Studios and desks

That's certainly wrong and I've emailed them with the correct info (including photos from Queen in 1975). Phil told me he'd correct it (he said so over a year ago, mind) but he still hasn't. For 99% of the readers, there's not much difference between 1975 and 1976. I also sent them some photos of Queen at Scorpio.

Never mind the year, ANATO isn't even on the list of albums recorded there. That's a pretty substantial oversight.

Because they didn't record there at all. They just rehearsed, for both 'Opera' and 'Races,' but they did not record.

Ooooh, got it.

So then just the opening date is wrong. Still, that's pretty substantial from any historian's perspective.

In fact, the opening could be right as well.

Queen did rehearse there, but back then it was just a farm which they'd privately hired (that explains why they took the white piano there). It would become a proper studio in 1976, when the owners (whose son used to be Queen's lighting engineer at the time) realised it was more profitable to rent the space as a studio than as a dormitory for students.

Yeah, that'd make sense.

Either way, Queen's role in its beginnings definitely should be told in the first chapter of its history.

Yeah... about twelve years ago I discussed that with the (then?) manager, she told me about it and a couple of years ago we got in touch again when I sent her some photos of the band there in '75, and I even said I'd visit the farm but haven't done it... yet!

Harrison M3 desk, there is also an M2 and an M4 Model.
Maybe someone with a good picture of the Musicland Console can check if the that model(s) fit/ match.





Ta, sorry I missed page 2

Excellent thread, sorry nothing further I can add at this point, but keep it coming

I will add this as a question...

There is a wonderful documentary about Sound City in LA, where Fleetwood Mac recorded Rumours, there is a lot of discussion in that film about the desk which became almost legendary for it's warm sound.
David Grohl recently purchased the desk and recorded a terrific album on in, very warm none digital sound.

Do we think some of the early Queen sound was arrived at by the desks used? they certainly colour the sound to a degree, and you could argue that ANATO and ADATR sound very consistent, which obviously is down to Mike Stone, RTB and the bands recording technique at the time, however does some of that warm round tone come from the desk? Jazz is very different so I suspect they tried deliberatly to get away from the same feel, and The Game etc is pretty dry.

To have the desk that recorded the major parts of Bo Rap would be a find for sure, I wonder what happened to it? OK I know it was done all over the place, but probably 70% was done on one desk?

Yes the desk does have some effect on the recorded sound, especially when recording analogue. Togg you mentioned that you thought ANATO and ADATR sounded consistent. I have always found Oprea to be more brittle sounding in the top end, Races, to me, has an overall warmer less edgy sound.

That Neve desk from sound City has so much history attached to it. I believe that the desk at Musicland, I know was the same make but, may have been the same model

Rupert Neve went on to form Fucusrite, another desk favoured by Queen, a 72 channel focusrite is featured in the video for headlong.

Good to see this thread living on!

I haven't re-read the thread, but, I believe both ANATO and ADATR were mixed on a Trident desk. From my minimal knowledge, the desk added an airy treble to the sound. I'm not sure I'd class it as having a warm, rounded tone, though. But still, nice.

As for desks giving something to the sound, YES! It's the reason I started the thread in the first place. Mixing through a particular desk will shape the outcome rather interestingly. No two desks are alike, so, they add some character to the proceedings.

Anyway, I was trying to find out what I could here, in this thread, in order to apply that info to some Queen covers. Couple that info with plugins like Slate Digital's VCC and you have part of the sonic recipe of a particular song. :)

Anyway, discuss onward!

^^^^ Hi Adam, I meant ADATR had a warmer more rounded sound compared to ANATO. I wouldn't say the difference is huge but is noticeable on BM's guitar and a lot of the vocals.

I think the difference in desk sounds occurs as much during the recording as it does mixing. Steve Vai is on record as saying that his custom designed desk was built around the way certain elements within the desk sound.

Bumped in case anyone wants to read it again and/or has new info to offer.

Of course probably the most famous Queen track Bohemian Rhapsody was recorded on multiple desks at much the same time so the difference between desks is very subjective, Drums always sounded amazing recorded at Rockfield due to the room more than the desk, but instruments like guitar that dont require as much ambience will be affected more by the desk (IMO)

The overall mixing of the album and 'that' desk must have the most impact on the final album sound.