Jack Johnson – Sleep Through The Static

Used on vocals for Sleep Through the Static, as stated by mix engineer Robert Carranza in this May 2008 Sound on Sound interview.

Regarding the signal chains, simplicity again ruled. "For vocals it was the U47 going into an API 512, into an LA2A with a dB compression at the most, straight to tape. I've learned in the past that you want to use no or very little EQ during recording, because if you later want to drop in a fix, you'll never match it. The drums were all cut through an API preamp. For bass we went through a Universal Audio 610, and guitar and piano went through the Neve 1073. That was pretty much the signal chain on everything."

Used on the vocals for Sleep Through the Static, as stated by mix engineer Robert Carranza in this February 1, 2008 Mix Online interview.

Vocals went through an API mic pre from the Telefunken | USA U-47 re-issue into the API 512, into an LA-2A and straight into tape. “We used the 1176 every once in a while, not too much; this is more of an LA-2A kind of record. No aggressive stuff.”

Used to record Sleeping Through the Static, as stated by mix engineer Robert Carranza in this May 2008 Sound on Sound interview.

Recordings took place off and on over a period of three months in the late spring and summer of 2007. This included a 10–day spell at Johnson's Hawaiian studio, and Carranza ended up buying another Studer A827 plus a Malcolm Toft console especially for the project. "I took the microphones with me to Hawaii, and we had a duplicate of my outboard and preamp rack, so the signal chain was exactly the same. There was no great pressure in working. We really went with what we felt like." The only moment of concern came when the 18 RMG900 two–inch reels (recorded without Dolby, at +6/185) they had filled had to be sent back to Los Angeles for mixdown. Naturally, Carranza made Pro Tools copies before shipping. (...) Robert Carranza mixed the album at Solar Powered Plastic Plant Studios, happily using the Studer A827 and the SSL AWS900.

(...) "Choosing the studio equipment was up to me," explained Carranza. "Nobody had any foresight as to what to get. I already owned all the outboard gear that we needed and I also have a complete Pro Tools system, so the main challenge was to get a tape machine, a desk, and a monitoring system that would work in the relatively untreated acoustic space. We ended up buying a Studer A827 24–track from Harry Maslin, an old engineer and producer who has done a lot of great records. As for the desk, Jack wanted something economical and low–maintenance. I've grown up with API, and they're great, but I know how problematic they can be. The same goes for Neve. So I settled for the SSL AWS900. I realised that I could get any sound I wanted on this console, as opposed to a Neve, which will only give you the Neve sound. As I have a rack full of preamps, four Neve 1073s, eight API 512s, 12 API L200s, I only intended the SSL AWS900 to be used for monitoring and mixing."

Used on guitar and piano for Sleep Through the Static, as stated by mix engineer Robert Carranza in this May 2008 Sound on Sound interview.

Regarding the signal chains, simplicity again ruled. "For vocals it was the U47 going into an API 512, into an LA2A with a dB compression at the most, straight to tape. I've learned in the past that you want to use no or very little EQ during recording, because if you later want to drop in a fix, you'll never match it. The drums were all cut through an API preamp. For bass we went through a Universal Audio 610, and guitar and piano went through the Neve 1073. That was pretty much the signal chain on everything.

Used on vocals for Sleep Through the Static, as stated by mix engineer Robert Carranza in this May 2008 Sound on Sound interview. An image of the item can be found here.

Regarding the signal chains, simplicity again ruled. "For vocals it was the U47 going into an API 512, into an LA2A with a dB compression at the most, straight to tape. I've learned in the past that you want to use no or very little EQ during recording, because if you later want to drop in a fix, you'll never match it. The drums were all cut through an API preamp. For bass we went through a Universal Audio 610, and guitar and piano went through the Neve 1073. That was pretty much the signal chain on everything."

Used on the electric guitar for Sleep Through the Static, as stated by mix engineer Robert Carranza in this May 2008 Sound on Sound interview.

"Electric guitars were also pretty straightforward, with an SM57 on the amp. The acoustic guitar was usually a Gibson J45, sometimes a Cole Clark, recorded with an AKG C451. I'd screened off the acoustic guitar so it didn't bleed as much. Some songs started off acoustically, and Jack would say 'There's too much bleed on the mic, let's try an electric,' and all of a sudden the vibe of the song changed. We simply went with it. 'If I Had Eyes' was one of those songs."

Used for the acoustic guitar on Sleep Through the Static, as stated by mix engineer Robert Carranza in this May 2008 Sound on Sound interview.

"Electric guitars were also pretty straightforward, with an SM57 on the amp. The acoustic guitar was usually a Gibson J45, sometimes a Cole Clark, recorded with an AKG C451. I'd screened off the acoustic guitar so it didn't bleed as much. Some songs started off acoustically, and Jack would say 'There's too much bleed on the mic, let's try an electric,' and all of a sudden the vibe of the song changed. We simply went with it. 'If I Had Eyes' was one of those songs."

The same is said by Carranza in this February 1, 2008 Mix Online article, accompanied by photographic proof.

"We set up in the room and create a live environment. I put an AKG 451 on his acoustic guitar. He is such a mellow player. Jack would sometimes play acoustic, sometimes electric, all done live in the room."

Other images of Johnson using the microphone for the album can be found here on this Morrison Hotel Gallery page, here and here.

Used on the electric guitar for Sleep Through the Static, as stated by mix engineer Robert Carranza in this February 1, 2008 Mix Online interview.

Many amps on the project were borrowed from producer J.P. Plunier's collection. “The one on the left is a Bell stereo amplifier that has two inputs so you can create a stereo effect; we used that one quite a bit,” says Carranza. “The little orange one is an old Gibson. We also used the little combo on the bottom with the tweed design. Standard miking [included] an SM7 or a 57; sometimes, I put the 251 on the amp farther back.”

Used on the acoustic guitar for Sleep Through the Static, as stated by mix engineer Robert Carranza in this February 1, 2008 Mix Online interview.

On the guitar is an Audio-Technica 4050.

Used for vocals on Sleep Through the Static, as stated by mix engineer Robert Carranza in this February 1, 2008 Mix Online interview.

Vocals went through an API mic pre from the Telefunken | USA U-47 re-issue into the API 512, into an LA-2A and straight into tape. “We used the 1176 every once in a while, not too much; this is more of an LA-2A kind of record. No aggressive stuff.”

Used on Sleep Through the Static, as stated by mix engineer Robert Carranza in this May 2008 Sound on Sound interview.

"Electric guitars were also pretty straightforward, with an SM57 on the amp. The acoustic guitar was usually a Gibson J45, sometimes a Cole Clark, recorded with an AKG C451. I'd screened off the acoustic guitar so it didn't bleed as much. Some songs started off acoustically, and Jack would say 'There's too much bleed on the mic, let's try an electric,' and all of a sudden the vibe of the song changed. We simply went with it. 'If I Had Eyes' was one of those songs."