The Evolution of Record Production

Question 1

By what date does the role of a producer begin to evolve?

Answer 1

Mid 1960s

Question 2

How do producers influence and shape music?

Answer 2

They use loops, different instruments, and position microphones in a certain way to manipulate sound

Question 3

Give 3 examples of renowned producers

Answer 3

1. Les Paul
2. Phil Specter
3. George Martin

Question 4

Les Paul (2 points)

Answer 4

1. Worked with record cutters and lathes and tape machines (How high the Moon 1940)
2. Les Paul - invented and created a famous guitar named a Les Paul - invented what is now known as the multi-track studio (Caravan 1976)

Question 5

Phil Specter

Answer 5

Producer.
Used the electronics and the acoustics of the studio to create what he called the wall of sound (Be my Baby by the Ronetts)

Question 6

George Martin was the producer for (2)

Answer 6

the Beatles and the Beach Boys

Question 7

Producers must understand both:

Answer 7

tech and music

Question 8

Give an ex. of how technology changes music

Answer 8

Because Vinyl music on a wax cylinder had a limited amount of space, artists could only record 3 minutes of a track. → hot/fast jazz
When recording it in the studio, the jazz players would play insanely fast in order to meet this time while irl it would be a longer track.

Question 9

What is the story behind how Les Paul created the multi-track studio?

Answer 9

He broke his elbow → wanted to play the guitar as if he hadn’t → engineered and musically invented a contraption so that he could double track his guitar lines

Question 10

Jack Neitzsche

Answer 10

Engineer who worked with Phil Spector

Question 11

What did Phil Spector and Jack Neitzsche (engineer)
see and apply differently in the multi-track studio?

Answer 11

early 60s → other producers (Phil Spector) used this multi-track studio differently, they saw it as an instrument on its own.

Question 12

What studio did this lead to for Phil Spector and Jack Neitzsche (engineer)?

Answer 12

→ The Wall of Sound (also known as the Spector Sound)

Question 13

How did Phil Spector and Jack Neitzsche (engineer) perfect the formula for the wall of sound?

Answer 13

→ The sound you would hear played back in the recordings wasn’t the same if you heard it live
→ double, triple, quadruple tracking the instruments (bass and drums)

Question 14

The Wall of Sound

Answer 14

A music production formula perfected for listening on 60s eras jukeboxes and AM radios. It was developed by Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios.

Question 15

Music transformed from a performance medium to a –

Answer 15

constructive medium

Question 16

4 Benefits of a producer

Answer 16

1. Provide more control for the artist
2. Producer can imprint their own style onto the artists sound to make it identifiable by bringing out their sonic and musical taste
3. Facilitate an artist’s process. Have a similar interest/vision as the artist’s vision
4. Brings out the best of the artist.

Question 17

Give an example of an artist who benefitted from working with their producer:

Answer 17

Aretha Franklin - Producer was
→ He knew that her voice would be best suited for soulful, church type of music so he continued to produce her songs in this manner.