I Cant Make Music Remix

[Chris May]

I have always wanted to post a thread on this song… It happens to be one of my favorite Carpenters recordings. How about the remix on the Japanese “Treasures” album? I have to say, that as much as Karen’s voice sounds a bit more out front (and smothered with reverb), I don’t care much for the remix. I also noticed that Richard removed the doubled lead in the second verse, making it sound a bit more sparse than the ’73 mix.

This brings up an interesting subject for me. You know, I have noticed that in a lot of the remixes, Richard has mixed OUT the doubled vocals down to a single lead in certain parts of the songs (parts that were doubled on the originals) (i.e. “Maybe It’s You” in certain sections, “The First Snowfall”, “Let It Snow”, etc…)

I recall a recent interview with Phil Ramone where he mentions that Karen really liked doubling her voice. She liked it when there were “two of her” singing the lead. I always thought this was solely Richard’s concept, but it makes me think that maybe the reason he has pulled out some of the doubles for the remixes is because perhaps he might not have placed them there in the first place, insinuating that it might have been Karen’s love for this technique, hence her idea often times. It happens to be an effect that I utilize quite a bit in the studio with artists that I work with. Just a few of my thoughts. -Chris

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I think the remix is actually pretty good. I always thought Karen was too buried in the original mix, Richard indeed brought her vocal out front & for me...it's an improvement. I also noticed that although there is a fair amount of re-verb & echo to the track, it's not as apparant as some re-mixes that Richard has done. I've listened to this track quite alot lately from the treasures set, there are parts where you can hear the reverb & then others it not soo noticible.

Chris, interesting talk about the double vocals & possibly being Karen's idea? It's amazing how much we have learned over the years about the recordings, Phil Ramone's latest interview gave us alot of recent info that was great to hear, Didn't Karen even try to get Phil to use alot of doubling on the solo album & he said He was not here to make another Carpenters ablum. Karen had gotton so use to recording one way that I guess it was hard for her to let go of the "regular". I think it was on the PBS tape where they should how they were influenced by doubling the vocals, (it was a husband & wife, she was playing the guitar) was it, Mary Ford? Something like that, can't rememebr the name.

 

[coolvox]

This topic reminds me of when Love
Lines was first released. I was
not expecting to hear the extensive
use of over dubbing from the tracks
that were included from her solo
work. I was expecting more songs
like Make Beleive Its Your First
Time. Im just gessing but I cant
think of any Carpenters albums
that use as much multi tracking as
in her solo work. I dont know that
much about multi tracking but it
seems like it must have taken a lot
of work to put some of those songs
together! Its mesmorising! Don't
Try To Win Me Back Again, although
unreleased, really went wild with
overdubbing.
Jim

 

[Chris May]

Chris, to answer your question: Yes, it was Les Paul and Mary Ford. Les Paul created the "overdubbing" concept, and used it on a lot of their stuff. In fact, I think there is even a picture floating around somewhere of Richard, Karen and Les Paul at A&M standing in front of one of the 2" tape machines.

I know that Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys was also responsible for a lot of the vocal overdubs heard on their albums. Even though the other Beach Boys participated in the vocal recording, I think Brian did most of the core layering and of course those falsettos. It's truly amazing what can be done in a recording studio, either to simply enhance the artist or often times bring an entirely new face or "existence" to the artist's raw talent. -Chris