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Posted: |
Aug 21, 2010 - 10:32 AM
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By: |
Ed Nassour
(Member)
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Exactly. Capitol used an 8-channel mixer, with close miking, and mixed on-the-fly to mono, with effects such as reverb being added directly to the master. Total quality control - the great Roy DuNann, later of Contemporary, worked on many of these. For the stereo sessions, they simply strung up two mics over the ensemble and hoped for the best.
Not exactly true. Capitol used multiple mics for their stereo sessions going back to when they were doing experimental stereo recordings at their original studio on Melrose Ave. I own a book that details just what was used on those sessions. They took great pride in their stereo work.
The two finest engineers working at Capitol back in the 1950s were John Palladino and John Kraus.
Here's a look inside Capitol-Melrose:
A very Young Nelson Riddle working in Studio A at Capitol-Melrose:
Nelson in Studio A around 1955:
And here with Sinatra:
The best sounding Sinatra sessions were done in Studio A at Capitol-Melrose in what had been a large radio theater. The building had started out as a film lab, but after a fire it was later sold to NBC. They rebuilt it as their flagship radio studio in Los Angeles. When NBC built a huge complex on Sunset and Vine, the Melrose facility was taken over by KHJ radio. In the late forties, Capitol took it over and remained there until their facility on Vive was built. Then KHJ moved back into the structure.
Sinatra would invite guests to hear his recording sessions. The theater atmosphere made it easy for them to be seated comfortably. Capitol set up the orchestra on the stage facing the audience. Capitol's reverb chambers were located up on the roof of the building. Capitol prided themselves in having the best 'live' chambers in the business. Later, once they relocated to their current facility, they placed the chambers deep under the parking lot.
Once Capitol moved to Vine Street, they had a hell of a time getting the acoustic right in the new studios. At first they were awful.
Sinatra in one of the new studios at Capitol-Vine Street:
Here's Nat King Cole at Capitol Vine Street with Billy May during a stereo session:
Besides the mic on Cole, there are four mics seen in the photo.
Here's a rare photo showing Sinatra with Elmer Bernstein at Capitol-Melrose during a session for "The Man With the Golden Arm" in 1956.
It seems lyrics were written which Sinatra sang at this session for a record release. The film's scoring sessions were done at Goldwyn.
Capitol retained one of the Neumann U-47 condenser microphones used by Sinatra:
The Capitol 'live' echo chamber constructed 30' under their studio on Vine Street:
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Posted: |
Sep 26, 2010 - 8:09 AM
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By: |
Carcosa2004
(Member)
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Capitol has just re-mastered all of the Les Baxter exotica albums and put them on iTunes. There are 8 albums available now, and supposedly 4 more will be added soon.
Yes, I know it's not film music exactly; but it sure sounds like film music, and these albums were a huge influence on a generation of film composers. Plus, recent Les Baxter film score releases have sold out, so there is a demand.
Assuming Capitol would grant the rights, it would be easy to do a box set of, say, 10 albums, with 2 albums on a disc, 5 discs total. They've just been remastered by Capitol, so no one would have to spend significant money on remastering.
Most of the currently available CD versions of these albums are mastered from vinyl. Even on the compressed format, the iTunes remasters sound better than the vinyl transfers. I would buy this box set immediately.
What do you think?
Regarding CDs, I don't believe Capitol released any Baxter exotica albums other than the 2 disc "Moods" set. Most of the CDs you are referring to are in fact boots. Capitol has licensed out the rights in recent years to some of the reissue houses and there was a Baxter "two-fer" of SKINS and TAMBOO initially. A couple of others have followed. Given the state of the CD market I doubt we would ever see a box set of such....
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We're doing our part, Baxter-wise - be here tomorrow morning 
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