way has always been noted for the major artists that recorded there, starting with Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Ray Charles in the beginning, to some of the biggest rock stars like The Rolling Stones, Green Day, Dr. Dre, U2 and The Red Hot Chili Peppers that came later.

Until the acquisition, the studio had been owned by Allen Sides, who built the Ocean Way brand far beyond the Hollywood studio, which included Record One Studios, Ocean Way St. Barth's, Ocean Way Nashville, Ocean Way Audio and Ocean Way Drums. None of those additional entities are included in the sale however.

Ocean Way has been one of the best recording facilities in the world for more than 50 years. It's acoustics (thanks to the brilliance of Bill Putnam) are top-notch as are it's equipment and staff. Let's hope that the new owners aren't looking at the purchase from a real estate standpoint (which is particularly valuable on Sunset Blvd in the middle of Hollywood) and keep this temple of sound in operation.

That said, Hudson Pacific Properties (the new owners), has 12 sound stages on the Sunset Gower lot and another 11 on Sunset Bronson, along with production companies for ABC, NBC, HBO, Showtime and even the local KTLA station. I wouldn't be surprised if Ocean Way was quietly turned into another stage or production offices sometime in the future. Here's hoping that won't happen.

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Bruce Swedien Talks Putnam And Harrison

I like to call Bruce Swedien the "Godfather" of engineering, but his mentor, Bill Putnam, was truly the father of modern engineering. In this video, Bruce talks a bit about Bill, and also about the development of the Harrison console, which was the sound of Thriller and other Michael Jackson albums that Bruce engineered.

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Help support this blog. Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this website with no cost to you.

You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Don't forget to check out my Music 3.0 blog for tips and tricks on navigating social media and the new music business.

An Inside Look At A 1965 Frank Sinatra Session

This video has made the rounds with my Facebook friends today (I'm not sure exactly where it started, but thank you to whomever is responsible) and when you give it a watch you'll know why. It's a 1965 Frank Sinatra live record date, complete with a full orchestra, of his hit "It Was A Very Good Year."

There's a lot to like in this video. Check out:

• the small size of the audio console considering how large the orchestra. The recording was done at the famed United Western studio (now called EastWest), so the console was undoubtedly one custom-designed by the legendary Bill Putnam (that might be him at the console but can't tell for sure). The console is pictured on the left.

• there was not a headphone in sight.

• the good humor that Frank is in. None of his legendary surliness here.

• the fact that he's playing to a small audience of friends. When was the last time you saw that during a session?

• Walter Cronkite doing the voice-over. That's two legends on the same tape.

• the fact that this is a live record. No overdubs here. It's over when Frank is satisfied, which happens relatively quickly as the man was known for few takes.

• how many people are dressed formally with jackets and ties.

Recording sure has change in the last 46 years. I'm not sure it's gotten any better though.

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Help support this blog. Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this website with no cost to you.

You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Don't forget to check out my Music 3.0 blog for tips and tricks on navigating the music business.