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StickyExile98
I'm aware that a lot of bands nowadays record each instrument separately when it comes to recording their music, but I've heard so many tracks by the Stones that sound as if they were cut live, with the whole band playing at the same time and in the same place. Sweet Virginia, in particular, almost sounds like it was recorded with just a few mikes around the room, and with everyone playing together in a live fashion. Does anyone know how the Stones, or any other artists from their era (The Who, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Bob Dylan etc) typically recorded their music? With each instrument being recorded separately, or with the whole band playing live?
I've heard Keith say many times that they cut live, but then Charlie's also made mention of how some of his drum parts were recorded in stair wells, and I've heard that during the making of Exile, different band members had to record their individual parts in separate rooms, so it's a little unclear. Can someone help me out?
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Mel Belli
One thing that's semi-unorthodox about the Stones is how much "bleeding" from one track to another they tolerated in a finished product. You can still hear lots of scratch vocals. "Beast of Burden" springs to mind...
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Naturalust
It has changed considerably since the Stones first started recording. Mostly these days unlimited tracks are available while in the old days they had to bounce recorded tracks down to one or two tracks to free up more for additional parts. Bouncing to two tracks was done to preserve a stereo image with things like the drums.
Obviously the Stones are using separate tracks for every instrument and multiple tracks for drums when initially recording. My guess is they still try to get the general live feel for the initial recording with drums, bass, guitar and a scratch vocal done all at once to get the right feel. They probably have some stereo room mics set up to get an ambient sounds of all the instruments but basically are still recording every instrument to a separate track. They get isolation by using different rooms and baffles around their instruments and amps to reduce bleed from other instruments.
After they get a good take they then add additional guitar parts, doubling and weaving as need be, until they have a good basic track (still with scratch vocal).
Then they add multiple vocal tracks both lead and background and any instrument solos. The whole tracking process involves many tracks with as much separation of instruments and preservation of stereo signals.
Finally they take all the tracks to a good mixing studio and play around with EQ, levels and and such in a process known as automation. They basically take their time and make small adjustments to different parts each time through the song and record these moves into a computer (muting, panning, EQ, levels and effects). Then when all the mixing moves are done, they hit play and the console computer makes all the moves from all the passes in real time and they end up with a stereo master recording. It the old days it would often take several guys sitting at the mixing console making these adjustments as the song played to get the job done.
After that the stereo master is taken to a mastering lab for the magic process which creates the best sounding result for whatever format they are mixing for. That process is probably beyond the scope of your question.
I doubt they ever build a song one track at a time unless they are working on a demo in their home studios. I imagine Mick has done that in the past but when he brings the song to the band they probably start over, possibly using one or two of the tracks on the demo if they are perfect.
Mixing in the true live studio tracks of everyone playing and even having some bleed between tracks often creates a good effect and is probably present on most Stones recordings to some extent.
peace
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roller99Quote
Naturalust
It has changed considerably since the Stones first started recording. Mostly these days unlimited tracks are available while in the old days they had to bounce recorded tracks down to one or two tracks to free up more for additional parts. Bouncing to two tracks was done to preserve a stereo image with things like the drums.
Obviously the Stones are using separate tracks for every instrument and multiple tracks for drums when initially recording. My guess is they still try to get the general live feel for the initial recording with drums, bass, guitar and a scratch vocal done all at once to get the right feel. They probably have some stereo room mics set up to get an ambient sounds of all the instruments but basically are still recording every instrument to a separate track. They get isolation by using different rooms and baffles around their instruments and amps to reduce bleed from other instruments.
After they get a good take they then add additional guitar parts, doubling and weaving as need be, until they have a good basic track (still with scratch vocal).
Then they add multiple vocal tracks both lead and background and any instrument solos. The whole tracking process involves many tracks with as much separation of instruments and preservation of stereo signals.
Finally they take all the tracks to a good mixing studio and play around with EQ, levels and and such in a process known as automation. They basically take their time and make small adjustments to different parts each time through the song and record these moves into a computer (muting, panning, EQ, levels and effects). Then when all the mixing moves are done, they hit play and the console computer makes all the moves from all the passes in real time and they end up with a stereo master recording. It the old days it would often take several guys sitting at the mixing console making these adjustments as the song played to get the job done.
After that the stereo master is taken to a mastering lab for the magic process which creates the best sounding result for whatever format they are mixing for. That process is probably beyond the scope of your question.
I doubt they ever build a song one track at a time unless they are working on a demo in their home studios. I imagine Mick has done that in the past but when he brings the song to the band they probably start over, possibly using one or two of the tracks on the demo if they are perfect.
Mixing in the true live studio tracks of everyone playing and even having some bleed between tracks often creates a good effect and is probably present on most Stones recordings to some extent.
peace
Nice explanation, sounds like you've spent some time in the studio... What's amazing is that you can buy a pocket recorder now (like a Boss Micro BR) that has some of these functions like being able to bounce tracks, mix over pre-recorded tracks, etc. I wonder if Mick ever uses something like that to just carry around to lay down random vocal ideas.
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Mel Belli
A couple more points: they generally record with clean-sounding guitars and at low volumes. When the Steel Wheels outtakes were leaked a few years ago, you could hear Mick's rhythm guitar for "Hold On To Your Hat" before it went through post-production. The '80s-ish overdrive clearly was added after the initial performance.
And at least until fairly recently — with Mick extensively demo-ing his stuff in pre-production with Matt Clifford — the band would record long, meandering takes of songs ("Flip the Switch," for example) and then cull the best three or four minutes.
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StickyExile98
Thanks mate. My band and I are getting ready to record our first album, and we want it to have a more authentic and natural sound like many of our favourite 60s and 70s records, as opposed to sounding too processed and plastic like a lot of music does nowadays. I always thought that overly-processed sound was due to the separate recording of each individual instrument, so I thought it might have been a good idea to cut the songs live for a more honest sound.
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Mel Belli
One thing that's semi-unorthodox about the Stones is how much "bleeding" from one track to another they tolerated in a finished product. You can still hear lots of scratch vocals. "Beast of Burden" springs to mind...
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Naturalust
After that the stereo master is taken to a mastering lab for the magic process which creates the best sounding result for whatever format they are mixing for. That process is probably beyond the scope of your question.
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Nikkei
The greatest "bleedthrough" vocals on Miss You can be heard on the 2012 Newark PPV.
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Nikkei
Nah, how would that work on a live broadcast? What I mean is Mick encouraged the audience to sing along and at times a totally atrocious voice dominates the mix.
It's difficult to describe, sounds almost like some inebriated lunatic got lost in the control room.
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Nikkei
The YCAGWYW intro even features faint residue of Midnight Rambler on the left.
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SharksWillCryQuote
Naturalust
After that the stereo master is taken to a mastering lab for the magic process which creates the best sounding result for whatever format they are mixing for. That process is probably beyond the scope of your question.
I was wondering about the mastering process in particular: Is it possible, then, that the Stones can go back to the saved mixes of some of these terribly compressed recent releases (Bigger Bang, Live at the Vault series, etc.) and easily "fix" them for future release once the Loudness Wars are over? Or is there some degree of information loss that occurs prior to the mixing process (e.g. the drum clipping on A Bigger Bang)?
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SharksWillCryQuote
Nikkei
The YCAGWYW intro even features faint residue of Midnight Rambler on the left.
This is interesting. Not knowing much about recording, I'm guessing this is caused by a different process than "bleeding" (where you get sound leakage to an adjacent microphone), but instead to the physical properties of magnetic tape, with the tape being recorded over or only partially erased or in contact with the other track on the same reel, partially transferring the image over.(?)
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SharksWillCryQuote
Nikkei
The YCAGWYW intro even features faint residue of Midnight Rambler on the left.
This is interesting. Not knowing much about recording, I'm guessing this is caused by a different process than "bleeding" (where you get sound leakage to an adjacent microphone), but instead to the physical properties of magnetic tape, with the tape being recorded over or only partially erased or in contact with the other track on the same reel, partially transferring the image over.(?)
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SharksWillCryQuote
Nikkei
The YCAGWYW intro even features faint residue of Midnight Rambler on the left.
This is interesting. Not knowing much about recording, I'm guessing this is caused by a different process than "bleeding" (where you get sound leakage to an adjacent microphone), but instead to the physical properties of magnetic tape, with the tape being recorded over or only partially erased or in contact with the other track on the same reel, partially transferring the image over.(?)