placement

Mike placement for rock band recording

Last week I had the opportunity to watch an experienced producer do the initial miking to record a traditional rock band in a more-or-less live setting--two guitars, bass, and drums, recorded simultaneously. (Vocals are almost always overdubbed later, even in this kind of set-up. This band was also adding keyboards later.) I've been on the other side many times as a bass player, but this is the first time the producer asked me for my opinions, then explained why he was placing the mikes where he was.

Now, entire books could be (and have been) filled with advice on … Read more

PlanetOut gets new investors

Struggling PlanetOut said Monday that it has struck a deal to raise $26 million in new funds from private investors.

The publicly traded company, which runs the PlanetOut and Gay.com Web sites, as well as Out and The Advocate magazines, has seen its revenue drop and its losses widen in recent months.

Among those investing, as noted by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, is Bill Gates' investment arm, Cascade Investment LLC. Other investors include Special Situations Funds, SF Capital Partners, PAR Investment Partners and Allen & Co. The investment is coming from the sale of roughly 22.8 million shares of … Read more

Palm Treo cast in 'A Good Year'

The Palm Treo might really want to start thinking about getting a Hollywood agent. The smart phone, which this year made small-screen appearances on shows including How I Met Your Mother, CSI: Miami, The Nine and Boston Legal, has landed a starring role in A Good Year with Russell Crowe. Don't let all the red-carpet action go to your head, Treo.

The film, which opens Friday, is directed by Ridley Scott, the same guy behind the classic 1984 Super Bowl commercial that launched Apple's Macintosh computer.

In A Good Year, Crowe plays London-based investment expert Max Skinner, who … Read more