Clientes Satisfechos de Vestman Mastering

"I know I speak for a lot of your clients past, present and future who could have gone to other places, but stayed with you for one reason. You produced consistently great product in a number of capacities. Your ability to adapt to the needs of the client in the moment was truly masterful.

I have no doubt that you can change the dynamics of a recording in the mastering process. I think you may bring something extra to the project that is God given. You have remarkable ears.

I have recited the story of my recording where while we were mixing, you were hearing something that was bugging you. You slowed down the tape and manually ran it until you found a John Mehler accidental tick, where he barely touched the rim on his snare with a stick. You heard this through heavy rhythm tracks, horns, percussion, lead vocals, and layers of background vocals. It takes a lot to amaze me. I was amazed that day while you spot erased it.

I also remember the first mastering of 'Gulf of Mexico.' Doug Sax [The Mastering Lab in LA] came into the studio and called that "the cleanest recording he had heard that year." Doug Sax! That was unsolicited. He wasn't even mastering that project. This recollection stands out because there were witnesses, and my credibility in the biz as a decision maker with my music was thereby significantly enhanced.

That led to more money for studio time, and eventually to Allegiance-EMI-Capitol. I was positioned to compete in Hollywood largely due to your singular brilliance.

Then there was the Brian Wayy-recording that a black producer and I brought to the Black Radio convention at Studio City. In a smokey expensive suite filled with some true industry heavies, we managed to slip that tape into the rotation. Immediately, the dancers jumped up to boogie and the business people flocked to us asking who, where, and rather poignantly, who produced in what studio. The quality of those recordings certainly outlasted the voice emulators!

John, there are many more anecdotes that would support what you have accomplished in the last 25 years. I think it is precisely the fact that you have recorded so much, and have such a great ear that make you a superior mastering engineer. It is your rare awareness of sound and process that lead me to think you might just be pushing the envelope in this field." -Bill Glass, Corpus Christi, Texas

Email response to Secrets of Miking

" ...the part about the positive reinforcement when it comes to getting the most out of a vocal performance is *100% right on*!" [Our engineer will] express the *opposite* of what he really feels (eg., "Fred, y'know that solo of yours really sucked...)"

Reply by John Vestman:
There are people who use put-downs in a kidding way, and people who are just plain cranky. No matter how "fun" the person makes a put-down, it strikes a vulnerable place inside people and the people around them.

When requesting a different approach, I suggest having the whole band there for a quick game plan discussion so that everyone is on the same page. Then use the "donut" technique. Say something positive "I really appreciate the sound you get on tape for us..." "for this project, we want to take a new approach in giving feedback to the singer. We'd like to all agree to not use any put-downs or negative comments or negative words, even if it's jokingly." "I know this session is going to go great, and we're looking forward to hear the sound you get for us."

If he goofs, just smile, take the "joke" for what it is, and then simply *add* the positive phrase afterwards. It will add time to the talking-back and forth, but it will neutralize the negativity. No one switches this wording around overnight. It took me years, I mean years to get automatic with my language. Never reprimand yourself or others when a negative phrase is used, just follow it with a correction.