Interview with Al Schmitt, March 31, 1999

Partial Transcript: Today is March 31st, 1999. I'm speaking with Al Schmitt in L.A.

Segment Synopsis: Schmitt and the interviewer discuss where his uncle's studio was. He talks about how often he would go over to his uncle's studio, and how he would watch and help out around the studio. He expresses that his careful work ethic came from helping his uncle in the studio during this period.

Keywords: Engineers; Family; Germany; Godfathers; Gotham Recording Company; Harvey Smith Recording Studio; Independent recording studio; Musicians' Guide; Producers; Recording; Recording studio; Swiss watches

Subjects: Germany; Sound engineers; Sound engineers--United States; Sound recording executives and producers; Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound recording industry--History--20th century; Sound recording industry--United States; Sound recording industry--United States--History; Sound recording industry--United States--History--20th century; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History; Sound--Recording and reproducing--United States

Partial Transcript: So what kinds of things did he record?

Segment Synopsis: Schmitt talks about the people that his uncle worked with, including jazz artists such as Larry Clinton and Art Tatum, and even doing sound checks for Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds" broadcast.
He describes the odd jobs that his uncle would give him.

Keywords: Air check; Andrew Sisters (Artist); Big band music; Billiards; Billiards tables; Brunswick Records; Clinton, Larry (Artist); Pool sharks; Pool table; Smith, Kate (Artist); Soundcheck; Tatum, Art (Artist); Thornhill, Claude (Artist); War of the Worlds (Radio program); Wayne, Dee (Artist); Welles, Orson

Subjects: Billiards; Clinton, Larry, 1909-1985; Jazz--1931-1940; Jazz--1941-1950; Pool (Game); Smith, Kate, 1907-1986; Sound engineers; Sound engineers--United States; Sound recording executives and producers; Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound recording industry--History--20th century; Sound recording industry--United States; Sound recording industry--United States--History; Sound recording industry--United States--History--20th century; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History; Sound--Recording and reproducing--United States; Tatum, Art, 1909-1956; Thornhill, Claude; War of the worlds (Radio program); Welles, Orson, 1915-1985

Partial Transcript: We--do you remember what kind of equipment he had?

Segment Synopsis: Schmitt talks about the microphones that he remembers his uncle using, and he describes the size of his uncle's studio. They also briefly discuss recording orchestras, and Liederkranz Hall.

Keywords: Acoustics; Big band; Columbia Records; Jazz; Liederkranz Hall; Microphones; Mobile recording; Orchestra; RCA ribbon microphones; Ribbon microphones

Subjects: Big Band; Columbia Records, Inc.; Jazz; Microphone; Sound engineers; Sound engineers--United States; Sound recording executives and producers; Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound recording industry--History--20th century; Sound recording industry--United States; Sound recording industry--United States--History; Sound recording industry--United States--History--20th century; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--Equipment and supplies; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History; Sound--Recording and reproducing--United States

Partial Transcript: So how long did you, um, watch Uncle Al?

Segment Synopsis: Schmitt talks about his time in the Navy, where he worked in cryptology, and how Tom Dowd worked in the Manhattan Project. After he left the Navy, he received a call from his uncle that led to a job with Apex Recording. He talks about one of the people that he worked with, an eccentric German immigrant.

Keywords: Apex Records; Communication technician (now called cryptologic technician); Cryptology; Dowd, Tom (Engineer); Germany; Great Lakes Boot Camp; Immigration; Manhattan Project; Military service; Navy; North Chicago (Ill.); Prussia; Recording; Schueing, Bob (Engineer); Studio; Tape (Equipment); United States Navy; Washington D.C.

Subjects: Dowd, Tom, 1925-2002; Emigration and Immigration--Germany; Emigration and immigration; Germany; Great Lakes Naval Training Center (Great Lakes, Ill.); Manhattan Project (U.S.); Naval Station Great Lakes (Ill.); Prussia; Sound engineers; Sound engineers--United States; Sound recording executives and producers; Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound recording industry--History--20th century; Sound recording industry--United States; Sound recording industry--United States--History; Sound recording industry--United States--History--20th century; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History; Sound--Recording and reproducing--United States; United States. Navy; United States. Navy--1940-1950; United States. Navy--Cryptologic technicians

Partial Transcript: Um, so Bob Shueing was the engineer?

Segment Synopsis: Schmitt describes working with the owner of Apex Studios, who unfortunately had a drinking problem which eventually led the failure of the company. He also talks about working with Tom Dowd, and the notebook he once had that described in detail the work that they were doing. It included information such as artists, microphones, band set-up, etc. He finally talks about recording demo tracks for individual artists that would come into the studio.

Keywords: Alcoholism; Apprenticeships; Demo recordings; Dowd, Tom (Engineer); Microphones; Note taking; Production; Record keeping; Recording; Shueing, Bob (Engineer)

Subjects: Alcoholism; Microphone; Sound engineers; Sound engineers--United States; Sound recording executives and producers; Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound recording industry--History--20th century; Sound recording industry--United States; Sound recording industry--United States--History; Sound recording industry--United States--History--20th century; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History; Sound--Recording and reproducing--United States

Partial Transcript: Now this is a disc recording studio, right?

Segment Synopsis: Schmitt talks about the different labels that they would record for, and the music they recorded. He talks about that despite the money, he really enjoyed it because he got to meet many of his idols. He also describes the tape machines that they had in the studio (a Brush Sound Mirror and a Mono Ampex 300), and he describes one of the problems that would arise with working with tape. He also says that, despite having the tape machines, they typically recorded to a 16" disc or 78 rpm disc, and then goes into detail about a piece of recording equipment they used. Schmitt recalls a recording process where they'd record the record, and then take that record to a radio station in Harlem, where they would play it and press new copies to be sold the very next day.

Keywords: 16" transcription discs; 78 rpm discs; Acetate discs; Atlantic Records; Bebop jazz; Bootleg recording; Bootleg records; Brush Sound Mirror (tape recorder); Cantor; Direct to disc; Eccentric (equipment); Harlem (N.Y.); Jazz; Mastering; Mono Ampex 300 (tape recorder); National Records; Prestige Records; Print-through; Radio; Radio broadcasting; Recording; Sittin' In With Records; Tape recording; Tape saturation; Willy and Ray (Disk jockeys)

Subjects: Ampex Corporation; Atlantic Recording Corporation; Bop (Music); Harlem (New York, N.Y.); Harlem (New York, N.Y.)--1950-1960; Jazz; Jazz--1951-1960; Prestige Records (Firm); Radio; Radio broadcasting; Radio broadcasting--America; Radio broadcasting--New York (State)--New York; Sound engineers; Sound engineers--United States; Sound recording executives and producers; Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound recording industry--History--20th century; Sound recording industry--United States; Sound recording industry--United States--History; Sound recording industry--United States--History--20th century; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--Equipment and supplies; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History; Sound--Recording and reproducing--United States; Vinyl acetate

Partial Transcript: So you worked at Apex until when?

Segment Synopsis: Schmitt talks about working for NOLA Recording, and says that the company moved buildings while he was working there. While working for NOLA, he received a call from Tom Dowd asking that Schmitt look for a job at Fulton recording where Dowd was currently employed. Schmitt took the job and expresses that he felt as though it was a large step up due to the fact that the studio was working with high profile artists. He talks about working with an engineer who taught him how to mic for orchestras, and that he worked with his uncle for a short period as well. Schmitt and thee interviewer talk about the disappointment they both share that the history of the industry is disappearing.

Keywords: Broadway; Bryant Park (N.Y.); Dougherty, Bob (Engineer); Dowd, Tom (Engineer); Fine, Bob (Engineer); Fulton Recording; NOLA Recording; Orchestra; Penthouse; Recording; Recording techniques; Steinway Building; Studio

Subjects: Bryant Park (New York, N.Y.); Dowd, Tom, 1925-2002; Sound engineers; Sound engineers--United States; Sound recording executives and producers; Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound recording industry--History--20th century; Sound recording industry--United States; Sound recording industry--United States--History; Sound recording industry--United States--History--20th century; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History; Sound--Recording and reproducing--United States; Steinway Hall (New York, N.Y.)