samples put together in Logic . And sometimes they ’ ll mix it , sometimes I ’ ll mix it . And then there are sketches with live music . Typically , it ’ ll be something like a monologue or some music sketch . Monologues are usually big production numbers , and that ’ ll be the start of my week . I ’ ll know what that ’ s going to be on Wednesday . Thursday is when we bring in the musical guest . On Wednesday , I will already have the input list . My monitor guy , who works out a lot of this stuff , does a lot of the advance with the band . He ’ ll say , “ Here ’ s what they have . Anything you want me to rearrange , or anything you want to do ?” And I ’ ll say , “ Yeah , this is fine as is .” Or , “ Move this block of stuff here .” And if Jay is mixing that week , I ’ ll usually just make those calls anyway , because I know how he likes the board laid out . And
I ’ ll get that all set up , and I ’ ll do that on a Thursday morning , unless I ’ m working on a repeat on Tuesday and Wednesday . In that case , I try to get it done on Wednesday , so it ’ s all set to go on Thursday . The band comes in , and we ’ ll get the crew setting things up . We ’ ll scratch and sniff mics . We ’ ll make sure all the mics are working and we ’ ve got everything coming up where it should be coming up . That ’ s starting at around 9:30 . Around 11:30 , we start making noise with the band . We ’ ll start getting sounds and putting things together . By noon , or shortly thereafter , the artist comes out , and we ’ ll get two or three passes of each song . They ’ ll also be working with monitors . They ’ ll be working with PA , working with me , and ultimately , there should be a lunch break from 1 to 2 p . m . Then , at 2 p . m ., we look at each song twice on camera , and we ’ re still tweaking things . Everything is recorded , so I can do what we like to call “ Virtual sound check .” I can play this back an infinite number of times , and any EQ or compression or echo or any manipulation of the individual sounds is only in the monitor path . That is , it ’ s not recorded with processing into Pro Tools , because it ’ d be the equivalent of you taking a bunch of photographs with various color filters , and someone saying , “ Oh , well , I don ’ t want that filter .” “ Well , it ’ s already embedded . It ’ s already done that way .” I can ’ t take it out , so I don ’ t want to put anything on tape that I can ’ t remove , because sometimes you ’ ll get a producer or someone who ’ s not going to even show up until Saturday . You don ’ t want them to go , “ What the hell is that ? Fix that .” “ Well , I can ’ t .” So , that ’ s what
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