Can anyone remember an article detailing Brian's recording technique, I am particularly interested in what microphones have been used to capture his sound and placement etc.
Not sure if I've ever seen an article that talks about this, I know he often used an SM57 on the Deacy amp but what about the AC30's? any ideas
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I don't know if he always used the same mics.
All I know is which microphones were used on Bohemian Rhapsody and most of A Night at the Opera
Which are Neumann U67's and U87's on the tom-toms and overhead and D12 (AKG) on the Bassdrum
The bass was Direct Injected and when the cabinet was recorded they used a Neumann U67 or a Electro Voice 666.
Freddie's piano was picked up with a pair of U67's and also set up a Shure microphone at the piano to pick up his guide vocals.
For the guitar they used different microphones for different parts and sounds. They would set up lots of microphones and pick one, or blend a few to make a specific sound. Also they put microphones everywhere. (at the back of the amp, under carpet, on the window, down metal, in concrete tubes etc.)
All I know is which microphones were used on Bohemian Rhapsody and most of A Night at the Opera
Which are Neumann U67's and U87's on the tom-toms and overhead and D12 (AKG) on the Bassdrum
The bass was Direct Injected and when the cabinet was recorded they used a Neumann U67 or a Electro Voice 666.
Freddie's piano was picked up with a pair of U67's and also set up a Shure microphone at the piano to pick up his guide vocals.
For the guitar they used different microphones for different parts and sounds. They would set up lots of microphones and pick one, or blend a few to make a specific sound. Also they put microphones everywhere. (at the back of the amp, under carpet, on the window, down metal, in concrete tubes etc.)
I strongly suspect there was a mic in Freddie's pants as well.
Thank you Mr Chicken that was very interesting, and you to Zep your comments are always helpful ;-)
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]FriedChicken<br><font size=1>The Almighty</font> wrote: [/QUOTENAME]
Freddie's piano was picked up with a pair of U67's and also set up a Shure microphone at the piano to pick up his guide vocals.
[/QUOTE]
Meuh? Wouldn't that mean the guide vocals ended up on the final recordings, as they were bound to be picked up by the U67's?
Freddie's piano was picked up with a pair of U67's and also set up a Shure microphone at the piano to pick up his guide vocals.
[/QUOTE]
Meuh? Wouldn't that mean the guide vocals ended up on the final recordings, as they were bound to be picked up by the U67's?
Yes that did happen sometimes, however, more often than not he simply did it twice, once with a guide vocal, then again just piano listening to the previous track in headphones.
Freddie would never sing the entire song during the recording of the backing track.
Just a word or 2 in the beginning of the sentence. So he and the band knew where they were in the song.
But yeah, the guide vocals did leak into the Neumanns occasionally. But because it is so soft it's not a problem when you are going to record the rest
Just a word or 2 in the beginning of the sentence. So he and the band knew where they were in the song.
But yeah, the guide vocals did leak into the Neumanns occasionally. But because it is so soft it's not a problem when you are going to record the rest
And mastertape of Bohemian Rhapsody has 2 lead vocal tracks. And from both takes the voice was compiled into the vocaltrack which ended up on the record.
Thanks for the heads up, gents. I'm still used to tip-toeing around a studio whenever the red light is on or there's a mike in sight.
But if Freddie didn't, then who am I to disagree?
But if Freddie didn't, then who am I to disagree?
Uh what do you mean?
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]FriedChicken<br><font size=1>The Almighty</font> wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Uh what do you mean?[/QUOTE]
That I'm surprised everyone wasn't dead silent when Freddie's piano was recorded. Is it that difficult to understand?
That I'm surprised everyone wasn't dead silent when Freddie's piano was recorded. Is it that difficult to understand?
I think your misunderstanding this.
In the studio Freddie would be in the main studio and everyone else in the control room (most of the time) on occasions they recorded live effectively, but most of the time on a piano based track he would go in play the piano with some form of guide vocal, which was either re-done later or simply got lost in the final mix as it was very low.
One way of doing this is to play the song through live, then re-record over the top starting with usually drums and bass, this is common practice in studios and the best way to make sure you are in time and the track has a live feel.
But it doesn't mean everyone can be in there with you chatting, you still have to have separation between instruments to get the best sound.
In the studio Freddie would be in the main studio and everyone else in the control room (most of the time) on occasions they recorded live effectively, but most of the time on a piano based track he would go in play the piano with some form of guide vocal, which was either re-done later or simply got lost in the final mix as it was very low.
One way of doing this is to play the song through live, then re-record over the top starting with usually drums and bass, this is common practice in studios and the best way to make sure you are in time and the track has a live feel.
But it doesn't mean everyone can be in there with you chatting, you still have to have separation between instruments to get the best sound.
In the recent ANATO docu, Roy said that the piano was in one section of the room and the drums were behind a separated part of the same room. Also, the piano had a carpet thrown over the top to further help separation from the drums. And they even demonstrated that you can still hear the drums over the piano mics, very slightly.
And usually with Queen, this live track would be THE track used. No re-recording here! This was further demonstrated by Brian when the piano was solo'd and you heard Freddie's minor mistakes. Warts n all.
Adam.
And usually with Queen, this live track would be THE track used. No re-recording here! This was further demonstrated by Brian when the piano was solo'd and you heard Freddie's minor mistakes. Warts n all.
Adam.
Adam is right.
They kept the live take and only stopped recording to do a new take when there were big mistakes. In some songs you can hear minor mistakes in the backing track. For example the piano and the drums in Borhap.
But they didn't re-record bits of backing track. Because then the whole idea of having a band play live would be distroyed.
They do did sometimes drum overdubs when this was nessecary for the sound
They kept the live take and only stopped recording to do a new take when there were big mistakes. In some songs you can hear minor mistakes in the backing track. For example the piano and the drums in Borhap.
But they didn't re-record bits of backing track. Because then the whole idea of having a band play live would be distroyed.
They do did sometimes drum overdubs when this was nessecary for the sound
Sure the early stuff was certainly done that way I agree, the documentary on Bo Rap was most interesting, however, I am given to understand that later on they did record in many different ways, sometimes only one or two of them was present at a time, in fact some of the later recordings do feel more 'studio' if you like, they later returned to more of a group feel. And went back to playing the songs together.
With the obvious exception of their final album which by all accounts was peiced together a seperate times, first Roger and John and later Brian.
I find it very interesting to listen back a try to work out which song has been done in which way, for example large parts of Hot Space, The Game?, The Works, and maybe even Magic have been done in a very different way to the early albums, However by the time Innuendo was being done I think whenever possible they were all there for the backing tracks at least. Just my supposition but I think you'll agree that those albums don't hav the same 'band' feel to say ANOTO etc.
With the obvious exception of their final album which by all accounts was peiced together a seperate times, first Roger and John and later Brian.
I find it very interesting to listen back a try to work out which song has been done in which way, for example large parts of Hot Space, The Game?, The Works, and maybe even Magic have been done in a very different way to the early albums, However by the time Innuendo was being done I think whenever possible they were all there for the backing tracks at least. Just my supposition but I think you'll agree that those albums don't hav the same 'band' feel to say ANOTO etc.