Equipment used to Record "Back In Black" by AC-DC

Dave-H · Post by **Dave-H** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 12:39 pm

I have a paper to write for recording class & I need info on what was used to record this album. From Mics to tape machine. Any help would be great!

Thanks,
Dave Huffman

stillafool · Post by **stillafool** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 2:18 pm

I'm interested too. I love AC/DC. I read an article by Angus Young a while back and he said the amps he used in the studio were JTM-45s (on 10) through celestion Greenbacks, with no effects, verb or anything. Someone also told me that Bon Scott (oh wait, we're talking about Back in Black) used to sing pretty quietly, contrary to what people think. You could go in the next room, and it was like he was talking or something -- he just compressed the hell out of his voice and cranked the gain -- I'll bet the other singer did something similar.

junkyardtodd · Post by **junkyardtodd** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 2:21 pm

Actually, I heard a cool story about this. Apparently, Lange did not like the sound of the room they recorded in, so he mic'd everything close during tracking. Then at some later point he played everything back through the PA in a good sounding room and recorded that for "room sound".

jaguarsg · Post by **jaguarsg** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 2:36 pm

junkyardtodd wrote:Actually, I heard a cool story about this. Apparently, Lange did not like the sound of the room they recorded in, so he mic'd everything close during tracking. Then at some later point he played everything back through the PA in a good sounding room and recorded that for "room sound".

that seems to be pretty accurate. everything on that album seems very dry and upclose, mic wise. i have no clue what they used, however.

stillafool · Post by **stillafool** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 4:08 pm

I'm pretty sure the guitar article was in Guitar Player maybe 10 or so years ago. Mutt Lange produced the record, I think, and I remember reading something about it. You might want to go to www.projectstudiohandbook.com, and look under the mix files or something like that. I believe Back in Black was in one of Mix Magazines Classic tracks, although I'm not certain.

stillafool wrote:I'm interested too. I love AC/DC. I read an article by Angus Young a while back and he said the amps he used in the studio were JTM-45s (on 10) through celestion Greenbacks, with no effects, verb or anything. Someone also told me that Bon Scott (oh wait, we're talking about Back in Black) used to sing pretty quietly, contrary to what people think. You could go in the next room, and it was like he was talking or something -- he just compressed the hell out of his voice and cranked the gain -- I'll bet the other singer did something similar.

Shawn Simmons · Post by **Shawn Simmons** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 5:05 pm

I once did a session with Brian Johnson of AC/DC. I can definitely say that he did not sing quietly. That dude could belt it out. And curse like a sailor. And tell awesome stories. And twist everything I said into sexual innuendo. And drink more beer before noon than you and I put together.

shawn

Spark · Post by **Spark** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 6:59 pm

Shawn1272 wrote:I once did a session with Brian Johnson of AC/DC. I can definitely say that he did not sing quietly. That dude could belt it out. And curse like a sailor. And tell awesome stories. And twist everything I said into sexual innuendo. And drink more beer before noon than you and I put together.

shawn

Im so jelous!

hammertime · Post by **hammertime** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 7:55 pm

I don't even know if the story about Bon Scott is true -- I heard it from some guy who worked at Sonic Solutions.

The Spark wrote:
Shawn1272 wrote:I once did a session with Brian Johnson of AC/DC. I can definitely say that he did not sing quietly. That dude could belt it out. And curse like a sailor. And tell awesome stories. And twist everything I said into sexual innuendo. And drink more beer before noon than you and I put together.

shawn
Im so jelous!

JGriffin · Post by **JGriffin** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 7:58 pm

I heard a bunch of Neal Schon stories from a guy who used to work for Sonic Solutions.

rolandk · Post by **rolandk** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 8:29 pm

Theres an article in last months Guitar World magazine (yes I'm a dork), I think its December. More about the people than the gear though.

edit- btw, someone from compasspoint studios is a regular on the rep or marsh forums, try a search there.

Rodgre · Post by **Rodgre** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 6:53 am

by the way, has anyone else noticed the edit in the song Back in Black where the hi-hat sounds totally different as soon as the verse starts?

It's like two different takes were edited at that point.

Roger

mysteriousmammal · Post by **mysteriousmammal** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 10:41 am

I haven't noticed the edit, but you can certainly hear the gating going on. just listen to the high-hat volume and how it changes in rhythm to the gate opening and closing. It's quite extreme

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 11:20 am

Rodgre wrote:by the way, has anyone else noticed the edit in the song Back in Black where the hi-hat sounds totally different as soon as the verse starts?

It's like two different takes were edited at that point.

Roger

It would be a pretty common thing at that time. It might be an edit on the multitrack or possibly on the mix. Before massive automation people would mix in sections and splice them together. That could be what you're hearing. I don't have a copy of Back In Black (I have a radio so I don't need the record...

), so I can't comment specifically.

soundguy · Post by **soundguy** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 11:39 am

drumsound wrote:
Rodgre wrote:by the way, has anyone else noticed the edit in the song Back in Black where the hi-hat sounds totally different as soon as the verse starts?

It's like two different takes were edited at that point.

Roger
It would be a pretty common thing at that time. It might be an edit on the multitrack or possibly on the mix. Before massive automation people would mix in sections and splice them together. That could be what you're hearing. I don't have a copy of Back In Black (I have a radio so I don't need the record... ), so I can't comment specifically.

people still dont do this today?

shit there are some bands today that can only PERFORM in sections...

dave

Message Board

Equipment used to Record "Back In Black" by AC-DC

Equipment used to Record "Back In Black" by AC-DC

i thnk they used guitars n stuff....

Re: i thnk they used guitars n stuff....

Who is online