# AGENTS.md - Audio Discovery Organization ## Purpose Audio Discovery is the vault's collection of real-world recordings analyzed for their production techniques, recording methods, and sonic characteristics. This is where we document how classic (and modern) recordings were made. ## Directory Structure ### Songs/ - Alphabetical Organization by Song Title **Naming convention:** `[Song Title] - [Artist/Band], [Album] ([Year]).md` **Examples:** - `Along Came Betty - Art Blakey, Moanin' (1958).md` - `Watermelon Man - Herbie Hancock, Takin' Off (1962).md` - `Got a Match - Chick Corea, The Chick Corea Elektric Band (1986).md` **Alphabetization rules:** - Sort by song title, ignoring articles ("A", "An", "The") - Examples: - "The Beatles" → alphabetize under "B" for "Beatles" - "A Day in the Life" → alphabetize under "D" for "Day in the Life" - "Along Came Betty" → alphabetize under "A" (no article to ignore) **Directory structure:** ``` Songs/ ├── A/ │ ├── Along Came Betty - Art Blakey, Moanin' (1958).md │ └── Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz, Are You Gonna Go My Way (1993).md ├── B/ │ ├── Billie Jean - Michael Jackson, Thriller (1982).md │ └── Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen, A Night at the Opera (1975).md ├── D/ │ ├── Day in the Life - The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967).md (ignoring "A") │ └── Disciples - Tame Impala, Currents (2015).md ├── W/ │ └── Watermelon Man - Herbie Hancock, Takin' Off (1962).md └── [etc...] ``` **Future expansion:** If any letter folder becomes too large (e.g., 50+ articles), subdivide into ranges: ``` S/ ├── Sa-Sc/ ├── Sd-Sf/ ├── Sg-Si/ └── [etc...] ``` **When creating a song article:** 1. Determine song title (ignore leading articles for sorting) 2. Get first letter after ignoring articles 3. Create letter folder if it doesn't exist: `Songs/[Letter]/` 4. Create article: `Songs/[Letter]/[Song Title] - [Artist/Band], [Album] ([Year]).md` ### People/ - Musicians, Engineers, Producers **Purpose:** Individuals and groups (artists, bands, engineers, producers) with deep dives into their recording approaches, signature techniques, and career evolution. **Alphabetization:** By **last name** for individuals, **band name** (ignoring "The") for groups - Rudy Van Gelder → `V/Rudy Van Gelder.md` - Bernie Kirsch → `K/Bernie Kirsch.md` - Art Blakey → `B/Art Blakey.md` - The Beatles → `B/Beatles, The.md` **Structure:** ``` People/ ├── A/ ├── B/ │ ├── Art Blakey.md │ └── Beatles, The.md ├── C/ │ └── Chick Corea.md ├── K/ │ └── Bernie Kirsch.md ├── V/ │ └── Rudy Van Gelder.md └── [etc...] ``` ### Places/ - Studios, Venues, Recording Locations **Purpose:** Recording studios, live venues, and their acoustic characteristics, equipment, and historical significance. **Alphabetization:** By primary name (e.g., "Mad Hatter Studios" → M, "Van Gelder Studio" → V) **Structure:** ``` Places/ ├── A/ │ └── Abbey Road Studios.md ├── M/ │ └── Mad Hatter Studios.md ├── V/ │ └── Van Gelder Studio.md └── [etc...] ``` ### Daily Audio Discovery/ - Fun Facts & Daily Notes **Purpose:** Daily fun facts, strange recording stories, and interesting audio engineering discoveries. **Naming convention:** `YYYY-MM-DD - [Descriptive Title].md` **Structure:** ``` Daily Audio Discovery/ ├── 2025-11-15 - Paul Jackson's Four-Amp Bass Rig.md ├── 2025-11-16 - [Next fun fact].md └── [etc...] ``` **Format:** - Short, engaging fact with wikilinks to People/Places/Songs - Direct quotes when possible - Citations - Optional "Listen" section with streaming recommendations ### Music History/ - Historical Context and Movements **Purpose:** Broader historical narratives, genre evolution, studio history, technological developments. **Examples:** - Jazz Progression of Artists.md - Evolution of Hard Bop Recording.md - Rudy Van Gelder's Blue Note Era.md ### Audio Concepts Listening Lists/ **Purpose:** Curated playlists organized by specific audio concepts (compression, reverb, mic techniques). ### Venues/ - Live Recording Locations **Purpose:** Historic venues and their acoustic characteristics, live recording techniques. ### Brands/ - Gear Manufacturers **Purpose:** Brand histories, signature sounds, equipment lineages. ## Song Article Template (`template_type: article`) **FOCUS: Concise, Citation-Heavy Audio Engineering** These articles are for a **Recording Arts & Technology professor**. **Writing style:** - ✅ **Concise** - Dense information, minimal fluff - ✅ **Citation-heavy** - Footnotes link directly to sources (Reddit, interviews, articles) - ✅ **Specific** - Exact mic models, preamps, techniques - ✅ **Wikilinked** - Link first mention of engineers, studios, artists (e.g., `[[Rudy Van Gelder]]`, `[[Mad Hatter Studios]]`) - ❌ **No redundancy** - Say it once with a citation - ❌ **No verbose explanations** - Let the sources speak **Example of GOOD concise writing:** > Bernie Kirsch worked as Chick Corea's longtime engineering partner throughout the Elektric Band era and reunion tours (2016-2018).[^1] The album features state-of-the-art 1986 digital recording with heavy MIDI sequencing and FM synthesis.[^2] **Example of BAD verbose writing:** > Bernie Kirsch was an important figure in the recording of this album. He worked closely with Chick Corea for many years, serving as his engineering partner. During the Elektric Band era, which spanned from the original recordings through the reunion tours that took place between 2016 and 2018, Kirsch was there... **Footnote format (clickable links):** ```markdown [^1]: [Stereophile Interview](https://www.stereophile.com/content/chick-corea-pioneering-jazz-pianist) - Corea calls Kirsch his "ace in the hole" [^2]: [Jazz Rock Fusion Guitar](https://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/2015/09/chick-corea-1986-elektric-band.html) - Technical details on FM synthesis and MIDI use ``` ```markdown --- created: YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS-0800 updated: YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS-0800 edited_seconds: 0 slug: [random-11-char] template_type: article schema_validated: YYYY-MM-DD tasks_status: tasks_unfinished: tasks_completed: --- # [Song Title] - [Artist Name] ## Recording Information **Album:** [Album Name] **Recorded:** [Date/Year] **Studio:** [[Studio Name]], Location **Engineer:** [[Engineer Name]][^1] **Producer:** [[Producer Name]] **Label:** [Label] ## Recording Setup **Microphones:**[^2] - Drums: [Specific models and placement - concise bullet] - Bass: [DI + amp mic if applicable] - [Other instruments with specific details] **Signal chain:**[^3] - Preamps: [Model] - Console: [Model] - Tape: [Format, speed] or Digital: [System] - Tracking compression/EQ: [If any] **Engineer's approach:**[^4] [1-2 sentence summary of signature techniques used on this session] ## Mixing **Setup:**[^5] [Console/DAW], [key outboard gear] **Techniques:**[^6] - [Specific bus compression, reverb units, notable processing - bullet points only] ## Notable Characteristics [2-3 concise sentences about what makes this recording significant from an engineering perspective] ## Footnotes [^1]: [Source Title](URL) - Brief context about engineer [^2]: [Reddit: r/audioengineering Discussion](URL) - Microphone details discussed [^3]: [Sound on Sound Article](URL) - Signal chain breakdown [^4]: [Tape Op Interview](URL) - Engineer describes approach [^5]: [Studio Documentation](URL) - Gear list from era [^6]: [YouTube: Engineer Breakdown](URL) - Mixing techniques explained #[genre] #[engineer-name] ``` **Key principles:** - **Keep it SHORT** - Aim for 200-400 words total (not including footnotes) - **Dense information** - Every sentence should contain specific facts - **Every claim gets a footnote** with clickable link - **Footnotes replace verbose explanations** - Don't explain in body AND footnote - **No redundancy** - If you mentioned the engineer's name in Recording Info, don't repeat the full context again in body - **No "What we know" vs "What's speculated" sections** - Just cite the source - **Sound design info is great** - Synth details, patch construction, etc. - **Let readers click through** - Trust them to read the sources **Redundancy to avoid:** ❌ **BAD (redundant):** > **Engineer:** Bernie Kirsch > > Bernie Kirsch worked as the engineer on this recording. He was Chick Corea's longtime engineering partner. He engineered throughout the Elektric Band era and also worked on reunion tours from 2016-2018. ✅ **GOOD (concise):** > **Engineer:** Bernie Kirsch[^1] > > Kirsch worked as Corea's longtime engineering partner throughout the Elektric Band era and reunion tours (2016-2018).[^1] > > [^1]: [Stereophile Interview](URL) - Corea calls Kirsch his "ace in the hole" **Information density:** ❌ **BAD (low density):** > The album was recorded in 1986. It featured digital recording technology. GRP Records was known for using state-of-the-art equipment at the time. Digital recording was becoming more common in the mid-1980s. ✅ **GOOD (high density):** > Recorded in 1986 with state-of-the-art digital technology and heavy MIDI sequencing.[^2] GRP Records pioneered digital recording during this era.[^3] **Let the footnotes do the work:** - Body text: Facts only - Footnotes: Where you found them + brief context - Reader clicks through for deep dive ## Footnote Format (CRITICAL) **Every footnote must be a clickable link that goes directly to the source.** **Format:** ```markdown [^1]: [Article/Thread Title](https://full-url.com) - Brief context (1 sentence max) ``` **Examples:** ✅ **GOOD footnotes:** ```markdown [^1]: [Stereophile: Chick Corea Interview](https://www.stereophile.com/content/chick-corea-pioneering-jazz-pianist) - Corea calls Kirsch his "ace in the hole" [^2]: [r/audioengineering: RVG Recording Quirks](https://www.reddit.com/r/Jazz/comments/a1m0uz/rudy_van_gelder_recording_quirks/) - German condenser mics, glove-wearing confirmed [^3]: [Sound on Sound: Classic Tracks](https://soundonsound.com/article-name) - Neumann U47 placement details ``` ❌ **BAD footnotes (don't do this):** ```markdown [^1]: Reddit discussion on Van Gelder's techniques [^2]: Sound on Sound magazine [^3]: Multiple sources confirm ``` **Reddit citations:** - Always include subreddit name in the link text - Include what specific info came from the thread - Link directly to the thread, not just reddit.com **When information is uncertain:** - Still cite the source, but note it in the context - Example: `[^5]: [Reddit: r/synthrecipes](URL) - Community speculation on Minimoog settings` ## Research Strategy for Recording Techniques **PRIORITY: Audio engineering specifics over musical analysis** ### Research Order 1. **Engineer identification** - Who recorded it? (Critical starting point) 2. **Studio details** - Where? What gear did they have? Room characteristics? 3. **Microphone choices** - Specific models, placement, techniques 4. **Signal chain** - Preamps, compressors, console, tape machine 5. **Mixing approach** - How was it mixed? What outboard gear? 6. **Engineer's signature techniques** - What are they known for? ### Essential Sources **Primary sources (most valuable):** 1. **Engineer interviews:** - Sound on Sound "Classic Tracks" series - Tape Op magazine interviews - Mix Magazine "Recording Notes" - Pensado's Place (video interviews) - YouTube engineer breakdowns 2. **Studio documentation:** - Studio websites (Abbey Road, Capitol, etc.) - Session notes (when available) - Studio gear lists from the era - Discogs credits (comprehensive personnel) 3. **Books:** - "Behind the Glass" by Howard Massey (engineer interviews) - Engineer autobiographies (Geoff Emerick, Eddie Kramer, etc.) - "The Recording Engineer's Handbook" by Bobby Owsinski - Genre-specific recording books **Secondary sources (community knowledge):** 1. **Reddit communities** (prioritize these for research): - r/audioengineering - Technical recording discussions - r/AudioProductionDeals - Sometimes includes technique discussions - r/MusicProduction - Production techniques - Genre-specific: r/Jazz, r/Metal, r/hiphopproduction, etc. - r/synthesizers - For electronic music recording - r/WeAreTheMusicMakers - General recording chat 2. **Forums:** - GearSpace (formerly Gearslutz) - Deep technical discussions - Sound on Sound forums - Home Recording forums 3. **Engineering-focused YouTube channels:** - Warren Huart (Produce Like A Pro) - RecordingRevolution - Streaky Mastering - In The Mix ### Search Strategies **Reddit search via Brave (most effective):** ```bash # Engineer-specific site:reddit.com "[Engineer Name]" microphone technique site:reddit.com "[Engineer Name]" recording chain site:reddit.com "[Engineer Name]" mixing approach # Studio-specific site:reddit.com "[Studio Name]" equipment microphones site:reddit.com "[Studio Name]" recording setup site:reddit.com "[Studio Name]" console gear # Technique-specific site:reddit.com "[Album Name]" recording engineer site:reddit.com "[Album Name]" microphone placement site:reddit.com "[Album Name]" drum sound mix # Era/gear-specific site:reddit.com "1960s jazz recording" techniques site:reddit.com "Neumann U47" placement jazz site:reddit.com "SSL console" mixing techniques ``` **General web search patterns:** ``` "[Engineer Name]" interview recording techniques "[Album Name]" making of studio session "[Studio Name]" gear list [year] "[Song Title]" recording breakdown ``` ### What to Look For **Microphone specifics:** - Exact mic models (not just "condenser" - which condenser?) - Placement distances and angles - Stereo techniques used (XY, ORTF, spaced pair, Blumlein, etc.) - Room mic placement and ratios **Signal chain details:** - Preamp models (Neve 1073, API 312, Universal Audio 610, etc.) - Tracking compression (if any) - ratio, attack/release - Console routing decisions - Tape machine specifics (Studer A800, Ampex 456, etc.) **Mixing specifics:** - Bus compression settings - Specific EQ moves (not just "added highs" - what frequency? How much?) - Reverb types and settings (chamber, plate, spring - which unit?) - Automation details **Engineer signature techniques:** - What is this engineer known for? - How does their approach differ from peers? - Specific "tricks" or innovations they pioneered ### What NOT to Focus On - Harmonic analysis (leave this to music theory professors) - Melodic development (not our focus) - Song structure analysis (mention briefly if relevant to production) - Compositional details (unless directly tied to recording choices) **Production details are OK to mention**, but keep it brief: - Arrangement choices that affected mic placement - Performance aspects that influenced recording decisions - Genre context for why certain techniques were used ### Reddit Citation Best Practices When citing Reddit, be specific about what was discussed: ❌ **Vague:** "Reddit users discussed the recording" ✅ **Specific:** "According to r/audioengineering thread, users confirmed RVG used Neumann U47s on horns with close placement at 6-12 inches, based on photos from the era and engineer interviews" **Include in citations:** - Subreddit name - Thread title - URL - What specific info came from the discussion (mic models, techniques, settings) - Whether it's confirmed or speculation from the community ## Integration with Rest of Vault **Cross-references:** - Link to [[Gear and Plugin Guides]] for specific equipment - Link to [[Microphone Techniques]] for mic placement patterns - Link to [[Mixing and Mastering]] for production approaches - Link to [[Studio Guides]] if recording location is documented **Wikilink strategy:** - Link first mention of **people** (engineers, artists, producers) → `[[Rudy Van Gelder]]` - **CRITICAL:** People live in `People/[Letter]/[Name].md` - NEVER create person files in Songs folder - Link first mention of **places** (studios, venues) → `[[Van Gelder Studio]]` - **CRITICAL:** Places live in `Places/[Letter]/[Name].md` - NEVER create studio files in Songs folder - Link to gear guides when relevant → `[[Neumann U47]]` - Link to technique articles when relevant → `[[Close Miking Techniques]]` **WIKILINK RULES (NEVER VIOLATE):** 1. **Songs folder** = ONLY song articles (e.g., `Songs/W/Watermelon Man - Herbie Hancock, Takin' Off (1962).md`) 2. **People folder** = ONLY people (engineers, artists, bands, producers) 3. **Places folder** = ONLY studios, venues, recording locations 4. **NEVER create a person or place file in the Songs folder** 5. **Wikilinks automatically find files** - just use `[[Name]]`, Obsidian handles the path **Example cross-linking:** ```markdown [[Rudy Van Gelder]] used [[Neumann U47]] microphones extensively at [[Van Gelder Studio]], employing [[Close Miking Techniques]] that were unconventional for jazz at the time. ``` **File location reference:** - `People/V/Rudy Van Gelder.md` ← Person - `Places/V/Van Gelder Studio.md` ← Studio - `Songs/W/Watermelon Man - Herbie Hancock, Takin' Off (1962).md` ← Song ## Essential Recording Engineers Database **Research these engineers' specific techniques when they appear in credits:** ### Jazz & Blues **Rudy Van Gelder** (1924-2016) - **Known for:** Blue Note, Prestige, Impulse! recordings - **Signature:** German condenser mics (Neumann M49, U47), close miking, "hot" levels - **Studios:** Hackensack (1947-59), Englewood Cliffs (1959-2016) - **Search terms:** "RVG recording techniques," "Van Gelder microphone placement" **Roy DuNann** - **Known for:** Contemporary Records West Coast jazz - **Studios:** Contemporary Records studio, Los Angeles **Phil Ramone** (1934-2013) - **Known for:** A&R Studios, Billy Joel, Paul Simon - **Techniques:** Early digital recording pioneer **Tom Dowd** (1925-2002) - **Known for:** Atlantic Records (Aretha, Ray Charles, Allman Brothers) - **Innovations:** Pioneered multitrack recording (8-track) ### Rock & Pop **Geoff Emerick** (1945-2018) - **Known for:** Beatles engineer (Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's, Abbey Road) - **Signature:** Close-mic bass drums, ADT (Automatic Double Tracking), unconventional mic placement - **Studios:** Abbey Road Studios - **Search terms:** "Geoff Emerick techniques," "Beatles recording methods" **Eddie Kramer** - **Known for:** Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Kiss - **Signature:** Aggressive guitar sounds, creative panning, tape effects - **Studios:** Olympic Studios London, Electric Lady Studios **Bruce Swedien** (1934-2020) - **Known for:** Quincy Jones productions, Michael Jackson (Thriller) - **Signature:** Acousonic Recording Process, minimal mic technique, no EQ philosophy - **Search terms:** "Bruce Swedien microphone technique," "Thriller recording" **Andy Johns** (1950-2013) - **Known for:** Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones - **Signature:** "Glyn Johns" drum technique (his brother), big rock sounds **Alan Parsons** - **Known for:** Beatles (engineer on Abbey Road), Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon) - **Signature:** Pristine fidelity, experimental techniques ### Electronic & Fusion **Bernie Kirsch** - **Known for:** Chick Corea Elektric Band, GRP Records - **Era:** 1980s digital recording pioneer - **Search terms:** "Bernie Kirsch GRP recording," "Elektric Band production" **Roger Nichols** (1944-2011) - **Known for:** Steely Dan - **Signature:** Perfectionist approach, digital recording pioneer, custom-built equipment ### Hip-Hop & R&B **Young Guru** (Gimel Keaton) - **Known for:** Jay-Z engineer - **Approach:** Modern digital workflow, vocal processing **Manny Marroquin** - **Known for:** Kanye West, Rihanna, John Mayer - **Signature:** In-the-box mixing techniques ### Metal & Hard Rock **Andy Wallace** - **Known for:** Slayer, Nirvana (Nevermind mix), Rage Against the Machine - **Signature:** Powerful, compressed rock mixes **Terry Date** - **Known for:** Pantera, Soundgarden, Deftones - **Signature:** Heavy guitar sounds, aggressive production ## When Researching Engineers **Essential questions to answer:** 1. What microphones do they prefer for each instrument? 2. What's their typical signal chain? 3. What console/preamps do they favor? 4. What are their "signature" techniques? 5. How does this recording compare to their other work? 6. What innovations did they bring to this session? **Where to find this info:** - Sound on Sound "Classic Tracks" features - Tape Op interviews - Reddit threads (r/audioengineering discussions) - Engineer's own interviews on YouTube - Books like "Behind the Glass" **Include in articles:** - Engineer bio (brief - 1-2 sentences) - Their usual techniques - What they specifically did on THIS recording - How it fits their overall body of work ## File Migration **Current state:** Some song articles exist in `Songs/` at root level without alphabetical folders. **Migration needed:** 1. Read existing article 2. Determine first letter (ignoring articles) 3. Create letter folder: `Songs/[Letter]/` 4. Move article to: `Songs/[Letter]/[Current Filename].md` 5. Update any internal links in vault **Agent workflow for migration:** ```bash # List current songs ls "Audio Discovery/Songs/" # For each song: # 1. Parse title to get first letter (ignore "A", "An", "The") # 2. mkdir -p "Audio Discovery/Songs/[Letter]/" # 3. mv "Audio Discovery/Songs/[Song].md" "Audio Discovery/Songs/[Letter]/[Song].md" ``` ## Quick Reference **Creating a song article:** 1. Confirm song title and artist 2. Ignore articles (A/An/The) to determine alphabetical placement 3. Format filename: `[Song Title] - [Artist Name].md` 4. Create in: `Audio Discovery/Songs/[Letter]/` 5. Use "article" template type 6. Include sources and citations 7. Tag with genre **Example:** - Song: "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac from "Rumours" (1977) - Ignore "The" → First letter is "C" - Filename: `Chain - Fleetwood Mac, Rumours (1977).md` - Location: `Audio Discovery/Songs/C/Chain - Fleetwood Mac, Rumours (1977).md`