Clarabella
I'll Be On My Way
All she needs is the stars up above
Posts: 104
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Post by Clarabella on Dec 28, 2007 15:30:52 GMT
Why did The Beatles stick to two track recording when more tracks were already available?
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Post by briank on Dec 29, 2007 1:27:32 GMT
Ah, this is something we cover in our book a bit. Pop music was SO SIMPLE - a band could play stuff live, even sing live - and be done. Every once in a while, they would add something like handclaps or a guitar solo. So then you'd need TWO tracks, one live, one overdub. But often (even into 1967 for some groups) it was LIVE.
George and Norman started off mainly with "Twin Track" (different than stereo, or even 2-track multitrack!); it gave two LIVE tracks, which could be mixed BETTER after the good performance. So with this, you still get a live take (usually) and then mix it well once the band is done with their stuff.
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BlueMeanie
For A Number Of Things
I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together
Posts: 606
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Post by BlueMeanie on Dec 29, 2007 11:47:52 GMT
Hi Brian. It's said that when The Beatles were recording on 2 track, 4, and even 8 track was being used in the States. Apart from the likes of Phil Spector, would anybody have actually been using the 8, or even all 4 tracks?
I'm curious because it took so long for EMI to upgrade. Would this have been because they just didn't think it was necessary? Or was it all down to bureaucratic red tape?
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Post by briank on Jan 10, 2008 10:20:23 GMT
There's a lot of information on this in our book and it's FAR too long to cover here. One whole page shows a letter we found REJECTING the 8-track for the White Album when it finally came. Basically, few people made them, rare in England even when the USA had them, and then when they arrived, they wouldn't work like the Beatles sessions had gotten used to working.
I recently mixed some Coasters tracks from Spring 1958 - using ALL 8 tracks of an 8-track Ampex recorder Atlantic records built. Les Paul had already made one.
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Post by Bobber on Jan 11, 2008 8:31:52 GMT
That's interesting, especially as the Beatles' music became more and more complex towards the late sixties.
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Post by The End on Jan 11, 2008 9:06:26 GMT
I recently mixed some Coasters tracks from Spring 1958 - using ALL 8 tracks of an 8-track Ampex recorder Atlantic records built. Les Paul had already made one. Really! Is that for a commercial release? Would you happen to know what other atrists used 8 track at Atlantic - I've love to hear some of that early R 'n' B remixed.
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Post by briank on Jan 21, 2008 6:12:31 GMT
I know Ray Charles did - it was essentially done in that era, and he was big. Not sure about others. No idea - but I think the Coasters reissue came out already.
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Post by briank on Jan 24, 2008 7:11:42 GMT
I see the big Coasters set is now on Rhino Handmade's website.
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Post by The End on Jan 24, 2008 8:56:37 GMT
Is this the set you remixed Brian?
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Post by briank on Jan 25, 2008 8:02:24 GMT
We don't "remix" things, although that's common in today's world, just not with me. I "mix" things that have never had a mix - outtakes and rarities. I don't know what's on the box set, so maybe. We leave things "as they were" for historical reasons, but if they have NO mix yet, I get to do it.
My job is to make it sound like it was done in 1958, or 88 or whenever...
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henryj
For A Number Of Things
Posts: 792
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Post by henryj on Aug 2, 2009 23:13:52 GMT
Regarding that Atlantic Records Ray Charles and Coasters stuff: There was a documentary shown on one of the cable/satellite channels a year or two ago about Tom Dowd, who was a producer/engineer at Atlantic. He stated that Atlantic Records were technologically FAR ahead of everyone else with their equipment. They had many more tracks. If you have ever been part of musical performance, you would find it the Tom Dowd documentary VERY interesting.
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