Sundance Channel : Discussions : Discussion Post : ** producer discussion **

Films Series Schedule Videos Photos Sundance Film Festival The Green Eco-mmunity Blogs Discussions Spotlights Selects Exclusives

producer discussion

Live From Abbey Road

** producer discussion **

View: thread | inline

producer discussion	Posted on Jun 26 2007 at 5:49am by michael10
Hi all. we're here to answer questions or discuss anything about the show, look forward to hearing from you. Michael Gleason and Peter van Hooke

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Jun 27 2007 at 2:39pm by beatrice
Hello, Michael and Peter! I'm the publicist for Josh Kelley (singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles, CA in the US). Josh will be coming to the UK to open for Seal at Monda Water on July 19th. He would love to do a recording session at Abbey Roads for one of your future episodes. Can you please contact me with details on your selection process? Thanks so much for your time! Best regards, Beatrice Bugnosen Wilspro Management & Consulting 135 W. 26th Street, Suite 4A New York, NY 10001 212-337-2123 beatrice@wilspro.com

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Jun 28 2007 at 10:34pm by wieloh
Hi, On tonights show as I tuned a guy and girl were doing a duet and I missed their intro,will you please identify the singers and the tune. The show is great and a nice change from regular programing. Thanks,Rich

RE: producer discussion Posted on Jun 30 2007 at 8:39am by michael10

That was Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol with Martha Wainwright performing "set the Fire to The Third Bar"

RE: Audio Levels!	Posted on Jul 1 2007 at 5:21pm by loren1
I'm enjoying the LIVE FROM ABBEY ROAD series, except for one thing. The sound is clean enough that I like to turn it up to a realistic level, but then when the commercials come on they are ear-splitting. Particularly the "Grey Goose" signature sound... Just to double check my subjective impression, I fed the audio from the last episode into my digital audio workstation. The peak levels of the commercials were 6db above the peaks of the music. That's 6db above even the Chili Peppers! Converting those voltage levels to perceived loudness, that means the commercials seem half again as loud as the music. This is of course an ongoing problem with most of television today. Commercials and made-for-television programming are made to a -14db standard, but movies and DVDs are referenced to -20db. When a film begins, I have to crank up my volume by the 6db difference. But the volume then stays constant for the maybe two hours of the film, and I just need to remember to turn it down before the following announcements come on. LIVE FROM ABBEY ROAD is apparently produced to the lower audio levels of a film, but unfortunately interrupted many times by piercingly louder announcements. The combination really detracts from what otherwise is a delightful experience. Could you _please_ tell the SundanceChannel technicians to bump up the gain on the Abbey Road program material? I'm watching via DirecTV standard-def, but I'm sure they are just passing along the levels you are sending them. The answer to this problem for the future is of course metadata like Dialnorm, but until the digital revolution has made its way through the "vast wasteland" of TV, somebody at your end needs to adjust the volume knob! Loren

RE: Audio Levels!	Posted on Jul 2 2007 at 4:22am by michael10
Hi Loren Thanks very much for pointing this out; our sound engineers are getting in touch right away with Sundance and will let you know the result. best m & pvh

RE: Audio Levels!	Posted on Jul 22 2007 at 9:39pm by shermansound
For seven years, I composed the music, as well as engineered many of the final stereo mixes, for the Ditech.com national television commercials ("don't shoot me, I'm just the piano player"), and I also engineered the final audio mix for Colorblind, a documentary soon to be aired on numerous PBS channels. I do not believe you are going to find an easy solution to the audio level issue. I think the problem is directly related to audio compression. There are numerous articles that have been written regarding the tactics used by sponsors who feel that the hottest audio level for their commercials is a desirable thing. In order achieve this, most commercials apply massive compression and limiting to the final mix. What this does is completely squash the dynamic range of the commercials (it reduces the difference between the quietest and the loudest parts of the commercial), and thus allows the overall level to be raised by many decibels. Trust me, you do not want to do this to the final mixes on Live From Abbey Road. I have no doubt that the Abbey Road engineers are using numerous compressors and limiters (Abbey Road has access to the best) on individual instrumental tracks, but if they are applying compression to the final mix, I am sure it is not nearly as drastic as the ratio that is used on the commercials. One of the quality aspects of recorded music (particularly jazz and classical) is a wide dynamic range. Unfortunately, most sponsors producing television commercials could care less about achieving a wide dynamic range; they want LOUD. I think you will find it technically very difficult to allow your show to continue to have quality audio, while simultaneously matching the overall hot levels of the commercials. Please keep up the great work you are doing for one of the finest musical television productions I have ever had the pleasure of watching (and hearing)! Very Sincerely, Rick Sherman Sherman Sound Suite Irvine, California

RE: Audio Levels!	Posted on Jul 23 2007 at 3:31pm by loren1
Rick Sherman says, "I think the problem is directly related to audio compression." In many cases I'd agree, but in the Abbey Road case, there was an obvious difference in the _peak_ levels, not just a compression of the average level up toward the peaks. I say "was" because it appears someone heard my plea - as of this week I no longer need to raise my gain by 6 dB to hear the Abbey Road program material. It is at about the same level as the intervening announcements and general television programming, without any loss of dynamic range. (Switch to a serious film channel and the dialog level drops by 6 dB, to leave headroom for the explosions...) Thank You to all involved! The Grey Goose Iconoclasts sound is still piercing, and probably a good example of Rick's point about compression, but its peaks no longer _measure_ half-again as loud as the music - they just _seem_ louder. Loren

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Jul 6 2007 at 5:09pm by annarosenbloom
Hey there! I was hoping to catch last night's episode with Ray LaMontagne (as I think he is absolutely amazing) but it wasn't coming on until 1 am and I am on the east coast. I know that Sundancechannel.com and Sundance Channel itself said 10pm e/p but not so much. I was hoping that it would be replayed on another night, any way we can get the time right for future episodes or repeats played at some point? Thanks!!!

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Jul 9 2007 at 8:45pm by rchb13
Hey Guys. Just have to comment on the current show. After an envigorating 24+ hours of Live Earth I was amazed, stunned really, by The Zutons. Obviously they are very well known in the UK and perhaps by more than a few here in the USA but alas I was not one of them. I have now sought and listened to what I surmise is most of their released material. However, the performance broadcast from Abbey Road is comparitively of such a higher caliber it is breathtaking. They are very talented. My only regret is that the show was not devoted entirely to them. Enthusiastically looking forward to the rest of the season! Bob aka Buzzz

RE: producer discussion Posted on Jul 10 2007 at 5:44am by michael10

Thanks Buzzz, we loved The Zutons!

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Jul 13 2007 at 6:38am by tomthumb
Can we expect more of behind the scenes in the control room and some of the equipment in future sessions as I assume all the sessions for the series are completed and mastered. And on a average how long are most the sessions taking to film. A complete tour of Abbey Road would make a nice episode.

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Jul 21 2007 at 3:47am by michael10
it takes a day to film one of our artitsts, and next season we'll have a bit more behind the scenes and hopefully more AR history

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Jul 20 2007 at 2:02pm by apneahunter
As a musician that makes a living sharing similar sentiments to the artists portrayed in this series I have greatly appreciated the intimacy of this series, as well as the immaculate care gone into producing such a killer sound. As I travel a great deal I miss episodes and am interested in seeing previous shows. Will there be a production of a DVD or series of DVDs from this series?? Is there a place to view upcoming replays of episodes?? once again thanks for not just producing good television but a great sound as well. Ryan

RE: producer discussion Posted on Jul 21 2007 at 3:49am by michael10

thanks for the kind words. sundance might be re-running the eps, and we're hoping to have DVD's out later this year. mg

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Jul 22 2007 at 9:08pm by shermansound
I do not want to waste space by repeating all of the kudos that I expressed in the "Live? Not at all..." thread, so please read that if you have the time. I do want to ask if there is anything I can do to help foster the success and longevity of your fantastic production! As a professional performing musician as well as a recording engineer, I appreciate your show so much! Last night at my gig, I promoted your show over the microphone in between songs. I rarely use my performance format as a platform to advertise anything, let alone a television series! I also plan to promote your show in my next email to my "fan" base of 350 email addresses. Aside from faithfully watching your show (which is a given), is there anything else I can do to promote your show or help out in any way? In closing, please absolutely know that there are thousands, or millions, of like-minded people for whom your show represents some of the best of what the medium of television has to offer. Thank you so very much!

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Aug 7 2007 at 12:47pm by peter8
Thanks for the kind words . It has taken a long time to get a show like this together and give it the kind of production levels that I felt had been missing for so many years. Just keep watching the shows and telling everyone about it! There is more detaled information on the recordings on our website www.livefromabbeyroad.com if you wish to visit . Its so gratiffying to know that the work put in is actually worth it. Thanks again. Peter van Hooke

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Aug 12 2007 at 4:00pm by iamtheghostdog
Once again I tried to watch this show. While the music is consistently good the visuals leave much to be desired. What ever happened to letting the music speak for it self? This director thinks that 3 to 5 seconds is quite long enough before moving on to another camera shot. And really. Do we need to see all of these close ups of the singers face? Especially during a guitar solo? Less is more. Show the band! Show them interacting with one another. It's part of what makes a memorable musical experience.

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Sep 9 2007 at 12:33am by davotrpt
Hello Michael and Peter, Thanks for the outstanding show! I have only seen one episode (Episode 11) and I was amazed at the quality of the production. My feeling, quite to the contrary of iamtheghostdog, was that the camera work and production were excellent. The pan from Corinne Bailey Rae to the background singers, followed by different angles on the horn section catching the stabs perfectly really made "I'd Like To" work beautifully. Being a trumpet player that has been filmed and recorded horribly for decades, it's incredibly rewarding to see the job being done so well. Brava, AJ Jankel!

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Aug 13 2007 at 2:09pm by patlaw
Michael or Peter, thanks for producing this series. Having been to Abbey Road a couple of times (once when Dr. John was in the control room in Studio 2 and once to record), I can attest that it is a magical place. If you are interested in some show ideas, I have two that may interest you, if you can provide contact information. My email address is patlaw@mindspring.com. Mike Phillips

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Aug 19 2007 at 4:38pm by peter8
Did you see Dr John on the show? Did it bring back any memories? Peter Van Hooke. Producer

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Aug 20 2007 at 6:59am by patlaw
No, I have not yet seen the show as we don't have Sundance Channel. I am having to beg and borrow to find episodes of the show. Hopefully you will make it available on DVD at a reasonable price. Neither you nor Michael has contacted me. Do you not need any ideas for future shows?

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Sep 3 2007 at 1:52pm by davidtlucas2000
How do you decide which bands to choose for your sessions. You have made very eclectic choices, with a wide range of sounds. Great job. In my opinion, this is the best show on television. Will you do a season 2?

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Sep 3 2007 at 5:59pm by michael10
peter and I decide who we like, and we listen to all and then we decide who will come on our show. Sometimes we don't please everybody, but then, who can do that? We're just after great performances, and hope that's what we deliver. We're very grateful for your support and interest in our show. Best m

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Sep 3 2007 at 2:00pm by davidtlucas2000
The "Willowz" would be great on your show. I just saw them live at a small venue in Denver, Colorado. They were the opening act for the Detroit Cobras and they totally stole the evening. Great Rock and Roll.

RE: producer discussion - CD release?	Posted on Sep 5 2007 at 4:12pm by katequackenbush
Hello, Peter and Michael. Thank you for producing such a fantastic series. You've managed to rangle some of my all-time favorite performers along with some lesser-known but still impressive acts, and it just makes for great television. I had written a post earlier today and wanted to reiterate it to you both. I was curious if Sundance has any intention of releasing a Live from Abbey Road CD? With 36 acts, you could easily take one song from each and put out a double disk. It just seems to make sense and it would be a welcome addition to my collection (and that of my friends). Please let me know if this is possible or even being considered. I'm not a professional musician or songwriter, but music has always been a huge part of me and my brother's relationship, and it quickly became a bond between my brother and my husband when they first met. Schmultzy, I know, but you can't deprive the world (or those w/out Sundance) the opportunity to hear some of these amazing recordings. Thanks for your time.

RE: producer discussion - CD release?	Posted on Sep 6 2007 at 4:30am by michael10
Hi Kate Thanks so much for the very kind words! We are working hard to obtain clearance from the artists to release a CD and a DVD later this year. As soon as we have news we'll post it here. Best, m

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Sep 9 2007 at 6:28pm by azega
Hi there. On Monday September 3rd, 2007 my boyfriend and I were interviewed on the steps of Abbey Road Studio for this series. During the interview on camera, my boyfriend proposed to me. By any chance, can you tell me when it will be aired and is there any way to get a copy? We are very excited! Please let me know. Excited in the USA

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Nov 19 2007 at 2:11pm by brobison
Hi all. My son, Michael Baker, is the drummer for Colbie Caillat. He told me that Colbie and the band are filming an episode on the show, but he didn't know when it would air. How can I find out?

RE: producer discussion Posted on Nov 19 2007 at 2:28pm by michael10

We haven't yet decided when Colbie's segment will air but are thrilled to have her and her band! Best, Michael
- RE: producer discussion Posted on Nov 19 2007 at 2:34pm by brobison
  
  thanks! best, bj

RE: producer discussion	Posted on Nov 19 2007 at 9:20pm by azega
Michael & Peter- Hi there. I posted on Sep 9 2007 at 6:28pm by azega. I don't see any replies so I thought I'd try again. No harm in trying, right? My boyfriend and I were doing the tourist bit on Monday 9/3/07 at Abbey Road and were stopped by a couple of men to do an interview for the series. While on camera my boyfriend popped the question. I couldn't imagine a more beautiful and romantic place then on the magical steps of Abbey Road. We are really hoping that maybe that clip is sitting somewhere and we can get a copy/email of it. Please let us know either way if you have anything or can direct to someone who might. Thanks!!!

RE: Episode 10, Season 2	Posted on Aug 28 2008 at 11:31pm by racer27x
I watch Abbey Road on Charter Cable via On Demand. The episodes are replayed there. Episode 10 was skipped. We went from #9 to #11. Can you tell me why that happened?

RE: Episode 10, Season 2 Posted on Aug 29 2008 at 11:29am by michael10

hi, we're looking into this and will post a reply shortly, Michael