Not So Perfect Studio Takes

[Frank Sanchez]

Hey Folks-

Someone mentioned last week the noticeable "mistakes," "mishaps," whatever, that were on the Steely Dan tune Aja. I think Benrand mentioned some digestive issues that Donald Fagen was having, which I did not find, but there is a rim click where there should be a tom hit and this tune is magic. I thought that these guys were perfectionists?

I've laid down a few tracks that I was not happy with and they were kept as well. I always listen and can always pinpoint exact moments that were wrong to my ears.

Am I obsessive, but right? Or am I expecting too much and wrong? Anybody relate?

Take Care All. F.S.

[Riddim]

Yes.

But life goes on.

[XNavyDrummer]

I can relate Frank. I did a session for 13 hours straight years ago. After it was done, I couldn't listen to the radio. I was hyper critical of EVERYTHING I heard. There are recordings that I liked when we laid them down, and then latter I couldn't stand. And there are things that I played that I just thought were average and latter on they turned out to be some of my favorites. This holds true for drum sounds, mixes, arrangements, technique, sound systems, mics, etc., etc.

[ladanny]

Wow, this sure is topical for me. I just got home from a 12 hour session. I listened to the rough tracks on the way home, and I could hear issues with EVERY track. Some where a few kick drum placement issues. Others were a rushed fill here or there, or maybe the way I hit the snare. Anyway, I know the things I hear won't be noticed by most everyone, especially after all of the other instruments and vocals are in place.

I remember Jeff Porcaro said that he can point out at least one mistake in EVERY track he has ever recorded. But a mistake in Jeff's book is "normal" for most!

Danny

[Andy Edwards]

I have begun to think that this hypercritical approach is not where the music is at. We are only human after all.
I often think that mastery of the instrument may require turning away from this perfectionist approach.
Without this we wouldn't have Steve Gadd's wonderful rim click (That Dennis Chambers so lovingly re-created live...)

[mja61]

For the true Steely Dan fan:

The first glitch is relatively subtle...sounds like a slight flutter on the tape machine at 2:13.800. Incidentally, this glitch happens just before one of my all-time favorite piano licks. It's just three notes, but it is phat!

aja_glitch1_favorite_piano_lick.mp3

This second clip contains one of my all-time favorite guitar licks, which occurs at 3:51. It fits the tune perfectly, and is damn slick!

aja_favorite_guitar_lick.mp3

The second, more audible glitch occurs at 7:18:500, when the Gadd-meister is dishing it out to his beautifully funky floor toms. This is still one of the baddest-ass solos ever recorded...

aja_glitch2.mp3

[troutbrooke]

I think you guys have lost your marbles! [img]confused.gif[/img] I don't hear any 'glitches'.

[S.P]

good..i was beggining to think i was the only one

[GoMan]

nah i think i hear it, but yeah I only caught it cuz the time where the "glitches" take place were given to me! hah! But yeah they are super un-noticable. It's more like a very very slight dip in the volume for the first one, but for the second one with steve Gadd, i did hear an actual glitchy zappy sound.

hah cool..

[Dazzler]

As has already been said, we should aim for perfection every time, in terms of our time, grove, sound and placement of hits, but like Andy said, we are all human and not machines.

I love the sound of the stick not quite catching the rim of the snare quite right, as in a couple of Vinnie's fills on the BRM tape. You could be anal and look at it like "Vinnie didn't mean to do it, therefor it's wrong" or you could say f*ck it, the guy's human, making beautiful music and that captured a moment. I think it sounds cool anyway!

There's also a school of thought that goes: if you listen to or play a 'wrong note' again and again, doesn't it become part of the arrangement? I'm not using this as a way out for our mistakes, coz somtimes a bummer IS a bummer!! But I'm saying that the odd glitch as you call it will ultimately go un noticed after time.