Behind The Board With Randy Jackson
(Press Release | Posted 2004-02-18)
To the general public, he's best known as a judge on the hit TV show American Idol. But for those in the know, it's just the latest in Randy Jackson's impressive string of credits: legendary session bassist, songwriter, record producer, artist manager and label vice president. As a bassist, Jackson has played on a number of releases, including hit records by Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen and Elton John. Jackson also acted as superstar Mariah Carey's musical director, assembling and rehearsing the band for her recent tour, and co-wrote two songs and produced four others on her latest record.
Jackson "Idol-izes" the 02R96
"Going the route I have gone allows me to choose which projects to invest my time and heart in," Jackson explains, "and sometimes session musicians don't have that luxury. But, as a session musician I had the privilege of working with so many great producers. I was a sponge, soaking it up the whole time. Those experiences definitely shaped my own production approach," he continues. "I'm definitely very hands-on, but I also know when to let the process organically marinate. You need both of those sides to come up with a great record, and you also need a fair bit of objectivity."
"Technically," he adds, "I'm a 'high-tech low-tech' guy. I love digital audio, and embraced it right away. But if that doesn't work for me in a particular situation, I'll go back to analog. I'm always testing the new digital equipment against the analog, and am particularly interested in the potential of 96kHz to improve the sound of recordings. Our ears have been trained for years on analog tape, and trying to get that same depth of expression in a digital world has been very interesting, especially when you're dealing with the sound of acoustic instruments. But on something like guitar or voice, 96kHz resolution gets a lot closer to the sound of analog. The difference is like night and day."
Yamaha 02R96
Jackson currently uses a Yamaha 02R96 / Pro Tools combination for songwriting and mixing. "The 02R96 ties in so well with the Pro Tools format. It's an incredible piece of gear, especially for the size, the affordability and the mobility. The automation features really help me because all the mixes and scenes, even rough mixes, can be saved quickly. I also like the onboard EQ and all the reverbs. Some digital reverbs never quite sound like the real thing, but the 02R96 reverb is rich and realistic.
"It's still all about great music and talent," he adds. "Trying to find the best talent, like on the TV show, trying to produce some of the best talent, write songs and play with some of the best talent. Talent is the center of all of it."
For more information on the 02R96, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Professional Audio, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamaha.com/proaudio.
