In Episode 2 of our Lifeboats Series, Legendary Mixer, Chris Lord-Alge, loads the multitrack for Will Knox’s Lifeboats onto his SSL console and takes us all the way from hearing the song for the first time, to a completed powerful and energetic mix with his signature sound imprinted upon it.
Learn How CLA:
Decides when it is appropriate to use drum samples
Sets up his stereo bus processing chain with his famous Focusrite Red 3 compressor and Pultec EQs
Approaches Bass DIs and Amplifiers
Deals with excessively dark tracks
Pockets vocals to tighten the groove
Works with creative effects to add a sense of space and movement to the vocal
Watch Chris Lord-Alge's episode of our exclusive Lifeboats series, only on puremix.net
WILL KNOX is a singer-songwriter from London. At 18 he moved to the US where he studied at Berklee College of Music, and spent several years in New York City.
4.5
61 reviews
Mr Rambolini •Friday, October 28, 2022
CLA, bridging the chasm between genius and insanity, does come across as a little arrogant - it's his way or the highway and your opinion doesn't matter much. But then, who can argue with his track record? It also leads to great moments of humour such as the 'I like things to be 3D, you don't, so...'
I love watching the pace at which he works, and the way that he revisits what he's doing constantly (something which, as an amateur, I don't).
The detractors who criticise his lack of empathy for the intention of the song kinda miss the point - this is his mix of the song.
2
Naptuning •Wednesday, May 18, 2022
FLAME! Lighthouses rule! Heh. Man, wish I could work physical like this. That connection is so diff with a desk and all outboard. CLA is beast.
Alexandre •Sunday, May 15, 2022
This is a bit squashed but the song is interesting now lol
babydaddymusic •Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Had the pleasure to have sounds mixed by CLA in 2000. To me his mix smokes all the others by a mile. I feel the song in his mix, with everyone else it's an academic exercise
ranchrader •Tuesday, January 18, 2022
So many decades of success and he's still bringing the passion, effort, and genius. Also loved seeing the interaction between him and his assistant. Fantastic.
billabong859 •Friday, January 14, 2022
I love how he had a sound going in 30 min! I have watched 3 hours of Toni Maserati fiddling with small edits and still can't quite hear his song idea very well.
I guess this is a "I mix it how I want it" exercise to get different personalised results, so great fun.
Now I also understand what "mixing it on an SSL console" really means. What an intuitive workflow!!
nkbass •Thursday, October 14, 2021
Great learning experience watching CLA do his thing! I had my ears open and learnt a ton from his processing and tone choices. Such a good series to watch, with all these masters mixing the same song. It just drives the point that mixing is a creative process, and while we can learn the craft, the magic is in the art!
mwfree •Sunday, August 29, 2021
Anthemic. (Yawn.)
sound11advice •Tuesday, June 1, 2021
Never be a honey jumper :)
Window •Tuesday, April 6, 2021
Best Mix of "Life Boats" by Far
carlitopscorpio •Thursday, January 21, 2021
OMG. Chris Lord Alge is a mixing God!
addjackes •Thursday, September 17, 2020
He's very natural with the SSL. But he took care of the baby really well and gave the spot on nourishment. He considers the relationship with vocals, guitars, drums and what not? How come there was no information about removing sibilance although he mentioned somewhere about the S's being pretty prominent. The tom fill reverb being done manually was fantastic.
SpaceInfader •Monday, February 17, 2020
I‘m a fan but I agree that he didn’t match the intended style. But what’s really interesting to me is that he is the only one in this series who delivered a finished „product“. And in what pace! I actually really enjoyed that he was not explaining every move and I think it’s one of the lessons to be learned here. Look at him go, his assistant wasn’t even finished with preparing the session and he was almost done with the drums! In interviews he often mentioned how important it is to stay fresh and move quickly, here you can witness it
Melodic Dreamer •Saturday, January 11, 2020
Lord-Alge really knows what he's doing that's for sure. I do wish I could have saw what he was doing a little better.
My problem with the mix is it sounded like Alge's vision and not what Will seemed to be shooting for. I mean don't get me wrong. I like what Chris did, but I felt like he pissed all over the original concept.
Once completed it almost sounded like something written by A Perfect Circle. lol
manuelborges89 •Friday, December 27, 2019
its so nice to see how CLA works. Amazing results as always
