theomartianchronicles MichaelOmartianisnotonlyresponsibleforproducinghundredsofhitrecords,butalso aworldrecord:heistheonlyproducertohavescorednumber-onerecordsinthree decades,the’70s,’80sand’90s. MichaelBolton,ChristopherCross,AmyGrant,DonnaSummer,WhitneyHouston, VinceGill,theJacksons,Cher,RodStewart,BarryManilow,TrishaYearwoodAlison Kraus,MartyStuart,andClintBlackrepresentjustafractionoftheartistswhose recordsthe54-year-oldproducerhasoverseen.Hehasalsoco-writtenmanyhits, playedkeyboardsforthelikesofDollyParton,EricClapton,MichaelJackson,Barbra Streisand,JulioIglesias,andSteelyDan,andreleasedseveralsoloalbums. SpeakingfromhishomestudioinNashville,Omartianofferedacandidtakeontoday’s musicbusinessandapreviewofhisupcomingprojects. You started out as a session player and butiftherewerea"nextBeatles,"itwould spacesthatexistforittobeheard. songwriter. Did that influence the way beaself-consciousattempttocreateanew Where do you check in on the analog you produce? Beatles.We’reabitstuck,Ithink.That’s vs. digital debate? Well,Ibelievetherearethreetypesof oneofthereasonsrapappealstosomany Iwasveryslowtoconverttodigital, producers:engineer-producers,musician- people.It’simmediateandstripped-down. butnowIuseitanddon’tknowthediffer - producers,andthesortofproducerswho ence.Iliketheeaseofdigitalediting,butI actasrecordcompanyliaisons–people What are your proudest moments? don’tbelieveindigitallymassagingallthe whoaregoodathearingsongsanddefining Well,IlikeChristopherCross’sfirst trackstillthey’reperfect,likesomanyofmy thingsfromthepublic’sbuyingstandpoint. album,partiallybecausewhenweweremak - Nashvillebrethrendo.Thetracksmaybe I’mthatthirdtype,eventhoughI’mamusi - ingit,everybodywassaying,"Whatareyou perfect,buttheyhavenosoul. cian.Butit’shardtosay,too,becausethe doing?"Yetitwentontobeahugehit,and rulesofthegamearechanging,andIdon’t JohnLennononcesaidthatthesong You’ve been using Yamaha MSP10 agreewithsomeofthenewrules. "Sailing"wasthemostperfectlyproduced monitors. recordhe’deverheard.I’malsoproudof Yes,thenewMSP10sarenice.They’re For example? playingonSteelyDanalbumslikePretzel poweredspeakers,buttheydon’thypethe Therewasatimewhenyoucouldgo Logic,KatyLied,andAja.ButIreallydon’t highsandlowslikesomeoftheotherpow - intoarecordwithnopreconceivedideaof liveinthepastverymuch,andreminiscing eredmonitorsdo.TheMSP10’saremuch whereyoumightendup.Butnowprojects doesn’tusuallyinterestme.IfImissanything, moreflatandreal-sounding.WhenIplayback areframedintermsofwhatalreadyexists. it’sthefreerenvironmentoftheolddays. thingsI’vedoneonthemtheresultsreally Labelsaremorelikelytotalkintermslike, holdup.TheMSP10isagreatspeaker. weneedaBackstreetBoyssensibility,ora Is it good that musicians tend to know Wallflowerssensibility,orwhatever. so much more about recording technol - What are you working on now? ogy these days? Or do they just know I’mbackinthestudiowithmyold Michael utilizes the Disklavier Few would describe you as a con - enough to get themselves in trouble? buddyPeterCetera.I’malsoputting DC7A, S80, EX5R, P200 and frontational producer. But I can imagine Well,sometimesanaccidentisthe togetherayoungblackvocalgroupcalled SU700 in his studio. some young punk rocker voicing the bestthingthatcanhappen,andinteresting theSonsofSoul.Theyhavethesoundofan same complaint. accidentscancomeaboutthroughpartial oldfive-voiceR&Bgrouplikethe [Laughs.]Well,I’vealwaysbeenvery ignorance.Iknowtherehavebeentimes Temptations,butwithmoderntouches.And passionateaboutsayingthe95%ofwhatI whenI’veaccidentallypressedabuttonon I’mfinishinganinstrumentalrecordwith hearisawful,andI’mresponsibleforsome mycomputerandcreatedsomethingcool. pianoversionsofsongsI’veeitherwrittenor STR AI T TALK FROM ofthatmyself!Bythesametoken,you Tomymind,theonlyproblemwiththeproj - produced.It’snotaseasy-listeningasit alwayshopeyoumighttapintosomething ectstudiorevolutionisthatitquadruplesthe mightsound–someofitisprettyaskew.It newandmeaningful.Butthereisjustlessof amountofmusicbeingproduced,sothere shouldbeoutonBMGinthesummer. A SUPERST AR PRODUCER asenseofdiscoverythantherewas30 aremorerecordscompetingforthefew yearsago.I’dlovetohearthenextBeatles, 26 yama ha all access winter 2k1 27.