HallmarkSweptWinger wrote:

surferjoemusic wrote:

i know man
but almost any thread in this forum has always ended up with some arguments.

Why?

arguing is fun!!

Lorenzo "Surfer Joe" Valdambrini
(www.surfmusic.net)

SurfBeat wrote:

josheboy wrote:

*surferjoemusic wrote

well being defined a “student” is quite funny to me
but that’s right as we never finish learning in this life.

I think when he calls people grasshoppers, it’s more than just suggesting that we are students but to establish himself as a “master”

No matter how many times I try to explain in a controversial post that I am simply uttering an opinion, subject to being over ruled, contradicted, or simply being WRONG, someone will get personal and attack like a .......

Surfer Joe, my use of the word "grasshoppers," was not specifically uttered to you, or anyone else as a suggestion that I am wiser than you, or anyone else. As I stated in a previous post, as well as others, I respect your contributions to the genre. I am shocked you would take the position you did regarding my post.

JOSH, my opinion of you is just the opposite I am no ones Master, so get off my back. I don't use references to impress, only to make a point from my position. You don't know me, so don't judge me. If you have something negative to post about me, PM me, or since you are in the area where I work, I will be glad to meet you face-to-face.

The term "grasshopper," was made to bring levity to the topic of discussion. JOSH, Had you read my post carefully, instead of reverting to first grade, you would have gleaned I specifically stated I had no idea how the Astronauts accomplished their "splash." Since I specifically stated I have no knowledge of that issue, surely that fact reveals I was not stating I was a master of anyone or the subject matter.

Because I am like everyone else on this Post, dumb founded how the Astro's got the splash, I merely suggested a contest to see if anyone could actually replicate the splash. Since I don't have the answer, how could I be the judge, or master of this topic?

This Thread was supposed to be fun. I logged in to maybe learn something, but now I am dealing with a first.

I made my point.

I have to say, please do not insult my friends! Especially josheboy!

A little bit more respect to the people here would be nice man!!!

In an other thread you wrote:"So, grasshopper, (DISCLAIMER-not withstanding what that insecure JOSH opined in another posting, (look at his avatar for confirmation of a person with a juvenile/insecure personality) I am no ones master, just an older guy who knows something about what is set forth herein, based from experience,definitely not everything and I simply use the term "grasshopper in levity)

...I (and many friends of mine) would be happy if you would cancel this forum from your computer.. I guess no one will miss you.
...you always talk the same... "I play w. Dick Dale... ...blabla..."... you you you!!! Always the same!
AND this thread is about the Astronauts!!! And no Stratocaster talking, man! This thread is about the Astronauts!
Aaaahhh!!!!!!!!

Twang cheers!

Ralf Kilauea

www.kilaueas.de

https://kilaueas.bandcamp.com/album/touch-my-alien

Last edited: Dec 21, 2017 11:54:51

Getting back to the matter of drip, we really need the Surfites guy to weigh in here. Their surf sound was as pure as it comes, as if the first wave had never ended, and the reverb quality was second to none. Listen to the Astronauts' Baja and then compare, for example, The Surfites' Space Mover -- especially the palm muted section in the middle. I'm nowhere near as qualified to discuss the intricacies of ideal reverb as most of the participants in this thread, but to my ears the Surfites drip passes the 'Astronauts test' with flying colors.

I think it is The Continental Magazine Issue #17 with The Surfites interview. I have the CD and have misplaced the magazine.

I've found that plugging the reverb tank straight into the recording device yields an exceptionally drippy sound easily on par with what's heard in any Astronauts recording. It may not be authentic to record this way but it's definitely an easy way to get where one may want to be, drip-wise.

Last edited: Dec 23, 2017 01:09:20

Interesting - so going Guitar > Reverb Unit > Console seems to get the purist un-colored tone. Makes sense if you think about it, lots of bass players would record direct into mixing board because it would be more punchy sounding than mic'ing an amp. When you have an amp mic'ed you're picking up the characteristics of the amp, the room, bleed, the mic is coloring it, etc - going guitar to reverb unit to mixing board removes all that and gives a stronger signal with more flexibility to tweak with studio equipment. Probably why it's difficult to recreate the super drippy reverb live (?)

Adding to my previois thoughts and inspired by this thread, I've been listening to "Surfin' with the Astronauts" pretty closely, and I've come to the conclusion that it's just a really well recorded album without any unorthodox processing. There is definitely studio echo chamber added in addition to the reverb tanks. You can for example hear that the reverb on the horn part in 'Miserlou' is the same as you hear on the lead guitar (sans the drippings the tank adds to the guitar. It was without a doubt recorded on two track or three track, and I'm guessing three track -- because the lead is in the center channel, as are the vocals which were probably dubbed. I believe it was recorded on an ampex 300-3, which although a very short lived format was the studio standard at the time, and the only three track ever produced. It uses 1" tape. That alone accounts for a great deal of the fidelity on this album. Three tracks on 1" is a lot of real estate to record on and provides increased frequency response and a great deal higher signal to noise ratio than 1/4" twin track would. Here's what it looks like:

Thanks to photos from the session we know for a fact that rca 77's were the mics used:

Being RCA studios, they would have used primarily RCA equipment, so my money is on these being the compressors used, the RCA BA-6A:

The album was produced by Al Schmitt, who's recorded an incredible amount of records most are familiar with, including Sam Cooke, Jefferson Airplane,Ray Charles, Steely Dan, Neil Young and countless others. He's pretty much a legend in the audio world.

In short I don't think anything out of the ordinary or unorthodox was done to record the Astronauts, it's just a great band recorded really well by top notch recording engineers

https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com

The Hearse - Astronauts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFJqHFqyK6g

spring sprong splash?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrL8Pi9UHi0

mike_fried wrote:

To psychonaut - Al Schmitt: enough said! Thanks for your insights, very well explained!

Forum member Danny Snyder broke the code, in this thread. He is a shoe-in for this year’s Nobel Prize in reverb drip.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.