How did Bob (Dylan) record his debut album ??

[konabuzz]

Hey, all....

Got a question for ya --

I'm asking on behalf of a young, incredibly literate and prolific folksinger from Minnesota for whom I've recorded a few demos. He's Bob's biggest fan, and does emulate Bob, though not slavishly -- he's got a number of tricks up his sleeve to call his own. Stylistically he does shoot strongly for the early Bob, but his songwriting is of the moment and is frankly scarily good at times. He's got a bright future, I'm certain...and I'm glad to have been there at the beginning to help him out a little.

We'd like to replicate to a large degree the spartan sound of Bob's first Columbia debut, "produced" by John Hammond, in '62, I believe. I've attempted to preach the point that 90% of the album's power lies with the performance, and in fact, the recording itself is rather pedestrian, and was done quickly. Nevertheless, it has a charm.

When I rip it to a .wav, I see it's done in stereo, or at least 2 track. Vocal on one, guitar on the other. When I solo each, it's incredible what separation was achieved for a live recording! There is almost no bleed at all -- just faintly evident. Now I defer to you all -- how did they get that level of separation? Figure 8 patterned mic? Two mics? Gobo's in between somehow? According to this wiki......

"The album was ultimately recorded in two short afternoon sessions on November 20th and 22nd. Hammond later joked that Columbia spent "about $402" to record it, and the figure has entered the Dylan legend as its actual cost. Despite the low cost and short amount of time, Dylan was still difficult to record, according to Hammond. "Bobby popped every p, hissed every s, and habitually wandered off mike," recalls Hammond. "Even more frustrating, he refused to learn from his mistakes. It occurred to me at the time that I'd never worked with anyone so undisciplined before."

A total of seventeen songs were recorded, and five of the album's chosen tracks were actually cut in single takes ("Baby Let Me Follow You Down," "In My Time Of Dyin'," "Gospel Plow," "Highway 51 Blues," and "Freight Train Blues") while the master take of "Song For Woody" was recorded after one false start. The album's four outtakes were also cut in single takes."

I don't know......if he was that much of a spaz, and they were able to pull that kind of recording out of the air....I'd damn well like to know how.

What would've been the typical signal chain back in '62 at Columbia Studios in New York? Ribbons? any kind of compressor at all? All tube pre's of course. Wonder what format tape?

Any thoughts??

Thanks!!

[Mix413]

The Columbia 30th Street studio in 1962 was the pinnacle of modern sound recording. Audiowise, it's been downhill ever since. Most every "improvement" since then was implemented for convenience, not sound quality.

[joeysimms]

I've never heard the stereo version, I wasn't aware the 2 tracks were that separate. I LOVE 'Highway 51' and 'Fixin To Die'. Also, his version of Jesse Fuller's 'You're No Good' was the first song I ever learned.

[leigh]

This book will have some more detail:

Bob Dylan : The Recording Sessions, 1960-1994
by Clinton Heylin
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/031215 ... e&n=283155

But not to the level of what was the signal chain...

Leigh

[curtiswyant]

It was two ribbons panned LR...'tis all I know.

[tonewoods]

When I think of the Columbia 30th St. studios, I'm thinking M-49's and U-47's....

"Temples of Sound" has a pic (page 180) of Dylan circa '63 set up in the middle of the huge room. You can't see what mic is on the stand, but you can see the power supply....

[ukejammin]

The album was ultimately recorded in two short afternoon sessions on November 20th and 22nd.



Holy shit, I was born November 20 1962
I think I need to revisit that album.

[creature.of.habit]

there was a neumann in his guitar i think, and a ribbon for vocals, or the other way around.

if you want to get the acoustic sound, you don't necessarly need a J50 from that time (believe me, i know), what you need is a decent gibson with old or flatwound strings.

i recall reading Hammond talking about the desk used, cause it was on one of the secondary rooms, so it was one of the "lesser" (haha) rooms/desk, the panning on that desk was either center, hard right or hard left, hence the sound in the album, it wasnt on purpose, it was just that kind of board and all they could use.

many people dont know this, but he also had a martin on those sessions, and if you listen closely, you can tell the songs where he's playing the gibson and vice versa. but that's me. it was a D28 of some sort. cant be too sure, but it was def. a D28 shapped Martin.

wich guitar does the fella has? i remember reading your other thread about separation, and heard some promise as well. although i do think he's going for a Hayden vocal thing much more than Dylan.

idd say (from my limited experience), use colorful preamps (something fat and fizzy), dont use reverb unless you really have to, mic the guitar closely, as close as possible with possibly an omni..

just my opinion.

[creature.of.habit]

btw, let us hear the results again ok? i liked your recording a lot when i heard those first two tracks..idd like to hear more, especially once you're done mixing that session konabuzz.

[jeddypoo]

I would say that anyone looking to recreate vocals sounds from the early and mid sixties is well advised to use a ribbon mic.