Potenially stupid question: "British Sound"

T

the_man

New member
OK, been holding off on this one for a while now. During my formative musical years, roughly the mid 80's to early 90's, I was listening to a lot of stff coming out of the UK. THe Smiths, James, Stone Roses (awesome record!), Ride, etc, etc. I always thought there was a definite "British vibe" to these records that I never really heard in stuff soming from the US around the same time. I haven't really listened to a lot of current music, so I can't really say whether or not I still hear a difference. But I could swear I could tell if a band was British or American based on how the music sounded (no, smartalecks, I'm not talking about the accents!).

Is this all in my head? Am I imagining it sounds different just b/c I know where it comes from? Or is there actually some piece of equipment or recording technique that is more common over there that would account for an actual difference in sound? I would love to recapture this sound for my current band.

Thanks,

Kevin
 
Well, I wasn't into any of those bands and I don't know what equipment they used, but there has long been a belief that certain British consoles had a definite sound to their EQ. Perhaps that's what you are perceiving?

Ted
 
Hmmm. Now, I get to ask this because its the Newbie section: what are some British console companies? Not that I'll be buying one, just want to know. And its just the EQ, and not the preamps or anything like that?

Also, this is only something I noticed wrt guitar pop like the bands I mentioned above. I didn't really detect a similar difference between UA and UK metal bands.
 
"The British sound" was certainly present in popmusic some years ago, but I don't think it's due to recording techniques or some vibe in England. I think it's something recordcompanies aimed for to give guys like you ;) the feeling there is something like a british vibe going on. They rely on the fabulous british music history from the sixties and seventies to provide them credebility, but IMHO very few good British music was made since then.
I think it's got something to do with the singers. A lot of them seem to have something in their mouth that's to big to swallow, so they have to sing through their noses. Which certainly has a "special" sound.....Hmm.
 
the_man said:
Hmmm. Now, I get to ask this because its the Newbie section: what are some British console companies? Not that I'll be buying one, just want to know. And its just the EQ, and not the preamps or anything like that?

Also, this is only something I noticed wrt guitar pop like the bands I mentioned above. I didn't really detect a similar difference between UA and UK metal bands.
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Trident, Allen & Heath, Soundcraft.

Ted
 
I never listened to a whole lot of 60's and 70's music, and I certianly didn't when I was in Jr high and High school, so trading on some kind of musical tradition wouldn't have effected me. Are you suggesting that when I first heard, say, James, I thought to myself, "hey, aren't these guys from the same country as the Kinks? Well, then I like 'em!". That's ridiculous.

And its not the singers, because its something you can hear during the instumental passages (if it exists at all). As a counter-example, IMO The Wedding Present didn't really have to much of the "UK" sound I'm thinking of.
 
SSL is also a big one
i read something about an "english" mixing technique. how one engineer noticed that a lot of songs coming from england would have the tom rolls panned opposite the overheads.
 
Well, there is the thing that a lot of British indie records of the 80s were produced in studios that most Americans would consider demo quality at best. Plus we tended to favour dynamics over condensers for miking up amps and close miking drums.

I'm sure someone with more actual experience in the industry could explain it better.
 
I am an American that has done a lot of records in the UK, and its funny to get into this discussion with people. I am not really sure what the difference is. In modern records american records often have the drums a little louder.

Lots of the classic British invasion records were done by American producer Shel Talmy.

I think the whole concept of "British EQ" is a complete joke. Neve and SSL are the two most famous british consoles and the EQs sound nothing alike. I would not call a Trident and a Soundcraft similar EQs. The Oram EQs by the so called Father of British EQ sound nothing like a Neve or SSL.

Talking about British EQ is like talking about the taste of European food.
 
Ronan said:
I am an American that has done a lot of records in the UK, and its funny to get into this discussion with people. I am not really sure what the difference is. In modern records american records often have the drums a little louder.

Lots of the classic British invasion records were done by American producer Shel Talmy.

I think the whole concept of "British EQ" is a complete joke. Neve and SSL are the two most famous british consoles and the EQs sound nothing alike. I would not call a Trident and a Soundcraft similar EQs. The Oram EQs by the so called Father of British EQ sound nothing like a Neve or SSL.

Talking about British EQ is like talking about the taste of European food.
Click to expand...

You're not suggesting that European food doesn't taste different are you???
 
tedluk said:
You're not suggesting that European food doesn't taste different are you???
Click to expand...
NO!!! Just the opposite!!!! Saying there is a British EQ sound is like saying there is a European taste for food. A Vintage Neve EQ is as close to an SSL EQ as Southern Italian food is to Northern Norwegian food. They are completely different! (and I love them both! Food and the EQ!)
 
Ahhh, Ronan, but I'm not talking about a generic European or even British shound that covers Cat Stevens to Judas Priest, I'm talking specifically about the late 80's indie sound. There's kind of lighter, airy, ringish quality to it...
 
i always thought they used a lot of reverb and chorus. guitars seem to be pretty thin sounding with chorus, drums seem to have reverb and flange, bass seems eq'd pretty bright.
 
I would have to agree with Aaronk. What you are hearing is alot of reverb.
ALOT OF REVERB. Europeans ruled pop in the 80's and thats what gives the 80's that sound.

REVERB
 
the_man said:
OK, been holding off on this one for a while now. During my formative musical years, roughly the mid 80's to early 90's, I was listening to a lot of stff coming out of the UK. THe Smiths, James, Stone Roses (awesome record!), Ride, etc, etc. I always thought there was a definite "British vibe" to these records that I never really heard in stuff soming from the US around the same time. I haven't really listened to a lot of current music, so I can't really say whether or not I still hear a difference. But I could swear I could tell if a band was British or American based on how the music sounded (no, smartalecks, I'm not talking about the accents!).

Is this all in my head? Am I imagining it sounds different just b/c I know where it comes from? Or is there actually some piece of equipment or recording technique that is more common over there that would account for an actual difference in sound? I would love to recapture this sound for my current band.

Thanks,

Kevin
Click to expand...
It's not all in your head... even the TECH 21 SansAmp GT2 Tube Amp Emulator has a "British" amp setting. ;)
 
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