timinbovey
New member
Been poking around the web for a few days and mostly finding that no one seems to be doing what I plan on doing.
Going back to old school. One mic, one track. Mono. Then cut lacquer records from the tape.
I've been using the old school gear for decades. I have at hand full track mono reel to reel machines in fine working order, and a collection of various
record cutting lathes from the 1930's - 1950's.
I've studied the techniques used in the PBS special "American Epic" where they used one mic with a direct to disc recorder restored from 1925 to record
a ton of contemporary musicians with excellent results. I've also studied the work of Joe Bussard at Fonotone Records, the last commercial producer of
78's who recorded everything one mic straight into the mic input of a full track Ampex 601.
The intent is recording small groups, from solo guys picking, picking and singing, duets or pickers and singers, small groups (bass, guitar, banjo, jug, harmonica, etc...)
to early jazz arrangements (think 1920'a). Back then this was always done with one mic, one track.
Look up some of their work. The quality is amazing.
I'm kicking around mic ideas. The folks at The 78 Project used one Shure 51 for everything. Joe at Fonotone, based on all the studio pictures I can find did most of it with
an Electrovoice 664, although in one interview he mentions an "old ribbon mic" but doesn't elaborate. The American Epic Sessions used a few different condenser mics from the 1930's, depending on the player.
I have a variety of vintage mics. Just wondering what modern recordists might choose to use in the instance of recording a small group (1-6) acoustic players and or singers.
Condenser mics are out. Recording direct to to disc or full track vintage tape provides no phantom power, and I want to stick to "old school" and as basic as I can. The goal
is to rely on simplicity of technology and the technique of the players to make the recordings.
If you search Yotube for "fonotone" you can listen to lots of those recordings, and if you search for "american epic the sessions" you can watch many of those recordings as they are recorded. I'm especially fond of the Jack White number.
Is anyone around here doing this sort of thing?
Tim in Bovey
Going back to old school. One mic, one track. Mono. Then cut lacquer records from the tape.
I've been using the old school gear for decades. I have at hand full track mono reel to reel machines in fine working order, and a collection of various
record cutting lathes from the 1930's - 1950's.
I've studied the techniques used in the PBS special "American Epic" where they used one mic with a direct to disc recorder restored from 1925 to record
a ton of contemporary musicians with excellent results. I've also studied the work of Joe Bussard at Fonotone Records, the last commercial producer of
78's who recorded everything one mic straight into the mic input of a full track Ampex 601.
The intent is recording small groups, from solo guys picking, picking and singing, duets or pickers and singers, small groups (bass, guitar, banjo, jug, harmonica, etc...)
to early jazz arrangements (think 1920'a). Back then this was always done with one mic, one track.
Look up some of their work. The quality is amazing.
I'm kicking around mic ideas. The folks at The 78 Project used one Shure 51 for everything. Joe at Fonotone, based on all the studio pictures I can find did most of it with
an Electrovoice 664, although in one interview he mentions an "old ribbon mic" but doesn't elaborate. The American Epic Sessions used a few different condenser mics from the 1930's, depending on the player.
I have a variety of vintage mics. Just wondering what modern recordists might choose to use in the instance of recording a small group (1-6) acoustic players and or singers.
Condenser mics are out. Recording direct to to disc or full track vintage tape provides no phantom power, and I want to stick to "old school" and as basic as I can. The goal
is to rely on simplicity of technology and the technique of the players to make the recordings.
If you search Yotube for "fonotone" you can listen to lots of those recordings, and if you search for "american epic the sessions" you can watch many of those recordings as they are recorded. I'm especially fond of the Jack White number.
Is anyone around here doing this sort of thing?
Tim in Bovey