Old Time Recording

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cjacek

cjacek

Analogue Enthusiast
Hello,

I was just wondering ... (Ok, this really has been burning on my mind for some time). What compressors, if any, were used in the 1940's or 1950's ? I mean, I was listening to Mario Lanza recently and it must have been from the early 50's recording or a bit earlier, and even though A LOT of vocal power was generated by Lanza, NO mic overload or severe clipping occured ! The sound of his recorded voice did NOT seem to be compressed at all and yet, amazing dynamic range was obtained. Vocally or his vocal recording seemed better technically than the over-compressed stuff put out now. Can any one expalain ? Thanks.

Dan

PS What is the best, but easy to understand, book about recording ?
 
No compressors back then, just a guy rideing the volume nob.
Actually,I guess they had the best tools ever made (the human ear).
 
first of all is those days when people did ride the fader, there are quite a few
Tracks with diatortion on them.

But the singers in those days also used a xinging technique of moving back and foward from the mic as they sung.

Good singers use this technique all the time.
 
Shailat said:
first of all is those days when people did ride the fader, there are quite a few
Tracks with diatortion on them.

But the singers in those days also used a xinging technique of moving back and foward from the mic as they sung.

Good singers use this technique all the time.
Click to expand...

Ok, if quite a few of the tracks had distortion on them then how was this fixed for distribution ?

Thanks.

Dan
 
They were redone. But on quite a few tracks they just wern't fixed.

Listen to some old movie tracks you can clearly hear some distortion every know and then.
 
"Ok, if quite a few of the tracks had distortion on them then how was this fixed for distribution?"

It's hard to find a record coming out of 60's Motown or Muscle Shoals that DOESN'T have distortion...

Old Aretha tracks, Little Stevie Wonder, and Wilson Pickett hits are loaded with distortion...

I like it, personally...

And compressors were being used back then on vocal tracks, but fingers played a larger role in vocal dynamics than they seem to these days...
 
"Old Aretha tracks, Little Stevie Wonder, and Wilson Pickett hits are loaded with distortion...

I like it, personally..."

Me too !! I must say that I also like a bit of "mic overload" and a more natural dynamic sound. Vocal tracks that "jump out" of the mix are also great !

Dan
 
In the 60's we used old AWA (Australian Wireless Sumthin) valve compressors.They had been round for years. They had a round VU meter on the front and an input and output control. i know a bloke who has two of them. They are worth gold today if you can get one that's been recapped and rebalanced. Also in those days they would record to two or three machines all set 3db down from each other so if it went over on one they still had it on the next one etc. In 67 we got a compressor from EMI London that actually had a delay in front of a few ms so it had a minus attack time, also valve.
But really - mike technique was the key then.

cheers
john
 
John Sayers said:
In the 60's we used old AWA (Australian Wireless Sumthin) valve compressors.They had been round for years. They had a round VU meter on the front and an input and output control. i know a bloke who has two of them. They are worth gold today if you can get one that's been recapped and rebalanced. Also in those days they would record to two or three machines all set 3db down from each other so if it went over on one they still had it on the next one etc. In 67 we got a compressor from EMI London that actually had a delay in front of a few ms so it had a minus attack time, also valve.
But really - mike technique was the key then.

cheers
john
Click to expand...

Very interesting ... Thank You !

Dan
 
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