What exhibitions are currently on display at the Hammer Museum. How does the Hammer Museum contribute to the cultural landscape of Los Angeles. When was the Hammer Museum founded and what is its mission.
The Hammer Museum: A Beacon of Art and Ideas
The Hammer Museum, located at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), stands as a prominent cultural institution dedicated to illuminating lives and fostering a more just world through the power of art and ideas. Founded in 1990 by industrialist Armand Hammer, the museum has evolved into a dynamic space that showcases contemporary art, hosts thought-provoking exhibitions, and engages the community through diverse programming.
Mission and Vision
At its core, the Hammer Museum believes in the transformative potential of art and ideas to shape our understanding of the world and inspire positive change. This philosophy drives its curatorial decisions, public programs, and community outreach initiatives.
Current Exhibitions: A Diverse Artistic Landscape
The Hammer Museum consistently offers a rich tapestry of exhibitions that span various artistic mediums and themes. Some of the current and upcoming exhibitions include:
- Together in Time: Selections from the Hammer Contemporary Collection (March 26 – August 20, 2023)
- Rita McBride: Particulates (March 26 – November 5, 2023)
- Hammer Projects: Chiharu Shiota (March 26 – August 20, 2023)
- Sanford Biggers: Oracle (March 26, 2023 – July 25, 2024)
- Ecstatic: Selections from the Hammer Contemporary Collection (June 10 – August 27, 2023)
- Full Burn: Video from the Hammer Contemporary Collection (March 11 – September 10, 2023)
Highlighting Contemporary Art
The museum’s commitment to contemporary art is evident in its diverse exhibition program. For instance, “Together in Time: Selections from the Hammer Contemporary Collection” marks the largest presentation of the museum’s contemporary holdings to date, coinciding with the unveiling of the Hammer’s building expansion.
The Armand Hammer Collection: A Window to the Past
While the Hammer Museum is known for its focus on contemporary art, it also houses the impressive Armand Hammer Collection. This collection reflects the interests and passion of the museum’s founder, featuring European and American paintings and drawings that provide a historical context to the museum’s contemporary offerings.
Bridging Past and Present
The juxtaposition of historical works with contemporary pieces creates a unique dialogue within the museum, allowing visitors to trace the evolution of artistic expression and ideas across time.
Engaging the Community: Programs and Events
The Hammer Museum goes beyond static exhibitions, offering a diverse range of programs and events that engage the community and foster dialogue. These include:
Kids’ Programs
The museum offers educational and creative workshops for children, such as the “826LA@Hammer: Monologues – From Page to Performance” event, where young participants can dive into playwriting and craft their own monologues.
Hammer Forum
This series of public discussions tackles pressing societal issues. For example, the upcoming forum “Alleviating the Housing Crisis: Where’s the Money?” will explore funding challenges for affordable housing in Los Angeles.
Conversations
The museum hosts talks and conversations with artists, curators, and thought leaders, providing insights into artistic processes and contemporary issues in the art world.
Digital Initiatives: Extending the Museum’s Reach
Recognizing the importance of digital platforms in reaching wider audiences, the Hammer Museum has developed several online initiatives:
Hammer Channel
This online platform offers over 1,000 talks, performances, artist profiles, and more. Users can search, clip, and share content on topics ranging from politics and activism to art, film, and literature.
Virtual Tours and Online Exhibitions
The museum has embraced digital technology to provide virtual access to its exhibitions and collections, allowing art enthusiasts worldwide to explore its offerings.
The Hammer’s Physical Transformation: Expanding Horizons
The Hammer Museum is currently undergoing a significant physical transformation to enhance its capacity to serve visitors and showcase art. This expansion project includes:
- A new entrance to improve accessibility
- Additional gallery spaces to accommodate more exhibitions
- An expanded lobby to create a more welcoming environment
This renovation reflects the museum’s commitment to evolving and adapting to better serve its mission and community.
Supporting the Arts: Membership and Patronage
The Hammer Museum offers various ways for art enthusiasts and community members to support its mission and enjoy exclusive benefits:
Membership Program
By becoming a member, individuals can enjoy exclusive access to exhibitions and events while supporting the museum’s initiatives. Membership levels cater to different interests and capacities for support.
Hammer Store
The museum’s store offers a curated selection of books and products that celebrate fine artistry, excellent design, and exceptional craftsmanship. Purchases from the store contribute to the museum’s financial sustainability.
Culinary Arts: Lulu Restaurant
Expanding its cultural offerings beyond visual arts, the Hammer Museum has introduced Lulu, a new restaurant concept developed in collaboration with renowned chefs David Tanis and Alice Waters. This culinary addition complements the museum experience, offering visitors a chance to engage with artistry in food alongside visual arts.
Fusion of Art and Gastronomy
Lulu’s presence within the museum creates a holistic cultural experience, where visitors can appreciate visual aesthetics and culinary artistry in one location.
The Hammer’s Impact on Los Angeles’ Cultural Landscape
As a cornerstone of Los Angeles’ vibrant arts scene, the Hammer Museum plays a crucial role in shaping the city’s cultural identity. Its impact extends beyond its walls through:
- Collaborations with local artists and arts organizations
- Educational partnerships with schools and universities
- Community outreach programs that bring art to diverse neighborhoods
- Contributions to public art initiatives across the city
Fostering Artistic Innovation
The Hammer’s support for emerging artists and experimental art forms has helped position Los Angeles as a hub for contemporary art innovation.
Looking Ahead: The Hammer’s Vision for the Future
As the Hammer Museum continues to evolve, it remains committed to its founding principles while adapting to the changing landscape of contemporary art and society. Future initiatives may include:
- Expanded digital offerings to reach global audiences
- Increased focus on interdisciplinary collaborations
- Enhanced sustainability practices in museum operations
- Continued emphasis on diversity and inclusion in programming and collections
Adapting to Changing Times
The museum’s ability to remain relevant and impactful in a rapidly changing world will depend on its continued commitment to innovation, community engagement, and artistic excellence.
Through its diverse exhibitions, engaging programs, and commitment to fostering dialogue and understanding, the Hammer Museum continues to be a vital force in the cultural landscape of Los Angeles and beyond. As it looks to the future, the museum remains dedicated to its mission of illuminating lives and building a more just world through the power of art and ideas.
Hammer Museum | Hammer Museum
The Hammer Museum at UCLA believes in the promise of art and ideas to illuminate our lives and build a more just world.
Together in Time: Selections from the Hammer Contemporary Collection
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Presented in conjunction with the unveiling of the Hammer’s building expansion, this exhibition is the largest presentation of the Hammer Contemporary Collection in the museum’s history.
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Rita McBride: Particulates
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The Hammer’s new gallery opens with a monumental yet ethereal sculptural installation inspired by time travel, the principles of light and space, and quantum physics.
Hammer Projects: Chiharu Shiota
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The inaugural exhibition in the Hammer’s redesigned lobby envelops the area with a unique and visceral installation.
Sanford Biggers: Oracle
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This monumental sculpture–a cast bronze figure standing at 25 feet tall– inaugurates the museum’s outdoor sculpture pedestal at Wilshire Boulevard and Glendon Avenue.
Ecstatic: Selections from the Hammer Contemporary Collection
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A selection of works from our collection that highlight the central role that drawing and sculpture occupy within Los Angeles and the broader field of contemporary art.
Full Burn: Video from the Hammer Contemporary Collection
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Full Burn unfolds as a series of discrete looped encounters and thematic pairings pulled from the Hammer’s ever-expanding collection of video and other time-based media.
Armand Hammer Collection
This impressive collection of European and American paintings and drawings reflects the interests and passion of the museum’s founder, Armand Hammer.
Kids
826LA@Hammer: Monologues – From Page to Performance
Dive into playwriting by crafting your own monologue, a powerful speech performed by an actor in solitude on stage!
Hammer Forum
Alleviating the Housing Crisis: Where’s the Money?
Anna Scott speaks with Dr. Heidi Behforouz, Medical Director of Housing for Health at the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Stephanie Klasky-Gamer, President and CEO of LA Family Housing, and Miguel A. Santana, president of the Weingart Foundation, about what happened to the funding for affordable housing generated by Proposition HHH.
Conversations
Mariah Garnett and Gelare Khoshgozaran in conversation with Erin Christovale
Hammer Projects: Chiharu Shiota
Chiharu Shiota (b. 1972, Osaka) is a Berlin-based artist whose installations, sculpture, and performance art invoke psychogeographic spaces of memory, emotions, and the cyclical nature of life and death.
TUNE IN
Hammer Channel
Watch 1,000+ talks, performances, artist profiles, and more. Search, clip, and share topics ranging from politics and activism to art, film, and literature.
Hammer Store
Books and products that celebrate fine artistry, excellent design, and exceptional craftsmanship.
Restaurant
Lulu is the Hammer’s new restaurant from David Tanis and Alice Waters.
Museum Transformation
We are working on a new entrance, more galleries, and an expanded lobby.
Follow the Hammer
Get the latest news, go behind the scenes, and join the conversation.
Get our newsletter
Receive updates about programs and exhibitions.
Sign Up
Become a member
Enjoy exclusive access while supporting art and ideas.
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Love Letter #1
Her Dream Deferred Series
This series explored the status of black women and girls in the United States, lifting their voices and stories to find solutions to social injustice. Copresented with the African American Policy Forum
The Watts Rebellion: 50 Years Later
Three historians discuss the past and present of race relations in the United States.
Now Dig This!: Art and Black Los Angeles 1960–1980
This digital archive of the 2011–2012 exhibition examines the legacy of African-American artists in L.A., many of whom were connected to civil rights and Black Power movements.
Social Justice in Church and State
Watch this 2014 program with Sister Simone Campbell who discussed the resurgence of social justice issues in the Catholic Church
“Bad” Feminism
Re-watch one of our most popular programs. In October 2016, Roxane Gay, Andi Zeisler, and the Hammer’s Connie Butler discuss the political, social, and cultural relevance of contemporary feminism.
LA Times Crossword 7 Jul 23, Friday
Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies
Across
1 “Mi __ es su … ” : CASA
The Spanish phrases “Mi casa es tu casa” and “Mi casa es su casa” are expressions of welcome translating as “My house is your house”. The former is more informal than the latter.
5 Notice with a clickable 10-Across : E-VITE
10 5-Across letters : RSVP
“RSVP” stands for “répondez s’il vous plaît”, which is French for “answer, please”.
16 Red Muppet : ELMO
The Tickle Me Elmo toy was a sensational fad in the late nineties, with stores raising prices dramatically above the recommended retail price to take advantage of demand. Reportedly, prices as high as $1500 were paid at the height of the craze. The toy’s manufacturer, Tyco, originally planned to market the “tickle” toy as Tickle Me Tasmanian Devil (after the “Looney Tunes” character), but then went with “Elmo” after they bought the rights to use “Sesame Street” names.
17 *Abandoned in the shallow end? : LEFT WADING (from “left wing”)
The concept of left-right politics started in France during the French Revolution. When members of France’s National Assembly convened in 1789, supporters of the King sat to the President’s right, and supporters of the revolution to the President’s left. The political terms “left” and “right” were then coined in the local media and have been used ever since.
19 Shiny wrap : FOIL
Before thin sheets of aluminum metal were available as aluminum foil, thin sheets of tin were used in various applications. Tin foil isn’t a great choice for wrapping food though, as it imparts a tinny taste. On the other side of the pond, aluminum foil has a different name. No, it’s not just the different spelling of aluminum (“aluminium”). We still call it “tin foil”. You see, we live in the past …
20 __ tai : MAI
The mai tai cocktail is strongly associated with the Polynesian islands, but the drink was supposedly invented in 1944 in Trader Vic’s restaurant in Oakland, California. One recipe is 6 parts white rum, 3 parts orange curaçao, 3 parts orgeat syrup, 1 part rock candy syrup, 2 parts fresh lime juice, all mixed with ice and then a float added of 6 parts dark rum. “Maita’i” is the Tahitian word for “good”.
23 *Group that oversees some sauces in the kitchen? : MARINADE CORPS (from “Marine Corps”)
Our verb “to marinate” comes from the French “mariner” meaning “to pickle in sea brine”, which in turn comes from the Latin “marinus” meaning “of the sea”. So, “marinade” is related to “marine”.
The US Marine Corps (USMC) is the smallest of the four branches in the US Department of Defense (DOD).
28 Minecraft resources : ORES
Minecraft is a video game that was released in 2011. It is the most popular video game of all time, with well over 200 million units sold.
34 Oscar winner Michelle : YEOH
Michelle Yeoh is an actress from Malaysia who appeared in several Hong Kong action films in which she did her own stunts and martial arts scenes. Her most famous action performance was in the 2000 movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, although I best know her for playing opposite Pierce Brosnan in the Bond film “Tomorrow Never Dies”.
35 Dennings of “WandaVision” : KAT
Kat Dennings is the stage name of actress Katherine Litwack, who is noted today for her co-starring role on CBS’s sitcom “2 Broke Girls”. Dennings is an avid blogger, and you can check out her video blog on YouTube.
“WandaVision” is a TV miniseries featuring characters from Marvel Comics. The title characters are Wanda Maximoff (aka Scarlet Witch) played by Elizabeth Olsen and Vision played by Paul Bettany. I am by no means a fan of screen adaptations of comic characters, but I might take a look at “WandaVision”. Wanda and Vision are living in suburbia, trying to conceal their superhero identities. Each episode progresses the storyline through several decades, using situations encountered in sitcoms of the day. Episodes use the format of shows such as:
- The Dick Van Dyke Show
- I Love Lucy
- Bewitched
- I Dream of Jeannie
- The Brady Bunch
- Good Times
- The Mary Tyler Moore Show
- Full House
- Malcolm in the Middle
- Modern Family
- Out of this World
- The Twilight Zone
Sounds very intriguing …
41 Skeleton prefix : EXO-
An animal with an endoskeleton has a supporting skeleton inside its body. So, we humans have an endoskeleton. A turtle, on the other hand, has both an endoskeleton and an exoskeleton, its outer shell.
43 Olympus neighbor : OSSA
Mount Ossa in Greece is located between Mount Pelion in the south, and the famed Mount Olympus in the north. Mount Ossa is also known as Kissavos.
46 Nombre entre six et huit : SEPT
In French, “sept” (seven) is a “nombre entre six et huit” (number between six and eight).
53 Chanted syllables : OMS
“Om” is a sacred mystic word from the Hindu tradition. “Om” is sometimes used as a mantra, a focus for the mind in meditation.
55 Actor McShane : IAN
Ian McShane is an English actor who is famous in his homeland, and to PBS viewers in the US, for playing the title role in “Lovejoy”. In this country, he is perhaps better known for playing the conniving saloon owner on the HBO western drama “Deadwood”.
62 Blizzard component, often : OREO
A Blizzard is an offering on a menu at Dairy Queen outlets. Introduced in 1985, it comprises soft-serve ice cream mixed with a choice of ingredients that include common sundae toppings, brownies and candy. Apparently, the DQ employee serving a Blizzard must hold it upside down to demonstrate to the customer that it won’t spill. If that demonstration doesn’t take place, there’s a coupon available for a free Blizzard at the next visit. Well, that’s what I just read …
63 Shift neighbor : ENTER
The shift key on a modern keyboard is used primarily to type uppercase letters. The term “shift” is a hangover from typewriter keyboards. The shift keys on a typewriter are held down to “shift” either the type bar or the paper-bearing carriage in order to cause a capital version of the letter to imprint on the inked ribbon.
65 Ramona, per Beezus : PEST
“Ramona and Beezus” is a 2010 kid’s movie based on the “Ramona” series of children’s novels by Beverly Cleary. The title characters are played by Joey King (Ramona) and Selena Gomez (Beezus). The original novel that inspired the title of the film is “Beezus and Ramona” (note the transposition of the names), but the movie’s plot is based on the storylines in the sequel novels “Ramona Forever” and “Ramona’s World”.
67 Rendezvous : MEET
A rendezvous is a meeting. The noun used in English comes from the French phrase “rendez vous” meaning “present yourselves”.
Down
2 First-stringers : A-TEAM
We’ve been using the phrases “first string” and “second string” in athletics since the mid-19th century. The expressions come from archery, in which a competitor would carry a second bowstring in case the first broke.
3 “America’s Got Talent” judge Vergara : SOFIA
Sofía Vergara is an actress and model from Barranquilla, Colombia who is perhaps best known from playing Gloria on the hit TV sitcom “Modern Family”. In 2016, “Forbes” magazine reported that Vergara was the highest paid actress on television.
NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” is part of a global franchise based in the UK. The original show is called “Britain’s Got Talent”, and the whole franchise is owned by Simon Cowell. The first host of “America’s Got Talent” was Regis Philbin (2006), followed by Jerry Springer, Nick Cannon, Tyra Banks and Terry Crews.
5 “Seinfeld” character with unusual dance moves : ELAINE
The character Elaine Benes, unlike the other lead characters (Jerry, Kramer and George), did not appear in the pilot episode of “Seinfeld”. NBC executives specified the addition of a female lead when they picked up the show citing that the situation was too “male-centric”.
The sitcom “Seinfeld” had a rocky start. A pilot episode titled “The Seinfeld Chronicles”, filmed in 1989, was received very poorly by test audiences. NBC aired the pilot later that year, garnering some more positive feedback from TV critics, but not enough for the network to pick up the show. It took a year of internal wrangling to convince NBC to place an order for a first season. Even then, the order for the new series was for only four episodes, the smallest sitcom order in the history of television. The show was renamed to “Seinfeld”, the pilot and four episodes were aired in 1990, and audiences lapped it up.
6 Stoli and Smirnoff : VODKAS
Stolichnaya is a brand of “Russian” vodka made from wheat and rye grain. “Stoli” originated in Russia, but now it’s made in Latvia. Latvia is of course a completely different country, so you won’t see the word “Russian” on the label anymore.
The Smirnoff brand of vodka was introduced by Pyotr Smirnov in his Moscow distillery in the late 1800s. Smirnoff was the first vodka to use charcoal filtration in the vodka production process.
7 Like Wrigley Field’s outfield walls : IVIED
The famous ballpark that is home to the Chicago Cubs was built in 1914. Back then it was known as Weeghman Park, before becoming Cubs Park when the Cubs arrived in 1920. It was given the name Wrigley Field in 1926, after the owner William Wrigley, Jr. of chewing gum fame. Wrigley Field is noted as the only professional ballpark that has ivy covering the outfield walls. The ivy is a combination of Boston Ivy and Japanese Bittersweet, both of which can survive the harsh winters in Chicago.
8 Messi’s jersey number : TEN
Lionel “Leo” Messi is a soccer player from Argentina. Messi has been awarded FIFA’s Ballon d’Or (Golden Ball) award more times than any other player. The Ballon d’Or is presented to the player who is considered the best in the world in the prior year.
9 Work unit : ERG
An erg is a unit of mechanical work or energy. It is a small unit, with one joule comprising 10 million ergs. It has been suggested that an erg is about the amount of energy required for a mosquito to take off. The term comes from “ergon”, the Greek word for work.
11 Sluggish ones : SLOWPOKES
Back in the early 1800s, a “poke” was a device attached to domestic animals such as pigs or sheep to keep them from escaping their enclosures. The poke was like a yoke with a pole, and slowed the animal down, hence the term “slowpoke”.
12 The Keydets of the NCAA : VMI
The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) is one of the six senior military colleges in the country, and is located in Lexington, Virginia. The sports teams of VMI are known as the Keydets, southern slang for “cadets”.
13 Party pro : POL
Politician (pol)
26 Colorful clog : CROC
Crocs are foam clogs that were originally designed as shoes to be worn at health spas. I recently bought my first pair of crocs, and now my kids won’t talk to me …
27 Worships to excess, in slang : STANS
“Stan” is a song by rapper Eminem (featuring Dido) that was recorded in 2000. The title refers to a fictional Eminem fan named “Stan” who becomes obsessed with the rapper, and who grows irate when his letters to his idol go unanswered. Stan’s final act is to make a voice recording as he drives into a river, with his pregnant girlfriend locked in the trunk. One of the legacies of the song is that “stan” is now used as a slang term for an obsessed and maniacal fan.
30 Jazz legend James : ETTA
“Etta James” was the stage name of celebrated R&B and jazz singer Jamesetta Hawkins. James was an acquaintance of civil rights activist Malcom X. For ten years, she was a member of the Nation of Islam, and used the name “Jamesetta X”.
31 Take __: admit defeat : THE L
Just take the L, take the loss.
38 Choir part : ALTO
In choral music, an alto (plural “alti”) is the second-highest voice in a four-part chorus made up of soprano, contr(alto), tenor and bass. The word “alto” describes the vocal range, that of the deepest female singing-voice, whereas the term “contralto” describes more than just the alto range, but also its quality and timbre. An adult male’s voice (not a boy’s) with the same range as an alto is called a “countertenor”.
47 Mystery awards named for a mystery writer : EDGARS
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards (“Edgars”) are presented annually by the Mystery Writers of America. There are several categories of awards. For example, the Ellery Queen Award honors “writing teams and outstanding people in the mystery-publishing industry”. The Raven Award is presented to non-writers, who contribute to the mystery genre.
48 VA concern : PTSD
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
50 Like some angles : ACUTE
In geometry, there are several classes of angles:
- Acute (< 90 degrees)
- Right (= 90 degrees)
- Obtuse (> 90 degrees and < 180 degrees)
- Straight (180 degrees)
- Reflex (> 180 degrees)
51 Medieval lord : LIEGE
A liege was a feudal lord, one to whom service or allegiance was owed under feudal law. “Liege” was also the term used for one who owed allegiance or service to a lord. Apparently the term is influenced by the Latin verb “ligare” meaning “to tie, bind”. So, I guess both lord and servant were “bound” to each other.
56 With 64-Across, retirement funds : NEST …
64 See 56-Down : … EGGS
A nest egg is an amount of money laid down as a reserve. This is the figurative use of “nest egg” that originally described an artificial egg left in a nest to encourage a hen to lay real eggs in that spot. So our financial nest egg is set aside in anticipation of continued growth, more eggs being laid.
57 Keystone __ : KOP
The Keystone Cops (sometimes “Keystone Kops”) were a band of madcap policemen who appeared in silent movies. A 1914 short film called “A Thief Catcher” that was believed lost was rediscovered in 2010. “A Thief Catcher” featured the magnificent Charlie Chaplin in an early role as a Keystone Cop.
58 Isl. with four provinces : IRE
Ireland is divided into four provinces: Leinster, Munster, Connacht and Ulster. “Ulster” is sometimes used as a synonym for “Northern Ireland”, but in fact Ulster comprises the six counties of Northern Ireland and three more, namely Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan.
59 Hong Kong actor/director Donnie : YEN
Hong Kong actor Donnie Yen is also a martial artist, and a politician. He is a pro-Chinese Communist Party politician, and replaced fellow actor Jackie Chan as a delegate to the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
Complete List of Clues/Answers
Across
1 “Mi __ es su … ” : CASA
5 Notice with a clickable 10-Across : E-VITE
10 5-Across letters : RSVP
14 Sitting on : ATOP
15 Romantic partner : LOVER
16 Red Muppet : ELMO
17 *Abandoned in the shallow end? : LEFT WADING (from “left wing”)
19 Shiny wrap : FOIL
20 __ tai : MAI
21 Long walk : HIKE
22 Question of methodology : HOW?
23 *Group that oversees some sauces in the kitchen? : MARINADE CORPS (from “Marine Corps”)
28 Minecraft resources : ORES
29 Plug : PROMOTE
31 Text that may have red squiggly underlining : TYPO
34 Oscar winner Michelle : YEOH
35 Dennings of “WandaVision” : KAT
36 *Not fully self-indulgent? : HALFWAY DECADENT (from “halfway decent”)
41 Skeleton prefix : EXO-
42 Brewpub pours : ALES
43 Olympus neighbor : OSSA
44 Criticized harshly : LIT INTO
46 Nombre entre six et huit : SEPT
49 *Job description for a private eye? : SHADOW AND TELL (from “show and tell”)
53 Chanted syllables : OMS
54 Gear teeth : COGS
55 Actor McShane : IAN
57 Pot-baking spot : KILN
59 Words on an empty billboard, and a hint to how the answers to the starred clues were formed : YOUR AD HERE
62 Blizzard component, often : OREO
63 Shift neighbor : ENTER
64 See 56-Down : … EGGS
65 Ramona, per Beezus : PEST
66 Requires : NEEDS
67 Rendezvous : MEET
Down
1 Chill : CALM
2 First-stringers : A-TEAM
3 “America’s Got Talent” judge Vergara : SOFIA
4 Fitting : APT
5 “Seinfeld” character with unusual dance moves : ELAINE
6 Stoli and Smirnoff : VODKAS
7 Like Wrigley Field’s outfield walls : IVIED
8 Messi’s jersey number : TEN
9 Work unit : ERG
10 Improve : REFORM
11 Sluggish ones : SLOWPOKES
12 The Keydets of the NCAA : VMI
13 Party pro : POL
18 Sound at a drone race : WHIR
22 Commotion : HOO-HA
24 __ deck : ROOF
25 Olympic blade : EPEE
26 Colorful clog : CROC
27 Worships to excess, in slang : STANS
30 Jazz legend James : ETTA
31 Take __: admit defeat : THE L
32 Graph line : Y-AXIS
33 Continuity problems : PLOT HOLES
34 Football meas. : YDS
37 Rabbit conjurers : WANDS
38 Choir part : ALTO
39 Pained cry : YEOW!
40 Lavish affection (on) : DOTE
45 Emphatic denial : I AM NOT!
46 Was obviously asleep : SNORED
47 Mystery awards named for a mystery writer : EDGARS
48 VA concern : PTSD
50 Like some angles : ACUTE
51 Medieval lord : LIEGE
52 Tee size : LARGE
56 With 64-Across, retirement funds : NEST …
57 Keystone __ : KOP
58 Isl. with four provinces : IRE
59 Hong Kong actor/director Donnie : YEN
60 Four quarters : ONE
61 Tailored edge : HEM
8 tips to improve your guitar sound in the mix — SAMESOUND
An obvious and well-known fact: the guitar is one of the most popular and versatile instruments. This instrument fits into any musical style without any problems, regardless of their features, heaviness of sound and semantic load – any music becomes better thanks to a high-quality and high-quality guitar part.
In this tutorial, you’ll learn what frequencies to pay attention to when mixing a guitar, how to control the attack of the instrument, eliminate unwanted sounds and reverb, and deal with a number of other common problems.
The guitar is an incredibly versatile instrument that fits seamlessly into any style of music, be it funk, pop, trap, jazz or even ambient. A fun rocking part often looks like some inconspicuous element of success: with it, the song pleases the ear, without it, it instantly becomes lifeless, although it doesn’t seem so at first. The bottom line is that such characteristics of a guitar part as “high”, “quality” and “pumping” speak not so much about the playing itself, but about the sound of the guitar in the mix. In the first part of tips for processing popular instruments, we talked about vocals, the second part will be useful for those who have taken up mixing the guitar.
1 Electric guitar frequency ranges
Mixing and equalizing a guitar, like working with any other instrument, requires. The good news is that EQ alone can usually shape the guitar sound you want and fix most problems. However, before any signal amplification or attenuation, you need to find all the problem areas in the guitar sound.
Finding problem areas can be made easier if you know what frequency ranges the guitar lives in (see the Table of sound frequencies and frequency ranges for equalization) and what needs to be done with them. Knowing these zones will help you find problems in the sound faster, and mixing the guitar will become much easier.
Nasty low end
Starting the EQ of an electric guitar is to filter frequencies in the lower low area. Make it a rule: feel free to cut off everything below 100 Hz. The main thing here is to stop in time. Cut off the bottom until the signal is thin and flat, then screw the filter back slightly.
Acoustic guitars need a little more bass, especially if there is no bass in the track or the guitar is playing alone for a long time. The threshold here will be up to 80 Hz. At the same time, depending on the guitar sound and goals pursued, the frequency of 80 Hz can be boosted to slightly emphasize the bass component of the acoustics and give it more weight.
Making the sound more powerful
The 150 Hz zone will help to give more power to the guitar. EQing this area must be done carefully, as the boost can push the mid-low frequencies too high. It is worth working with a range of 150-200 Hz only if the signal sounds too thin and flat, and you want a tighter, bassier and more powerful sound from the guitar.
Fundamental frequency
Boosting around 500 Hz can lead to unpleasant clashes between electric guitar and snare drum signals. When mixing a guitar, make sure that the sounds of the two instruments do not interfere with each other.
Presence
If the sound becomes too flat, cutting around 1-2 kHz can bring it back to roundness. However, if the sound loses its presence, it’s worth boosting the frequencies around 3kHz to bring the guitar to the fore a bit.
High-Frequency Hiss
Guitars with a lot of distortion can add a certain amount of hiss and other noise to the mix in the high-frequency region. Keep an eye on this and be careful when EQing your guitar in the upper mids (see Table of Audio Frequencies and Frequency Ranges for EQ). Too much gain will make the hiss more noticeable and unpleasant.
Relationship with vocals
If the guitar is interfering with the vocals, a wide attenuation around 3-5 kHz will help correct the situation. This technique will free up space for vocals, especially in a dense mix.
Clarity
Making room for vocals can make a guitar sound a little dull. To compensate for previously cut frequencies, add small gains around 8 kHz – this will give the sound more clarity.
This move works best on acoustic or clean electric guitars. A slight boost in the 8 kHz zone, along with a cut in the 3-5 kHz region, will not only cut the vocals through the mix, but also preserve the character of the electric guitar sound.
More about guitar equalization
Guitar equalization. General Tips
EQ Basics: When to Boost and When to Cut
2 Expanding the Stereo Field for Bigger Sound
Sometimes we want guitars to sound wide, spacious, and even sweepy, but for a number of reasons, this result is not achievable on its own by oneself. Sometimes the guitar is recorded with one microphone, sometimes with two, but it still sounds narrow and the double track does not save here.
Depending on the source material and the desired result, a stereo expander can quickly correct the situation. For example, such functionality is present in iZotope Neutron 2 in the form of a Width slider.
In the image, Neutron 2 is activated on a bus that receives a signal from several mandolin tracks. If you look at the plugin settings, you can see that all modules are deactivated, and Neutron seems to be running idle. This is not the case: there is a Width slider next to the input signal monitor, shifted to the right. The further to the right the knob is, the wider and more voluminous the guitars become.
Wider and Wider
Expanding Your Mixes: 7 Easy Ways to Make Your Mixes Wider and Bigger
3 Using the Neutron 2 Track Assistant on Busses work with frequencies, positioning in the mix and dynamics.
The biggest difficulty is that it is not clear where to start mixing an electric guitar. This is where the smart Track Assistant, included in most iZotope developments, comes in handy.
Place Neutron 2 on a bus or track and start the assistant. The algorithm will ask what you are preparing the track for, and then analyze the content of the track as it is played. After analysis, Track Assistant will activate the modules and select their settings based on the signal. If the result of the assistant’s work suits you, leave everything as it is, if it doesn’t suit you, you will at least know what signal problems the algorithm paid attention to.
4 Managing the attack
One of the main problems for musicians mixing guitars is attack. We know that a good attack is the key to a bright and clear sounding guitar part. Too much attack will instantly overload the signal during further processing, too little will make the guitar quiet and unconvincing.
The trouble is that the concept of a “good attack” is very subjective, each of us has our own ideas about an attack. Given that it depends on a dozen factors (pick used, gauge, age, string material and brand, pickup configuration, part and playing characteristics, approach to recording, equipment used), a guitar track may need to weaken or increase the attack. A transient editor or a plugin like Transient Shaper can help in this matter.
Unlike most similar plug-ins, Neutron 2’s transient shaper is multi-band. We know that the attack of sensors lives in the region of medium and high frequencies, so the presence of several processing bands is very useful here – you can change the attack without affecting the low and mid-low range.
The image above shows that the first and third lanes are activated in the plugin. The first one works in bypass mode. The region in the region of 2.6 kHz was chosen as the intersection point – this is where the third band changes the attack.
For example, to correct the attack and make it softer, it is better to set the outline shape (Countour option) to Medium. The envelope mode must be balanced, as the other two modes of operation will attenuate the attack too much or, conversely, too little. The Attack Gain parameter, which is responsible for amplifying the attack, is set to -7 dB to make the sharp attack softer (for the opposite effect, you need to increase this parameter).
You can follow the change in the attack directly in the plugin interface. Pay attention to the colored line on top of the sound waveform: it reflects all the gain changes that are made to the signal by the shaper.
5 Evening out the frequency pattern, eliminating problematic resonance
Guitarists run around the neck like it’s made of lava: no one stays in one place for a long time, even if the part couldn’t be easier. The trouble is that the sound of guitars is different in different positions, and the point here is not that at 12-15 frets the strings give a high sound, but at 1-3 – low. Each instrument has a zone in a couple of frets, where the sound is much louder, with an undesirable and unnatural predominance of the lower bottom.
You can control low resonant frequencies with a dynamic equalizer. With it, you need to determine the problem area of the guitar and cut out all the resonance on it without affecting the rest of the signal. Activate the dynamic EQ on the track or guitar bus and set one of the bands to filter the signal around 100 Hz – this is where the resonance in the low frequencies usually appears. The notch should be pointed and narrow so as not to harm the rest of the frequencies.
6 Add bodies and presences with expander
The lean and flat sound of an electric guitar completely kills even the coolest and most powerful riff. It is for this reason that guitarists and sound engineers value tube and analog tape so much, and dislike line recording. The coloring imparted by the analog staff in the mid-frequency range is considered real “magic”, thus warm, lamp-like, and so on.
Since access to a tube and film is a matter of budget, you can harmonically color the guitar signal with an exciter (a special exciter that synthesizes the harmonic component of the sound). It is desirable that it be equipped with several processing modes, offering emulation of film, lamps and other analog stuff. For example, the exciter in Neutron 2 can not only simulate the effect of lamps and film, but also do it independently for different frequency ranges. Thanks to this, it is possible to saturate low frequencies up to 126 Hz by 4.4 dB with tape emulation, and color the middle by 3.3 dB with tube emulation.
7 Filtering the signal to reduce hissing high frequencies
In the world of line recording and guitar emulators, electric guitars and acoustics often hiss unnaturally in the high-end region. It is logical that the top can be cut with an equalizer, but this solution usually makes the sound boring and even dull. To avoid such a transformation of the sound, high frequencies must be carefully filtered and the cut-off information compensated by the exciter.
Set the EQ to act as a low-pass filter, selectively cutting high frequencies. After the EQ, place an exciter with which to restore the harmonic component of the upper range. The image above uses Neutron 2, but other plugins can achieve the same effect.
8 Eliminating too much ambience in the signal
A guitar recorded in an unprepared room through an amplifier often does not sound as cool as we would like. Frequency clashes and active resonance make the room sound too bright and the guitar annoying. When mixing a guitar, you can reduce the amount of room in the final signal with a multiband gate.
Use the gate to limit the high-mids and highs. The reason for this move is simple – frequencies in these ranges spread faster around the room than low sounds. In the image above, the Neutron 2 gate module works with two bands. Band 3 is set to cut high frequencies, Band 2 is set to cut mids. The room reverb is limited without the use of an EQ, which preserves the character of the instrument itself: we have not cut or boosted anything in the sound itself, so when played, the guitar will sound exactly the same, only with less reverb.
Tags: acoustic guitarstips for beginner guitariststips for beginner sound engineerstips for beginnersEQEQelectric guitars
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