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Happy Birthday to Bruce Swedien, an Engineering Icon!

vendredi 19 avril 2019, 07:01 , par Sweetwater inSync
Today we celebrate one of the icons of the recorded music industry, engineer/producer Bruce Swedien, on his 85th birthday. With a career spanning more than seven decades — yes, he started recording in a small basement studio in Minneapolis at the age of 14 — Bruce has collaborated with the greatest artists of all time on some of the most lauded and biggest-selling projects ever recorded. Even just a quick glance at his credits is jaw-dropping:

Quincy Jones
Michael Jackson
Count Basie
Nat King Cole
Mick Jagger
B. B. King
Paul McCartney
Jennifer Lopez
Oscar Peterson
George Benson
Duke Ellington
Santana

The list of credits goes on and on. Along the way he has been recognized with numerous Grammy Awards and nominations, ASCAP composer awards, TEC Award nominations, a Pensado Giant Award, honorary doctorates at respected universities, and more.
Bruce Swedien in his studio with a partial collection of his numerous gold and platinum records. Photo credit: Trond Braaten
I first met Bruce back in 2000, when I was the editor in chief at EQ Magazine and living in New York City. We were at an AES lunch/meeting and somehow ended up seated next to one another. The first thing I remember about Bruce is how, even though we had just met, he instantly made me feel like we were old friends. We immediately launched into a discussion of his incredible microphone collection — mics that were used on some of the most respected recordings of all time — which led to a photo-filled cover story in EQ (one of several we did with Bruce over the years). Bruce and I crossed paths many times since then, at industry events and here at Sweetwater, and it’s always the same: once you meet Bruce and his wonderful wife, Bea, you’re an old friend.
Bruce opened his first recording studio in Minneapolis at the age of 19, working with major artists such as Tito Guizar and Tommy Dorsey. He and Bea moved their family to Chicago in 1957 to work for RCA Victor recording studios. After only 11 months, he moved to Universal Recording Studios, which was Bill Putnam’s studio (of Universal Audio fame, and whom Bruce considers the father of modern recording). During his 11 years at Universal, Bruce honed his skills working with a who’s who of artists: Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Duke Ellington, Woody Herman, Oscar Peterson, and many more. He won his first Grammy in 1962, for Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” He also made a critical connection during this time, meeting and working with Quincy Jones — a relationship that continues to this day.
Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, and Bruce Swedien. Photo credit: Trond Braaten
After leaving Universal Recording Studios, Bruce quickly established himself as an in-demand freelance engineer/producer, continuing to grow his career in Los Angeles and New York. A milestone for Bruce was a trip to New York City in 1977 to work on the motion picture The Wiz. This first encounter with Michael Jackson, who starred in the movie, led to a long collaboration with Jackson and Quincy Jones and produced such landmark and chart-dominating recordings as Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, and HIStory with Jackson and Jones, as well as The Dude, Back on the Block, and Q’s Jook Joint with Jones.
Along the way, Bruce established himself as an engineer’s engineer, known for the incredible sonic quality of his recordings and mixes. Never shy about sharing his knowledge and wisdom or mentoring the next generations, Bruce has conducted numerous master classes, written articles, appeared in videos and interviews, and written three must-read books on his approach to music and recording (see Recommended Reading and Recommended Viewing below). One of the hallmarks of Bruce’s recording method is capturing everything — even mono sources — in stereo. This allows him to create expansive, deep, and rich mixes that envelope the listener.
If there’s one thing I have learned in my encounters with this incredible recording engineer/producer, it’s that the entire goal of everything we do is to make great music. His motto — certainly one to live by — is “music first.” We are obligated and responsible to do everything we can to create and enhance the music we work on in any way we can. And, as Bruce always says, the key to doing this is learning to listen. Learning what instruments sound like. Experiencing live performances of great musicians in great-sounding spaces. Then taking what we learn from listening into the studio and using it to capture incredible performances that can be mixed into stunning soundscapes.
Bruce Swedien, Peter Maizitis, and Chuck Surack on the GearFest stage, ca. 2008. Picture provided by Peter Maizitis.
So from all of us at Sweetwater, here’s to you, Bruce. Congratulations on your 85th birthday! We’re so proud to call you our friend. You set the bar high for future generations of engineers and producers and constantly remind us that what matters above all is the music. We’re all in service of the incredible art form you love so much and have taught us so much about. Thank you for sharing your awe-inspiring talents with the world!
Recommended Reading
The Bruce Swedien Recording Method
Make Mine Music
In the Studio with Michael Jackson
Recommended Viewing
Bruce Swedien’s Keynote Address at Sweetwater’s GearFest 2008
The Sweetwater Minute Bruce Swedien Interview
The post Happy Birthday to Bruce Swedien, an Engineering Icon! appeared first on inSync.
https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/happy-birthday-bruce-swedien/
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