Marla Glen
[ juillet 1997 ]Ah, a whole album from A to Z, with live recordings, traveling to Los Angeles, mixing with a 9000 J...in a word: life.
Album « Our world », Sony/BMG, 1997
For those with an eye for the finer details, we salute you...
There would be so many things to tell about the recording and mixing sessions that, if interested, the best way is to eventually mail me your questions and I’ll reply here.
Meanwhile, let’s talk about the key element: Lead Vocal :
The recordings were made at Sony Music Studios in Santa Monica. So we could use a Sony PCM 3348 tape machine, a Sony console (with API preamps and EQ’s and Massenburg automation, though) and best of all a Sony C 800 G Microphone, which still remains my favorite one since the first time I tried it (it was Grace Jones singing).
The chain was C 800G, Massenburg preamp, Teletronix LA-2A compressor (set not to react any time as Marla just hates compressors) and straight into the PCM 3348. As a result, using those excellent devices allowed me to keep Marla’s exceptional voice untouched in the mix. I did add a bit of compression (LA-2A again) but I did not apply any EQ at all, which, to be honest, is something I’m quite proud of.
The other (unexpected from my part) result of this situation is that it allows to fully appreciate the work of Stephen Marcussen who mastered the album, as the slight differences in the Voice’s EQ from a song to another solely come from the mastering EQ.
One last thing, and this is a quiz. Who will rightly guess the reverb I used on Marla’s voice in the song "It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s world" ?