Issue 60 / October 2015

SOUND MATTERS
In this monthly column, our friends at DAWSONS give expert tips and advice on how to achieve a great
sound in the studio or in the live environment. Armed with the knowledge to solve any common (or unusual)
musical problem, the techy aficionados provide Bido Lito! readers with the benefit of their experience so you
can get the sound you want.
Here, sound specialist Harry Brown discusses how to achieve an authentically retro sound by looking at rock
‘n’ roll origins, New Romantic roots and equipment which enables you to lay down tracks in your own home.
There are some products we sell as a store that
could be viewed as ‘forward-looking’, incorporating
the latest technology and perhaps making it more
accessible for many musicians to perform and record
their music. But we also have a stock of retro products
that possibly inspired the sound of a generation, as
well as those based on long-discontinued products.
A good example of this is a Shure 55SH microphone,
sometimes referred to as the “Elvis mic” as it
vaguely resembles the Model 55. This microphone
was first designed in the 1940s for vocal clarity in
close proximity to very loud PA speakers, which
meant it had to be very feedback-resistant. It
did this by having a tight pickup pattern (it only
picked up sounds that were present right in front
of the microphone). Its frequency response was
particularly sensitive in the 5-8kHz range, great for
accentuating the intelligibility in the human voice
(the frequencies which help us understand what we
are saying to each other).
Although there are now microphones available that
are widely accepted as having a better tonal balance
for vocals, and have even tighter pickup patterns, this
microphone is still an immensely popular product.
Its evocative, retro look and quite distinctive sound
are still a hit with musicians and sound engineers
the world over.
A little later and a lot more make-up down the line,
the likes of Tears For Fears, Duran Duran and Roxy
Music were out-shining guitar bands everywhere,
making the keyboard the most sought-after
instrument for many years. Roland's Jupiter 8
synthesiser was the weapon of choice, being used
to good effect for the soft, pad-like keyboards heard
on Roxy Music's hit Avalon.
Today, one of Roland's flagship keyboard products
is the Jupiter 80. Heavily modelled on the look of
the original Jupiter keyboards, it has a retro look
but incorporates a whole host of features that the
original models did not. The eight synth voices,
each comprised of two VCOs, can be layered on top
of any sound from the library of ‘real’ instrument
sounds. Throw in the powerful effects section and
the ability to have all your live keyboard sounds at
your fingertips and there might no longer be the
need for those 15 keyboards that Rick Wakeman
was frequently surrounded by.
The pop/rock bands of the last decade, exemplified
by bands such as The Killers, have relied upon more
straightforward synths than a Jupiter, such as the
MicroKorg. This infinitely portable synth is almost
permanently audible throughout The Killers’ album
Hot Fuss and gave rise to a new generation of bands
writing music heavily featuring synth melodies. The
MicroKorg has a programmable 16-step arpeggiator,
which can be heard prominently on the infamous
Frankie Knuckles remix of The Source hit You Got The
Love (Candi Staton not Florence).
As times have moved on, the way musicians record
their music has changed. It is now commonplace for
musicians to record their music in places other than
recording studios. Recording your material at home
now only requires a fraction of the money it would
have cost 20 years ago, while actually still consisting
of the same basic technology. A recording studio
needs an enormous mixing console in case the
band/ensemble all want to record at the same time,
a rack of A/D converters connected to a powerful
computer, and several sets of amplifiers and
monitoring speakers to help the engineer balance
the mix as accurately as possible.
In a home-studio situation where you are unlikely
to be recording any more than one performer
at a time, you need all the same technology as
the big recording studio, but on a much smaller
scale. Also, some of the technology required can
be condensed down to fewer physical pieces of
equipment. For example, a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4
is both your preamplifier/mixing console and your
set of converters (two channels’ worth), at a very
reasonable price, by the same company that have
designed some of the most highly acclaimed mixing
consoles and mic preamps ever built. Then your rack
of amplifiers needed to power your monitor speakers
could be done away with altogether by purchasing
self-powered or ‘active’ monitor speakers, such as
Yamaha's HS8s.
So, wherever or whenever you are, it is possible to
capture the same great sounds of any classic decade
of music.
Dawsons are offering 10% off lots of products in
their extensive range at their Liverpool store (14-16
Williamson Square). Further details can be found on
pages 4 and 5. dawsons.co.uk
up as straight pop songs to which you would
gladly listen at home, whilst still retaining
their experimental nature.
Though the closure of The Kazimier has
perhaps been over-lamented within these
fine pink pages and generally across the
board of Liverpool music publications, it
is worth noting that it is hard to imagine
witnessing such an adventurous and
impressive double-bill in other venues. Not
that this city is lacking in forward-thinking
venues that will jump at the chance to fill the
inevitable vacuum that the Kaz will leave, but
such unique events could not really have a
better home. But songs about fish will always
find a place in which to prosper.
MARVIN POWELL
Cavalier Song – Hazy Head
Bido Lito! Social Live @ Aloft
Alastair Dunn
Inside a Downton-meets-Star Trek woodpanelled
room with futuristic halo lights
hanging from the ceiling, people recline in
beanbags, hotel staff mill around and HAZY
HEAD’s bassist politely asks the sound guy
if they can play. One guitar, one bass, one
drum kit makes for a classic garage set-up.
Their music is a mix of shoegaze, Hank Marvin
guitar and, oddly, Julee Cruise. Each song
sounds intended for a long-lost David Lynch
movie; a dreamy slow pace is set as the guitar
play practically crashes against the shore. The
set culminates with a cover of Galaxie 500’s
Marvin Powell (Mike Sheerin / michaelsheerin.photoshelter.com)
Tugboat, as Hazy Head wear their influences
on their collective sleeve. Admittedly they
have a couple of cock-ups, but you can see
these guys know what they’re doing and lo-fi
is on the way up.
CAVALIER SONG are next to take to the
carpeted floor. A more disparate group this
time, but as with all great experimental bands
they’re brought together by the music. Joined
by local performance artist Mark Greenwood
and his poetry, they subject us to a diverse
set of noisy assaults and slow-burning
spoken-word pieces. The bass suddenly
breaks during the first track and I notice that
the hi-hat is also cracked, intentionally, I
hope. Greenwood’s lyrics match the sinister
dread the band oozes perfectly, weaving a
fantastical tapestry of people, nature and
their darker halves.
MARVIN POWELL’s love of music is further
apparent (he’s been sat enthusiastically
watching all the supports) as he sings and
jigs along with the folk strains trickling from
the sound system. Suddenly the room fills
with family, friends and fans. I overhear his
mother chatter excitedly about him practising
at home and his Bido feature article. He’s a
local lad and there’s a lot of the love in the
room for the troubadour. Marvin begins
suddenly, the crowd silenced by his guitar,
and anticipation seeps in. His voice takes
on a Celtic quality, the music is folk through
and through. His band soon join him, and the
tempo is kicked up a notch. As the closing
song ends his fans, old and new, call for more
and we’re treated to one final solo piece.
Local talent is clearly in rude health.
Kieran Donnachie