Realworld

A Master of the Unusual Recording

Tchad Blake is one of the world's most inventive and respected sound engineers, and has been a regular visitor to Real World since he mixed 'The Last Prophet' for Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Although he is probably better known for engineering Mitchell Froom's productions of Crowded House, Cheryl Crow and many, many more, Tchad is also a master of the unusual recording.

He specialises in binaural recordings and could be seen at the last WOMAD festival in Reading, wandering around with a DAT Walkman and a pair of tiny Sony microphones resting in his ears. "I didn't invent binaural recordings," he points out. "People have been making dummy heads for recording since the fifties. But I got into it because it sounds good and because nobody else seemed to be doing it. It's only recently that I've found an outlet for it."

Collage of Sound

As a fan of Tchad Blake's work, Los Angeles DJ Chris Dorridas, has been playing some of Tchad's "demos" on his 'Morning Becomes Eclectic' show on KCRW. This might also start appearing on the station website soon.

These collages of sound have become Tchad's contribution to the band, The Latin Playboys, which also features Mitchell Froom and two members of Los Lobos. "I am in the band but I'm not a composer. I just put my sounds to things."

The binaural recordings of Tchad Blake are also beginning to appear on WOMAD Select recordings, with an album by Gesuino Deiana from Tenores di Bitti. "I'm going to produce that as a completely binaural recording," says Tchad. His other recordings at Real World have included S E Rogie from Sierra Leone and the Justin Vali Trio from Madagascar. Despite working on some of the world's more lucrative recordings, he still cannot escape the challenge of recording for Real World Records. "I'm in constant awe when I come to this place. I'm amazed by what Peter has done here and I'd like to think it's what I'd have done, given the chance. I don't think I've ever met anyone here I don't like and I haven't got a bad thing to say about the place - except they haven't given me a record deal here yet."

	A Master of the Unusual Recording
	Tchad Blake is one of the world's most inventive and respected sound engineers, and has been a regular visitor to Real World since he mixed 'The Last Prophet' for Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Although he is probably better known for engineering Mitchell Froom's productions of Crowded House, Cheryl Crow and many, many more, Tchad is also a master of the unusual recording. He specialises in binaural recordings and could be seen at the last WOMAD festival in Reading, wandering around with a DAT Walkman and a pair of tiny Sony microphones resting in his ears. "I didn't invent binaural recordings," he points out. "People have been making dummy heads for recording since the fifties. But I got into it because it sounds good and because nobody else seemed to be doing it. It's only recently that I've found an outlet for it."
	Collage of Sound
	As a fan of Tchad Blake's work, Los Angeles DJ Chris Dorridas, has been playing some of Tchad's "demos" on his 'Morning Becomes Eclectic' show on KCRW. This might also start appearing on the station website soon. These collages of sound have become Tchad's contribution to the band, The Latin Playboys, which also features Mitchell Froom and two members of Los Lobos. "I am in the band but I'm not a composer. I just put my sounds to things." The binaural recordings of Tchad Blake are also beginning to appear on WOMAD Select recordings, with an album by Gesuino Deiana from Tenores di Bitti. "I'm going to produce that as a completely binaural recording," says Tchad. His other recordings at Real World have included S E Rogie from Sierra Leone and the Justin Vali Trio from Madagascar. Despite working on some of the world's more lucrative recordings, he still cannot escape the challenge of recording for Real World Records. "I'm in constant awe when I come to this place. I'm amazed by what Peter has done here and I'd like to think it's what I'd have done, given the chance. I don't think I've ever met anyone here I don't like and I haven't got a bad thing to say about the place - except they haven't given me a record deal here yet."