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Meeting held Tuesday, July 9, 2019, 7:30pm, DigiPen Institute of Technology, Redmond, WA

AES PNW Section Meeting Report
An Unhinged Evening with Sylvia Massy
with Sylvia Massy
Producer, Engineer, Author, Artist
Studio Divine / Unhinged Industries LLC
image linked to aes_jul2019_img_1045.jpg
Committee member Bill Gibson, Treasurer Lawrence Schwedler, Sylvia Massy, Secretary Gary Louie, and Vice Chair Dana Olson. 		image linked to aes_jul2019_img_0993.jpg
Producer, Engineer, Author, Radiant Being Sylvia Massy demonstrates gear from her portable "Bag of Tricks". 		image linked to aes_jul2019_img_0958.jpg
More than 95 people representing many areas in audio (including 30 AES members) attended the July PNWAES meeting.

Audio recordings of the meeting:
96k mp3

Photos by Gary Louie, Audio Recording by Rick Chinn


The PNW Section held an unusual July meeting in order to present renowned engineer/producer, Sylvia Massy.  Sylvia has worked with the likes of Tool, System of a Down, Johnny Cash, Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sevendust, and Tom Petty. Billed as "An Unhinged Evening with Sylvia Massy," she spoke about concepts shown in her recent self-illustrated book, Recording Unhinged, encouraging unusual, offbeat, perhaps oddball ways to get music recorded. Over 95 persons attended (about 30 were AES members) at the DigiPen Institute of Technology in Redmond, WA.

After introductions by PNW Vice-Chair Dana Olson and Committeeperson Bill Gibson, Sylvia's talk explored some wild and weird ways to record sound, including using inexpensive or unusual mics; pickles, potatoes or cheese in speaker wires; garden hose delay lines, and how to record a live chicken.

After a refreshment break, some door prizes were awarded, courtesy of Rowman & Littlefield books (formerly Hal Leonard books).

  • Electronic Concepts, Labs, and Projects by Alden Hackmann - won by Steven Andrea
  • Great British Recording Studios by Howard Massey - won by Aaron Smith
  • Beyond Mastering by Steve Turnidge - won by David Wood
  • Bruce Swedien Recording Method by Bruce Swedien with Bill Gibson - won by Steve Hampton
  • Beatles Gear - The Ultimate Edition by Andy Babiuk - won by Jesse Field
  • Recording Unhinged by Sylvia Massy - won by Glenn Lorbecki
Sylvia then fielded many Q&A, ranging from women and audio careers to recording techniques that didn't work out. Even veteran engineer/producer Jack Endino had a question about using business agents.

Finally, Sylvia signed mini-posters and posed for many selfies with attendees.

Reported by Gary Louie, PNW Section Secretary


Last Modified, 08/09/2020, 18:55:00, dtl