What consoles were used on Thriller?

[Rob G]

If I remember correctly thrillfactor is right. Part was definatly done on a Harrison console. On the 'Bad' album Bruce Swedien was using Neve V series on some tracks via 16 track analogue + 32track 3M, or Mitsubishi machines, & then on the 'Dangerous' album Bruce Swedien was using SSL G, & series desks as well as Sony 3348's. Man my memory had to be jogged a little bit for that spurt of info.. It's been so long 'anyone' feel free to correct me on this one. These are the days when I used to talk to Kevin Mills, & Keith Cohen on a regular basis about the time that Larrabe Studios really blew up. Ocean Way, & Larrabee were the west coast hit making havens. Soundworks Digital, Soundtrack, Skyline, Powerstation, & The Hit Factory were the east coast powerhouses. Those were the days!

Rob G..

P.S.:I'm getting to old but, don't need the Geritol just yet.

[Bruce Swedien]

Wow!!! I am flattered by all the interest in the sound of "Thriller"! Actually it still sounds pretty good, doesn't it???

Yes it was mostly recorded on a Harrison 4032c. I say mostly, because when Quincy and I wanted to do overdubs in a particular studio I would work on whatever console was in that particular studio at the time....

It was entirely mixed on the Harrison 4032c at Westlake.

I have a photo of the Harrison 4032c desk at Westlake, when I was mixing "Thriller". if someone can send me a PM and an offer of assistance to get some photos on Gearslutz, I'll be happy to send some photos....

Bruce Swedien

[Bruce Swedien]

Gearslutz....

By the way, I still own TWO (2) Harrison 32c series consoles. I love 'em. One is a 3232c and the other is a 4832c.

Bruce

[stevep]

Hi Bruce Great to see you around these parts, Hope all is well

Peace,

steve

.

[big country]

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">simply amazing


Go here
Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket

photo bucket: start a new account /(load pics) press browse then select your picture on your computer press (open)
let it load.
left click URL link , right click (look for) copy , click on copy
go to GS post then click on the pic Icon ( mountains and sun ) it will want a URL, delete whats in blue high light
right click on the empty space , select paste
you should be good to go

copy and paste is your friend
when dealing with computers

also remember you don't have to close a web site
to go to another web site

on the top right corner of your screen should be an X and two papers
the third icon over has a dash . click that
then open a new web site

at the bottom of your screen will be buttons that will take you to the web site you put on hold









</TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on">











</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[crypticglobe]

Originally Posted by CreatureSound

I can't imagine this dealer would risk soiling themselves by being intentionally misleading or flat out lying... but it makes me wary that a shop with such a glowing reputation wouldn't be familiar with the product they're selling.

Honestly, I think this was your first mistake. Your imagination is way off kilter.

I really hate to say it, (and no offense), but I find that the salesman you can trust is about 1 in 1000. Seriously. They are all either outright dishonest, cronic exaggerators, or just desperate. I mean.... even I find the dark side of myself wants to come out and make me exagerate when I am trying to sell something. I have to double, triple check myself to be sure I am being fully honest. I don't know what it is.... maybe the love of money and what our lust for gear does for us.

However... count on (ever heard the term "used car salesman"?) being lied to often by salesman. That's just how it is. I know, I am jaded. I do have a couple people I deal with that I really trust.... but it's rare.

Very cool of Bruce to chime in and help out with clarification.

Hell yeah it still sounds great! Thriller will always be a classic and tour de' force example of what happens when a great artist and producer team up.

[Bruce Swedien]

May I email some photos to one of you and can you help? This is way beyond my computer chops. Sorry...

I have one or two photos of The Studio Harrison at Westlake when I was mixing Thriller And a couple more of studio stuff at that time.

Bruce

[Empty Planet]

PM sent.

[Empty Planet]

Here we go....





Westlake's Studio A Console





"Billie Jean" Kick Drum Cover




"Beat It" Speaker.

[Bruce Swedien]

Gearslutz.....

The first photo is of the Studio 'A' Control Room at Westlake on Beverly Boulevard. The desk is a Harrison 4032. It was one of the first Harrison 32 series made, and it sure knocked me out for sound quality.

The second photo is of the kick drum cover that I had made for the recording of "Billie Jean". I still use that cover on every drum set that I record!


The third photo wilo be explained by me later....

Here are some of my thoughts in 1982 when I was recording "THRILLER"....

In the summer of 1982, when we were recording Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album, I was very intent on making sure that the drum sound on “Thriller” had as much impact and real “Sonic Personality” as was possible at the time. I had a tailor make a special kick drum cover from heavy furniture blankets. He made it with a zippered hole, or slot in the middle, for the microphone, and strong elastic around the edge, so that it fits the kick drum perfectly. An additional advantage of the cover is that it reduces the leakage on the ‘Kick’ mike, of the other drums in the set.

If you listen to [Michael Jackson’s] ”Billie Jean”, from the “Thriller” album, you’ll hear the first time I used my custom- designed kick drum cover. The microphones that I use frequently on the bass drum are: a Sennheiser 421, or an A.K.G. D-12 or an Electro-Voice RE20. On a couple of recordings, I have even used one of my Neumann U-47fet’s.

The kick drum, of course, I assign to it's own track on the multi-track. All of the drum mikes, and in fact almost all of the microphones that I use I personally own and carry them from session to session. This, by the way, is a real pain in the neck but it is the only way that I have found that I can consistently come up with a really good sound from studio to studio or even in the same studio from session to session.

On the snare drum I will usually go for a single microphone. I´ve tried miking both the top and the bottom of the snare, but this can cause phasing problems. I sometimes use a snare drum miking technique that I developed many years ago in Chicago, recording rhythm and blues records, where a "hard" snare drum sound was necessary. I have modified it somewhat over the past years but it is still basically the same. My current choice of microphone, for this specific snare drum recording technique, is the A.K.G. 451, or A.K.G. 452, with a cardoid condenser capsule and 20 dB pad. For this particular snare drum sound quality I mike the snare drum from the side about eight to ten inches away from the shell of the snare drum, being very careful not to position the mike anywhere near the air hole on the side of the shell. I aim the microphone capsule straight at the snare drum.

More often the technique that I use for snare drum recording, is using one of my Shure SM-57's, aimed at the top head. The snare drum I assign to its own track on the multi-track master recording medium.

Also in 1982 when we were recording Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album, I built a little 12-inch square baffle made of plywood and mu-metal.(Mu-metal is very similar to lead) I very carefully placed it between the snare and the soc cymbal, or hi-hat. With that I can create some extraordinary separation between the hat and the snare. Of course, you have to be careful to keep this baffle out of the drummer’s way. Again, if you listen to [Michael Jackson’s] ”Billie Jean, from the “Thriller” album, you’ll hear the first time I used my custom- designed, custom-made, snare/hi-hat separator.

On the soc cymbal, or hi-hat cymbals, there are several types of microphones depending on the sound of the soc cymbal in the drum set. One choice for me would be an RCA-77DX ribbon mike, another choice being an A.K.G. 451, or A.K.G. 452, condenser mike. Occasionally I will use a Shure SM57 dynamic mike. This choice depends entirely upon the sound of the soc cymbal itself. The soc cymbal is assigned to its own track on the multi-track.During the recording of drum tracks I never use any limiting or compression, and as little equalization as possible. Generally speaking, the only mikes in the drum kit on which I use EQ would be the kick, the hat and the snare mic, usually boosting the kick about four dB at 1.5 kHz, maybe a two dB peak at 100. On the soc cymbal I will usually use a high pass filter set at 100 Hz or even higher.

Bruce Swedien

[Harvey Gerst]

A truly golden post!! As I've often said, the people that have been doing this for years aren't "afraid" to share their "secrets". They'll always be light years ahead of everybody else anyway. This is a great example of that philosophy. Thank you, Bruce.




From an old "Pan Network" user.

[Bruce Swedien]

Gearslutz All.....

The third photo in the series was taken when I was mixing "Beat It"....


During my mix, the speaker actually caught fire and was engulfed in flames!!! We had to call the techs in and they put the fire out with firs extinguishers!!!

Michael loved that and he has always said that my mix was so hot that it caused the speaker to catch fire!!!

I don't think so.... It's a nice thought though....

It was great fun!!!!

Bruce

[Jules]

Bruce!

[Bruce Swedien]

JULES!!!

Isn't this fun?????

[Tom Hakala]

Bruce,

it's so good to see you here again! Last time I saw you posting you were busy writing a new book. Hope everything is going well

[Empty Planet]

More treats from a master....




Intro Track Sheet to "Thriller" !!!





Smashed Anvil Mic Case -- not UPS's best moment.

[patrox247]

B-R-U-C-E thanks for the pics
Any more?

[Harvey Gerst]

Ah, I do miss seeing ashtrays on consoles. Oh for the days when music and studios were less politically correct.

[FULL-DUPLEX]

The intro is one of the best ever made. Simply a classic!

Just curious to know... Was the Shure SM-7 the one and only vocal mic for Michael´s voice on Thriller??

[emkay]

Originally Posted by CreatureSound

This board is huge, and according to the dealer, was originally installed at Westlake (didn't say which location).

"48 in 24 buss 24/48 mon. recapped less than 2 years ago"

Sure he didn't mean Clearlake?

[neilio]

Originally Posted by emkay

Sure he didn't mean Clearlake?

no westlake, fer sure.

there was such a thing as "eastlake" though but i think that was an architect who designed rooms based on the westlake rooms that obviously couldnt be called westlake so were called eastlake, or so i understand.

love to hear if thats true or not, that whole period was about 20 years before my time.

[emkay]

Originally Posted by Bruce Swedien

Gearslutz.....

The first photo is of the Studio 'A' Control Room at Westlake on Beverly Boulevard. The desk is a Harrison 4032. It was one of the first Harrison 32 series made, and it sure knocked me out for sound quality.

The second photo is of the kick drum cover that I had made for the recording of "Billie Jean". I still use that cover on every drum set that I record!


The third photo wilo be explained by me later....

Here are some of my thoughts in 1982 when I was recording "THRILLER"....

In the summer of 1982, when we were recording Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album, I was very intent on making sure that the drum sound on “Thriller” had as much impact and real “Sonic Personality” as was possible at the time. I had a tailor make a special kick drum cover from heavy furniture blankets. He made it with a zippered hole, or slot in the middle, for the microphone, and strong elastic around the edge, so that it fits the kick drum perfectly. An additional advantage of the cover is that it reduces the leakage on the ‘Kick’ mike, of the other drums in the set.

If you listen to [Michael Jackson’s] ”Billie Jean”, from the “Thriller” album, you’ll hear the first time I used my custom- designed kick drum cover. The microphones that I use frequently on the bass drum are: a Sennheiser 421, or an A.K.G. D-12 or an Electro-Voice RE20. On a couple of recordings, I have even used one of my Neumann U-47fet’s.

The kick drum, of course, I assign to it's own track on the multi-track. All of the drum mikes, and in fact almost all of the microphones that I use I personally own and carry them from session to session. This, by the way, is a real pain in the neck but it is the only way that I have found that I can consistently come up with a really good sound from studio to studio or even in the same studio from session to session.

On the snare drum I will usually go for a single microphone. I´ve tried miking both the top and the bottom of the snare, but this can cause phasing problems. I sometimes use a snare drum miking technique that I developed many years ago in Chicago, recording rhythm and blues records, where a "hard" snare drum sound was necessary. I have modified it somewhat over the past years but it is still basically the same. My current choice of microphone, for this specific snare drum recording technique, is the A.K.G. 451, or A.K.G. 452, with a cardoid condenser capsule and 20 dB pad. For this particular snare drum sound quality I mike the snare drum from the side about eight to ten inches away from the shell of the snare drum, being very careful not to position the mike anywhere near the air hole on the side of the shell. I aim the microphone capsule straight at the snare drum.

More often the technique that I use for snare drum recording, is using one of my Shure SM-57's, aimed at the top head. The snare drum I assign to its own track on the multi-track master recording medium.

Also in 1982 when we were recording Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album, I built a little 12-inch square baffle made of plywood and mu-metal.(Mu-metal is very similar to lead) I very carefully placed it between the snare and the soc cymbal, or hi-hat. With that I can create some extraordinary separation between the hat and the snare. Of course, you have to be careful to keep this baffle out of the drummer’s way. Again, if you listen to [Michael Jackson’s] ”Billie Jean, from the “Thriller” album, you’ll hear the first time I used my custom- designed, custom-made, snare/hi-hat separator.

On the soc cymbal, or hi-hat cymbals, there are several types of microphones depending on the sound of the soc cymbal in the drum set. One choice for me would be an RCA-77DX ribbon mike, another choice being an A.K.G. 451, or A.K.G. 452, condenser mike. Occasionally I will use a Shure SM57 dynamic mike. This choice depends entirely upon the sound of the soc cymbal itself. The soc cymbal is assigned to its own track on the multi-track.During the recording of drum tracks I never use any limiting or compression, and as little equalization as possible. Generally speaking, the only mikes in the drum kit on which I use EQ would be the kick, the hat and the snare mic, usually boosting the kick about four dB at 1.5 kHz, maybe a two dB peak at 100. On the soc cymbal I will usually use a high pass filter set at 100 Hz or even higher.

Bruce Swedien

Bruce

Thank you for those photos. They really jogged my memory. I used to record at Westlake alot when Ed Cherny worked there. I remember that console and then I think a "VR" came in later? I also remember when Ed played us some new tracks from Quincy Jones the "Dude" in that very room!....amazing memories between Westalke,Larabee, The Village, Capitol and Mad Dog...........thanks for bringing them back and bravo on your amazing body of work......peace..

[lane thaw]

Originally Posted by Bruce Swedien

Gearslutz All.....

The third photo in the series was taken when I was mixing "Beat It"....


During my mix, the speaker actually caught fire and was engulfed in flames!!! We had to call the techs in and they put the fire out with firs extinguishers!!!

Michael loved that and he has always said that my mix was so hot that it caused the speaker to catch fire!!!

I don't think so.... It's a nice thought though....

It was great fun!!!!

Bruce

Bruce, how come you didn't set the speakers on fire when I was doing my session?

Love,

Lane the Pain

[Grizzly]

I LOVE this thread ! - thanks a whole lot for sharing, Bruce !...

Olivier.

[Krecording]

Best Thread Ever! Thank you so much Bruce!

[uylink]

can anyone please tell me what the model of JBL SPEAKER in the picture...
thank you very much...

[MIKEHARRIS]

Most dual 15" Westlakes had JBL 2220's

We contibuted to similar systems here in Miami @ Criteria

[emkay]

Originally Posted by uylink

can anyone please tell me what the model of JBL SPEAKER in the picture...
thank you very much...

4311?

[MIKEHARRIS]

4310

[Mark Cattano]

Bruce

I was just over at Tommy Uzzo's old studio in Dix Hills, Long Island, and was told that some of Thriller was recorded/mixed there...to my amazement. The room is just a shadow of what it once was, and I was told that during the Thriller sessions he had an SSL. True or false?

Regards,

Mark Cattano
Magneto Studios
www.myspace.com/markcattano
www.heedmusic.com