The Shadows FBI album - very helpful

[dave robinson]

Mine arrived this morning and is playing as I write. We're at Wonderful Land now at the Palladium and what I have learned from this has been well worth the money spent on the CD.

'THAT SOUND' as we call it - for me it's those original recordings of Apache, Man Of Mystery, FBI and so on. It has just been proved beyond doubt.

It is unique and I have yet to hear any of us nail it perfectly and I'm now beginning to understand why.
THAT SOUND was created in the Abbey Road Studio and I think I can explain why this is the case. The recordings at the BBC and Paris Olympia were made using the same guitars, amps and echo boxes, but don't come any closer than most of us here who have tried. The core sound is apparent but anybody with the same kit will get similar sound, Hank or not.
I would cite Move It and The Beatles first album as examples of what I'm trying to get across here.

So what is it ? I believe that something added in the studio is the magic ingredient though I'm not yet certain about what it is. I've long suspected that there's a subtle EQ in the reverb somewhere or an EQ curve in the final mix or cutting process, maybe harmonics, but I honestly don't know. I intend to find out and I'll be looking at something that I never bothered with on my Logic Pro X with until now - Maybe the Exciter ! It's a tool in the final mix that I never explored but I tried it yesterday on something I was playing around with and it turned my head, as it was in the area we're talking here.
They would have had a box that does this at Abbey Road, though probably called something else.

Back to the album and I'm enjoying it immensely, though the quality deteriorates on the last few tracks, but the general sound of the old Shadows is great and for me, the live recordings are a very close sound to the Kingston album, which it should be as it's the Strat, Vox, Meazzi combination.

What I am saying is, whatever it was that turned my head and blew me away as a teenager came out of Abbey Road Studios, not necessarily from a music shop.

[RogerCook]

I've only just dipped in to my cd but first impressions are like yours, Dave.

I suppose Abbey Road was pretty much at the cutting edge of recording at the time. Ribbon mics, REDD47 mic preamps, Pultec compressors and the legendary reverb chambers and the natural room reverb would all have played their part, plus whatever tweaks were applied by the recording engineers and in mastering.

Fascinating stuff!

[dave robinson]

FBI, is totally is THAT SOUND and when the CD sprang into life it had the same effect on me as it did back in 1961.
I have yet to hear anyone make FBI sound like that does, even though there is another example on this CD from 'Crackerjack' (which is the one that sold The Shadows to me in the first place) . I' have never heard the rhythm guitar sound that way, even when The Shadows have played it in front of me live. It's always intrigued me as it sounds as though there's more than one rhythm guitar, as well as the fact that there's echo present.
I feel a thorough investigation coming on . . . .

[manofmystery]

Hi,
There is a third guitar on FBI which you can hear under headphones.

Regards

Paul

[abstamaria]

That is exciting. Is that the new CD titled “F.B.I.” subject of another post? From Leo’s Den?

Andy

[dave robinson]

Yes it is Andy

[dave robinson]

Hi,
There is a third guitar on FBI which you can hear under headphones.

Regards

Paul

I always thought there was, but in 1961 they didn't have multi track so must have done some 'bouncing'.

[abstamaria]

Yes it is Andy

Many thanks, Dave. I’ll try to get a copy.

Best,

Andy

[drakula63]

Mine arrived this morning. I shall be self isolating in the conservatory tonight and listening to it!

[manofmystery]

Hi,
There is a third guitar on FBI which you can hear under headphones.

Regards

Paul

I always thought there was, but in 1961 they didn't have multi track so must have done some 'bouncing'.

Which was always risky. Tony covered the session in Shadsfax but there was no mention of any additonal work on the track.