The Chinese Cultural Association has launched its latest 56th episode video titled “Craftsman’s Soul”, with the theme of “Mixing Vocals”. The protagonist of the video is veteran mixing engineer Guo Yuanzhou, who has been in the industry for nearly 45 years. Through his life experiences of weaving stories with sound, the video sheds light on the rise, fall, and transformation of Taiwan’s music industry.
The press release by the Chinese Cultural Association (文總) emphasizes that whether it’s the emotional impact when listening to favorite songs with headphones or the profound impact felt in a packed concert hall, have you ever thought about who is behind the scenes shaping the “earworms” that captivate you?
The new episode of “Craftsman’s Soul” introduces viewers to Guo Yuanzhou, a seasoned mixing engineer who has dominated the industry for over three decades and has worked on numerous hit songs like “Lady of the Rooftop” and “Wandering to Tamsui”.
Known as the “magician who weaves stories with sound”, Guo Yuanzhou’s passion for sound started at a young age, and his first job was as a recording engineer. With sharp listening skills, he immersed himself in the field of recording in the 70s and 80s, coinciding with the golden age of Taiwanese popular music. As the record market flourished, with recording studios of all sizes bustling with activity, he quickly gained experience, contributing to numerous classic productions.
During the heyday of physical records, companies would even hire three A-list arrangers for a single song. He recalls the recording of Yeh Chi-Tian’s song “Hometown”, where he had to record three versions of the arrangement. Due to the limitations of analog recording, if the singer wanted to adjust the tempo or pitch, the orchestration had to be re-recorded, resulting in tapes stacking up as high as a person. On the eve of the Lunar New Year that year, almost all cassette tape factory owners nationwide were eagerly anticipating the release of that album, creating a tense and fervent atmosphere.
Located on Bade Road in Taipei, the YaXian Recording Studio was once one of the largest recording studios in Taiwan, with up to nine recording rooms during its peak, producing countless classic albums. Guo Yuanzhou served as the general manager for many years, leading his team in an era with limited information, where they meticulously tested different playback systems to ensure consistent quality across various media.
In the analog era, recording required manual precision as once a tape was cut erroneously, it was difficult to go back. The album “Lady of the Rooftop” by singer Hsu Chin-Chun, for example, had to be redone from scratch because of a mistake made by the mixing engineer, leading to three months’ worth of effort going up in smoke, a experience he could never forget.
During the fast-paced era of recording industry, studios operated on a three-shift basis: recording string orchestra in the morning, bands in the afternoon, and singers performing till daybreak at night. Guo Yuanzhou has handled over a thousand albums and tens of thousands of songs, including the hit song “Wandering to Tamsui” that has been popular since 1997. However, with the rise of digital technology, the industry had to transform and upgrade its equipment. Under immense pressure, the YaXian Recording Studio, once known as the “recording industry city”, eventually ceased operations in 2003 due to unsuccessful transformation.
After the recording studio disbanded, Guo Yuanzhou shifted his focus to live audio engineering. Starting his career in sound control at fan clubs, his proficiency in stage operations allowed him to lead teams in tackling large-scale concerts. He emphasizes the stark differences in energy and requirements between live events and recording studios: from site surveys, system design, stage setup, sound checks to rehearsals, every step is crucial. Even external factors like stage machinery, LED screens, or wireless interference must be planned in advance. He believes that both data and auditory acuity are essential, and every operation must meet his self-imposed “90-point standard”.