Soundbreaking

Soundbreaking begins where a recording does--at the intersection of inspiration and execution. There stands the enigmatic figure of the record producer, the person charged with the critical task of both realizing an artist's vision and capturing it for posterity. Profiling some of the most accomplished and revered producers in the recording industry, Episode One offers a study in contrasting styles and approaches: between the inspired guidance of George Martin in his work with The Beatles and Phil Spector's dictatorial insistence on his signature sound; between the gentle coaxing with which Rick Rubin brought Johnny Cash back to greatness, and the fierce creative independence of artist-producers such as Joni Mitchell and Sly Stone. In the process, The Recording Artist underscores the way in which any music recording is the product of a delicate and infinitely variable balance between man and machine.

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-Even if it means saying that song's not as good as that one.

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And then one day, something happens.

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but he was excited by it.

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-That's the whole point of having someone

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-So many earlier producers, like Sam Phillips,

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the Howlin' Wolf, Little Junior Parker.

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If anybody can do this,

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went back in the control room, and, next thing I know,

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and it's truly original in that it doesn't sound

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-♪ I believe you're doin' me wrong, and now I know ♪

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-♪ Last night I said these words to my girl ♪

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He looked like he was a director in a bank, you know.

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♪ Yesterday

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I said, "Well, there's nothing we can do to put on top of this

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"Yesterday by Paul McCartney John Lennon..."

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[ Suspenseful string music plays ]

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and he knew how to put it on a Beatles record.

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[laughs] But now I wanted to be George Martin.

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A unique way of building the sound of his recordings.

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so I heard "Wonderful Lovable You"

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♪ Anymore when I kiss your lips ♪

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-3 bass players, 3 organ players...

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♪ Whoa, that lovin' feeling

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And maybe he would go back to take 4.

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♪ I had a ragdoll

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And I didn't quite recognize my music when it came out.

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And so you'll hear from my first records

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and I looked for a new producer

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-The essence of the singer/songwriter movement,

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♪ But I wouldn't want to stay here ♪

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on executing their vision the way that they see fit.

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meant that people like Joni Mitchell

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♪ I-I-I am everyday people

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♪♪

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for how musicians will create their music 10 years later.

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They're using music to create new music.

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Dr. Dre basically put West Coast hip hop on the map.

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hip-hop producers of all time, if not the greatest.

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I didn't understand the music, but I understood the sound.

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he was using live musicians and recording it very sparse.

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This DIY approach, this very low-budget,

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-The digital wave of music,

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Just felt like it was staying exciting, and then...

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the massive multimillion- dollar enterprise,

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and maybe wasn't doing their best work at the time

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