That Beach Boys piano sound on "Smiley Smile" and "Wild Honey"...How did they get it?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by JPartyka, May 16, 2006.

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  1. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    I know Smiley Smile and Wild Honey were largely recorded in Brian Wilson's home studio. As anyone who's heard these albums knows, they share a rather distinctive piano sound.

    Does anyone have an idea of how they got that sound, and what kind of piano was used?
     
  2. emkay

    emkay Senior Member

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    for starts, I don't think they bothered tuning the thing. :D
     
  3. crimsoncing

    crimsoncing New Member

    Location:
    virginia beach
    leaving it in hundreds of pounds of sand really helped to. And lets not forget that the dogs were in doggy heaven with all this sand....Think about it. lol
     
  4. Steve E.

    Steve E. Doc Wurly and Chief Lathe Troll

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    I think that's about it. Also, they placed it a mound of sand and let Banana and Louie poop and piss in it.

    For extra "seasoning."
     
  5. Steve E.

    Steve E. Doc Wurly and Chief Lathe Troll

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    shucks, beat me to it.
     
  6. tspit74

    tspit74 Senior Member

    Location:
    Woodridge, IL, USA
    There's a good interview with the under-rated and 5-6 year BB alum, Daryl Dragon where he mentions that piano sound. Here's a quote:

    "On the negative side, however, one might notice that the more traditionally, almost expected ‘polished’ side of the (expected - pop music) hot, ‘radio-friendly’ productions was missing. One might notice that Brian’s old home-Hammond organ was overly used on many tunes, & was slightly out of tune, etc., as well as their home ‘thumpy’ piano not being the most attractive piano-sound on earth. Yes, I must admit that this was a valid trademark for ‘the sound’ they were choosing to create at the time, but I don’t believe that approach translated into ‘hot’ attractive ‘radio-effective’ hit productions."

    The whole interview is very good. Read it here:

    http://members.tripod.com/earcandy_mag/ddragon.htm
     
  7. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Thanks for the info and the link.

    For some reason, I always suspected it was an upright piano that was used. But I've seen a photo supposedly taken in Brian's home studio that shows him sitting at a (baby?) grand ... But maybe they had both.
     
  8. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

    Wasn't that sandbox in Laurel Way? I think he was at Bellagio Road by then - that's where he had the home studio built.

    Sounds like an upright with a slightly "relaxed" tuning to me.......

    :)
     
  9. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Yeah, I've always wondered if it had a chorus- or Leslie-like effect applied to it, or if it was actually just not in tune.
     
  10. willy

    willy hooga hagga hooga

    Are there any pics anywhere of the Bellagio Road studio, anyone please? I love that 'dry' and, if you will excuse me, 'Baptist church' sound on those albums!
     
  11. crimsoncing

    crimsoncing New Member

    Location:
    virginia beach
    Having been there I can say it was the old upright and the piano bench has the opening notes of California Girls sown in to it. The engraved glass that was used for the cover of WILD HONEY is almost right there too.
     
  12. Mike D'Aversa

    Mike D'Aversa Senior Member

    Jeez, I guess Brian's not kidding around when he claims that opening as his proudest musical accomplishment!
     
  13. Jose Jones

    Jose Jones Outstanding Forum Member

    Location:
    Detroit, Michigan

    Well, let's hear that story.....how did you happen to be there then?
     
  14. crimsoncing

    crimsoncing New Member

    Location:
    virginia beach
    This was later on..sometime around the Carl and The Passions period. I worked for Warner brothers and was sent often with paper work to drop off or pick up. I went by the old house about 5 years ago and it is really scary looking now. The bushes are all grown over and it is really in a state of disrepair. So sad.
     
  15. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

    Not to worry, I made a little pilgrimage to 10452 Bellagio Road a couple of years ago and it looked pretty good from the gates - although I coudn't see the house the grounds looked immaculate with uplighting on the palm trees along the path up towards the house. I got chatting to someone who said they were looking after the place while the owner was away (they emerged from that outhouse near the gate). They wouldn't tell me who lived there now though.......
     
  16. Jose Jones

    Jose Jones Outstanding Forum Member

    Location:
    Detroit, Michigan

    Has anyone made a pilgrimage to 1448 Laurel Way? It always seems like a far-out hippie pad with the sandbox and the SMILE aura hanging over it and those videos of the pool.

    I bet both of those houses get a few curious visitors regularly.
     
  17. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

    I planned to but I didn't get around to it - next time :agree:.
     
  18. crimsoncing

    crimsoncing New Member

    Location:
    virginia beach
    The video for WAKE THE WORLD was filmed in that studio..not that you get to see much!
     
  19. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Wasn't the "Time to Get Alone" footage from the An American Band documentary also filmed in Brian's studio?
     
  20. Steve E.

    Steve E. Doc Wurly and Chief Lathe Troll

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    There's a VIDEO for "Wake the World"????? No way.

    Must see now.
     
  21. lou

    lou Fast 'n Bulbous

    Location:
    Louisiana
    Didn't Brian "detune" the piano or tune it down a half tone? That may explain why it sometimes seems out of tune or sounds strange. But apparently it was intentional.
     
  22. dgsinner

    dgsinner New Member

    Location:
    Far East
    Didn't this 'sound' continue on through "Friends" and "20/20"?

    Dale
     
  23. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Yes, the sound can still be heard on parts of those albums ("Wake the World" comes to mind as one example).
     
  24. dprokopy

    dprokopy Senior Member

    Location:
    Near Seattle, WA
    That piano sound, for me, was actually one of the best ways to determine what was recorded at the home studio, versus what was recorded in a "real" studio. Particularly helpful when trying to determine what parts of Smiley Smile were original Smile recordings or not.
     
  25. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Guys, totally intentional.
     
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