Ben Folds +/- Five

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HabitualG

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I have been listening to Ben Fols and Ben Folds Five non-stop for the past few weeks and I must say that their records sound pretty damn good. I wanted to know if anyone knew or could guess how they got such a good piano sound, especially on the first record (Ben Folds Five self-titled). Thanks!
 
If anyone has thought on this I'd appreciate it too. I am recording a guy this weekend that wants to sound like BF5.

Kevin.
 
It may have something to do with the mega-gazillion dollars their label has . . . or the quality of the piano they use, which likely cost like a zillion dollars, itself . . . or the studio in which it was recorded, which likely cost another couple bazillion to design and another gazillion to maintain, not to mention the talent of Ben Folds himself, which is pretty high, etc. etc. etc.
 
chessrock said:
It may have something to do with the mega-gazillion dollars their label has . . . or the quality of the piano they use, which likely cost like a zillion dollars, itself . . . or the studio in which it was recorded, which likely cost another couple bazillion to design and another gazillion to maintain, not to mention the talent of Ben Folds himself, which is pretty high, etc. etc. etc.
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Actually he can barely play chopsticks. That was one of the first albums where they had to use AutoTune on a piano. As I recall most of the playing was an a Schafer & Sons spinet recorded with a Nady mic through an Audio Buddy.
 
Oops. My bad. I thought he was talkin' about Rockin' the Suburbs.


"Rockin' the Audio Buddy . . .

Just like Ben Folds +/- 5 did.

I'm rockin' the Audio Buddy . . .

Except that he wasn't talented."
 
I think, on my copy of Whatever and Ever Amen, it says it was recorded by Ben on a 4-track cassette unit. When I first read that, I was like, "holy shit!"

Because it sounds really damn good. Especially the piano sound.
 
TexRoadkill said:
Actually he can barely play chopsticks. That was one of the first albums where they had to use AutoTune on a piano. As I recall most of the playing was an a Schafer & Sons spinet recorded with a Nady mic through an Audio Buddy.
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You've obviously never seen the guy live!!!!
He's god damn crazy

I know the stuff with the five was usualy setting up a few mics in the house and recording. On Stevens Last Night In Town (2:54) you can quite easily hear a phone ringing in the background (used to freek me out untill i realised it was the song, not my brain playing tricks on me :))

I'd imagine the self titled one was very low budget

Rockin' The Suburbs was recorded in my lovely city (and Ben's) of Adelaide at Krell. I think i remember reading an article where he was talking about how much diffent the process was from the less professional recording for his other stuff. But i certianly wouldnt call Krell a very high end 'which likely cost another couple bazillion to design and another gazillion to maintain' its mainly used by small local artists.

God its great to talk on here about something i actualy know a fair bit about :D

Oh yeah and i dont know if they had auto tune when for the bands first album, but i could be wrong.
 
I guess I stand corrected.

I am an idiot . . . (surveys damage to flame suit)
 
wasnt whatever and ever amen recorded to an da38 in someones house? or maybe was it two of them?
 
Self Titled and Whatever and Ever... were both recorded in the home of Ben Folds in NC.
 
Wow, people who actually know the band. Makes a change from the stupidity of people I know :)

Great stuff eh
 
Hey guys,

I found this on a geocities site so take that into consideration. I hope this helps.


"Whatever and Ever Amen was recorded through two Mackie 1604 consoles onto two TASCAM DA-88s with an RC-848 remote locator. For mic preamps, they used a Neve 1073 and 1272, and a Telefunken V72 and V76. Vocals were recorded with a Neumann U48 for Ben, a Sony C-48 for Darren, and an AT 4033 for Robert. Ben's Steinway was miked with a Neuman U48, an AT 4033, and a Shure SM7. Drum mics for Darren included a Shure SM7 and five SM57s, three Sony C-48s, and two AKG 460s. Robert's acoustic bass was recorded through a C-ducer pickup and an AKG 460, and his Fender through an AM-7, an SM57, and a Stewart active DI. For vocals, they carry three Shure SM58s and plug them into the club PA system."
 
wes480 said:
rockin the suberbs was recorded in an abandoned church, as i recall.
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Krell is located in an old church,. Couldnt say how much of Krell's equipment they used though.
 
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