Members Christopher Kai Posted September 21, 2008 Members Share Posted September 21, 2008 Specifically, that beautiful tone on "Carolina on My Mind" from his greatest hits album. My God, that tone can grab me anywhere, anytime. Guitar?Mics?Recording Method? TIA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cymro#1 Posted September 21, 2008 Members Share Posted September 21, 2008 James Taylor from what I remember used Olson guitars, which as you can imagine are especially made for him. No idea what mics etc he uses. I suppose he'd sound fabulous singning into a 6 inch pipe!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Christopher Kai Posted September 21, 2008 Author Members Share Posted September 21, 2008 Nope. James picked up an Olson guitar in 1989... http://www.olsonguitars.com/about.html Anyone else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted September 21, 2008 Members Share Posted September 21, 2008 Back then, he played a pickguardless Gibson J-50...no idea of what year it was made, but I'm guessing late '60s-early 70s. Bare thumb/fingers, no idea what strings. Absolutely no idea of the mic(s) used, but the recording was analog, and was recorded via whatever was the hot recording rig Apple then owned... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Palmer Posted September 21, 2008 Members Share Posted September 21, 2008 Last I heard, James Taylor is still using Olson guitars as his main instruments and has been since '89, with LR Baggs p'ups ( Piezo & pre-amp), mic'ing, finger nails and a decent sound engineer. He used to play Gibson J-50 (Mic'd) during his earlier recording and performances. LOL Terry beat me to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted September 21, 2008 Members Share Posted September 21, 2008 Last I heard, James Taylor is still using Olson guitars as his main instruments and has been since '89, with LR Baggs p'ups ( Piezo & pre-amp), mic'ing, finger nails and a decent sound engineer. He used to play Gibson J-50 (Mic'd) during his earlier recording and performances. LOL Terry beat me to it. Sadly, he did go through an "electric period"....lasted the better part of an hour and a half... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Palmer Posted September 21, 2008 Members Share Posted September 21, 2008 My "electric periods" tend to last around the same amount of time lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Abando Posted September 21, 2008 Members Share Posted September 21, 2008 He also played some guitars made by Mark Whitebook. Recently saw him pictured with a Northwood guitar. Abando Art & Lutherie Ami Parlor Aria AD-35 Walden G2070 Breedlove AD20/SM Blueridge BR-160 Larrivee L-03R Larrivee L-03E Larrivee D-03R Martin D-28 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T.B. Posted September 21, 2008 Members Share Posted September 21, 2008 I think he may have used a Gibson (what model I don't know) in some of his earlier recordings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mister natural Posted September 21, 2008 Members Share Posted September 21, 2008 Don't forget the producer, Lenny Warnokler's gloss & lipstick all over the tape Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hudman Posted September 21, 2008 Members Share Posted September 21, 2008 My "electric periods" tend to last around the same amount of time lol My electric period lasted 20 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted September 21, 2008 Members Share Posted September 21, 2008 My electric period lasted 20 years. Well, that was very brave of you to cop to such a thing...we respect such soul-bearing! (runs and hides all the Telecasters and P-basses in the rear closet, underneath the winter coats) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Scodiddly Posted September 21, 2008 Members Share Posted September 21, 2008 Sometimes he uses a drum machine, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Raymond55 Posted September 21, 2008 Members Share Posted September 21, 2008 Sometimes he uses a drum machine, too. Thanks for posting that pic! I've only seen it in action on his One Man Band DVD and think it's a marvelous invention. I'd love to build something like that one day, if only for the challenge of doing so. It looks a lot more complex in your pic than I thought, though. Good find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jake7 Posted September 22, 2008 Members Share Posted September 22, 2008 He's one of the few folks who I've ever heard get a lovely live tone from an undersaddle pickup.He uses a baggs element in his main Olson, run into an Aura unit that has chip made from recording that Olson, he blends 50% of the modeler, and 50% of the dry UST signal to a radial PZ preamp/d.i. then out to the sound guy on the desk.He plays very gentley, right hand wise too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Palmer Posted September 22, 2008 Members Share Posted September 22, 2008 Nice to see you back Jake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted September 22, 2008 Members Share Posted September 22, 2008 Sometimes he uses a drum machine, too. I saw him do a song with that contraption on TV, and it really sounds pretty cool... I'd sure hate to have to haul it around, though Think I've heard that it works on the same principal as a player piano...paper rolls with tiny holes to control the various notes/sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Raymond55 Posted September 22, 2008 Members Share Posted September 22, 2008 Think I've heard that it works on the same principal as a player piano...paper rolls with tiny holes to control the various notes/sounds. I think it's just a mechanical cam system. The horizonal wooden barrel is turned by a motor and has (adjustable?) ramps around its circumference. As the barrel turns, the ramps act like cam lobes to raise the arms (probably spring loaded). When the travel gets to its peak, the ramp drops off and the arm drops or is pulled by a spring down on the instrument positioned below. The speed that the barrel turns would adjust the tempo. The spacing of the high spots (ramps) around the barrel dictates which and when each arm gets raised and dropped and instruments get struck as the barrel turns. With multiple or adjustable high spots on each ramp band, you could strike each instrument once or multiple times for each revolution of the barrel. I haven't watched the DVD in awhile, but as I recall, the barrel turns pretty slowly, like maybe 15 rpm. The front section serves as a sound box that simulates a bass drum when the 2x6 drops onto it. It appears to be removable for transport. Take the instruments and arm extensions off, drop a cover over the mechanics and roll it away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrmoe Posted September 22, 2008 Members Share Posted September 22, 2008 Terry.....I think that "j-50" he was playing in the 60's and 70's was actually a j-45 with its top finish stripped.....those sunburst gibsons had a finish about a mile thick and could be made a LOT louder by stripping them and applying a thin lacquer coat.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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