It means that someone is sick of all those youngsters posting crap on this board, and that there should be more interesting topics at the top
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In that case lets kick this off again...
The new album is obviously going to have a very different feel now Paul has joined, I expect all three will have pretty solid demos of songs they want to try out, but do we think they will alter the recording approach for this album?
I would imagine Paul is used to playing almost live and coming out with an album in a few weeks as he is very much a good old rock no nonsense chap. But Brian on the other hand has been known to spend weeks on just one part of a solo, how do you think the two will work this time around?
And finally... I know it's been asked before but if they are to play live that would require a bass player rather than either Roger or Brian filling that spot so does that mean the full Q+PR stage crew will be involved in this album from the start?
OK I said finally but this time it is... choice of studio will be important to the final sound, do we think they will try to capture the old valve and tape feel or do straight to digital and pro-tools?
Let the discussion begin (again)
The new album is obviously going to have a very different feel now Paul has joined, I expect all three will have pretty solid demos of songs they want to try out, but do we think they will alter the recording approach for this album?
I would imagine Paul is used to playing almost live and coming out with an album in a few weeks as he is very much a good old rock no nonsense chap. But Brian on the other hand has been known to spend weeks on just one part of a solo, how do you think the two will work this time around?
And finally... I know it's been asked before but if they are to play live that would require a bass player rather than either Roger or Brian filling that spot so does that mean the full Q+PR stage crew will be involved in this album from the start?
OK I said finally but this time it is... choice of studio will be important to the final sound, do we think they will try to capture the old valve and tape feel or do straight to digital and pro-tools?
Let the discussion begin (again)
I dont post here that often, but this is an interesting thread. Ive been a recording engineer since the early eighties and a long time studier / admirer of the 'Queen Sound'
Togg mentioned capturing the old valve and tape feel, or record to pro tools. Well if you have the budget for it, then its not uncommon to record basic tracks to Analog Tape (to capture the old valve and tape feel)... (actually its more about a sound than a feel) Anyways, record basics (drums, bass and rhythm guitar) to Tape and then transfer it to a Digital Medium of your choice. Be it Pro Tools, Nuendo or Radar (being the most popular ones) Once on Digital you have no danger of the audio quality deteriorating like it would after being played again and again on Analog Tape Machines. You can do all your edits and trickery in the digital domain faster than you could with tape. What ever they do im sure itll sound great because they are all World Class Musicians... If the songs are great then all you need with those guys is a good performance. Plug em in and press record!
Togg mentioned capturing the old valve and tape feel, or record to pro tools. Well if you have the budget for it, then its not uncommon to record basic tracks to Analog Tape (to capture the old valve and tape feel)... (actually its more about a sound than a feel) Anyways, record basics (drums, bass and rhythm guitar) to Tape and then transfer it to a Digital Medium of your choice. Be it Pro Tools, Nuendo or Radar (being the most popular ones) Once on Digital you have no danger of the audio quality deteriorating like it would after being played again and again on Analog Tape Machines. You can do all your edits and trickery in the digital domain faster than you could with tape. What ever they do im sure itll sound great because they are all World Class Musicians... If the songs are great then all you need with those guys is a good performance. Plug em in and press record!
Togg wrote:
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
Sennheiser MD421
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
Sennheiser MD421
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]ezee wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Togg wrote:
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
Sennheiser MD421[/QUOTE]
Interesting, hadn't thought about them, do you know that or was it an educated guess? I have seen some large diaphragm condenser mics on the AC30's in the One Vision video but 421's would be an interesting choice.
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
Sennheiser MD421[/QUOTE]
Interesting, hadn't thought about them, do you know that or was it an educated guess? I have seen some large diaphragm condenser mics on the AC30's in the One Vision video but 421's would be an interesting choice.
hehe, geez i cant figure out how to quote your post Togg..
Anyway.. The 421 is a popular mic for guitar amps and toms... im also 99% certain that i read an Interview with either Brian May or a Queen engineer stating that the 421 was used on the AC30. An ambient mic (room mic) may have been a Neuman U47.. depending on the tone of the room. The 421 is a a bit darker and thicker than the SM57. Sometimes the sound is a blend of the two close mics or all three.
Anyway.. The 421 is a popular mic for guitar amps and toms... im also 99% certain that i read an Interview with either Brian May or a Queen engineer stating that the 421 was used on the AC30. An ambient mic (room mic) may have been a Neuman U47.. depending on the tone of the room. The 421 is a a bit darker and thicker than the SM57. Sometimes the sound is a blend of the two close mics or all three.
Togg, im trying to recall the One Vision Video. Was that the one in the studio with Freddie Singing about 3 feet in front of Brian & his amps in a really small room. Roger playing the big Chrome Ludwig in the Iso room behind glass sliding doors? I think i remember AKG 414's ... Freddie was singing into one.
Togg: The first time I worked in a professional recording studio was 1984 in those days you had no pitch correction
Hehe oh YES there was. We used the Eventide H949 Harmoniser.. and you had to do it by ear, no auto-tune graphs and the like.. You had to do it word by word,.. note by note.. it was extreamly time consuming and you had to have a darn good ear to know if you were on target with the tuning or not.
Hehe oh YES there was. We used the Eventide H949 Harmoniser.. and you had to do it by ear, no auto-tune graphs and the like.. You had to do it word by word,.. note by note.. it was extreamly time consuming and you had to have a darn good ear to know if you were on target with the tuning or not.
I remember them, god I'd forgotten about that. What a pain, I helped out on an outside broadcast for the BBC and we ending up using one on a guy playing the fiddle I think. jeez I remember it took half the night!
Yes the One Vision video may show them but if you have the documentary on Greatest hits dvd they extend the documentary and show Brian working in the studio, look carefully as Freddie and Brian are talking, there is a silver condenser on the AC30's down by Brian's feet. can't tell the model you might be able to though.
I remember seeing it a long time ago and thinking I must watch that again to work out what it was, but never getting round to it, maybe tonight I well check it out again.
It's interesting, because Brian is in a small studio and there appears to be no other mics set up so it seems for One Vision at least there was no room added just digital reverb if any.
I would also have expected him to mic the back of the amps as well, so maybe this one was just thrown up to get a basic sound before the final take, I was never sure how much of that doc was staged for the camera.
Yes the One Vision video may show them but if you have the documentary on Greatest hits dvd they extend the documentary and show Brian working in the studio, look carefully as Freddie and Brian are talking, there is a silver condenser on the AC30's down by Brian's feet. can't tell the model you might be able to though.
I remember seeing it a long time ago and thinking I must watch that again to work out what it was, but never getting round to it, maybe tonight I well check it out again.
It's interesting, because Brian is in a small studio and there appears to be no other mics set up so it seems for One Vision at least there was no room added just digital reverb if any.
I would also have expected him to mic the back of the amps as well, so maybe this one was just thrown up to get a basic sound before the final take, I was never sure how much of that doc was staged for the camera.
Talking about the BBC, i remember running FOH (live sound) for a band that opened for "King" (hehe remember them?) One New years eve. It was to be broadcast and the BBC had a remote truck parked outside the venue. I went down to the truck after soundcheck to ask if everything was ok. Theres 5 guys sitting in the truck with a 40+ input SSL and the engineer sitting at the board reveals to me that the whole mix is on ONE fader.. jeez all that gear and crew and they are taking one feed from the house console! Talk about pressure when it came time for the show!
Back to Brian... im sure you realise its all about his guitar, his technique and his amps.. you could kids kareoke mic in front of that vox and it'd still sound like Brian May!
Back to Brian... im sure you realise its all about his guitar, his technique and his amps.. you could kids kareoke mic in front of that vox and it'd still sound like Brian May!
Yes, it would sound like Brian, but it wouldn't sound like a Queen record.
Much of the sound on a Queen record has to do with recording technique.
In particular, there was a lot of mic'ing experimentation early on. You can hear CLEARLY that 'hollow' type sound on many classic records which comes from mic placement and blending an ambient mic with a close mic.
That sound doesn't come from Brian's guitar, or fingers.
Also, there's a lot about hiss reduction that has to be done. Brian's amps are NOISY!
Here's a good link that has a bunch of info:
http://www.brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/experts.html
Much of the sound on a Queen record has to do with recording technique.
In particular, there was a lot of mic'ing experimentation early on. You can hear CLEARLY that 'hollow' type sound on many classic records which comes from mic placement and blending an ambient mic with a close mic.
That sound doesn't come from Brian's guitar, or fingers.
Also, there's a lot about hiss reduction that has to be done. Brian's amps are NOISY!
Here's a good link that has a bunch of info:
http://www.brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/experts.html
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Adam Baboolal wrote: [/QUOTENAME]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.[/QUOTE]
Which version of the ANATO documentary was this? I know there were two or three, and I can never get this straight!
Which version of the ANATO documentary was this? I know there were two or three, and I can never get this straight!
Talking about "leakage" listen to the intro of Sweet Lady. They obviously left the Doors open to the drum room cos you can hear the Bass rattling the snare drum. Thats what that fuzzy sound is as the bass plays the intro.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]tenchijin2 wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Yes, it would sound like Brian, but it wouldn't sound like a Queen record.
Much of the sound on a Queen record has to do with recording technique.
In particular, there was a lot of mic'ing experimentation early on. You can hear CLEARLY that 'hollow' type sound on many classic records which comes from mic placement and blending an ambient mic with a close mic.
That sound doesn't come from Brian's guitar, or fingers.
Also, there's a lot about hiss reduction that has to be done. Brian's amps are NOISY!
Here's a good link that has a bunch of info:
http://www.brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/experts.html[/QUOTE]
I have to say AC30's are about the most noisy amps ever made, I went to see Brian demo his rig once at a music fair and even he found it difficult to talk above the amps hiss, during periods when he was not playing, I don't remember his comment but it was along the lines of 'of course we get rid of all that in the studio'
Listen to the amps at the beginging of ROTC and you can hear a huge buzz going on as Paul walks on stage.
Much of the sound on a Queen record has to do with recording technique.
In particular, there was a lot of mic'ing experimentation early on. You can hear CLEARLY that 'hollow' type sound on many classic records which comes from mic placement and blending an ambient mic with a close mic.
That sound doesn't come from Brian's guitar, or fingers.
Also, there's a lot about hiss reduction that has to be done. Brian's amps are NOISY!
Here's a good link that has a bunch of info:
http://www.brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/experts.html[/QUOTE]
I have to say AC30's are about the most noisy amps ever made, I went to see Brian demo his rig once at a music fair and even he found it difficult to talk above the amps hiss, during periods when he was not playing, I don't remember his comment but it was along the lines of 'of course we get rid of all that in the studio'
Listen to the amps at the beginging of ROTC and you can hear a huge buzz going on as Paul walks on stage.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Togg wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I have to say AC30's are about the most noisy amps ever made, I went to see Brian demo his rig once at a music fair and even he found it difficult to talk above the amps hiss, during periods when he was not playing, I don't remember his comment but it was along the lines of 'of course we get rid of all that in the studio'[/QUOTE]
Interesting observation. The bootlegs are full of Brian's amps buzzing. Manchester 75 rings a bell immediately.
Interesting observation. The bootlegs are full of Brian's amps buzzing. Manchester 75 rings a bell immediately.