Wendy Carlos' Recording Tips for the Beginner

Girl Toes · Post by **Girl Toes** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 8:43 pm

the album isn't as good as the liner notes. "I hope you enjoy listening to this record as much as we enjoy getting paid for it."

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 1:48 am

So that Peter andtheWolf is a real record?

RefD · Post by **RefD** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 4:01 am

drumsound wrote:So that Peter andtheWolf is a real record?

yes.

IIRC, there was also a feature article on it (Wendy, Weird Al and the making of the album) in Keyboard magazine when it came out.

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 6:30 am

My neighbor just told me that there's an article on WC in MOJO! WTF? Gotta go get that.

He also said that, in it, she claims that there never was a "Walter Carlos." That he was simply the creation of the record company, which wanted a male artist.

RefD · Post by **RefD** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 6:37 am

inverseroom wrote:My neighbor just told me that there's an article on WC in MOJO! WTF? Gotta go get that.

He also said that, in it, she claims that there never was a "Walter Carlos." That he was simply the creation of the record company, which wanted a male artist.

that's really good!

stinkpot · Post by **stinkpot** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 2:32 pm

The Switched on Bach record was my favorite record when I was a kid. I'd put it on every night after dinner and "conduct" along with it (I was about 4 or 6 and a little wierd).

I still love it but it's heading towards being worn out. It's the "Walter" version. Really fun stuff.

;ivlunsdystf · Post by **;ivlunsdystf** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 3:57 pm

Has anybody out there downloaded her MIDI files for the SOB series (elsewhere on her website)? I will do as soon as I get back home next week. I realize that it's just a bunch of sequenced Bach but I want to tinker with it.

apropos of nothing · Post by **apropos of nothing** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 1:33 pm

Wow, I had no idea I was opening such a can of worms by posting a link. Not my intention.

That Peter and the Wolf looks amazing!

If anyone is interested in THAT story, there's a reasonable amount about it (handled in a way I presume she's comfortable with) as a sidebar in "Analog Days, the Invention and Impact of the Moog Synthesizer", which is an awesome book to read anyway.

One of my favorite Wendy bits is a rant she wrote in the Last Whole Earth Catalog regarding the state of the synthesizer industry in 197...3? Hysterrical. fills nearly a page worth of text of her railing against the technical (and finiancial) limitations of the times.

Her website is pretty cool.

Inverseroom, definitely try and get an interview! I would LOVE to read that.

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 3:03 pm

apropos of nothing wrote:If anyone is interested in THAT story, there's a reasonable amount about it (handled in a way I presume she's comfortable with) as a sidebar in "Analog Days, the Invention and Impact of the Moog Synthesizer", which is an awesome book to read anyway.

Yeah, that's my friend's book.

And that sidebar was the problem. But he's a great guy, and that's a great book.

No response from Wendy yet...but given the MOJO thing, maybe she's becoming more comfortable with press attention. I hope so anyhow!

RefD · Post by **RefD** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:52 pm

it'd be so very groovy if this works out.

BrianK · Post by **BrianK** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:55 am

inverseroom wrote:
Knights Who Say Neve wrote:"Beauty in the Beast" is one of the few "alternate tuning" records (from someone with a western academic background) I've heard that is actually good, listenable music. Well worth checking out.
My favorite in that category is Terry Riley's "Shri Camel"--all done on a Yamaha combo organ customized with just intonation. I listen to it all the time, actually, and i don't even smoke pot.

But Wendy's album has SOUNDS you've never heard (certainly beyond Riley's famous Farfisa, and not from synth or real instruments) and music far beyond the scales on a 12-note organ keyboard. It's an amazing combination of things.

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:20 am

BrianK wrote:
inverseroom wrote:
Knights Who Say Neve wrote:"Beauty in the Beast" is one of the few "alternate tuning" records (from someone with a western academic background) I've heard that is actually good, listenable music. Well worth checking out.
My favorite in that category is Terry Riley's "Shri Camel"--all done on a Yamaha combo organ customized with just intonation. I listen to it all the time, actually, and i don't even smoke pot.
But Wendy's album has SOUNDS you've never heard (certainly beyond Riley's famous Farfisa, and not from synth or real instruments) and music far beyond the scales on a 12-note organ keyboard. It's an amazing combination of things.

My, my, Brian. FARFISA!??! You of all people should know it was a Yamaha YC-45D

I definitely need to get that Carlos record though. I'll order one today...

Girl Toes · Post by **Girl Toes** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 7:31 am

Is this just her newer record, or, i mean... i only have Peter And the Wolf, and Switched on Bach. Are most of her records like that, whats recommended???

Hey IR, I dare you to show up to the interview in a dress.

AstroDan · Post by **AstroDan** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 1:10 pm

All I have to say is...the opening credits of The Shining.

BrianK · Post by **BrianK** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 3:45 am

There are MANY more Shining cues and bits in her new CD's "Lost Scores"; some of her very best work is on there, suprisingly for "outtakes".

Terry Riley used a Farfisa live, I used to have the same exact model - I don't like the music myself, so I beg to be excused!

Best work from her - VERY hard to say. If you like classical music done on a synth, I'd say Clockwork Orange, or Switched on Bach II. If you like weird sounds (really unusual ones) try Beauty and the Beast. There's also "Sonic Seasonings", which is an "experimental/ambient" synth album that recreates the seasons of the year pretty effectively....

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Wendy Carlos' Recording Tips for the Beginner

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