Re: [ARSCLIST] Not using headphones

[Marcos Sueiro Bal <mls2137@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

For our final project in class we had to record a blues band (Sam Lay's,
actually), using Malcolm's techniques (of course) --I recall very little, if
any, baffling. We recorded to maybe 8 tracks; and when it came to mix them,
because of the lack of baffling, they almost mixed themselves. It was almost
like several layers of blurry pictures all coming slowly together for one
sudden, clear vision. There was not much room for changing levels or pan on
anything, but when it was right it was definitely right. I usually have the
same experience with live recordings.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Fine" <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2006 10:07 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Not using headphones


> Oh, yes, iso-multi is totally wrong for blues. Alligator Records, circa
late 80's and early 90's is
> proof. Everything sounds generic and slick. Compare that to the primative
Hound Dog Taylor records
> that formed that company. Awesome stuff. Who cares if his guitar is
sometimes out of tune and the
> amp sounds like the speaker is ripped? It totally works for the Dog!
>
> The Holmes Brothers made some very good minimalist recordings in the
1990's. I saw them live a few
> times and they definitely knew how to plug without too much PA support.
Their harmonies were all
> done without looking at each other, which is pretty amazing since one of
them was also playing drums
> and I can't see how he could have heard the other vocals clearly. I guess
they all worked to him
> since he was keeping time.
>
> The old Chess sound worked most of the time. As long as there weren't too
many amps in the room,
> turned too loud. I really dig the way they could get the piano to ring
through and also Fred Below's
> drums. Someone like Chuck Berry or Bo Diddley probably had his amp turned
up and not too baffled.
> When they got to the late 60's with that acidified heavier sound, I don't
like it as much. It's all
> summed up with that record "This Is Howlin' Wolf's New Album ... and he
hates it." As far as I can
> tell form the Chess Box sets' notes, Chess recorded to full-track until
the early 60's, then 2-track
> until 1967 or so, which is when 4-track tapes turn up to remix for the box
sets. I don't know how
> far they went in the track evolution as the 70s rolled around. My favorite
Chess recordings made in
> Chess studio, as far as sound quality, are the early 60's Howlin' Wolf
sessions where Hubert Sumlin
> is just tearing the paint off the walls with his guitar licks and the Etta
James stuff, although I'm
> not sure if her full-fledged pop stuff like "At Last" was done at Chess or
a bigger studio.
>
> People also forget the Chess jazz stuff, some of which really sounds nice.
Very different vibe from
> Verve or especially Blue Note from the same era.
>
> -- Tom Fine
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "steven c" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2006 9:41 PM
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Not using headphones
>
>
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Tom Fine" <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >> The reason I thought it might be that is that two guys at a time would
be
> > in close, on opposite
> >> sides of the mic, like radio duos used to do with an RCA ribbon mic in
> > figure-8 pattern. It might
> >> have been omni and they were taking advantage of the two middle points,
> > with the softer sounds
> >> spaced in the circle. Anyway, these guys were great at it.
> >>
> >> Another bunch that could work a mic (note: A mic, as in single mic)
were
> > the Jordanaires.
> >>
> >> Bob, how did the Motown groups record the group harmonies -- one mic or
> > several? I'm guessing one
> >> mic and no headphones in the early days. And, was the lead singer part
of
> > the overall group or did
> >> they have a separate mic? Same room or booth or separate? I've always
> > loved the way the vocals cut
> >> through everything on those records, especially Diana Ross and Martha
and
> > the Vandellas.
> >>
> > My "lifelong ambition" is to record a blues album/CD the way (I assume)
> > the classic blues recordings of the forties/fifties were done...using
> > a single microphone (or possibly two, with one for harmonica and
vocal?).
> > In my opinion, the multi-isolated-mikes approach is totally wrong
> > for blues bands...!
> >
> > Steven C. Barr
>