What "famous" folk still record to tape?

[J.S.Vega III]

OK I'll come clean from the beginning: this is to settle an argument.

I have taken the adamant stance that 2" is still widely used at the high end, alongside PT etc.

But I need examples which is a little more difficult!

Any well known definites?

[Antaren]

Originally Posted by J.S.Vega III

OK I'll come clean from the beginning: this is to settle an argument.

I have taken the adamant stance that 2" is still widely used at the high end, alongside PT etc.

But I need examples which is a little more difficult!

Any well known definites?

I've read that Norah Jones records to tape.

antaren

[rainsinvelvet]

I'm not sure if your asking about artists or engineers so..

Steve Albini

(1st thing to come to mind)

ERic

[Jose Mrochek]

I don´t have proof but I would say Paul Mcartney, Dave Gilmour, The Stones.. probably still record to tape.

[James Guitar]

don't know if ben folds counts as famous (he releases records on major labels and leases the old capitol studios in nashville as his own recording space so he's successful at least!) but he def records straight to tape and he mixes from tape. michael brauer talks briefly about it on his site in the q&a section.
-J

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by Jose Mrochek

I don´t have proof but I would say Paul Mcartney, Dave Gilmour, The Stones.. probably still record to tape.

Did you catch that recent PBS special where McCartney & the producer of his most recent album were doing some DAW multitracking on the fly? I haven't heard Terror In The Playground or Chaos In The Basement or whatever his last album was called, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to learn he recorded it directly to DAW.


I just played on a project engineered & co-produced by Martin Bisi...does he count as "famous"? M79 2" all the way...

[Rush909]

alot of guys might not record to tape but still MIX DOWN to 2"

r.

[themaidsroom]

prince
ryan adams
paul mccartney
neil young
beth orton
radiohead
wilco
rufus wainwright
the icarus line
joni mitchell
katell keineg
martha wainwright
joe henry
autolux
steely dan
donald fagen
joan as police woman
anita o'day

i'm sure many, many more
and in most cases, no pt is necessary
it's really difficult to listen to both side by side or
record to both simultaneously, and decide that
the digital sounds better - cheaper, easier, lazier, yes -
better, no


be well



- jack

[Zwinter]

I've had to pull out a tape machine for Joe Chiccarelli, as well as, a couple of other clients when I worked in LA.

[themaidsroom]

Originally Posted by Bob Ross

Did you catch that recent PBS special where McCartney & the producer of his most recent album were doing some DAW multitracking on the fly? I haven't heard Terror In The Playground or Chaos In The Basement or whatever his last album was called, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to learn he recorded it directly to DAW.

from what i know, that was for the immediacy of the camera.......the record
was recorded all directly to 2"




- jack

[Jose Mrochek]

If the Chaos and Creation record was recorded to a DAW I will never go into a analog vs digital debate ever.

[A Fiasco!]

D'Angelo's "Voodoo" album was recorded entirely on tape. The guy who produced it has the weirdest funkiest collection of pre's and microphones (according to a friend who is working with him right now) and almost always uses tape. After Voodoo he went on to produce albums for a whole bunch of hip-hop and neo-soul acts including the Roots, Common, and other big names. If you haven't checked out the drum sounds on Voodoo you are missing out on a really great sound.

[Meriphew]

There's still alot of people who hit tape on the way in.

[bukarin]

There's even more who hit it on the way out!

[Meriphew]

Originally Posted by bukarin

There's even more who hit it on the way out!

True dat. That's what I just did for my latest record - HD mixed to 1/2" 2 Trk.

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by themaidsroom

r
steely dan
donald fagen

There is something very digital about Gaucho. Not sure where in the process, but I think it was tracked digital, probably Mitsubishi or 3M. I think maybe Nightfly as well.

[eligit]

Originally Posted by themaidsroom

from what i know, that was for the immediacy of the camera.......the record
was recorded all directly to 2"




- jack

yes.

godrich is something of an analog fundamentalist from what i hear. which is one of the reasons hail to the thief and sea change sound as good as they do.

and that mccartney album certainly sounds pretty analog...only listened to it a little bit tho.

[lucey]

most recordings:
Emmy Lou Harris
Buena Vista Social Club
Willie Nelson
Audioslave
QOTSA
David Gilmour
Roger Waters
Beck
Rick Rubin



although Bjork's Homogenic sounds perfectly suited to digital recording and could only be that.


The Nightfly is harmonically painful ... is it the engineering or digital?

[ddageek]

Lenny kravitz!

2 inch viable yes cheap no!

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by ddageek

Lenny kravitz!

2 inch viable yes cheap no!

Not anymore.

[James Guitar]

yeh lenny went all pro tools with the cover of *american woman*. was so proud of his digital-ness, too. would announce in every interview about how the recording was all pro tools, all the time...
-J

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by James Guitar

yeh lenny went all pro tools with the cover of *american woman*. was so proud of his digital-ness, too. would announce in every interview about how the recording was all pro tools, all the time...
-J

Right, and it is such a great sounding single. .

[lucey]

Originally Posted by James Guitar

yeh lenny went all pro tools with the cover of *american woman*. was so proud of his digital-ness, too. would announce in every interview about how the recording was all pro tools, all the time...
-J

He was as Pro-PT as he was Pro-Tape ... whatever is 'cool' and sells i guess

[AlexLakis]

Originally Posted by James Guitar

don't know if ben folds counts as famous (he releases records on major labels and leases the old capitol studios in nashville as his own recording space so he's successful at least!) but he def records straight to tape and he mixes from tape. michael brauer talks briefly about it on his site in the q&a section.
-J

You sure about that? He probably dumps to Pro Tools to do edits. He's always talking about it in his songs (Rockin' the Suburbs, Hasbeen, Fear of Pop, etc,) unless he's being ironic. I figured Rockin' the Suburbs at least was done on Pro Tools...

[paterno]

Originally Posted by J.S.Vega III

OK I'll come clean from the beginning: this is to settle an argument.

I have taken the adamant stance that 2" is still widely used at the high end, alongside PT etc.

But I need examples which is a little more difficult!

Any well known definites?

So far there is a lot of conjecture here and not a lot of, if any, first hand knowlege. Not sure how this thread is going to help you with your argument.

JP

[Gregg Sartiano]

Check the Billboard #1's tracking/mixing format chart.

Or go to Digidesign.com and look for News>Credits (?).

Anything that's NOT PT for recorders, etc. is 90% likely to be tape.

Wish I could find a link for the source charts -- with the full info.

[James Guitar]

Originally Posted by AlexLakis

You sure about that? He probably dumps to Pro Tools to do edits. He's always talking about it in his songs (Rockin' the Suburbs, Hasbeen, Fear of Pop, etc,) unless he's being ironic. I figured Rockin' the Suburbs at least was done on Pro Tools...

from brauer's site:
Q:"Ben Folds Mixes - Neotek, 5 compressors, 2 Eqs, 2 verbs
I'm a huge fan. I saw on Vintage King that you mixed an album with only that gear. I'm curious how you approached that mix and how you used the gear you had. Did you use the same bussing concepts as your other mixes?"
A: "There were no bussing options. I just mixed in the regular stereo format but used my stereo 1176's to help get the depth. And there was no computer so it was back like the old days of mixing as a performance. Hit record and go."

that seems like *first hand knowledge* to me.

in a mix article i read about it, apparently he's starting to embrace RADAR but in stops and starts. if you watch the DVD that comes with the deluxe version of Songs For Silverman, there are a bunch of shots of a rolling 2" machine but no computer screens to be seen for miles. maybe he used them for editing and then dumped everything back onto the machine? dunno...

[paterno]

Originally Posted by James Guitar

from brauer's site:
Q:"Ben Folds Mixes - Neotek, 5 compressors, 2 Eqs, 2 verbs
I'm a huge fan. I saw on Vintage King that you mixed an album with only that gear. I'm curious how you approached that mix and how you used the gear you had. Did you use the same bussing concepts as your other mixes?"
A: "There were no bussing options. I just mixed in the regular stereo format but used my stereo 1176's to help get the depth. And there was no computer so it was back like the old days of mixing as a performance. Hit record and go."

that seems like *first hand knowledge* to me.

in a mix article i read about it, apparently he's starting to embrace RADAR but in stops and starts. if you watch the DVD that comes with the deluxe version of Songs For Silverman, there are a bunch of shots of a rolling 2" machine but no computer screens to be seen for miles. maybe he used them for editing and then dumped everything back onto the machine? dunno...

OK --one first hand knowlege [I did say 'not a lot, if any'] followed by a 'dunno' at the end, which proves my point. If it's really that important, Mr Sartiano has come up with the best suggestion so far.



john

[James Guitar]

Originally Posted by J.S.Vega III

I have taken the adamant stance that 2" is still widely used at the high end, alongside PT etc.

the question is whether 2" is used alongside PT. whether or not PT has been used on the latest Ben Folds record is unknown as we don't have proof of that. what is known with proof (and therefore is a surety) is that it was mixed from 2" (as proven by the the statement of the man who mixed it) and that is the answer to the above question. 2" is used in the recording of that record. that is a *known known*, to quote Donny R.
-J

[James Guitar]

btw, i'm not looking for a fight. i too would love to hear more first-hand references to mixing from tape, or tracking to tape, or whatever to tape!
-J