[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":8},["ShallowReactive",2],{"OnyViq796Qh8zHsxPH4nCf_Q6HT8yx-ra7Fpw3AL9uc":3},[4],{"documentId":5,"title":6,"content":7},"xm5ufm6rze0xyig3g1qd6fym","Craig Bauer","\u003Cdiv class=\"itemFullText  \">\u003Cdiv class=\"itemFullText  \">\u003Cdiv class=\"itemFullText  \">\u003Cscript type=\"application\u002Fjavascript\">\n              \u002F* Add range theme to main page *\u002F\n              document.body.classList.add('theme-fuse');\n            \u003C\u002Fscript> \u003Cspan class=\"nuke-sub-menu\">\u003C\u002Fspan> \u003Csection class=\"section\" style=\"background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; background-position: left top; background-image: url('https:\u002F\u002Fwww.arturia.com\u002Fimages\u002Fstories\u002Fcraig-bauer\u002F01.jpg');\">\u003C!----> \u003C!----> \u003C!----> \u003Cdiv class=\"container\">\u003Cdiv class=\"ratio-900 row align-items-end justify-content-start p-5 text-white\">\u003Cdiv class=\"col-12 hide-sm\">\u003Ch1>Craig Bauer:\u003Csmall class=\"d-block\">The sound of a studio icon \u003Cbr>with Tape J-37\u003C\u002Fsmall>\u003C\u002Fh1>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fsection> \u003Csection class=\"section text-black\" style=\"background-color: black;\">\u003C!----> \u003C!----> \u003C!----> \u003Cdiv class=\"container\">\u003Cdiv class=\"row justify-content-center text-center text-white \">\u003Cdiv class=\"col-12 show-sm \">\u003Ch1>Craig Bauer:\u003Csmall class=\"d-block\">The sound of a studio icon \u003Cbr>with Tape J-37\u003C\u002Fsmall>\u003C\u002Fh1>\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-8 col-12 mt-3\">\u003Cp class=\"h3 small\">A Grammy Award-winning mix engineer and producer, Craig Bauer has shaped the sound of countless iconic records across genres. With a career spanning over three decades, he has collaborated with industry giants from Kanye West and The Clark Sisters to smooth jazz virtuosos Dave Koz and Brian Culbertson, and pop legends Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake.\u003C\u002Fp> \u003Cp>Despite working with 24-track tape machines in the early 90’s and pioneering digital recording methods, one thing has remained constant in Bauer’s philosophy: great music speaks through feeling, not just precision. We sat down with him in his studio in Denver to learn more about his approach to mixing and hear the Tape J-37 in action.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-10 col-12 justify-content-center mt-3\">\u003Ciframe style=\"width: 100%; aspect-ratio: 16 \u002F 9;\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube-nocookie.com\u002Fembed\u002FhcePkVjORUU?autoplay=0&controls=0&disablekb=1&playsinline=1&cc_load_policy=0&cc_lang_pref=auto&widget_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arturia.com%2Fstories%2Fcraig-bauer&noCookie=true&rel=0&showinfo=0&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&color=white&enablejsapi=1&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arturia.com&widgetid=1&forigin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arturia.com%2Fstories%2Fcraig-bauer&aoriginsup=1&vf=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" data-gtm-yt-inspected-17=\"true\" id=\"692517923\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fsection> \u003Cdiv class=\"d-flex justify-content-center\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedias.arturia.net\u002Fimages\u002Fstories\u002Fcraig-bauer\u002F02.jpg\" error=\"function(){return function(){}}\" style=\"width: 100%;\">\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Csection class=\"section\" style=\"background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\">\u003C!----> \u003C!----> \u003C!----> \u003Cdiv class=\"container\">\u003Cdiv class=\"row justify-content-center align-items-center text-black\">\u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-6 col-12 mt-3 \">\u003Ch2>A career shaped by sound exploration\u003C\u002Fh2> \u003Cp>Bauer’s journey into music began in Cleveland, Ohio, during his teenage years. A pivotal moment came when he stepped into a local recording studio for the first time and heard reverb on a vocal track, and instantly knew that sound would define his future. This early fascination, alongside classical piano training and a love for music grew into a passion for recording. Eventually leading him to open Hinge Studios in Chicago in 1993.\u003C\u002Fp> \u003Cp class=\"quote\">My entire future was written in that one second of hearing reverb on a vocal and nothing else interested me from that point on, other than being in a recording studio.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-6 col-12 mt-3\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.arturia.com\u002Fimages\u002Fstories\u002Fcraig-bauer\u002F03.jpg\" error=\"function(){return function(){}}\" alt=\" \" class=\"img-responsive\">\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-6 col-12 mt-3\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.arturia.com\u002Fimages\u002Fstories\u002Fcraig-bauer\u002F04.png\" error=\"function(){return function(){}}\" alt=\" \" class=\"img-responsive\">\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-6 col-12 mt-3\">\u003Cp>Starting with smooth jazz artists like Brian Culbertson and Dave Koz, Bauer quickly made a name for himself. This was interwoven with experience producing for hip-hop icons such as Kanye West, resulting in Grammy-nominated albums like Late Registration and Graduation. Over time, Bauer’s client list expanded to include artists across genres, from pop to gospel, shaping his expertise and ear as a mixing engineer and producer.\u003C\u002Fp> \u003Cp class=\"quote\">So it started with smooth jazz and hip -hop and turned into gospel, singer-songwriters, and pop music, and every genre of music - other than grunge and heavy metal - has walked through my door at one point.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fsection> \u003Cdiv class=\"d-flex justify-content-center\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.arturia.com\u002Fimages\u002Fstories\u002Fcraig-bauer\u002F05.jpg\" error=\"function(){return function(){}}\" style=\"width: 100%;\">\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Csection class=\"section\" style=\"background-color: black;\">\u003C!----> \u003C!----> \u003C!----> \u003Cdiv class=\"container\">\u003Cdiv class=\"row justify-content-center align-items-center text-white\">\u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-6 col-12 mt-3 \">\u003Ch2>Building a song that speaks to people\u003C\u002Fh2> \u003Cp>For Bauer, mixing is a two-part journey, a balance between technical rigor and creative freedom. He begins every project by meticulously building the mix track-by-track, paying close attention to the gain structure throughout, and making sure each element is working with the one before it. Once the framework is set, the real fun begins.\u003C\u002Fp> \u003Cp class=\"quote\">You leave the technical stuff behind for the most part and then your musical brain completely takes over, that's for me when it really gets fun. You lose track of time, you work the track, you do fader rides, you create effects, and you build a song that speaks to people as opposed to this technical thing that people don't understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-6 col-12 mt-3\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.arturia.com\u002Fimages\u002Fstories\u002Fcraig-bauer\u002F06.jpg\" error=\"function(){return function(){}}\" alt=\" \" class=\"img-responsive\">\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-6 col-12 mt-3\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.arturia.com\u002Fimages\u002Fstories\u002Fcraig-bauer\u002F07.jpg\" error=\"function(){return function(){}}\" alt=\" \" class=\"img-responsive\">\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-6 col-12 mt-3\">\u003Cp>In an era dominated by digital tools, Bauer’s approach to mixing remains rooted in time-honoured technique. Despite working with a fully in-the-box approach, he emphasises that the core creative process hasn’t changed. Tape J-37 bridges the gap between the analog sound he grew up with and the precision and augmented capabilities of modern tools.\u003C\u002Fp> \u003Cp class=\"quote\">Creating sounds and building sounds... the process stays exactly the same, creatively speaking. The tools change, but how to get great sounds doesn’t really change.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fsection> \u003Cdiv class=\"d-flex justify-content-center\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.arturia.com\u002Fimages\u002Fstories\u002Fcraig-bauer\u002F08.jpg\" error=\"function(){return function(){}}\" style=\"width: 100%;\">\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Csection class=\"section\" style=\"background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\">\u003C!----> \u003C!----> \u003C!----> \u003Cdiv class=\"container\">\u003Cdiv class=\"row justify-content-center align-items-center text-black\">\u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-6 col-12 mt-3 \">\u003Ch2>Tape J-37: Tube-driven studio effect\u003C\u002Fh2> \u003Cp>Tape J-37 isn’t just another tape machine - it’s an icon of audio craftsmanship and music history. Hailed for its exacting Swiss engineering, the Studer J37 was adopted by legendary artists like The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Jimi Hendrix. The unit Arturia modeled was once housed in Studio Barclay: the “Abbey Road of French music” that hosted iconic artists Édith Piaf, Serge Gainsbourg, and Jacques Brel.\u003C\u002Fp> \u003Cp>By employing a neural-based modeling framework and conducting painstaking multi-stage measurements, Arturia has methodically mapped the exact interactions, harmonics, and tape states that define the Studer J37’s distinctive sound. The result is a truly authentic recreation brought to life with state-of-the-art digital signal processing.\u003C\u002Fp> \u003Cp class=\"quote\">There's something special about this particular plugin. It sounds absolutely phenomenal. Pick a tape plugin from the past. I've used it. Ask me what I'm gonna use from this moment on. There's no question.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"item-50 text-center sm-100\">\u003Cdiv class=\"mycontainer sm-100\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.arturia.com\u002Fimages\u002Fstories\u002Fcraig-bauer\u002F09.png\" error=\"function(){return function(){}}\" class=\"img-responsive\"> \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.arturia.com\u002Fproducts\u002Fsoftware-effects\u002Ftape-j37\u002Foverview\" class=\"arrow small text-right text-black\" style=\"margin-top: auto;\">Discover Tape J-37 →\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-6 col-12 mt-3\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.arturia.com\u002Fimages\u002Fstories\u002Fcraig-bauer\u002F10.jpg\" error=\"function(){return function(){}}\" alt=\" \" class=\"img-responsive\">\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-6 col-12 mt-3\">\u003Ch2>Versatility meets simplicity\u003C\u002Fh2> \u003Cp>Bauer appreciates tools that don’t get in the way of creativity, and Tape J-37 fits the bill perfectly. With four distinct tape color modes - each offering different tonal characteristics - and a Modern Mode for greater clarity, it allows engineers to dial in the perfect balance of warmth, saturation, and presence.\u003C\u002Fp> \u003Cp class=\"quote\">I wanna be able to open up a plugin and start using it immediately. You can open the tape J37 and instantly know that this thing sounds phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal.\u003C\u002Fp> \u003Cp>Bauer demonstrates Tape J-37’s analog sheen on a track where he transforms a thin-sounding vocal hook using the first color mode with Modern Mode engaged to remove low and high-pass filtering, alongside some advanced EQ adjustments. This adds just the right amount of character and drive to make the hook sit well in the mix.\u003C\u002Fp> \u003Cp class=\"quote\">Not subtle how much warmer that is making this vocal. It's just perfect for this track. Can't not be there anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fsection> \u003Csection class=\"section\" style=\"background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246);\">\u003C!----> \u003C!----> \u003C!----> \u003Cdiv class=\"container\">\u003Cdiv class=\"row justify-content-center align-items-center text-black\">\u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-6 col-12 mt-3 \">\u003Ch2>Perfect on drums\u003C\u002Fh2> \u003Cp>Another favorite technique of Bauer’s is using Tape J-37 on drums with parallel processing. He isolates the drum kit, running a return with the plugin engaged to add that lauded Studer tape sound while maintaining the transients of the original track. With a slight increase in drive and EQ tweaks on the advanced panel, th`e drums gain remarkable weight and character.\u003C\u002Fp> \u003Cp class=\"quote\">Once I had my hands on this and put it on here, the difference was absolutely astounding.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-6 col-12 mt-3\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.arturia.com\u002Fimages\u002Fstories\u002Fcraig-bauer\u002F11.jpg\" error=\"function(){return function(){}}\" alt=\" \" class=\"img-responsive\">\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"item-50 text-center sm-100\">\u003Cdiv class=\"mycontainer sm-100\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.arturia.com\u002Fimages\u002Fstories\u002Fcraig-bauer\u002F12.png\" error=\"function(){return function(){}}\" class=\"img-responsive\"> \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.arturia.com\u002Fproducts\u002Fsoftware-effects\u002Ffx-collection\u002Foverview\" class=\"arrow small text-right text-black\" style=\"margin-top: auto;\">Discover FX Collection →\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-6 col-12 mt-3\">\u003Ch2>Bauer’s non-negotiables: FX Collection 5\u003C\u002Fh2> \u003Cp>Certain plugins have become indispensable in Bauer’s workflow. Among them, Arturia’s FX Collection stands out as a suite of must-have tools. He frequently uses Delay Brigade, Plate 140, Spring Reverb 636 and Dimension D for their phenomenal sound. He also reveres the capability of Dist COLDFIRE, emphasising that  “as far as distortion plugins go, it goes way beyond just saturation. There are more flavors of distortion in this one plugin that exist anywhere else in the world.” Together with Tape J-37, these plugins form the backbone of Bauer’s mixing process.\u003C\u002Fp> \u003Cp class=\"quote\">So I have my core favorites of the FX5 collection.There is a chorus, there's a delay, There's a distortion plugin, there's the tape plugin, and this group of non-negotiables is what I call them, show up in many, many, many of my mixes from the past and through today.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fsection> \u003Csection class=\"section\" style=\"background-color: black;\">\u003C!----> \u003C!----> \u003C!----> \u003Cdiv class=\"container\">\u003Cdiv class=\"row justify-content-center align-items-center text-white\">\u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-6 col-12 mt-3 \">\u003Ch2>A personal connection\u003C\u002Fh2> \u003Cp>Bauer’s career has involved working with legends like The Clark Sisters, Common, and Ed Sheeran, being part of Grammy-winning projects, and hosting masterclasses for industry leaders like Avid. Despite his accolades, he remains as passionate and humble as ever about exploring new sounds and constantly learning from every artist that walks through his door.\u003C\u002Fp> \u003Cp>In a world where digital perfection can sometimes feel sterile, Bauer’s work reminds us of the beauty of imperfection – of texture, character and aliveness. Thanks to Arturia’s Tape J-37, that analog soul he’s cherished for so long is now just a click away.\u003C\u002Fp> \u003Cp class=\"quote\">Exploring how to make brand new sounds, whether it's with a plugin on a track, whether it's with a keyboard and creating new sounds, that's the whole deal. This is what we do. Exploring new sounds is the whole deal.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"col-md-6 col-12 mt-3\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.arturia.com\u002Fimages\u002Fstories\u002Fcraig-bauer\u002F13.jpg\" error=\"function(){return function(){}}\" alt=\" \" class=\"img-responsive\">\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fsection> \u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"clr\">\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"clr\">\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"itemLinks\">\u003Cdiv class=\"itemCategory\">\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"clr\">\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"clr\">\u003C\u002Fdiv> \u003Cdiv class=\"clr\">\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Fdiv>",1784111774703]