Sennheiser's Pro Talk series on YouTube features interviews with the industry's most respected sound engineers, including Axel Reinemer, founder and owner of Jazzanova Recording Studios in Berlin.
For Axel Reinemer, founder and owner of Jazzanova Recording Studios in Berlin, who grew up in communist East Germany (GDR), coming across Western music was rare during his childhood. However, thanks to his grandmother, Reinemer managed to get his hands on hip-hop records, which eventually led him to develop the beat-matching, mixing and scratching techniques that launched his career.
An example of Reinemer's approach comes from a session he did for Italian artist Malika Ayane. "We had a split microphone, with one clean channel going to Pro Tools and one channel going to a dual reverb preamp," he explains
When the Berlin Wall fell, he was able to team up with other mixers and expand his style. From avant-garde Japanese jazz bands to R&B artists such as Rihanna and Jason Derulo, his Jazzanova recording studio has certainly earned a place among the world's leading recording studios.
Reinemer is also known for his work on film scores. He says: "The most impressive thing for me was working with Ryuichi Sakamoto on The Revenant." Much of Reinemer's success comes from his recording and editing style. "Maybe it's a German thing, but sometimes we're a bit shy. But that's not the best thing. It's better to put the energy in there while you're recording. It's also inspiring for the artist. What I find very useful is that if you think you're done, leave the room. If it doesn't grab you [when you come back], then the mix is broken."
"She had the dual reverb signal in her headphones, so when she sang louder, you could hear more of the reverb and there was more distortion. It changed her performance. It was very inspiring. I think it was good for her, and for me, when I hear this song, even when I'm 80 or 90, I'll always remember that moment. And I think that's also something really good you can create in a recording studio: moments. It's a value, it's personal. That's what it's all about."
In addition to his knowledge of microphones and recording styles, Reinemer offers insights for future audio professionals. "You have to be prepared for any situation, set up as much as you can," he says. "An engineer once told me: 'You should compare it to a flight. Everything is set up when people board the plane and there are a few adjustments to make, but the plane is ready for takeoff.' Artists have a lot of other things on their minds when they're recording. Never distract them with technical stuff. Never bring negative energy; make sure they always trust you."
