Sinatra & the Impact of Sound

[Doug Ring]

Jay, what a great quote! Try putting "it cannot become obsolete" on some of today's records!

Ted, there's a great sense of satisfaction in lining up a tape machine and getting the best performance out of it, and there's something reassuring about having something physical to lug about after the recording as well, as opposed to a set of waveforms on a screen. But you need to have a solid machine that doesn't drift out of alignment on a daily basis, or the satisfaction turns to frustration. And there's the issue of rewind time too, although some people talk about missing the time they used to use to get the little jobs like labelling and so on while the reels were spinning round. On balance I don't really miss tape machines as part of the recording process, especially the Nagras with 10" reel adapters we used to use on outside broadcasts. Now there was a tape path to give you the frighteners!

Ruphus, I think you should definitely get your girls to play and sing together and mic the performance! That's a classic example of what I mean about people worrying about seperation and isolation. If you want to hear all the elements, stick them in booths, if you want to hear a performance, do it in a one-er!

[Ted Nightshade]

Doug Ring sez: "Ted, there's a great sense of satisfaction in lining up a tape machine and getting the best performance out of it, and there's something reassuring about having something physical to lug about after the recording as well, as opposed to a set of waveforms on a screen. But you need to have a solid machine that doesn't drift out of alignment on a daily basis, or the satisfaction turns to frustration."

Indeed. I have an engineer who can do all the alignments and tweaks, the question is would they stay tweaked just right during transport, etc.
For studio work I have enjoyed working with a 4 track and some passive mic pre output mixers, commiting to the submixes and tracking everything live at once. It's nice only having 4 tracks as the noise is quite manageable, and intermodulation distortion is minimal (given a good arrangement! what an important thing). But live, I could see where 8 tracks and up could get to be a necessity, although just capturing a stage sound with a couple mics and having a couple vocal tracks could be pretty tolerable with the right kind of performance... should I get that lucky!


FWIW, home studio efforts from back in the day that I think really make it- the first McCartney album, and Alice Coltrane's albums recorded at the Coltrane Home Studio. The former is the one guy does it all deal (but what a guy! I adore the telecaster work on that one), the latter is a whole ensemble performing live with no overdubs, although at one point they dub on John Coltrane praying. Great albums, I only wish I could come halfway close.

And yes, these may be the exceptions that prove the rule.

[Dave Derr]

Originally posted by JayCrouch
In reference to the picture someone posted earlier of Sinatra singing into a Tele 251, this is the cover art from the album "Sinatra's Swingin' Session". I highly suggest this album for both the great performances and incredible fidelity. If I am ever in my career able to produce something that hugs the speakers the way this recording does, I could actually consider myself something more than a hack.

from the back cover:
"This monophonic recording is playable on monophonic and stereo phonographs. It cannot become obsolete. It will continue to be a source of outstanding sound reproduction, providing the finest monophonic performance from any phonograph."

Dang it, Now I gotta go find this album. Thanks for the review tho JAY! Lemme see if I can dig it up online, or somewhere....

[Pastor Obviedo]

One of the best posts ever on GS

I LOVE it!!!!!

[Power Supply]

Great thread!

[Mad John]

FAN FRICKEN FABULOUS!!

BUMPO!

[7rojo7]

I just thought this needed to be said again

HMmm but WAIT... Maybe by restricting tape generations and making the music live to two or three track, and using the very best engineers who layed their reputations on the line to get things EXTREMELY right from the start... and putting the edge on the live performances and making everyone work at their very best every take... just maybe this is a big part of the classic nature of Sinatra's and other folks recordings from the 50's - 70's.
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Dave Derr

Also that these people worked every day at doing this thus cultivating a professional ethic.
Real Estate prices probably prohibit this now in as big a way as anything else.

[audibell]

Originally Posted by GilWave

Just wondering...

In the Apple ad, why doesn't the mic throw a shadow like Frank does?

parallax.

[walth]

great thread

[rikvee]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

Funny, virtually every big rock star of the '60s and '70s had a home studio most people would die for today. Almost nothing memorable was ever produced in ANY of them and the artists wound up right back in commercial facilities because they found they NEEDED recording to be an event in order to get themselves motivated enough to come up with a truly great performance.

That was THE quote for me, great insight there Bob!

(I know this was 8 years ago, wonder if you are still following this thread?