Building a Studio, Analog vs. Digital, and Mixing Rock Guitars with Ryan Haft (Snarky Puppy, OM, Torche)
Love Music More · hosted by Luke F. Walton (Scoobert Doobert)
Guest: Ryan Haft
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Topics discussed
Host note
Ryan Haft built Sun Burned Sound Studio in Miami from scratch: which means he's both a practitioner and a facilities nerd. We start with his war story about losing sessions to gym vibrations from the building next door, which explains why he rebuilt with no parallel walls and two control rooms that can run simultaneously.
The conversation earns its title: studio construction math, outboard gear vs. plugins in 2024 (his answer isn't what you'd expect), mixing rock guitars with a saturation approach that holds back transients without sounding held back, and how mastering has changed now that streams are the delivery format. He earned a Latin Grammy in 2023.
Selected moments
- Struggles with studio noise 1:39 Ryan describes a frustrating experience with noise interference from a nearby gym while recording.
- Designing a new studio 3:21 Decision-making behind designing a new studio space.
- Mixing room functionalities 4:36 Ryan explains the dual control rooms in his studio that allow for different recording activities simultaneously.
- Choosing studio materials 5:51 Sound treatment and how specific design choices impact acoustics.
- Mathematics of sound design 8:30 Ryan clarifies the reasons behind avoiding parallel walls in studio design for optimal sound.
- Mixing efficiency and creativity 11:21 The conversation turns to how engineers can adapt to imperfect room acoustics.
- Outboard gear vs. in-the-box mixing 18:11 Ryan shares his thoughts on when to use outboard gear versus plugins in the mixing process.
- Capturing the magic of sound 20:46 Discussion on how to maintain the character of recording while using digital tools.
- The evolution of mastering 47:33 Ryan discusses how the mastering process has changed in the age of digital streaming.
- Importance of good mixes 56:19 Ryan reflects on his lifelong passion for music and its impact on his career.
Selected excerpts
If everything was mathematically perfect then every studio would sound the same.
You have the added benefit of now you can design it the way you want and for your needs.
Sound comes off speakers... and the idea of skewing walls a little bit allows for sound to scatter.
I like to aim for how I think they should sound on the way in.
We're in a period of time where plugins have leveled the playing field pretty drastically.
I think you can coax saturation in a way that holds back transients without sounding like it's holding back transients.
It's a beautiful combination of control and harmonics... that's what sounds good.
Every recording sounds different than the last time I recorded a drum set.
FAQ
What are Ryan Haft's views on analog vs digital mixing?
Ryan believes that both analog and digital have their strengths, but acknowledges that modern plugins can level the playing field significantly.
How does Ryan Haft approach building a studio?
Ryan emphasizes the importance of acoustic treatment, efficient space design, and tailoring the studio layout to the needs of the artists.
What insights does Ryan Haft provide on mixing rock guitars?
Ryan discusses the balance between achieving large, impactful guitar sounds while maintaining clarity in the mix.
Curated notes only — no public transcript. Listen on the links above.