Some producers merely record an artist, some getinvolved in the construction of songs.

James W Roberts talks to a number of Wales' premier producers abouttheir techniques

A handful of decades ago it was the indelible
uniqueness of the likes of Phil Spector or George
Martin who brought the name of the producer in the
same blinding limelight as the pin-up popstars who
crooned the hits. So, fast forward to the new century
and from Neptune's chart-topping production work to
rock specialists such as Steve Albini or Rick Rubin
the producer is vital in today's record buying climate
- and Wales has its fair share of sought-after
knob-twiddlers.

Sound Nation caught up with a few of Wales' premier
producers and engineers to hear what they have to say
about their work from the other side of the mixing
desk.

Leon West, head of SFDB records and pioneer of dark,
broody hip-hop under the guise of Secondson, enjoyed a
typically organic route into the world of music and
more importantly, production. "I discovered my
father's record collection and there was one point
where I heard some music and thought wow! How did they
make that sound? It was then that I realised hip-hop
heads were getting their sounds from other people."
Leon initially started as a musician. "I'm a
multi-instrumentalist and played with tonnes of bands,
y'know earning your stripes. Lock me in a studio with
samplers, instruments and I get lost in it. When I was
a kid I had a drumkit and I learnt by locking myself
in a room and just getting on with it."
Specializing in hip-hop, Leon has a simple ethic when
it comes to recording. "It all comes down to drums and
bass basically. I like to write a tune in my head in
the shower or something and transfer it to drums or
something, then I like to find those sounds on vinyl.
If you say you're hip-hop or whatever, you have to be
able to dig around and find their sounds - it's all
about how deep you're digging, it's better than
sitting in a studio - hip-hop gets me out of the
house!"

Leon also shuns overly technological means in his
work, preferring older equipment. "I just got rid of a
load of samplers, because I'm fed up of staring at
screens all the time. I've got a couple of nice
turntables and I like the old valve style sound.
Basically records are drugs and I'm addicted."
Leon realises the increased importance of producers in
hip-hop, and has had words with one of the hottest
properties in the pop world. "I met Pharrell Williams
of N.E.R.D the other week and he said he read some
stuff about me and knew my face, I was like 'what the
f*ck!?' We exchanged email addresses and hopefully
we'll trade some beats and stuff."

On the other side of the music spectrum is Greg Haver.
Originally from Brecon, Greg has, and still does,
enjoy a position as one of Wales' most sought after
producers. His distinctive sound has helped the likes
of Tom Jones, Super Furry Animals, John Cale and the
Manic Street Preachers including taking the helm on
upcoming album Life Blood.

"I started working with the Manics as an engineer,"
says Greg, "on This Is My Truth... and I engineered a
track on Catatonia's International Velvet; that gave
me the stuff I really needed on my CV. Even though I
was only engineering it was great to work in one year
with artists who were up for Brit awards, and that
gives you something to hang your career."
Greg reveals that luck and graft have equal importance
in his career. "The Manics and Catatonia thing was my
bit of luck, but that luck was preceded by 10 years of
just learning to be in a studio."
With his production work on the new Manics' material,
the poppy, shiny aesthetic Eighties sound is nothing
new to Greg. "It's quite interesting because all these
production techniques I used in the Eighties that I
forgot I have been using again."
In terms of working with artists, Greg states that the
approach a producer or engineer assumes depends on the
artist. "Sometimes you just let the band get on with
it, but with the Manics it's very much driven by the
band and they will shout and abuse you until you
capture what they are hearing. The key thing about
producing is to be flexible, you're never always going
to be connected to the artist, but y'know sometimes it
doesn't work and you have to accept music is a
personal thing and it won't always turn out how the
artist wants.

"A big part of producing is the psychology. I love
getting inside people's heads and especially now I'm
producing rather than engineering, it's more hands-on
with the performer."

In case you were wondering, Greg succinctly highlights
the difference between the production and engineering
side of things. "A producer is..." he pauses, "like
the director of a film, and the engineer is like the
cameraman. They're not unrelated, but with a big
project like Mel C's album that I'm working on you
need other people to co-ordinate it because it is such
a big project."

Alongside Greg, there is Owen Morris from Crickhowell
in Powys, who also played a big part in many bands'
successes in the Nineties. Owen has worked with New
Order, Electronic, Ash and The Verve before topping
his career by working on Oasis' debut Definitely Maybe
and producing the mega unit-shifters (What's The
Story) Morning Glory and Be Here Now. Morris recounted
these heady days to the Official Oasis Magazine. "I
was giving up working in the music business until
Oasis came along. Work had become a chore, boring and
unfulfilling, they made it exciting again. I'll never
forget it. The first week I recorded all the band was
one of the most outrageous weeks of my life, I'll
never forget it. I'd recorded Noel and Liam
individually when we were finishing Definitely Maybe,
but this was something else."

Up in the North, and at the more independent end of
the scale is Geraint Jones. Geraint is essentially a
freelance producer, spending most of his time at Sylem
Studios in Betws-y-Coed. Having worked with such
luminaries as Melys, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci and
Anweledig, Geraint, like Leon and Greg, began
production work with a grounding in performance.
"I started off playing drums for bands and as we went
into recording studios I realised I was more
interested in the other side of the mixing desk. I
became more interested in mixing stuff than carrying
around a big f*cking drumkit."
Like our other producers, Geraint learned by picking
up his trade through experience rather that actual
training and his production and engineering style is
very much the middleman. "I like to be the guy
inbetween the engineer and the band, trying to get
across what the band want to get across - I tend to be
less hands-on, I prefer to sit back and only interject
when it's needed."

One man who opitimises the fusion of producing,
engineering and performing is David Wrench. Not only
is he conjuring up electro pop wizardry with his new
album The Atomic World Of Tomorrow, the Bangor-based
performer has a myriad of production and engineering
credits up his sleeve.
"I mainly do engineering work and got into it because
I needed some free studio time, so I blagged a job in
a studio about six years ago and learned on the job
really."
Wrench hopes to undertake some more production work,
and his approach depends entirely on the band.
"Generally I try to work around the band, if a band
want to record live like say, Wendykurk I'll just let
them get on with it."
Recently Wrench has worked with James Yorkston And The
Athletes, The Open as well as the up-coming Beth Orton
album and his ideal means of working is to use a less
digital orientated approach. "I've got really into
working with tape," states Wrench, "it makes you think
very differently. With digital stuff it's easy for
bands to make you correct mistakes, but with tape it
is very difficult to change it, so you have to get it
right first time."

Wrench, like most other producer / engineers is a
performer; something he cites as important in being a
successful. "You need to spend real time in a studio.
College courses can teach you some of the skills, but
being a performer and actually being in studios helps,
and one of the main things is to have the ability to
deal with people and create a relaxed atmosphere,
aside from that, the technical stuff is easy. It's not
rocket science.

SUT I FOD YN GYNHYRCHYDD

gan James W. Roberts

Mae rhai cynhyrchwyr yn recordio artist a dim arall, mae rhai'n cyfrannu at y gwaith o ysgrifennu caneuon. Mae James W Roberts yn sgwrsio gyda nifer o gynhyrchwyr blaenllaw Cymru am eu technegau.

Ychydig ddegawdau'n ôl talent unigryw a phwerus Phil Spector neu George Martin a'u tebyg roddodd yr un amlygrwydd i'r cynhyrchydd â sêr y byd pop oedd yn canu'r caneuon. Ac o lamu ymlaen i'r ganrif newydd ac o waith cynhyrchu Neptune sy'n cyrraedd brig y siartiau i arbenigwyr roc fel Steve Albini neu Rick Rubin, mae'r cynhyrchydd yn hollbwysig yn yr hinsawdd prynu recordiau sydd ohoni - ac mae gan Gymru fwy na'i siâr o fotwm-wasgwyr dawnus.

Bu Sound Nation yn siarad gyda rhai o brif gynhyrchwyr a pheirianwyr Cymru i glywed yr hyn oedd ganddynt i'w ddweud am eu gwaith o ochr arall y ddesg gymysgu.

Dilynodd Leon West, pennaeth cwmni recordiau SFDB ac arloeswr hip-hop tywyll a meddylgar dan yr enw Secondson, lwybr organig cyfarwydd i'r byd cerddoriaeth ac yn bwysicach, y byd cynhyrchu. "Fe wnes i ddod o hyd i gasgliad recordiau fy nhad a chael fy syfrdanu gan y gerddoriaeth. Sut wnaethon nhw greu'r sain yna? Dyna pryd wnes i sylweddoli bod dilynwyr hip-hop yn cael eu seiniau gan bobl eraill."

Cerddor oedd Leon i gychwyn. "Rwy'n chwarae sawl offeryn ac rydw i wedi chwarae gyda llu o fandiau, ennill fy lle fel petai. Clowch fi mewn stiwdio gyda samplwyr ac offerynnau ac rwy'n ymgolli'n llwyr. Pan yn blentyn roedd gen i set o ddrymiau ac fe wnes i ddysgu sut i'w chwarae trwy gloi fy hun mewn ystafell a bwrw iddi."

Mae gan Leon, sy'n arbenigo mewn hip-hop, ffordd syml o weithio wrth recordio. "Drymiau a bas yw'r pethau pwysig. Rwy'n hoffi ysgrifennu tôn yn fy mhen, yn y gawod efallai, yna'i throsglwyddo i'r drymiau neu debyg ac yna rwy'n hoffi dod o hyd i'r seiniau hynny ar finyl.

Os ydych chi'n dweud eich bod chi'n hip-hop neu rywbeth arall, mae'n rhaid i chi allu twrio a dod o hyd i'w seiniau - mae'r cwbl yn dibynnu ar ba mor galed rydych chi'n chwilio, mae'n well na eistedd mewn stiwdio - mae hip-hop yn fy nghael i allan o'r tŷ!"

Mae Leon hefyd yn gwrthod bod yn or-dechnolegol yn ei waith, mae'n well ganddo offer hŷn. "Rydw i newydd gael gwared ar lwyth o samplwyr, achos rydw i wedi cael llond bol o syllu ar sgriniau drwy'r amser. Mae gen i gwpl o drofyrddau da ac rwy'n hoffi'r hen sain falfiau. Mae recordiau fel cyffuriau fwy neu lai, ac rydw i'n gaeth."

Mae Leon yn sylweddoli pwysigrwydd cynyddol cynhyrchwyr yn y byd hip-hop, ac mae wedi sgwrsio ag un o sêr mwyaf y byd pop. "Fe wnes i gwrdd â Pharrell Williams o N.E.R.D ychydig wythnosau yn ôl ac fe ddywedodd wrthyf ei fod wedi darllen rhywbeth amdanaf a'i fod yn adnabod fy wyneb, a be' ddaeth i'r meddwl ond 'be ff*c!?' Fe wnaethon ni gyfnewid cyfeiriadau ebost a gobeithio y gallwn ni gyfnewid bîts ac ati."

Mae Greg Haver ar ochr arall y sbectrwm cerddorol. Yn wreiddiol o Aberhonddu, mae Greg yn parhau i fod yn un o gynhyrchwyr mwyaf poblogaidd Cymru. Mae ei sain unigryw wedi helpu pobl fel Tom Jones, Super Furry Animals, John Cale a'r Manic Street Preachers - Greg sydd wrth y llyw gyda'u halbwm newydd Life Blood.

"Fe wnes i ddechrau gweithio gyda'r Manics fel peiriannydd," meddai Greg, "ar This Is My Truth... ac roeddwn i'n beiriannydd ar un o draciau International Velvet gan Catatonia; jyst y peth yr oeddwn ei angen ar fy CV. Er mai dim ond peiriannydd oeddwn i roedd o'n brofiad gwych cael gweithio mewn blwyddyn gydag artistiaid a oedd wedi'u henwebu ar gyfer gwobrau Brit, ac mae'n rhoi hwb mawr i'ch gyrfa."

Mae Greg yn cyfaddau bod lwc a gwaith caled wedi bod yr un mor bwysig iddo yn ystod ei yrfa. "Y Manics a Catatonia oedd fy lwc i, ond cyn hynny roeddwn i wedi bod yn dysgu gweithio mewn stiwdio ers 10 mlynedd."

Gyda'i waith cynhyrchu ar ddeunydd newydd y Manics, nid yw sain pop esthetig gloyw'r wythdegau yn ddim newydd i Greg. "Mae'n eitha' diddorol oherwydd rydw i wedi bod yn defnyddio'r holl dechnegau cynhyrchu wnes i ddefnyddio yn yr wythdegau unwaith eto - technegau oedd wedi mynd yn angof."

O ran gweithio gydag artistiaid, dywed Greg bod agwedd cynhyrchydd neu beiriannydd yn dibynnu ar yr artist. "Weithiau mae'n rhaid i chi adael i'r band fwrw iddi, ond gyda'r Manics nhw sydd wrth y llyw ac fe fyddan nhw'n rhegi a diawlio nes i chi ddal yr hyn maen nhw'n ei glywed. Y prif beth am gynhyrchu yw hyblygrwydd, dydych chi ddim yn mynd i allu cysylltu gyda'r artist bob amser, ond weithiau mae'n gweithio ac mae'n rhaid i chi dderbyn bod cerddoriaeth yn beth personol ac ni fydd pethau'n troi allan fel mae'r artist yn dymuno bob tro.

"Mae seicoleg yn rhan fawr o waith cynhyrchu. Rydw i wrth fy modd yn gweld y tu fewn i bennau pobl yn enwedig gan fy mod i'n gwneud gwaith cynhyrchu yn hytrach na pheirianneg bellach, mae'n golygu ymwneud yn fwy uniongyrchol â'r perfformiwr."

Rhag ofn iddo groesi'ch meddwl, mae Greg yn pwysleisio'r gwahaniaeth rhwng cynhyrchu a pheirianneg yn gryno. "Mae cynhyrchydd..." mae'n oedi am eiliad, "fel cyfarwyddwr ffilm, ac mae'r peiriannydd fel dyn camera. Mae cyswllt rhwng y ddau, ond gyda phrosiect mawr fel albwm Mel C rydw i'n gweithio arno ar hyn o bryd mae angen pobl eraill i'w gydlynu gan ei fod yn brosiect mor fawr."

Gyda Greg, mae Owen Morris o Grucywel ym Mhowys, a fu'n allweddol i lwyddiant llawer o fandiau yn y nawdegau. Mae Owen wedi gweithio gyda New Order, Electronic, Ash a The Verve cyn uchafbwynt ei yrfa sef gweithio ar yr albwm Definitely Maybe gan Oasis a chynhyrchu'r recordiau a werthodd niferoedd annhygoel (What's The Story) Morning Glory a Be Here Now. Rhannodd Morris ei atgofion o'r dyddiau da hyn gyda chylchgrawn swyddogol Oasis. "Roeddwn i am roi'r gorau i weithio yn y busnes cerddoriaeth cyn i Oasis ymddangos. Roedd gwaith wedi mynd yn faich, yn anniddorol ac anfoddhaol, nhw wnaeth y gwaith yn gyffrous eto. Wna i byth anghofio. Yr wythnos gyntaf i mi recordio'r holl fand oedd yn o wythnosau mwyaf anhygoel fy mywyd, wna i byth anghofio'r peth. Roeddwn i wedi recordio Noel a Liam ar eu pen eu hunain wrth i ni orffen Definitely Maybe, ond roedd hyn yn hollol wahanol."

I fyny yn y gogledd, ac yn gweithio'n fwy annibynnol mae Geraint Jones. Cynhyrchydd rhydd-gyfrannol yw Geraint fwy neu lai, yn treulio'r rhan fwyaf o'i amser yn Stiwdios Sylem ym Metws-y-Coed. Ar ôl gweithio gydag enwogion fel Melys, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci ac Anweledig, dechreuodd Geraint wneud gwaith cynhyrchu gyda chefndir perfformio, fel Leon a Greg.

"Fe wnes i ddechrau'n chwarae'r drymiau i fandiau ac wrth i ni fynd i stiwdios recordio sylweddolais fod gen i fwy o ddiddordeb yn yr ochr arall i'r ddesg gymysgu. Roedd gen i fwy o ddiddordeb mewn cymysgu pethau na chario set o ddrymiau ff*c o fawr o gwmpas."

Fel ein cynhyrchwyr eraill, dysgodd Geraint trwy brofiad yn hytrach na hyfforddiant ac mae ei arddull cynhyrchu a pheirianneg yn golygu bod yn ganolwr yn aml iawn. "Rwy'n hoffi bod rhwng y peiriannydd  a'r band, gan geisio cyfleu yr hyn mae'r band am ei gyfleu - rwy'n tueddu i fod yn llai ymarferol, mae'n well gen i eistedd yn ôl a chynnig sylwadau pan fo angen."

Un dyn sy'n cael y gorau o wneud gwaith cynhyrchu, peirianneg a pherfformio yw David Wrench. Mae'r perfformiwr o Fangor wrthi'n cynhyrchu ei albwm electro pop hudol The Atomic World Of Tomorrow, ac mae ganddo lwyth o brofiad o waith cynhyrchu a pheirianneg y tu ôl iddo.

"Rwy'n gwneud gwaith peirianneg yn bennaf ac fe wnes i ddechrau am fy mod i angen rhywfaint o amser stiwdio am ddim, felly fe gefais i waith mewn stiwdio tua chwe blynedd yn ôl a dysgu wrth wneud y gwaith a dweud y gwir."

Mae Wrench yn gobeithio gwneud mwy o waith cynhyrchu, ac mae ei arddull yn dibynnu'n llwyr ar y band. "Gan amlaf, rwy'n ceisio gweithio gyda'r band, os yw band am recordio'n fyw, fel Wendykurk er enghraifft, fe wna i adael iddyn nhw fwrw iddi."

Yn ddiweddar mae Wrench wedi gweithio gyda James Yorkston And The Athletes, The Open yn ogystal â gweithio ar albwm newydd Beth Orton, a'i ffordd ddelfrydol o weithio yw defnyddio llai o offer digidol. "Rwy'n mwynhau gweithio gyda thâp ar hyn o bryd," meddai Wrench, "mae'n gwneud i chi feddwl mewn ffordd wahanol iawn. Gydag offer digidol mae'n hawdd i fandiau wneud i chi gywiro camgymeriadau, ond gyda thâp mae'n anodd iawn ei newid, felly mae'n rhaid i chi wneud pethau'n iawn y tro cyntaf."

Mae Wrench, fel y mwyafrif o gynhyrchwyr / peirianwyr eraill yn berfformiwr; rhywbeth mae'n credu sy'n bwysig i fod yn llwyddiannus. "Mae angen i chi dreulio llawer o amser mewn stiwdio. Gall cyrsiau coleg ddysgu rhai o'r sgiliau i chi, ond mae bod yn berfformiwr a threulio amser mewn stiwdios yn helpu, ac un o'r pethau pwysicaf yw bod â'r gallu i ddelio â phobl a chreu amgylchedd hamddenol, heblaw hynny, mae'r ochr dechnegol yn hawdd. Nid rocket science yw e.

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