Going left right left right5/16/2023 and returned to the Redd console, on channels 7 and 8 which were primarily kept panned to the center.Īfter 66 when Emerick engineer, he experimented a bit more with different track layout and configurations but kept somewhat consistent with the hard panning configurations that Smith used up until the 8 tracks and solid state consoles were used. Tracks 3 and 4 usually contained Vocal and solo's + misc. Track 2 usually had guitar, piano and percussion (hard right). Track 1 of the 4 track usually consisted of drums, bass and r.guitar (hard left). These channels had no pan pots on them and were fixed hard left and hard right. Some of the panning decisions during the period may have been due to experimentation in stereo, limitations with recording to a smaller number of tracks and having to bounce, as well as old boards that only had L/C/R without a variable pan.From the book RTB, Most of the hard panning for the stereo mixes of the Beatles was due to the pre-configured panning of the four track tape returns on the Redd console.įrom 1966 and before when Norm Smith engineered, tracks 1 and 2 from the 4 track were returned to the Redd console channels 1 and 2. I asked the producer if he wanted me to attempt to minimize the stereo field for that section and he said no, it is part of the history of that recording. On this particular track, all was going as expected until the first solo whereupon I almost fell off my chair laughing! Just for that section, they bused in a ton of reverb, like it was a effect rather than enhancement! Apparently at one time in his life he had lots on money and owned a studio where they always had the latest gear. I know this is a bit boring, and whacky panning does have it's place in space-age pop or psychedelica, but take the Beatles for example the mono versions are almost always superior.This reminds me of the time I was mastering a Snooky Pryor (Chicago blues legend, now desceased) compilation. Or you can create a "outside the head" effect with other stereo / phase techniques. Panned instruments should usually have another like instrument to balance it. Modern mixing has established some sensible conventions, lead vocal, bass, kick & snare in the middle, then spread out from there. I tend to think early 60's stereo mixes were engineers having a play with a new toy. The wider you pan the more distracting it is.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |