AGENTS

Path: Audio Discovery/AGENTS.mdUpdated: 2/3/2026

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:

Determine song title (ignore leading articles for sorting)
Get first letter after ignoring articles
Create letter folder if it doesn't exist: Songs/[Letter]/
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](/articles/156v4lnaf4t), [Mad Hatter Studios](/articles/7koffmu8r5a))
❌ 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:** <span class="wikilink-broken" title="Page not found: Studio Name">Studio Name</span>, Location
**Engineer:** <span class="wikilink-broken" title="Page not found: Engineer Name">Engineer Name</span>[^1]
**Producer:** <span class="wikilink-broken" title="Page not found: Producer Name">Producer Name</span>
**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

CRITICAL: Specifics ONLY for THIS recording

❌ NO GENERALIZATIONS - Don't write about "1960s jazz recording" or "era conventions"
❌ NO HISTORICAL CONTEXT ESSAYS - Don't explain when headphones became popular or hard panning history
✅ THIS SESSION ONLY - What mics were used? What console? What techniques did THIS engineer use HERE?
✅ CREATE SEPARATE ARTICLES - Historical trends go in Music History/ folder, NOT in song articles
✅ WHAT YOU HEAR - Describe the specific panning, distortion, reverb on THIS track
✅ ADMIT UNKNOWNS - If specific details aren't available, say so and cite what IS known

Example of WRONG approach (too general):

This recording exemplifies late-1960s stereo mixing conventions... During this transitional period, recording engineers were still developing standards... Hard panning was common because... Headphones didn't become popular until the Sony Walkman in 1979...

Example of RIGHT approach (specific to recording):

Malcolm Addey engineered this session, known for his work at Abbey Road Studios on Beatles sessions.¹ The 1988 CD remaster credits Addey as digital remix engineer.[^2] Specific microphones and console used are undocumented.

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 Kirsch¹

Kirsch worked as Corea's longtime engineering partner throughout the Elektric Band era and reunion tours (2016-2018).¹

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

CRITICAL: Brave Search Rate Limiting

User has Brave Search rate limits - MUST include 1 second delays between searches:

✅ DO: Include sleep 1 between every Brave search call
✅ DO: Batch multiple searches with delays (search, wait 1s, search, wait 1s)
✅ DO: Continue searching aggressively - user WANTS comprehensive research
❌ DON'T: Stop searching after one query
❌ DON'T: Make rapid-fire searches without delays
❌ DON'T: Give up if rate limited - just slow down

Example workflow:

bash
# Search 1
brave_web_search "Engineer Name recording techniques"
sleep 1

# Search 2  
brave_web_search "Album Name studio session"
sleep 1

# Search 3
brave_web_search "Studio Name equipment list"
sleep 1

Rate limit: 1 request per second minimum
User's guidance: "Search your heart away, just include a little more delay."

Research Order

Engineer identification - Who recorded it? (Critical starting point)
Studio details - Where? What gear did they have? Room characteristics?
Microphone choices - Specific models, placement, techniques
Signal chain - Preamps, compressors, console, tape machine
Mixing approach - How was it mixed? What outboard gear?
Engineer's signature techniques - What are they known for?

Essential Sources

Primary sources (most valuable):

Engineer interviews:
- Sound on Sound "Classic Tracks" series
- Tape Op magazine interviews
- Mix Magazine "Recording Notes"
- Pensado's Place (video interviews)
- YouTube engineer breakdowns
Studio documentation:
- Studio websites (Abbey Road, Capitol, etc.)
- Session notes (when available)
- Studio gear lists from the era
- Discogs credits (comprehensive personnel)
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):

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
Forums:
- GearSpace (formerly Gearslutz) - Deep technical discussions
- Sound on Sound forums
- Home Recording forums
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](/articles/156v4lnaf4t)
- 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](/articles/n03rh0ptujn)
- 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):

Songs folder = ONLY song articles (e.g., Songs/W/Watermelon Man - Herbie Hancock, Takin' Off (1962).md)
People folder = ONLY people (engineers, artists, bands, producers)
Places folder = ONLY studios, venues, recording locations
NEVER create a person or place file in the Songs folder
Wikilinks automatically find files - just use Name, Obsidian handles the path

Example cross-linking:

markdown
[Rudy Van Gelder](/articles/156v4lnaf4t) used <span class="wikilink-broken" title="Page not found: Neumann U47">Neumann U47</span> microphones extensively at 
[Van Gelder Studio](/articles/n03rh0ptujn), employing <span class="wikilink-broken" title="Page not found: Close Miking Techniques">Close Miking Techniques</span> 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:

What microphones do they prefer for each instrument?
What's their typical signal chain?
What console/preamps do they favor?
What are their "signature" techniques?
How does this recording compare to their other work?
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:

Read existing article
Determine first letter (ignoring articles)
Create letter folder: Songs/[Letter]/
Move article to: Songs/[Letter]/[Current Filename].md
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:

Confirm song title and artist
Ignore articles (A/An/The) to determine alphabetical placement
Format filename: [Song Title] - [Artist Name].md
Create in: Audio Discovery/Songs/[Letter]/
Use "article" template type
Include sources and citations
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

Stereophile Interview - Corea calls Kirsch his "ace in the hole" ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

AGENTS

AGENTS.md - Audio Discovery Organization

Purpose

Directory Structure

Songs/ - Alphabetical Organization by Song Title

People/ - Musicians, Engineers, Producers

Places/ - Studios, Venues, Recording Locations

Daily Audio Discovery/ - Fun Facts & Daily Notes

Music History/ - Historical Context and Movements

Audio Concepts Listening Lists/

Venues/ - Live Recording Locations

Brands/ - Gear Manufacturers

Song Article Template (template_type: article)

Footnote Format (CRITICAL)

Research Strategy for Recording Techniques

CRITICAL: Brave Search Rate Limiting

Research Order

Essential Sources

Search Strategies

What to Look For

What NOT to Focus On

Reddit Citation Best Practices

Integration with Rest of Vault

Essential Recording Engineers Database

Jazz & Blues

Rock & Pop

Electronic & Fusion

Hip-Hop & R&B

Metal & Hard Rock

When Researching Engineers

File Migration

Quick Reference

Footnotes

Song Article Template (`template_type: article`)