Engineer and producer John Fischbach shares stories about the records he’s made during his career, his views on modern recording and the digital age, and his advice for young people wanting to get into the industry.

Engineer and producer John Fischbach shares his thoughts on the uses and abuses of compression in modern recording. He discusses the negative side of the “louder is better” trend in mastering, and explains how for radio, over-compression can have the opposite effect from what was intended.

Engineer and producer John Fischbach describes the complex process of mixing, including using panning and EQ as well as overall volume level. He also discusses the application of different kinds of monitor speakers in mixing.

Engineer and producer John Fischbach talks about his favorite records of yesterday and today, including Elton John, The Beatles, Metallica, and Sufjan Stevens. Fischbach explains that great records are more about the people than the technology involved, and discusses the inescapable truth of subjectivity in recording.

Taking a question from a student, engineer and producer John Fischbach discusses the realities of working in the recording business today. He stresses the importance of having passion for the work, and gives real-world advice about how to break into the industry.

Engineer and producer John Fischbach describes the process of integrating new people into the recording studio and contrasts the apprenticeship system of the past to today’s situation, in which many young engineers come into their careers with a mostly digital, computer-based knowledge of engineering.

Engineer and producer John Fischbach expresses his opinion that good music is 90% performance and 10% everything else, and discusses the difference between recorded reality and live reality, especially in today’s digital age.

Engineer and producer John Fischbach talks about his own personal listening process, which he explains is the driving force behind all his work.

Engineer and producer John Fischbach discusses his studio, Piety Street Studios, and what the facility has to offer. He also shares his experience with keeping the studio up and running through the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Engineer and producer John Fischbach discusses his opinion that large studios (such as his Piety Street Recording Studio in New Orleans) are still relevant in today’s age of digital recording. He argues that the excellence in engineering and quality of the equipment, as well as the space available for recording large groups such as choirs or orchestras make the large-format studio still necessary today.

Engineer and producer John Fischbach explains how he got his start as an engineer. He shares about the “real world” education he received by cleaning toilets and interning at recording studios, and tells stories of working with Carole King as he built his engineering and producing chops.

Engineer and producer John Fischbach recounts how he came to work with Stevie Wonder in New York City. Working through his connection with producer Bob Margouleff, Fischbach explains how luck and connections play into success as an engineer and producer. His work with Carole King is also discussed.

Engineer and producer John Fischbach discusses the pros and cons of new digital technology in recording. He praises the editing capabilities of programs like Pro Tools, but expresses his preference for the superior sound of analog tape. Fischbach also gives examples of how to best use both technologies to your benefit in the studio.

Engineer and producer John Fischbach expresses his concern about the lack of competent archiving processes today. He discusses the fact that hard drives, older digital tape machines, and DAT tapes are failing more than they are working, and challenges young people to come up with new technologies for archiving music.

Engineer and producer John Fischbach defines the fine-tuning process of mastering. He discusses the importance of maintaining a conceptual linearity throughout an album, and explains the technical process of isolating width in an audio master.

Engineer and producer John Fischbach talks about the importance of panning and width in mixing. He expresses his frustration with many engineers’ lack of utilization of stereo in their mixes, and talks about how powerful a well-panned mix can be.