Legendary Albums

Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 5:00 pm

I'm curious about a few records whose production I both adore and admire, and since I'm kind of a n00b to this whole thing, I was hoping you all could shed some light on exactly what was done and used to make these records sound so spectacular. I'm talking equipment, compression, eq, verb, anything. I don't know how readily available this information is, so anything would be appreciated.

The list! And if you feel so inclined, it'd be cool to have other people giving their favorite records in terms of production.

Sgt. Pepper's
Revolver
Pet Sounds
Strawberry Jam
In Rainbows (awful record, but great production)

Thanks in advance!

Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 7:29 am

That's a lot of info to cover! Books have been written about the first three choices. Buy, beg or steal "Recording The Beatles", and you'll know what they used, and how they used it, on most of their stuff. And, I don't remember titles, but I'm sure Pet Sounds has been covered in depth. Brian Wilson's masterpiece that drove him over the edge trying to out-Beatle the Beatles, and move away from silly surf tunes.

The other two, I dunno.

As far as production values, to my ears there is an often-overlooked CD out there that I think sounds great. I've been practicing with a newly formed band since I moved to another state, and we're trying some funky, rollicking things. 5-piece, with one guitar/keys/vocals, one guitar/bass/vocals/, one guitar/sax/keys/vocals, one drummer/vocals, and one bass/keys/vocals. Shocked

(We plan on switching up instruments from time to time...should be fun and inject some variety due to the different players' styles).
When (and if) we get enough stuff together to record, we all agreed it should have "the sound", if possible, of this CD. Good, tight bass that just slides right under the butt, really nice drums. Everything heard clearly, and in their own space. Good highs. This overlooked CD is Harry Connick Jr.'s "She" CD. His funkiest offering of funk-jazz-rock with a hint of New Orleans.
I have my home and car systems set fairly neutral, and on most CDs I might tweak a bit of highs or lows. This one sounds good flat. Sounds good flat through my KRK and JBL monitors. I don't know how they did it, but it's the best example of something that sounds good nearly everywhere that I try.
That will be my reference CD for production values if this funky/R&B/rock band gets to the point of recording.

Kapt.Krunch

Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 7:45 am

The Eagles - The Long Run floors me, particularly "I Can't Tell You Why"...the opening is just so pristine.

Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 10:56 am

I thought in rainbows was a good album even the second disk was awesome.

but im pretty sure they tracked or mixed in rainbows with an API board and from some pics ive seen they might of even had a neve side car.

but when i think of legendary album i think of Joshua Tree such a good album.

Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 2:33 pm

TheBear wrote:

I thought in rainbows was a good album even the second disk was awesome.

but im pretty sure they tracked or mixed in rainbows with an API board and from some pics ive seen they might of even had a neve side car.

but when i think of legendary album i think of Joshua Tree such a good album.

Can you explain the stuff regarding In Rainbows a little more? I love how the guitars sound on that record. SOOOOO dry and smooth.

Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 3:40 pm

Kapt.Krunch wrote:

That's a lot of info to cover! Books have been written about the first three choices. Buy, beg or steal "Recording The Beatles", and you'll know what they used, and how they used it, on most of their stuff. And, I don't remember titles, but I'm sure Pet Sounds has been covered in depth. Brian Wilson's masterpiece that drove him over the edge trying to out-Beatle the Beatles, and move away from silly surf tunes.

The other two, I dunno.

As far as production values, to my ears there is an often-overlooked CD out there that I think sounds great. I've been practicing with a newly formed band since I moved to another state, and we're trying some funky, rollicking things. 5-piece, with one guitar/keys/vocals, one guitar/bass/vocals/, one guitar/sax/keys/vocals, one drummer/vocals, and one bass/keys/vocals. Shocked

(We plan on switching up instruments from time to time...should be fun and inject some variety due to the different players' styles).
When (and if) we get enough stuff together to record, we all agreed it should have "the sound", if possible, of this CD. Good, tight bass that just slides right under the butt, really nice drums. Everything heard clearly, and in their own space. Good highs. This overlooked CD is Harry Connick Jr.'s "She" CD. His funkiest offering of funk-jazz-rock with a hint of New Orleans.
I have my home and car systems set fairly neutral, and on most CDs I might tweak a bit of highs or lows. This one sounds good flat. Sounds good flat through my KRK and JBL monitors. I don't know how they did it, but it's the best example of something that sounds good nearly everywhere that I try.
That will be my reference CD for production values if this funky/R&B/rock band gets to the point of recording.

Kapt.Krunch

Thanks for the hot tip. I ordered Recording the Beatles just now.

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 9:11 am

I think Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is one of my favorite produced albums.

On a mildly irrelevant note, pet sounds did not drive brian wilson over the edge, SMiLE did.

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 5:14 pm

I think Brian Wilson came to the edge already being over it, if ya know what I'm saying.

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 6:25 pm

Analog_Boy wrote:

Quote:

On a mildly irrelevant note, pet sounds did not drive brian wilson over the edge, SMiLE did.

Actually, I think it was trying too hard to please his father that was his demise.

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 10:01 pm

Several Albums changed my life. Most any/all of the Beatles, for sure. "Who's Next" was another one, ditto for Quadrophenia and even Live at Leeds.

Of course, ELP's "Brain Salad Surgery" (and Trilogy & Tarkus before that) was the be-all and end-all for a classically trained musician like myself. At the time, it was the link I needed from rock to classical and back again. It too changed my life & view of the recording world. And of course, hearing the Moog solo on "Lucky Man" (from their first album) for the first time ever was an experience I will never forget. It took the top of my head off at the time. Just mind-blowing, indeed.

Don't mean to complain, but I just don't hear that kind of creativity anymore. The tools are there, so are the chops, but as good as things have been in today's modern world, that golden era of creativity seems to be missing. Pity.

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 11:28 pm

Its all become sorta like Solieri.

For me it was all of the records mentioned as well as Led Zep I & II & III, Jimi's Axis, King Crimson( Pre ELP), The Rascals, Moby Grape, Mountain, James Gang, etc etc etc....................I simply couldnt get enough. Plus my father had a very large collecton of classical and Frank Sinatra, Trini Lopez, as well as a lot of tenors doing bigband and ballads.

I can still whistle the melodies from Tchikowsky's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in Dmaj.

Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 7:45 am

Think about techniques (IMHO) over gear. You won't echo the sound of Studio A at Abbey Road in the mid to late 60's. You can't...

But you can read about George Martin and Goeff Emerick's techniques on the Beatles stuff in both Geoff Emerick's book and the above aforementioned Recording The Beatles.

Think about how the Abbey Road sound and technique made it's way from Revolver to Sgt Pepper to Oddessey & Oracle by The Zombies to Pink Floyd's early work to Pink Floyd circa DSOTM. (All The same Studio!!!)

Also think about how Brian Wilson commissioned Phil Spector's musicians (wrecking crew) for Pet Sounds, and that albeit he was an innovative and technically great bassist, that bass was played by someone else (do some homework Wink

Random I know, but I like learning about the song inspirations that led to good recordings.

Listen to the Yardbirds and their progression from Paul Samwell Smith's production to later Jimmy Page stuff into the development of Zeppelin.

Same story w/ Jimi Hendrix's studio techniques from London to ElectricLadyLand in NYC.

goes on and on and on and on...

This topic sponsored by: