who used what where dammit

[neverlistentome]

It has occurred to me as a fairly new DIY'er I have little refference as to what an "Ape E Eye" sounds like versus a "'eh are tea". This makes it very hard to decide which project to tackle. (although being a constant experimenter I would like to try all of the projects I've seen here)

I have a collection of thousands of sound samples featuring combinations of thousands of the finest pro-audio equipment ever made. My own CD collection has examples of almost every known peice of "secret magic audio" gear ever made, and I do not have an impressive CD collection.

So here's my point; what mic pre-amps did they use on Led Zeppelin's "Houses of the Holy" ? What mic did Smoky Robinson sing "Tears of Clown" into?

I remember a lot of publications that could pinpoint the guitar, the amp, the effects pedal, the strings, the f**king pics a guitar hero used. (granted endorsements make these "facts" more readily available)
I propose a forum topic or maby even a meta that lists every peice of gear used on a particular classic album many of us watching the forum might own.
I realize this makes me no more a carbon copy of Jimmy Page as does owning his signature guitar, a Vox amp, and a violin bow, but in the audio world it's wise to know when an artist that influenced you chose a wide stiff bristled camel hair brush, crimson red oil paint, and a 36" by 20" canvass.

 

[amorris]

i have seen pictures of jimmy and robert sitting outside in a field holding mandolins and acoustics sitting around a U47 tube. caption read tracking for houses, but i have no idea if this was demos/writing or keepers.

and i heard an interview with an engineer for motown who said that he would use a nasa bought tube compressor that they would fly around the world to whatever session with their artists only to find out that the compressor was bypassed the whole time.

honestly, jimmy page would sound like jimmy page through a mack$%^. i know a rock star who one day sat in on a gig and played through a tiny crate amp. the worst amp ever. he has a rich warm tone and he sounded like the record cause that's how he sounds. its all in the fingers. sounds like clich'e but that's why its a cliche.

 

[MikoKensington]

Probably a better topic for the Brewery.

 

[Guest]

You mean the classic tracks series in SoS?
http://www.soundonsound.com/index.php?section=%2F&url=%2Fsearch&Keyword=classic+tracks

 

[jrmintz]

Knowing who used what on what old record is at best a basic starting place to getting good sounds, and rarely anything more. In many cases the room was really the unique factor in the overall sound of particular records and you can't reproduce that anyway. I wouldn't get hung up on it - the beauty of building all the various gizmos we can around here is that with a minimal outlay of money and your own investment of time you can build a wide enough assortment of gear to try many different options that would otherwise be untouchably expensive. If you can figure out how to make sounds you like with your own gear you're lightyears ahead of the game. Keep in mind that in the old days you were totally constrained by the room and the console with its one flavor of preamps and EQs, and there were some really crappy rooms and consoles. The artistry of the musicians and engineers becomes apparent when you realize they made great records often despite the gear, not because of it.

 

[clintrubber]

[quote author="jrmintz"]The artistry of the musicians and engineers becomes apparent when you realize they made great records often despite the gear, not because of it.[/quote]\
Right, the SoS-article about the BeeGees came to mind! :wink:
I was mildly shocked to read about the circumstances of that recording - of which I previously for some reason had the impression that it would have been made under 'easy' circumstances.

 

[NewYorkDave]

[quote author="jrmintz"]The artistry of the musicians and engineers becomes apparent when you realize they made great records often despite the gear, not because of it.[/quote]

Words to remember, words to live by.

 

[PRR]

> What mic did Smoky Robinson sing "Tears of Clown" into?

Whatever mike they put in front of him.

Smoky was famous before anybody let him near a microphone. He had a good voice and he knew how to use it.

 

[northsiderap]

I'd love to check out a Smokey Robinson recording equipment history...

Dang that kid had a voice (or two.)

Jimmy Page played a Fender Strat in the studio. Anyone ever see a whammy bar on a Les Paul? (Don't answer that.)

 

[strangeandbouncy]

If yet another spotty little get asks me to "Make me sound like John Lennon" . . . . Truth is this, if you wanna sound like John Lennon, you gotta BE John Lennon, - no amount of U47/8's with Abbey Rd grilles, EMI pre-amps, Telefunken v72 mix-buses, J37's, C37's, EMI reel to reel tapes on said/same, Even if you book the legendary Room itself, YOU WILL STILL SOUND LIKE YOU!

So there!


ANdyP

 

[fucanay]

[quote author="strangeandbouncy"]If yet another spotty little get asks me to "Make me sound like John Lennon" . . . . Truth is this, if you wanna sound like John Lennon, you gotta BE John Lennon, - no amount of U47/8's with Abbey Rd grilles, EMI pre-amps, Telefunken v72 mix-buses, J37's, C37's, EMI reel to reel tapes on said/same, Even if you book the legendary Room itself, YOU WILL STILL SOUND LIKE YOU!

So there!


ANdyP[/quote]

Hey Andy,

If you ever do figure out how to make people sound like Lennon, could you please post the schematics? Something like this would do just fine.

:green: :green:

Matt

 

[ciminosound]

I heard Jimmy Page used the Tele a lot in the studio. I first read it in a Guitar Player profile in the 80's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stairway_to_Heaven

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Page

http://www.mikesguitarsite.co.uk/gear/led_zeppelin/

http://www.fenderplayersclub.com/artists_lounge/featured_artists/led_zeppelin.htm#gear

 

[strangeandbouncy]

Matt,

:green: :green: :green:


ANdyP