Posts from 2008 on compressors, picking, and so on

[abstamaria]

Going through old files, I found a printed compilation of messages on Shadowmusic (if the forum was already called that then) posted in 2008. The messages were very detailed and contained much information on compressors used in Abbey Road when the Shadows were recording, the “nasal“ tone of Atlantis and tunes recorded at about the same time, limiters, Malcolm Addey, Hank’s picking position, and so many other interesting things. The messages were not casual posts and sounded almost scholarly at times. Paul Rossiter, Spike, Dick Busser,Alain, others contributed. The objective then was capturing The Sound, not just to get into the ballpark. Fascinating stuff, snd wonderful to retread. I’m glad I printed that 12 years ago.

Dick Busser wrote, “Even if we had the right vintage studio gear in the right spaces, we would almost have to reverse-engineer the settings for each mini-era to come close to the sound of each. Now, add to that the translational complexity of having to approximate that with quite different gear and spaces, then a sane person would have surrendered long ago. But we are not sane, are we.“

Alain wrote then, “With that rainy weather in Sweden, it’s quite a sheer pleasure to read those long-winded messages….“

Several thousands of miles away and some 12 years later, on this rainy day on this tropical island, I have to agree with Alain.

[Iain Purdon]

Best post of the year to date!

[abstamaria]

Thanks, Iain. The level of detail in the posts then was amazing. We were all so much into That Sound. And much younger.

Warm regards,

Andy