We all have recordings that we love to play because the music just grabs us that much. These gems are played over and over, listened to intently at times, sometimes just as background music for us to work out to or for relaxation. On the surface, we appreciate the music of our favorite artists, perhaps the artwork or photos we see on the cover on the back panel and inside the album. We even relish the liner notes of these records, but there is another artist’s signature on these albums as well that often go unnoticed and under-appreciated, their names often just skimmed over in the liner notes, but without their expertise and skills, the sounds that are captured would not be possible. This artist shrouded in mystery is none other than the sound engineer. Behind his or her motherboard sound levels are meticulously adjusted, mics placed to capture every little sound, ears focused as an honorary member of the band helping to bring the music to life.
I was introduced to Chris Sulit and his recording studio, Trading 8s some years ago. A graduate of Drexel University he has had a successful career as a sound engineer doing both recordings. He’s been awarded a Recording Academy Grammy Award for Engineer on Best Latin Pop Album, a Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Grammy Award for Engineer on Best Tango Album, as well as Peabody award for Engineer on Original Podcast. His New Jersey studio opened up in 2013 and he has flourished, attracting such talents as Eddie Palmieri, Dave Stryker, and others. I got a chance to chat with Chris about his background and a little about the business…
When did you decide you wanted to do sound recording for a living?
I’ve been recording music since I was around 10 using various types of tape decks and karaoke players. During high school, I recorded every band I knew, but never really realized that it can be a profession. My guidance counselors pointed me to media arts and communications, but it wasn’t until I received a flyer in the mail from Drexel University about their Music Industry Program that I formed a clear path for my future in recording.
For those aspiring to start up a recording studio what kind of costs would they be looking at and are there any surprises for you as you were starting up your business? What are somethings they don’t teach you in music school?
The cost of opening up a commercial recording studio can be huge. There are microphones I cannot live without that cost over $10k. A great piano is at least $40k. Then there is cabling, headphones, chairs, coffee, toilet paper, cups, and so many necessary small items that are essential to create a functional and comfortable space. I had some great professors in school that gave assignments like making a business proposal on opening a recording studio including all costs and time. So I was prepared with somewhat of an idea of what I was getting myself into.
What are some of the things you have to take into consideration when you are recording? Obviously, the instrumentation is a big component of it, but does the genre of music effect which equipment you might use or perhaps the number of people recording?
Genre is definitely a major consideration, as is the number of musicians you need to accommodate. A great deal of the music I’ve been recording lately has been ensembles playing together live. There is a playful balancing act of working with separation of instruments, line of sight, and mic placement. For many Jazz recordings, I have certain musicians isolated for more control. On the other hand, for most Classical recordings the musicians prefer playing in the same room. You also have to consider that every artist has a personal concept of their own sound. My job is to capture what I hear in the room and merge it with the artist’s description of how they want their sound to present.
You’ve worked with so many great artists and I wonder do a lot of artists give ‘shout outs’ to the recording engineers other than on the CD?? You all need your moment in the spotlight too!
Every now and then I hear or read of someone giving me a shout-out, but most of the talking happens between friends and bandmates through referrals, and that is usually worth more than a little spotlight.
What are some of the most memorable projects you’ve worked on?
I’ve done many projects with renowned guitarist, Dave Stryker. We recorded an album back in 2015 that was a tribute to Stanley Turrentine and featured an amazing collection of tenor sax players along with his main trio.
I engineered Eddie Palmieri’s “Full Circle” about two years ago, which of course had incredible music and playing. The album was also released as an interactive App where elements can be mixed, muted, or soloed by the user. Pretty cool.
Drummer, Ulysses Owens Jr’s album “Songs of Freedom” is also one of my favorites. Also, Steve Slagle’s “Spirit Calls” and Bill O’Connell’s “Wind Off The Hudson” are memorable.
When you are in a recording session for so long and maybe having to hear a track over and over and over…how do you keep your focus? Is it hard to keep locked in with your ears for long recording sessions?
I constantly adjust my focus during sessions. I work in a state of continuous auditory multitasking. My ears and focus quickly shift from the arrangement, to kick drum and bass, to intonation. Then on some listens I’ll step back and try to listen without thinking. The switching of gears helps a lot, but ear fatigue is real and even short periods of silence and rest go a long way.
Do you have any recording projects or shows of your own?
I recently finished a musical project with my wife, Serena Eve Richardson, who is a poet/songwriter. The EP, called “Some Imaginings” by Cat Cameo, was based on this idea she had of taking some of her poems that haven’t been published and building songs around them. It features her themes, lyrics, and voice along with me as instrumentalist and arranger. It ended up being a very fun indie rock album.
I’m currently working on an album of original tunes, which seems to be turning into some sort of rock opera. The recording process is definitely different when I’m alone in the studio, and I can take my time playing around with different genres, but it does tend to be more time-consuming. I have also been threatening to record a Vocal album of Jazz Standards.
Right now we are going through a crisis with COVID-19. Without being able to have people in the studio, how difficult is it for the recording industry during a time like this? Is there a way for audio engineers to weather the storm, with perhaps just doing mixing sessions away from people, providing online tutorials on how to record, blogs about equipment….anything of that nature?
We are all going through this crisis together. Everyone has had the majority of their gigs and sessions canceled. Editing and mixing remotely are possible, but without actually gigs and sessions, which is our bread and butter, we have to wait out this storm. The music community has been doing their best to support each other in these hard times by attending online performances and sending work to others when they can.
For those looking to record upcoming projects, you can reach Chris through his website for Trading 8’s and I promise you won’t be disappointed! Myself and Occhi Magazine wish Chris continued success and I hope all the musicians out there will visit him once things get back to normal. We’re gonna need some great music recorded by a great engineer like Chris to make it through these tough times.
Photography: Chris Drukker ( main image) and KVON Photography
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