Analog Home Recordings

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Jillchaw

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If anyone cares, here are two independently made albums recorded on 8 track "semi pro" recorders by the artists themselves that i think are great musically and production wise

"How I Learned to Write Backwards"- by the Aislers Set-Otari 50/50 8 track in a small room, very limited mics, pres, verbs. Basically this girl Amy Linton recorded it herself and wrote the tunes. There are tracks on this record that are some of the best pop written in 10 years ("Catherine Says").

"Space and Time: a Compendium"- by the Orange Alabaster Mushroom-Teac 80-8 8 track, very limited mics/effects. Namely the tunes "Ethel Tripped a Mean Gloss" and "Space and Time", written by Greg Watson and all instruments played by himself, no band. Recorded at his friend Andrew Heisz house. If anyone wants to hear genius, and i mean pure genius songwriting and arranging, check out "Ethel Tripped A Mean Gloss". That tune could have been a massive radio hit if Greg gave two shits about being famous.

Hopefully the genius of these recordings, made on "semi pro" analog equipment using an sm58 and a cheapie condenser, will help inspire the other people who use tascam/otari. Because this stuff really shows its all about song and creativity, not +db or "room tuning".

For anyone who cares...
 
more gems...

great thread!

google will probably yield more technical data, but the mainstays of the elephant six collective did most of their releases on equipment debated at length in these forums. artists include the apples in stereo, olivia tremor control, neutral milk hotel, late b.p. helium, etc.

the story has been written better elsewhere, but i will put it in a nutshell: a large number of talented people found their voice because a small number of talented people built a studio with help from an indie label that adored them. this kind of unselfish behavior is so... analog. :D

i gotta mention tapeop magazine because it is chock full of high end debate, historical perspective and low end artistry. a great resource for artists who diy on all kinds of budget levels.

others should jump in here...
 
Jillchaw,

I'll definitely check those out, because I am just starting on recording at home with an Otari 1/2" 8-track, and limited everything in terms of gear it seems. But I'll be very interested to hear how these albums turned out on a limited budget. Thanks for the info.

And.... I ordered Tape Op a while ago (like a month and a half) and I still haven't seen an issue. I guess I might have just missed the last issue and need to be patient. :eek:

The email they sent me after I subscribed was saying the next issue was going to come in November of 2005 or something crazy like that. I guess they're not totally updated at the moment. Anyway, whole other topic...

Look forward to those records. :)
 
The Aislers Set - "How I Learned To Write Backwards" - HERE...
sounds interesting. from recording/production point - I'd say: sounds alternative :D
 
Jillchaw said:
If anyone cares, here are two independently made albums recorded on 8 track "semi pro" recorders by the artists themselves that i think are great musically and production wise

"How I Learned to Write Backwards"- by the Aislers Set-Otari 50/50 8 track in a small room, very limited mics, pres, verbs. Basically this girl Amy Linton recorded it herself and wrote the tunes. There are tracks on this record that are some of the best pop written in 10 years ("Catherine Says").

"Space and Time: a Compendium"- by the Orange Alabaster Mushroom-Teac 80-8 8 track, very limited mics/effects. Namely the tunes "Ethel Tripped a Mean Gloss" and "Space and Time", written by Greg Watson and all instruments played by himself, no band. Recorded at his friend Andrew Heisz house. If anyone wants to hear genius, and i mean pure genius songwriting and arranging, check out "Ethel Tripped A Mean Gloss". That tune could have been a massive radio hit if Greg gave two shits about being famous.

Hopefully the genius of these recordings, made on "semi pro" analog equipment using an sm58 and a cheapie condenser, will help inspire the other people who use tascam/otari. Because this stuff really shows its all about song and creativity, not +db or "room tuning".

For anyone who cares...
Click to expand...

A agree with the creativity over the +db and "room tuning" all the way. These two songs show plenty of creativity, but imo missing the "it" factor that makes you want to hear more. I do hear talent but not hearing the genius in the songwriting or recordings. I hear plenty of Beatles here, now we can talk about genius! Actually I was a bit disappointed by the recordings, they're ok and much respect to him, but I didn't find them especially good sounding, way too many effects on the vocals, drums are very low in the mix and the overall sound was piercing my ears a bit. To be fair listening online is not the best way to judge a production, but it's what it is. To each their own, but thanks for the info, always love listening to recordings done with old analog gear.
 
EDAN said:
A agree with the creativity over the +db and "room tuning" all the way. These two songs show plenty of creativity, but imo missing the "it" factor that makes you want to hear more. I do hear talent but not hearing the genius in the songwriting or recordings. I hear plenty of Beatles here, now we can talk about genius! Actually I was a bit disappointed by the recordings, they're ok and much respect to him, but I didn't find them especially good sounding, way too many effects on the vocals, drums are very low in the mix and the overall sound was piercing my ears a bit. To be fair listening online is not the best way to judge a production, but it's what it is. To each their own, but thanks for the info, always love listening to recordings done with old analog gear.
Click to expand...

Ahh, that magical "it" factor ... the elusive wonder-trait that EDAN has and the rest of us can only dream of... Gimme a break; go play with yourself.
 
famous beagle said:
Ahh, that magical "it" factor ... the elusive wonder-trait that EDAN has and the rest of us can only dream of... Gimme a break; go play with yourself.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah!!!? Well, well, well, you just go play with yourself, meanie!

Take that! :rolleyes:
 
It's decent stuff, but I agree with EDAN, it didn't blow me away, and definately not some of the best pop made in the last 10 yrs. What James Mercer and the Shins did on Oh, Inverted World puts this to shame. And don't try to tell me I don't know what I'm talking about, I saw Henry's Dress (members of the Aislers Set) live in Albuquerque several times in the early 90's. Low-fi pop has been done and done, and it's been done better than this.
 
LO-fi pop refers to a certain "sound" and "style" of music, if you will. Bands like Guided By Voices, the Apples in Stereo, the Shins, etc. A lot of these bands are very influenced by pop music from the 60's, and the recording techniques and equipment of the era. The music is considered "lo-fi" because it has a less studio-polished sound , but with a certain simplicity/honesty to it. That's about the best explanation I can come up with...
 
mc437 said:
The music is considered "lo-fi" because it has a less studio-polished sound , ...
Click to expand...
ah, now at least I know why I'm confused... It's because of in my mind: The LESS "studio polishing" of the sound (by today's standards, notions and measurements) most definitely means MORE Hi-Fi.
So, Ricky is a highly polished guy (audibly and visually (Tim, thanks for the visual, btw :)))...and thus perfectly falls into Lo-Fi Pop category . where am I going wrong?
Am I confusing definitions or misunderstanding the true meaning of words like: polishing, studio, low, hi,... ??? :confused:
maybe, I misunderstood definition of the word "fidelity". That must be IT!
Let me try on-line dictionary or something...
....
it gives me, let's see, at least two to choose from:
1. Faithfulness to obligations, duties, or observances
2. The degree to which an electronic system accurately reproduces the sound or image of its input signal
:confused:
hmmmm. which one would you choose? ;)
 
Jillchaw said:
If anyone cares, here are two independently made albums recorded on 8 track "semi pro" recorders by the artists themselves that i think are great musically and production wise

"How I Learned to Write Backwards"- by the Aislers Set-Otari 50/50 8 track in a small room, very limited mics, pres, verbs. Basically this girl Amy Linton recorded it herself and wrote the tunes. There are tracks on this record that are some of the best pop written in 10 years ("Catherine Says").

"Space and Time: a Compendium"- by the Orange Alabaster Mushroom-Teac 80-8 8 track, very limited mics/effects. Namely the tunes "Ethel Tripped a Mean Gloss" and "Space and Time", written by Greg Watson and all instruments played by himself, no band. Recorded at his friend Andrew Heisz house. If anyone wants to hear genius, and i mean pure genius songwriting and arranging, check out "Ethel Tripped A Mean Gloss". That tune could have been a massive radio hit if Greg gave two shits about being famous.

Hopefully the genius of these recordings, made on "semi pro" analog equipment using an sm58 and a cheapie condenser, will help inspire the other people who use tascam/otari. Because this stuff really shows its all about song and creativity, not +db or "room tuning".

For anyone who cares...
Click to expand...

Thanks, but, these days there are like 8,000,000 independently made albums out there on every type of machine imaginable. It take no brains to release an "album"


(It never did, it just amazed the masses in the 70s and 80s)

I would love to be a music exec these days just to hear how some band just released an "album". It must make them mental.
 
Q: How much brains does it take to "release" something dependently.?
A: Non. Not a tiny shred of it.
It does take kissing couple or few ugly as*s though, to say the least.
A*s kissing does not take any brains either. It's easy, unless! you've got some brains, then it's pretty hard... .
If you've got some brains - you use it - you realease something.
If you've got no brains, then the only option for you is to be released.
 
Has anyone else checked out The Bevis Frond? Definately out there sort of stuff, but I like it. His first album was recorded in his bedroom on a Porta One in 86. It's called Miasma, I think his next couple of albums were also on a Porta One (Miasma's sleeve notes specifically name a Porta One whereas the later albums are just noted as being recorded in his bedroom). I think it's pretty cool, definately a good alternative sound for a cassette recording? Love to hear some views from others.
 
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