Bob Dylan

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mattkw80

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Hey Everybody,

I have been a Bob Dylan fan for years, but since reading his book, anticipating the upcoming movie, and buying more albums, I have been on a serious Bob Dylan kick for the last several weeks.

My questions is, how can I set up to record and mix like his first several albums ?

I know it's just usually a vocal, a harmonica, and an acoustic guitar, but does anybody know anything else about the recording sessions ?

Is it all just 2 mics setup in a big room ?

Can anyone offer any insight on how to record this style of folk/blues 1-guy-and-his-guitar style music ?


Matt
 
There was a thread similar to this in the Newbie forum a couple of months ago and there wasn't much of a response. From listening the the first couple Dylan albums, it sounds like he used a very basic setup with a guitar mic and a vocal mic which handled both vocals and harp. The mixing sounds very basic with the vocal panned hard left and the guitar hard right. It sounds very odd by today's mixing standards and can be a little disorienting through an i-pod or headphones. I'm not sure I would handle it the same way if I were to cover the material or record in a similar style. My first inclination would be to record seperate tracks for guitar, vocal, and harmonica. This would eliminate instruments/vocals bleeding. Of course, some performers are looking for a live sound or are more comfortable playing and singing on one track or in stereo. If that's the case, you probably need to setup mics off axis to minimize bleed or put together some type of baffle.
 
Did he speed up the tape when mixing and/or mastering? I seem to remember some of his tunes were off normal tuning, even the ones with keys.
 
I have heard alot of things in the 60's were mixed that way....

....some instruments panned hard left, and some panned hard right....

I didn't realize that was happening with Bob Dylan's early records.


Matt
 
NYMorningstar said:
Did he speed up the tape when mixing and/or mastering? I seem to remember some of his tunes were off normal tuning, even the ones with keys.
Click to expand...

My guess is that he just tuned the guitar to itself without a piano or tuning fork.
 
mattkw80 said:
I have heard alot of things in the 60's were mixed that way....

....some instruments panned hard left, and some panned hard right....

I didn't realize that was happening with Bob Dylan's early records.


Matt
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, there's an avalance of popular stuff that was done in the early and mid 60's that was panned like that. From Dylan to the Monkees to the Byrds you'll find recordings where everything is hard left, hard right and straight down the middle. Sometimes it was budget. Often times it was because they didn't actually use panning mixers. Either they had no pan at all or they had an old console that actually had a 3-position toggle switch for L/R/L+R.

G.
 
SouthSIDE Glen said:
Oh yeah, there's an avalance of popular stuff that was done in the early and mid 60's that was panned like that. From Dylan to the Monkees to the Byrds you'll find recordings where everything is hard left, hard right and straight down the middle. Sometimes it was budget. Often times it was because they didn't actually use panning mixers. Either they had no pan at all or they had an old console that actually had a 3-position toggle switch for L/R/L+R.

G.
Click to expand...

Does anyone do this now ?

Should I do this now ?
 
I'd say just be honest. The recording should not interfere with that kind of music.
 
mattkw80 said:
Does anyone do this now ?

Should I do this now ?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't. Like Peopleperson said above, the authenticity you are looking for should basically come from the music.
 
SouthSIDE Glen said:
Oh yeah, there's an avalance of popular stuff that was done in the early and mid 60's that was panned like that. From Dylan to the Monkees to the Byrds you'll find recordings where everything is hard left, hard right and straight down the middle. Sometimes it was budget. Often times it was because they didn't actually use panning mixers. Either they had no pan at all or they had an old console that actually had a 3-position toggle switch for L/R/L+R.

G.
Click to expand...

It makes you wonder what current trends will fall by the wayside in the next several decades--either due to equipment changes or shifting tastes. Heavy reverb dropped from favor after the eighties and I suspect heavy compression may go in the future. I hope we won't be disappointed or shocked by everything that's being recorded today. But I think it's a safe assumption.
 
NYMorningstar said:
Did he speed up the tape when mixing and/or mastering? I seem to remember some of his tunes were off normal tuning, even the ones with keys.
Click to expand...

awesome.

i think the early records' sound have a lot to do with the room he's in.

Mike
 
I have some pictures of an early Dylan recording..... no web space.

If someone (that has bandwidth) messages me, I'll email the pics for you to post.
 
thediscoking said:
I have some pictures of an early Dylan recording..... no web space.

If someone (that has bandwidth) messages me, I'll email the pics for you to post.
Click to expand...

Please send them to me at

mattkw80@mnsi.net

That would be awesome, thank you.
 
Looks like a Neumann U67 or M269 on vocals to me.

Can't make out the guitar mics.
 
i remember a guy i recorded not too long ago that was a huge dylan fan. One of the things i remember was how he kept railing me to do better stereo imaging and i couldnt figure out what he was talking about. I was listening to this ultra wide stereo panning on all the instruments. It finally clicked in once i realized he was a huge oldies dylan fan and that he wanted everything panned hard left, center, or right. Although he had pretty good music I remember that being one of my most frustrating mixing sessions. Felt like i was having to relearn my mixing style to a style that no longer existed in todays standard and i was not ready for it :D.

It was also memerable because he idealed Bob so much that he acted how he Bob would supposedly act in the studio. He kept telling me im lucky because Bob Dylan was always railing on the engineers...so he felt inclined to rail on me if i had to get a drink of water or something. Couldnt stand up for 3 days straight. So my impression of Bob Dylan is not in too good standing right now.

:D

Just one of those sessions.

Danny
 
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