SH Spotlight By request: How I mixed Nat King Cole multi-tracks into stereo for SACD & 45 RPM LP.

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Steve Hoffman, Sep 20, 2012.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Thanks, so glad many people still love Nat Cole.
     
  2. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    He is the king, after all.
     
  3. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Bumped by request..
     
    CBackley likes this.
  4. CBackley

    CBackley Chairman of the Bored

    I love reading these threads. They give me another level of aprecuation for the music...even if I don't fully understand half of it (and that's being generous!).
     
    GerryO likes this.
  5. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Feel free to ask questions.
     
    CBackley likes this.
  6. AppleCorp3

    AppleCorp3 Forum Resident

    I'm always amazed at how good this material sounds, considering that it was recorded 50+ years ago.

    Then I remember that's probably why they sound so good...
     
    rxcory likes this.
  7. Glennza

    Glennza Londoner, lost in the back of beyond

    Considering the work that went into them and their importance as historical documents, are we likely to see a re-pressing any time soon? (he said, not holding his breath).
     
  8. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

  9. therockman

    therockman Senior Member In Memoriam


    I had to go back and read the first post in this thread. Amazing!!!! Thanks Steve.
     
  10. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    You’re welcome. Think I’ll play this today. Good for the nerves.
     
    paulmock likes this.
  11. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    The man that made it happen, Chad Kassem.
     
    in-the-groove and Ere like this.
  12. Ere

    Ere Senior Member

    Location:
    The Silver Spring
    When this Nat King Cole thread was going over the past several years, I was visiting my Dad out west to help him downsize and to spend time together. I brought 'After Midnight' with me and it really brought back memories for him of growing up in Hollywood and living off Selma near Vine. He also worked briefly for Les and Mary in their studio in the early 1950s, so the anecdotes and technical details and music all became very evocative. He passed last month so I've been listening to Nat again and this album in particular. Thanks to Chad and Steve for bringing Nat's music into my life then, the timing was perfect.
     
    funknik, in-the-groove, MMM and 2 others like this.
  13. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Thanks for that.
     
    ex_mixer and Ere like this.
  14. Loud Listener

    Loud Listener Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Steve,

    Was Nat's vocal chain on the 'Love Is The Thing' 3 track tape basically the U47 through a Fairchild 660, then a mixing desk to tape? Also you mentioned it had some brightness you had to clean up. Was that added you believe at record time or just the attributes of the vocal chain?

    Thanks
     
  15. Dougthesnail

    Dougthesnail The Big Gabagool

    Location:
    Winnipeg
    Really wish the Nat King Cole Story would go back in print :love:. Also incredible work on the whole series! "Love is The Thing" is astounding @Steve Hoffman
     
    CBackley likes this.
  16. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Thank you. Great albums, classic songs, amazing singer. And nice sounding recordings.
     
    CBackley likes this.
  17. CBackley

    CBackley Chairman of the Bored

    I was told by Acoustic Sounds a few weeks ago that there’s a good chance a repress is coming soon.
     
    GerryO and RSteven like this.
  18. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    No Fairchild, just a small mic regulator to tape. The brightness was the actual sound of the Neumann microphone without the padding of the usual console and limiting stuff. It was painful. So, I smoothed it out a bit. Not much, a db or 1 1/2, something like that.

    The open sound of the vocals on this album are wonderful. When EQ'd a bit back to earth Nat Cole really sounds like a living human man. Quite wonderful..
     
    therockman, Turmatic and RSteven like this.
  19. Dougthesnail

    Dougthesnail The Big Gabagool

    Location:
    Winnipeg
    Awesome news!!! When I checked a few months ago they said that while not completely discontinued a repress was not in their immediate plans.
     
    RSteven likes this.
  20. paulmock

    paulmock Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hollywood, CA
    This seems to be one of the two "active" threads going on Nat right now so I thought I'd just drop this in...

    January 14, 2020 is the 60th anniversary of the recording of Nat King Cole Live at the Sands!
     
    Ere, CBackley and therockman like this.
  21. Loud Listener

    Loud Listener Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Thanks Steve. That explains the very clean sound of those vocal tracks...

    Tim
     
  22. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    By the end of 1957 this had all changed, the vocals at Capitol got a bit dull, too much gear in-between the mic and the tape machine. Still nice though. But compare Nat's vocal sound of 1956's STARDUST with 1958's THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU. Almost a radical change in mic sound and dynamics..
     
    SandAndGlass, paulmock and CBackley like this.
  23. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Bumped by request.
     
  24. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    Steve, I have been a serious Nat "King" Cole fanatic since I was a little toddler. I've listened to "Love Is The Thing" good and bad in every format it ever was released in since then. Both your masterings of this, are superior to anything else. That said, the mono UK Capitol LP is excellent when you can find a nice copy, mine is Gray label and well cared for in it's past. Took me over 30 years to find a good, clean, quiet copy.
     
    Turmatic likes this.
  25. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    I have a bunch of Grey labels of LOVE IS THE THING as well. When I play one it reminds me of my dad, several of his favorite LP's were on that label. I remember as a kid watching it go 'round on the turntable. Sometimes the label was blue and I could never figure out why....
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine