Q&A w/ Rob Pemberton

TGC: What plugins were the most frequently used on this record and what were they used for? What about hardware?
RP: I use high pass and or lo pass filters on almost every track, and most of the time, I use Elemental Audio's Eqium. Another plugin I used is TC Powercore 1176, and my favorite plugin mdsp Analog Delay.

As for outboard:
Compressors = Pendulum Audio 6386, Tube Tech LCA2B, Empirical Lab Distressor, Manley ELOP, Chandler TG1
Equalizers = API 550B, API 550A, API 560, Calrec 1161, Chandler LTD-1, Meyer CP10.
Reverbs & FX = Eventide H3500, Lexicon PCM80 & 90, Yamaha SPX900, AKG BX20 spring reverb, Orban spring reverb, Delta Labs Effectron1 & 2, Symetrix 606 delays.
Mic Pre's: API 512, True Systems Precision 8, Calrec 1161, Chandler LTD-1

TGC: What is your favorite section of the record, and why?
RP: The dynamic of the songs Oregon and Beetlemeet, I still consider them both as one song. I don't think I've ever worked on or even heard a song go thru such a dynamic. I loved mixing it.

TGC: What was the most frustrating thing about this record?
RP: At one point in one tune Rufus Brothers was hitting the hi hat way louder then the snare drum. I had to patch in some extra processing to correct this. I think he did it on purpose to get me back for the pumpkin incident.

TGC: Give us a brief history of your engineering education.
RP: At 15 I started as an apprentice to a recording engineer (Pierre Paquin) who mostly recorded orchestra's. He introduced me to, and taught me the foundations of working as an audio engineer. From there I worked in various studio's, interning and, assisting other engineers, learning from anyone who knew enough to share some info. Then I started assisting for a great engineer named Phil Greene, he really taught me what I needed to continue on as an engineer. Then the real education began!

TGC: Was there ever a point in the making of Home that you wanted to hit Gavin in the face? If so, what were the circumstances?
RP: When he struck me out with his "T-Rex" pitch
TG: Everyone in the music industry seems to be suffering, career-wise. This is not the case with you - why is that?
RP: Well, I could be doing better. I could be earning millions making platinum records for contest winners, and other barely adequate musicians.

TGC: What kind of projects are your favorite to do? How can people contact you if they'd like to work with you?
RP: I like projects that challenge me. Those always seem to be the CDs I love to listen too after they are completed. I like to be pushed into getting different sounds, recording in unusual spaces, and doing things that aren't the usual way to do things.
For engineering, people can go to robpemberton.com and for everything else we do check out rpcaudio.com

TGC: Who are your favorite engineers and why?
RP: Rudy Van Gelder - when I listen to CDs, I often move my focus of listening to the technical side of the CD. I find myself picking apart the recording job. This is not the case with his work, he is a great engineer, possibly my favorite for that reason.
Tchad Blake his work inspires me to be more creative.
Al Schmitt for the huge amount of great work he's done, and Steve Albini as we share common views on the job of a recording engineer

TGC: Give us one sentence that sums up your approach to engineering.
RP: "Do anything possible to help the artist see his vision thru while being as transparent to the end result as possible."