Modern meets old school: Raphael Saadiq's "The Way I see it"

[thethrillfactor]

I know that the whole rock thing rules most threads around here, but for a change of pace some props has to be thrown by Raphael Saadiqs way for being able to capture the old school R&B vibe on digital(Pro Tools). He and his engineer Chuck Brungardt got it right i feel on this record. It sounds like an old record with some newness thrown in and its not crushed to pieces either.

There is a great documentary out there on the making of it and a great article in mixmag:

Raphael Saadiq The Way I See It Album | Recording Raphael Saadiq The Way I See It 2009 Album

YouTube - Billboard Q&A: Raphael Saadiq - "The Way I See It"

I've said it before any other year this record would be hyped beyond belief, but because of the down times and what's popular right now in the R&B/hiphop genre(namely guys like T.I.,little Wayne and Neyo) the records got over looked. It will probably win the 3 grammy nods it has which it is deserving.thumbsup

[ninjaneer]

good to see james jamerson and the beatles given props thumbsup




there's more here plus a TV studio performance.

The Bridge: Raphael Saadiq - AOL Black Voices



on a different musical vibe but 'instant vintage' (2002) is also worth checking out,

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by ninjaneer

good to see james jamerson and the beatles given props thumbsup




there's more here plus a TV studio performance.

The Bridge: Raphael Saadiq - AOL Black Voices



on a different musical vibe but 'instant vintage' (2002) is also worth checking out,

Great interview. My favorite cut is the cut with Stevie playing harmonica. Also a big fan of Shalamar as well.

The only low point is the the track with Jay Z because the album didn't really need it.

[jindrich]

funny, someone told me about this artist just last week (about whom i haven't heard before), and I found it totally AWESOME. The songs, the style and the (modern) technology used (and it *still* sounds great )

I was thinking about starting a thread here to discuss about thim. Glad you did it Thrill.

Looking forward to get the CD.

[jindrich]

Originally Posted by ninjaneer

there's more here plus a TV studio performance.

The Bridge: Raphael Saadiq - AOL Black Voices

great tight live performances, thank you.

BTW look closer: nine musicians, two BG vocalists and front man singer. This is how it's done! (cheap dynamic mics notwithstanding)

[H-Rezz]

Great sounding record , Thrill do you have any info on how it was mixed and what on ? In the interview it talks more about tracking and how they treated the sounds with what plugs , but nothing more than that .....

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by H-Rezz

Great sounding record , Thrill do you have any info on how it was mixed and what on ? In the interview it talks more about tracking and how they treated the sounds with what plugs , but nothing more than that .....

Did you click page 2 on the mix mag interview?

It said SSL 9000 mixed with outboard(Fairchild on vocals) and plugs(Tapehead & Filterbank).

I just think its a great example of a hybrid way of working in order to get an older school sound.

[H-Rezz]

Yes i did , but i was hoping for more info about the rest of the mix , a lot of talk about the vocals in this interview ! They have captured an old/new sound which i like so it would have been nice to hear more about the mix treatment and tracking of instruments .....

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by H-Rezz

Yes i did , but i was hoping for more info about the rest of the mix , a lot of talk about the vocals in this interview ! They have captured an old/new sound which i like so it would have been nice to hear more about the mix treatment and tracking of instruments .....

Well there is an old EQ article some where i've seen that details Saadiqs studio. Basically all of the modern toys plus the 9k.

But the article does give some cool gems like instead of tracking to tape to get the vibe they ripped out the front end of some Ampex tape machines and recorded through that. Also the fact that they added no hi's to most of the tracks(especially the vocals) in the mix, which i can assure these days is a hard thing not to do.

[colinmiller]

I've worked on tracks that he and his crew did and they were nothing short of fantastic. My only criticism would be that I think the live room they record vocals in is too big even with the baffles. But that's really nit picking and almost moot. The tracks were modern but with a great Motown vibe.

[jindrich]

I've digged around on the net and found some october 08 video interviews at Raphael's studio in Hollywood, and he has a 4056 E, plus all the usual stuff and a HUGE tracking room. If they used a 9000 to mix the album, it must have been somewhere else.

Btw, the kick sounds really punchy and noticeable on the new record. It seems indeed that they used the Filterbank for that and not just to cut the high end, as the MIx interview points out.

Anyway, I dont think gear plays much of a role here, the sound is reached with clever arrangements and great performers. Listen to the live takes on "The Bridge". If you compare it to the record, "Big Easy" or "Love that girl" for instance, you'll notice the LVOX and snare/claps are more gritty and buried in echo chamber, some different instrument/BGV panning and some overall HF cut and more low end body, but everything else sounds roughly the same (equally great).

[brill bedroom]

One thing i really like about his work is the way he uses multiple clean guitars and weaves them so they don't step all over each other. A friend of mine has a live album of his that shows real mastery of space. All three guitarists are paying really integral parts, but just leaving room for others in a very cool way. Plus, Rapahel sings like Smokey Robinson. I think I'm going to have to get a copy of this new album.

[china jam]

The sounds are great and the production is smart but (IMO) I don't think he has a strong enough voice to pull this off. That is possibly why it's being overlooked.

[ricfoxx]

Great AOL Channel (AOL Black Voices)

My question is do they have a channel called...

AOL White Voices that sound Black
AOL Black Voices that sound White
AOL Asian Voices
AOL White Voices
AOL Mexican Voices that dont sound like a Carnival
AOL Tiger Woods Voices
AOL ...

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by china jam

The sounds are great and the production is smart but (IMO) I don't think he has a strong enough voice to pull this off. That is possibly why it's being overlooked.

No i don' t think so. I think his voice works well for what it is. Back in the day not every Soul/R&B singer was Otis Redding or Jackie Wilson. I feel its just that the hiphop/R&B market is so cluttered with the same oh-same oh that when something fresh or different comes along its dismissed or passed on. Its different than the pop market where something that sounds old is pushed as being innovative(Amy Winehouse and Duffy are 2 examples). Also the fact that its not American is seen as a "new invasion".

Lastly this record in terms of sound quality is much better than those two which are crushed to death. I felt Tom Coyne did just enough not to make it sound modernly crushed or bright in a way that would date it right away.

[robot gigante]

Cool, I haven't checked this one out yet. I'm exited to.

[ninjaneer]

another short promo interview.. re-run of the stevie story plus..

Tavis Smiley . Archives . Raphael Saadiq . October 28, 2008 | PBS

[jindrich]

yeah the Amy Winehouse CDs are so smashed and distorted they're simply unlistenable, just like pretty much everything else these days.
On the other hand Raphael's record sounds really good and the producers/mastering left room for the instruments to breathe.


I honestly hope this new Raphael Saadiq record becomes another "Come Away With Me" (Norah Jones), and what it meant to the whole industry.

It's the perfect album for these troubled times, in that it's showing by simple contrast to what's out there, that we've been living amid a virtual reality of false goods and overhype, and there's the need of returning back to humble, basic principles and simple things.

Instead of creditcard and 2nd mortgage money and artificially inflated stocks, we need honest work, we must learn to save and buy only what we can afford.

Instead of celebrities, American Idol and untalented puppets in hands of clever producers, we need real artists and great bands and musicians.



I love this Saadiq's quote:

"...It was kind of typical - once I got it (Ferrari), I felt kind of typical driving around in L.A. in it, and I was, like, it's not me. So I just packed some old Ludwig drums on it and I got the sound I wanted. And I said, "You know what? This is what's going to take me over the top to all my listeners.
Then I sold the Ferrari and I built this studio for it with the Ferrari money, and that's how the album got done"

[china jam]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

No i don' t think so. I think his voice works well for what it is. Back in the day not every Soul/R&B singer was Otis Redding or Jackie Wilson. I feel its just that the hiphop/R&B market is so cluttered with the same oh-same oh that when something fresh or different comes along its dismissed or passed on. Its different than the pop market where something that sounds old is pushed as being innovative(Amy Winehouse and Duffy are 2 examples). Also the fact that its not American is seen as a "new invasion".

Lastly this record in terms of sound quality is much better than those two which are crushed to death. I felt Tom Coyne did just enough not to make it sound modernly crushed or bright in a way that would date it right away.

Maybe I chose the wrong terminology. Don't get me wrong - I'm in love with the album and I think his voice is good. I'd just like to hear some rawness and, with the exception of "Sometimes", he's picking very obvious notes.

Amy Winehouse is great! She transcends the hype that surrounds her, for better or for worse.

We all know Duffy aint much.

[ninjaneer]

[avanturb]

Nice album, but it did push one of my peeves with period albums, and that's the failure to capture a proper kick sound. Or more specifically the kick is to big in the mix. Not that it should necessarily have a wimpy kick, but when the kick pushes through so strong it just breaks the whole mood of the concept for me. Anyone else hear this?

[Blast9]

Originally Posted by ninjaneer

there's more here plus a TV studio performance.

The Bridge: Raphael Saadiq - AOL Black Voices
,

not enough guitars

Spot the thumb -style bass playing thumbsup