Philip Weinrobe is one of New York’s most prominent engineers, whose work has long been associated with attention to detail and respect for analog sound. In his first educational series, he returns to the recording of Adrienne Lenker’s “anything” and conducts a live mixdown of one of her songs directly onto ¼-inch tape.
Recorded in a remote cabin in Massachusetts, the song reflects everything Lenker is known for: a keen sense of form, unusual harmonies, and distinctive guitar writing. Weinrob walks through his own process step by step, from constructing an arrangement and preparing instruments to choosing microphones and processing chains. He pays special attention to binaural and omnidirectional microphones, tools that allow for a new way of thinking about space and intimacy in sound.
He then rebuilds the track from scratch on a vintage API console, using outboard gear familiar from classic studio sessions. For him, working with EQ, compression, and manual faders is not a technique, but a way to emphasize the emotional tension and nuances of the performance.
