Stevie Wonder uses the Mu-Tron Pedal on drums. But How?

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 4:05 pm

Stevie Wonder recorded many of his parts through a Mu-Tron which sound like an automated wah. I noticed that there are two tracks on "Songs in the Key of Life" where the drums are being put through a mu-tron on the toms and snare. ("All Day Sucker" and "Black Man")

What I can't figure out is how they set that up for MORE THAN ONE PIECE ON THE KIT. The Mu-Tron takes only ONE quarter inch cable. I'm still trying to figure out how they put the mutron on ALL the toms.

Any ideas???

Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 5:39 am

Assigning all tracks they wanted to go through it as an insert effect through an Auxiliary buss on the board?

Kapt.Krunch

Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 9:57 am

At one time, there was a lot of press on the whole album and how it was done. (Long before the days of the web, etc.) There might have been a MuTron rack version available at the time, but I can't remember back that far now.... Rolling Eyes

Still, I'm assuming it would have been aux sends, lots of 1/4" bal/unbal adapters, and probably more than one MuTron. What Stevie wanted in those days, Stevie got. As soon as he could imagine something, I have no doubt he had "People" who could make it happen. Wink

He DID have an ARP synth for live use, long before anyone else would attempt it.

You may find names of those involved in the liner notes and production credits on the packaging. Maybe google the names of those involved, assuming they're listed at all, and see if they're still around in archived interviews, or have email addys, etc?

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