SH Spotlight Recording and Mastering Questions---Answered here. Any more?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Steve Hoffman, Apr 20, 2006.

  1. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    It does for some of us.
     
  2. mavisgold

    mavisgold Senior Member

    Location:
    bellingham wa
    yes!!
     
  3. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    When the cassette manufacturer gets the dupe tape from the record company they need to make a Dolby B encoded "bin master" which is just a really long piece of tape loop sort of floating in a device that enables it to go really fast. It needs to be equalized to do high speed transfers so the treble is bumped way up. It really sounds like **** but by the time its recorded on to the cassette it sounds not terrible.
     
    rxcory, chewy, SkeletonPete and 5 others like this.
  4. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    When I worked with John Eargle (roughly 1988-1995 or so???), I asked him once about recording the piano (in a solo classical music context), and he said that he had tried many techniques over the years, and had basically cut out all the complicated ideas and gone back to using two omnidirectional mics spaced a few feet apart, on tall stands that could be adjusted (height-wise) to place the diaphragms just below the plane of the piano lid. He was quite pleased with the stereo sound he was getting. (IIRC, that was the technique used on the John Browning solo recordings on Delos.)
     
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  5. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Celeste and harmonica can each be challenging, but I agree on piano being "the one."
     
  6. mdr30

    mdr30 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Gothenburg, Sweden
    Oh, and don't forget the Irish tin whistle, recounted by Angus McKenzie, if my memory serves me right. Those intense harmonics...
     
  7. supermd

    supermd Senior Member

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Which CD can I find your mastering of this song on? (Miserlou by Dick Dale And The Del-Tones)
     
  8. chewy

    chewy Forum Resident

    Location:
    West Coast USA
    Is this it?

    [​IMG]


    So this like is one of those small 'specialty labels' you see, how did an operation like that get access to master tapes or what do you remember from your experience in doing something like this.
     
    McLover likes this.
  9. chewy

    chewy Forum Resident

    Location:
    West Coast USA
    Hi doug if its not too much trouble would you be so kind to once again go into what you heard on "Bop" that you didnt like? I'm with you- very interesting stuff!
     
  10. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    No
     
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  11. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

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  12. artfromtex

    artfromtex Honky Tonkin' Metal-Head

    Location:
    Fort Worth, TX
    I have a question about EQ mapping at the outset of a recording.

    Let's say you are a 4 piece hard rock band: bass, drums, 2 guitars, and vocals. What are the eq parameters generally assigned to each, and does paying attention to this aspect at the start of the process save some time and headache on the back end when mixing and mastering?

    Thanks.
     
    BDC likes this.
  13. omnisonic

    omnisonic Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    DCC, THE DOORS s/t


    Of a 600ish album collection, I have definitely purchased THE DOORS, s/t album more than any other. Probably have owned or heard just about every incarnation of this album (vinyl, CD, SACD, DVD-A) and have always been looking for that soul-satisfying reproduction.



    I just purchased the DCC cd THE DOORS s/t and I gotta tell you; I am blown away. So superior to all other incarnations, in so many ways. But more than that, it is EXACTLY the way I hoped the music could sound. Sooooo satisfiying.



    I’ve read just about every thread on here about your involvement with that project; it must have been such a thrill.



    What do you feel that you specifically did in the re-mixing / re-mastering process of the DCC re-issue that resulted in a version that of that album that is superior to every other version out there, including all original pressings?
     
    audiomixer likes this.
  14. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
  15. g.z.

    g.z. Senior Member

    Hey Steve,

    How many "Do Not Use" tapes are there, masters or otherwise,
    that you have come across that would make a primo reissue
    of a recorded work?
    :)
     
  16. Front 242 Addict

    Front 242 Addict I Love Physical format for my listening pleasure

    Location:
    Tel Aviv ,Israel
    I would love to hear about your mastering and adventures regarding to Johnny Cash Sings The Ballads Of The True West DDC cd 2000.

    This album is one of my big favorites in Johnny Cash discography, in this album Johnny Cash through his mesmerizing storytelling /singing and by his music has the ability to really take you to the places and events which are mentioned in the album.

    Many thanks :)
     
  17. wingsoveramerica

    wingsoveramerica The Dude

    Location:
    Chambersburg, PA
    I don't know if this is the right place to ask this, but have you thought of doing anything from the Monkees?
     
  18. John Adam

    John Adam An Introvert In Paradise

    Location:
    Hawaii
    Steve (or other knowledgeable soul):

    If a producer goes into the studio and cuts "4 sides" with an artist, does that indeed mean that the vocal tracks were done as well on those said 4 sides. Or am I misinformed? I've tried googling several times and I never get this resolved.
    Is it common studio lingo? Thank you! -JA
     
  19. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Well, a "side" means a complete song, finished. Or it should.
     
    John Adam likes this.
  20. Satchidananda

    Satchidananda Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    Steve,

    First, thanks for starting this thread.

    I wanted to ask about pre-echo. I understand it occurs because grooves are cut too close together and the sound of one groove (especially a loud and abrupt start to a track) can bleed through the groove wall into the previous spread/lead-in.

    Are there any factors in plating or pressing that might also create or enhance this effect? Or does the blame fall entirely on the mastering engineer operating the lathe? I understand there's a button that you push to manually add extra space. But I'm wondering is there any debate amongst your peers about other contributing factors?

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but when you're cutting a lacquer, you're hearing the music before it's being cut - or maybe a better way to say it is that the actual cutting is delayed. Is it delayed a certain number of seconds? Or revolutions? Hope this makes sense.

    thanks
     
  21. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Pre-echo can be caused by the original tape having it printed on it (very common) but if it's lacquer caused, it's usually operator error. Even if the volume of the monitors is down, the preview meters can be observed and the surge in sound compensated for by the worker. Doesn't work if he's reading a magazine though. And of course the higher the volume of the cutting, the bigger chance for this happening. But if the volume is lowered, more noise from the vinyl could creep in. Decisions, decisions.
     
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  22. Satchidananda

    Satchidananda Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    If the pre-echo starts precisely one revolution before the music, wouldn't that be a sign that it was lacquer caused? I would imagine if it were printed on the tape, the timing would be more random.

    Have you ever seen pre-echo that starts two or three revolutions before the music? (I can't remember which LP I was playing, but I heard this happen once). Seemed strange that it could bleed through more than one groove.

    thanks again!
     
  23. scottc1963

    scottc1963 Forum Resident

    This may have been asked before, if so I do apologize, but which Pet Sounds of yours do you prefer?
     
    George P likes this.
  24. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    The AF CD.
     
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  25. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    I'm thinking it has something to do with the preview head of the tape deck.
     

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