Part 6/14:
Ken Scott provides a window into the technical aspects of the era. He discusses using specific microphones like the AKG D20 and D25 for drums, the U47 and U67 for vocals and strings, and how their placement was crucial in creating legendary sounds. For example, the distinctive drum sound on Ringo Starr’s kit was achieved by pushing the tape hard, leveraging tape compression’s natural sonic qualities.
He elaborates on the chemistry involved in mixing, noting that when recording, engineers often combined microphones like stereo figure-eight patterns and kept detailed setup sheets for re-creation. The studio acoustics played a vital role, with Scott describing how Abbey Road’s room size and materials—initially seaweed for damping—contributed significantly to the recordings’ ambiance.