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 Forum index » How-tos » Production - engineering/mixing
Obsessed with Raymond Scott, so I gotta ask...
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opg



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PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 3:50 pm    Post subject: Obsessed with Raymond Scott, so I gotta ask...
Subject description: I know what he used, but why does it sound great?
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I hope I don't get jailed for this (I'll just break out of prison like Frank Lee Morris), but I am posting a great little clip Raymond Scott did for a Nescafe commercial back in the 50s. I'm just fascinated by how it sounds, compared to everything I've tried to make and what others have tried to replicate. This feels like a newbie question, but I gotta ask.

Listen closely and you can actually hear the little static/noise when he is switching patterns. You can almost SEE a toggle switch when it changes. Very cool!

How are the percussive sounds so "close to your ears?" It's obviously recorded on tape, so I can assume natural tape saturation. There must be something else, no? I guess a little spectrogramming couldn't hurt, either...


1-26 Nescafe.mp3
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elektro80
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 3:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I would need to listen to a better transfer in order to come up with suggestions, but you can get similar yourself by amping and miking instead of using a direct line input. It also sounds like there have been some line transformers involved here, some clipping, he is using tubetech, the tape is thick but with a limited frequency response.

Try getting different types of speakers and try recording close to the cone. Old drivers from late 60s TVs are cool. Paper cones! I love those.

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opg



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PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 4:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Right! Miking an amp! I remember doing that to a drum loop several years ago (and it was only a Fender bass amp) and being really impressed.

Thanks!

And you know I've got old equipment lying around... Rolling Eyes

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 3:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

elektro80 wrote:

Try getting different types of speakers and try recording close to the cone. Old drivers from late 60s TVs are cool. Paper cones! I love those.


It's worth collecting old loudspeakers- especially these types. The 'quirky' ones.

Once you've got a few old cones, put them all in a nice enclosed wooden box with a rotary switch to turn each one on in succession. Far better than any digital 'speaker simulator'!

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

i might be right off track, but Raymond Scott used a lot of electro-mechanical equipment - his sequencer was literally a revolving disk and he had banks of relays doing ...well....only he knew.
I'm sure relays would put a lot of character ( = clicking noise) into his recordings.

nice clip btw
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v-un-v
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

andrewF wrote:
i
I'm sure relays would put a lot of character ( = clicking noise) into his recordings.

nice clip btw


Apparently, the noise from all those clicking relays was so loud you couldn't actually hear the music being created. It was only until the tape was played back, then you could hear the actual recording!

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IST NICHT FÜR GEWERKEN BEI DUMMKOPFEN. DER RUBBERNECKEN SIGHTSEEREN KEEPEN DAS COTTONPICKEN HÄNDER IN DAS POCKETS MUSS.
ZO RELAXEN UND WATSCHEN DER BLINKENLICHTEN.
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opg



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PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 5:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

v-un-v wrote:
Apparently, the noise from all those clicking relays was so loud you couldn't actually hear the music being created. It was only until the tape was played back, then you could hear the actual recording!


Hmm. Just like the damn fan on my PC! Mad

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PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:15 am    Post subject: Re: Obsessed with Raymond Scott, so I gotta ask...
Subject description: I know what he used, but why does it sound great?
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opg wrote:
I hope I don't get jailed for this (I'll just break out of prison like Frank Lee Morris), but I am posting a great little clip Raymond Scott did for a Nescafe commercial back in the 50s. I'm just fascinated by how it sounds, compared to everything I've tried to make and what others have tried to replicate. This feels like a newbie question, but I gotta ask.

Listen closely and you can actually hear the little static/noise when he is switching patterns. You can almost SEE a toggle switch when it changes. Very cool!

How are the percussive sounds so "close to your ears?" It's obviously recorded on tape, so I can assume natural tape saturation. There must be something else, no? I guess a little spectrogramming couldn't hurt, either...


This may help to ease your obsession

www.electro-music.com/forum/post-229459.html#229459

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PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 3:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

funnily enough Ken Stone has posted a relay based sequencer
http://www.cgs.synth.net/tube/programmer.html
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:23 am    Post subject: Re: Obsessed with Raymond Scott, so I gotta ask...
Subject description: I know what he used, but why does it sound great?
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cappy2112 wrote:

This may help to ease your obsession

www.electro-music.com/forum/post-229459.html#229459


right Shocked

Quote:
The topic or post you requested does not exist


Shocked

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PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 9:28 am    Post subject: Re: Obsessed with Raymond Scott, so I gotta ask...
Subject description: I know what he used, but why does it sound great?
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seraph wrote:
cappy2112 wrote:

This may help to ease your obsession

www.electro-music.com/forum/post-229459.html#229459


right Shocked

Quote:
The topic or post you requested does not exist


Shocked


I posted a msg regarding the Raymond Scott documentary- because it looked like it is almost finished. But then I saw State Machine had posted a similar msg back in 2006.I then delete my post- but forgot about this one Sad

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 8:17 am    Post subject: Re: Obsessed with Raymond Scott, so I gotta ask...
Subject description: I know what he used, but why does it sound great?
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cappy2112 wrote:
but forgot about this one :(


Still going into the void may help overcome obsessions ...

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also .. could someone please turn down the thermostat a bit.
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