I am one of the lucky folks that tracked an entire album at Sear Sound 
and it was a pleasure. I walked through the rooms with Walter and 
discussed my needs and strategy for tracking and he was simply wonderful 
offering little tweaks to my plan. I tracked in the C room with the 
MCI/Avalon custom console and let me tell you that thing was gorgeous. 
It was the only one of its kind and man was that a sonically rich desk. 
Walter's philosophy was "everything works all the time". I cannot tell 
you how many studios that charged big NYC dollars did not and do not 
adhere to this edict. Shame on them and three cheers for Walter, Roberta 
and the whole Sear Sound crew for showing the rest of the studio 
community how it was really done.

R.I.P.

AA

P.S. I got Walter to sign his solo album for me and I treasure it even 
more at this sad moment.


Corey Bailey wrote:
> A sad loss indeed.
>
> As one who learned his craft in the late sixties from staff engineers 
> at Columbia, Capitol and RCA, and who was dragged into the digital age 
> kicking & screaming, I can personally relate to Walter Sears' 
> observation: "What Have They Done to My Art?" As a Recording Engineer 
> from the Left Coast, I never had the opportunity to meet Mr. Sear but 
> I certainly knew who he was.
>
> While vintage audio equipment has become popular, the knowledge and 
> ability to get the best out of it is becoming increasingly rare.
> My youngest son is a Music & Recording Arts major. Both of us are 
> continually amazed at the "Professors" who are adept at pull-down 
> menus but are not well versed in capturing a good stereo recording.
>
> I'm proud to report that my son enjoys talking shop with his Dad and 
> continually picks the old mans brain on recording and mixing 
> techniques. I'm also thrilled to have lived long enough to see some of 
> my late sixties learning take root in the next generation.
>
> Rest in Peace Walter Sear
>
> Corey Bailey
> Corey Bailey Audio Engineering
>
>
>
>
> At 07:14 AM 5/7/2010, you wrote:
>> This is indeed sad news.
>>
>> http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/07/arts/music/07sear.html
>>
>> Richard L. Hess                   email: [log in to unmask]
>> Aurora, Ontario, Canada       (905) 713 6733     1-877-TAPE-FIX
>> Detailed contact information: 
>> http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm
>> Quality tape transfers -- even from hard-to-play tapes.
>