How would you describe your approach to recording?

WG: I've always preferred spaces that promote a feeling of connection between everyone who's working on a session.Traditional recording studios feel restrictive to me in the sense that the control room is designed to create separation between the players and the producer. It was a revelation to me when I first saw pictures of Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios and Wild Sky Studios (built by Pierre Marchand), because everyone sits in the same room as the gear, just a bunch of people making a record together. That's an approach I've been using for years. I have a great space where I record groups and mix, but I'm just as happy taking out my remote rig and tracking in a big church or a cabin somewhere.

What's the role of a producer?

WG: I see a producer as someone who's responsible for the sound of a record. At the beginning of a project this might mean renting or supplying certain mics and preamps, hiring session players and going over song material. Once recording begins, a great producer knows how draw the best possible performance out of the musicians playing that particular session.

If the sound of a particular project isn't clearly defined going in, I'll come up with descriptive phrases that help guide the recording process. For example, 'ambient, but not ethereal', or 'cool and gritty but not too dirty'. Sometimes I'll write these phrases on pieces of paper and tape them up around the studio to act as touchstones while we record.

I usually record the projects I produce, so for me, producing can cross over into finding interesting ways to get cool sounds. That might mean running guitar through a leslie or taking the time to find the perfect mic or micing position.

The most important thing to me as a producer is making sure that the musicians I work with have a positive, creative experience. And also end up with kick-ass recordings that represents their sound and vibe in a powerful way. Every band, every singer-songwriter is a fresh start, so I have to take a step back and ask myself 'what approach do we need here?' The answer is different almost every time.

What approach do you take with original songs?

WG: A lot of bands come in with their music pretty well together, so I'll help narrow down song choices and discuss arrangement ideas. If a song is slated for recording and it feels a bit rough, I'll go over it to see if anything can be improved: intro hook, chord structure, lyrics, instrumentation, arrangement and so on. My goal is to enhance the essence of the song.

What's your musical background?

WG: When I was coming up as a player I was into lots of different kinds of music, so I'd play in any kind of band that was performing with conviction. Eventually I got a Bachelor of Music to round out my knowledge of theory, then got into arranging and commercial composition. I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to play with so many wonderful musicians, because as a producer and mixer it has allowed me to work in many of the musical styles that I enjoy.

What's your opinion of analog vs. digital recording?

WG: Like most recording junkies, I love the sound of audio passing through transformers and tubes. These critical preamp stages impart much of the harmonic warmth and detail that we associate with the sound of a 'record'. Analogue to digital converters are another critical link in the recording chain, and I've been very happy with the way my Apogee AD-16X translates analogue juiciness into the digital realm. Recording is all about getting as much size, clarity and punch out of the recording chain as possible, because a DAW (digital audio workstation) gives you back exactly what you put into it.

Recording to 2" tape also sounds great, but the cost of maintaining an aging deck--not to mention the tape itself--has pushed this time honoured approach out of reach for most recording budgets. The good news is that the boundaries of digital recording are being constantly redefined by innovative software companies. There are a growing number of convincing plugins that allow mixers to make DAW recordings sound as though they were recorded to tape, and in-the-box mixes sound like they were mixed on a large console with top notch outboard gear.

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Wynn's Secret Stash:

How many Deadheads does it take to change a light bulb?
A. None. They wait for it to burn out, then drop some kind 'cid and follow it around.

How many Vancouver islanders does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Six. One to turn the bulb and five to relate to the experience.

How many union members does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Fifty, it's right here in the f***ing contract.

How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Only one, but the bulb has to really want to change.
A. None. The bulb will change itself when it's ready.

How many software engineers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. None. It's a hardware problem.

How many boys with ADD does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Wanna thee my dinothaur?

How many Marxists does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. None. The bulb contains the seeds of its own revolution.

How many politicians does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Five. One to change the bulb and four pull the ladder out from under him.

How many feminists does it take to change a light bulb?
A. That's not funny

How many zen masters does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. A tree in a golden forest.
A. Two. One to change the bulb and one not to change it.

How many Carl Sagans does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Billions and billions.

How many bluegrass musicians does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Two. One to change the bulb, and one to write a song about how much they miss the old one.
A. Two. One to change the bulb, and one to sing about how much better things were before the invention of electricity.

How many MCs does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Six. One to drop the bulb, and five to Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!

How many emo bands does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. None, they'd rather cry in the dark.

Do you know how many jazz musicians it takes to change a light bulb?
A. No mama, but put some bread in my jar and I'll fake a few bars for you.

What’s the difference between a pregnant woman and a light bulb?
A. You can unscrew a bulb.

How many lawyers does it take to change a light bulb?
A. How many can you afford?

How many secret police does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. None. There never was a bulb.

How many pro-lifers does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Three. Two to screw in the bulb, and one to testify that the bulb was lit from the moment the first two began screwing.

How many bureaucrats does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Two. One to assure you that everything possible is being done, while the other screws the bulb into their anal orifice.

How many Vulcans does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Approximately 1.000000000000000000000001

How many anarchists does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. All of them.

How many mystery writers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Two. One to screw it almost all the way in, and the other to give it a surprising twist at the end.

How many pig-dog lackeys of the bourgeoisie does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Two. One to exploit the proletariat, while the other controls the means of production.

How many light bulbs does it take to change a light bulb?
A. One, if it knows its own Gödel number.

How many mathematicians does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. One, who gives it to two mystery writers, thereby reducing the problem to an earlier joke.

How many Mac users does it take to change a light bulb?
A. None. You have to replace the whole motherboard.

How many pessimists does it take to change a light bulb?
A. None. It's probably screwed in too tight to change.

How many stock brokers does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Two. One to drop the bulb, and the other to sell it before it crashes.

How many Englishmen does it take to change a light bulb?
A. What do you mean change it? It's a perfectly good bloody bulb! We've had that bulb for a thousand years and it's worked out fine so far, thank you very much.

How many Canada Revenue Agency auditors does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Only one, but the bulb really gets screwed.

How many gorillas does it take to change a light bulb?
A. One, but it takes a lot of bulbs.

How many British Columbians does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. None. BCers don’t screw in bulbs, they screw in hot tubs.

How many frat guys does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. None. Frat boys don't screw in bulbs, they screw in puddles of vomit.