Gearslutz.com - View Single Post

Ethereralgreta · 13th March 2009

Of course most major recording artists want to tell people they use low end equipment to prove a point:
It is not the gear you use that makes the music, it is the heart and soul of the songwriter and the innovation using what little you have. Good point, well taken
That being said, we must ask, what recording studios were use to record Cocteau Twins major releases while they were together? I am particularly interested in the insanity of the efffects processing on heaven or las vegas. The female vocals are flat out amazingly overdubbed and richly effected. It states on the album sleeve that record was recorded at September Sound and here is a pick of Guthrie at that studio

I am sure that Guthrie has a point to make concerning the use of low end gear: Shit guitar pedals can sound great when going through 40,000 dollar Neve consoles, so it is my point of contention that his own personal kit is not a reflection of the overall product's end quality if it was mixed through an SSL with a Plate 140 and a gazillion dollars of outboard compressors.
I know for example, his recent releases with harold budd were recorded here locally, at WELCOME TO SAN FRANCISCO SOUNDWORKS, SF SOUNDWORKS, SSL 9000J, TONY ESPINOZA which is now defunkt and out of business. If you look at that studios gear list, you can see that Gutherie and Budd were not running their gear through Boss effects pedals for the albums 'Before the Day Breaks and 'After the Night falls' and you can hear it, in the mix.
SSL consoles and Lexicon.
Now September Sound's kit list at the time the Cocteau stuff was recorded is a mystery to me, so if someone can attest to their outboard, and it was crap, then my argument that in the end, you cann't get an SSL mix out of Peavey mixer, goes out the window. You also have to consider the final mastering process, and where it was done, as well.

13th March 2009	#28
Ethereralgreta Gear maniac Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Nothern California Posts: 197	Low end vs High end in Cocteau Twins music Of course most major recording artists want to tell people they use low end equipment to prove a point: It is not the gear you use that makes the music, it is the heart and soul of the songwriter and the innovation using what little you have. Good point, well taken That being said, we must ask, what recording studios were use to record Cocteau Twins major releases while they were together? I am particularly interested in the insanity of the efffects processing on heaven or las vegas. The female vocals are flat out amazingly overdubbed and richly effected. It states on the album sleeve that record was recorded at September Sound and here is a pick of Guthrie at that studio I am sure that Guthrie has a point to make concerning the use of low end gear: Shit guitar pedals can sound great when going through 40,000 dollar Neve consoles, so it is my point of contention that his own personal kit is not a reflection of the overall product's end quality if it was mixed through an SSL with a Plate 140 and a gazillion dollars of outboard compressors. I know for example, his recent releases with harold budd were recorded here locally, at WELCOME TO SAN FRANCISCO SOUNDWORKS, SF SOUNDWORKS, SSL 9000J, TONY ESPINOZA which is now defunkt and out of business. If you look at that studios gear list, you can see that Gutherie and Budd were not running their gear through Boss effects pedals for the albums 'Before the Day Breaks and 'After the Night falls' and you can hear it, in the mix. SSL consoles and Lexicon. Now September Sound's kit list at the time the Cocteau stuff was recorded is a mystery to me, so if someone can attest to their outboard, and it was crap, then my argument that in the end, you cann't get an SSL mix out of Peavey mixer, goes out the window. You also have to consider the final mastering process, and where it was done, as well.