I’m very excited to be back with Jack Joseph Puig at his studio “Puigchild Studios!”- As usual, Jack is looking incredibly dapper. If you don’t know Jack, he’s one of the most recognized names in the industry. The Grammy-winning, multi-platinum engineer and producer has worked with handfuls of incredible artists, like The Verve Pipe, Goo Goo Dolls, Tonic, Hole, Jellyfish, The Black Crowes, John Mayer, Weezer, Fiona Apple, Roger Hodgson, Taxiride, Green Day, Counting Crows, No Doubt, Klaxons, Panic! at the Disco, Stone Temple Pilots, U2, and more.
Beyond engineering, Jack Joseph Puig has served as executive vice president at Interscope-Geffen-A&M Records, where he signed Klaxons and Charlotte Sometimes. He’s also worked A&R for Shirley Manson, Ashlee Simpson, Klaxons, Charlotte Sometimes, Counting Crows, Puddle of Mudd, and The Like.
During our interview that released a few days ago (Jack Joseph Puig: World Renowned Mix Engineer and Producer) I noticed a couple of American D-33 microphones on the shelf at the back of his studio. They’re great and gorgeous microphones that almost look like trophies! But they’re difficult to find since they are made with an old ceramic capsule that doesn’t last long. – Jack has a total of 5!
Behind his console, there is a bookcase that looks gorgeous but it’s also there to serve a second purpose; to deflect the sound. Jack built his studio in such a way that it is a little more live-sounding than a traditional control room would be. He’s experimenting with the idea of mixing in a room that is similar to how someone actually listens to music. – Apparently, his neighbours don’t listen to music sitting directly centered between two NS-10’s; haha
Jack’s listening environment is pretty fantastic, it’s a semi-hexagonal design that reminds me of the photo of 10CC with the Helios Console.- It’s a marvellous sight. On the left of the console, there are some SSL Channels that Jack said are excellent on guitar or any percussive element that needs a lot of detail.
Check out the full video below to see the full studio tour!
Learn about Jack Joseph Puig’s Signature Series below:
Jack Joseph Puig Signature Series
Iconic GRAMMY® award -winning producer/engineer Jack Joseph Puig and his personal palette of tones, shades, and hues have illuminated and empowered a kaleidoscope of projects that have spanned commercial record making. His vivid and vibrant productions have defined and redefined the sound of contemporary pop, rock, country, and urban music, time and time again.
Jack Joseph Puig on JJP Bass: “Every track is different. And every bass track is different. Sometimes you want just a great bottom; other times you want something with more mid-range that cuts through a mix. You may want to give it a bit of distortion, give it an edge. Or you’ll want to shape the sound with some nice bell EQs, use some compression and gate to lock it with the kick drum. I could even see someone using this plugin on the drums of a hip hop track as a sub enhancer, to give it some attitude. JJP Bass is a plugin that could be used in any situation.”
Jack Joseph Puig on JJP Cymbals & Percussion: “There’s really so much you can do with cymbals and percussion. You can use some lo-fi effect to fatten up shakers. You can take out the mid-range on tambourines to make them sound brighter, or you can add some dirt and distortion to make them sound grittier. You can boost the high end to enhance the shimmer of the cymbals or compress them hard, to bring out other aspects of their sound. The JJP Cymbals & Percussion plugin gives you instant access to all the different colors I like to use, so you can just fire it up, find what you need, and stay creative.”
Jack Joseph Puig on JJP Guitars: “I approach the guitar as a sound designer, and try to use the whole sonic palette: Make it brighter, darker, more aggressive, compress it, bring out the attack, whatever—to give it attitude. The JJP Guitars plugin helps you get into that creative space, quickly. Sure, there’s a rock and roll edge to this plugin, but for me, what makes it so powerful is that everything you need, it’s right there in front of you; it lets you stay in the zone.”
Jack Joseph Puig on JJP Drums: “There are certain things you usually just take for granted when you’re mixing drums. Sure, the snare has to snap. Or maybe you want it to have a woodier sound. The bass drum has to have a nice bottom. But beyond that, there’s a whole other range of things you need to consider to really make the song come alive. Maybe there’s some tonality in the drum kit that you want to emphasize. How do the drums relate to the rest of the song? And once you figure all that out—how do you get there? Well, what’s really great is, JJP Drums is a plugin that can do it all.”
Jack Joseph Puig on JJP Strings & Keys: “When I’m dealing with strings and keyboard parts, in general I want them to be radiant and beautiful. I want to shape the tonality to fit what the song needs to be, so when it comes out of the speaker, it’s on another level. With JJP Strings & Keys, it’s set up so you can really follow your instincts, to bring out the complexities in your keyboard parts and orchestrations. You might want to use some delay and make it wider, or add a little air for a more ambient feel. Sometimes you’ll want it dry and in-your-face. Whatever I do, it has to serve the song.”
Jack Joseph Puig on JJP Vocals: “When I mix a vocal, my approach is intuitive and instinctive, not technical. I don’t think in terms of ‘which delay’ or ‘how to EQ it’ or ‘more compression’ or whatever. What concerns me is how it makes you feel. And since each singer is unique, and every song is unique, there’s no single way to go about it. Is it personal, is it intimate, or is it loud and aggressive? So I do whatever it takes to make sure the vocal is open, sits well in the mix and, most importantly, helps convey the message of the song. JJP Vocals helps get you there.”