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Posted By: Jim Liddane on: 08/28/2008 17:29:10 EDT
Subject: RE: A note about Gary Lewis' 8/24/68 entry

Message Detail:
Jeff suggests that on his hit recordings, Gary's voice was mixed with voices other than his own.

I think if he listens again, he will find that on most of the Liberty tracks, Gary's voice was not so much mixed with other voices, as re-mixed with his own - using a primitive form of ADT.

Snuff picked up this technique from Norman Petty who had double-tracked Buddy Holly in 1957/58 on tracks like "Listen To Me" and "I'm Gonna Love You Too", and who had in turn, himself "borrowed" the idea from Les Paul and Mary Ford.

Howeveer, these double tracks were primarily harmonic, and required the singer to re-record each track in harmony - a sort of Everly Brothers effect - a technique which required some skill by both the vocalist and the engineer.

Indeed, if you listen to the two Buddy Holly demos made for the Everly Brothers (in particular "Wishing") - you will hear the effect to its best advantage.

When Snuff went to work with Liberty in 1959, he used this technique to great effect with Bobby Vee ("Devil Or Angel - "Rubber Ball" - More Than I Can Say), and many other Liberty artists, including the Crickets ("Don't Ever Change" - "Parisian Girl" - "My Little Girl").

Lots of producers also borrowed the idea - and you can hear the result on Bryan Hyland ("Sealed With A Kiss"), Ricky Nelson ("Hello Mary Lou") etc..

The concept was brought to its ultimate conclusion by Gene Pitney when he did all the lead vocals, and for good measure, the background vocals too!

However, the idea of strengthening a solo voice using - not a harmony line, but the same lead line - actually went back to the mid fifties, although I feel it is heard to its best advantage on the early 1960's recording by US Bonds such as "Quarter To Three" etc.

It was still a tedious process, but luckly, the invention of ADT ("Automatic Double Tracking") units meant the painstaking job of "doubling" the lead vocal main line could be dispensed with, and Snuff used the technique very effectively with Gary Lewis and others.

ADT units were quite cheap, and very simple, and were then, and still are indeed, used on stage.

In fact, I am surprised that a few 60's acts that used ADT in the studios, do not now use it live on stage.

Of course, by the 1970's, Vocoders were capable of even greater trickery (listen to ELO), and nowadays, what you sound like is what you get has been replaced by what you sound like is nothing compared with what we can do to you with a little bit of manipulation.

Now, programmes exist which enable an average singer, who can more or less hold a note, to sound like any star he likes (as long as a programmer has inputted that star's vocal nuances into the PC), which is why I sort of prefer the 50's and early 60's.

Before the computers - singers sounded as good (or as bad) - as they really were.

Nowadays, I could be Elvis.

OK - with wrinkles.

And without the hair.

And stooped.

But apart from that - just like Elvis.

OK - so I cannot remember the words either.

But apart from that, you would not know the difference.

OK - the room would have to be in darkness as well.

But otherwise....

Listen - Elvis lives (except that nowadays he is based in Ireland).

OK?

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