Tim Palmer (Pearl Jam, U2, David Bowie, Ozzy)

Tim Palmer has produced and mixed albums for a huge selection of classic and alternative artists, from David Bowie and Tears For Fears to Ozzy Osbourne, and U2. He has had Top Ten albums in the UK for five decades. Amongst many notable credits, Palmer mixed Ten for Pearl Jam, which is now in the top 50 best-selling albums of all time, and was nominated for a Grammy for his mixing work on U2’s All That You Can’t Leave Behind.

Tell us about your current studio setup.

In my mix room, I have a hybrid setup. I’ve tried to get the best of both the digital and analog worlds. My Pro Tools outputs are all broken out into a ‘Tonelux’ set up and then summed back into the rig via a GML stereo EQ and an SSL compressor. I have 24 inputs and a few analog EQs and compressors.

Most of the donkey work is done inside the DAW, but I have UF8 SSL faders and a UC1 SSL plug-in controller. I have Genelec 1031a with a sub for my main monitors and also some 8341a Genelec’s for nearfields. My room was acoustically treated and designed by the late Mark Genfan.

I love and use all the UA, Waves, Soundtoys, and Fabfilter plugins.

Having mixed and produced so many songs over the past few years, how do you stay fresh and excited about making music every day?

Not getting stuck in one genre of music has really kept my work interesting and exciting. After years in rock and alternative, I have recently worked on some great jazz records. Similar mixing rules apply, but it’s all about how they’re implemented and adjusting the methodology and presentation.

How do you typically approach a mix?

Firstly, listening to what’s been presented — the ‘rough mix’ and the demo. Then it’s about figuring out what’s the strongest element to the song. After that, it’s all about showcasing the strength of the recorded material and making it feel good. Having a plan before you begin is EVERYTHING!