Is this a guitar?

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Red eye
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Is this a guitar?

Post by Red eye » Wed Sep 05, 2012 9:56 pm

I'm new here but into reggae for a long while.
Among other sounds there is one sound I cant figure out what it is for a long time and I really would love to know.

It kind of typicall 70's from the house of Tubby and I would guess it's a guitar with some strange effect(s) on it. But I could be so wrong...in that case excuse me for posting in the wrong topic.

Here's a link to a song it can be heard on ( Barry Brown- Peace & Love) from almost the beginning to the end of the vocal version. You can even hear it better at 1:20 and up in the part where there's no vocals.
It has more of a solo role in this example and has a high freq. ( kinda freakin ) :-)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85BO82UkD1Y

Hope I explained what I mean and if any of you have an idea of how this sound is made I would be very thankfull.

Big up

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interruptor
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Post by interruptor » Thu Sep 06, 2012 11:36 pm

Hi

Welcome to the board!

According to the displayed cover this tune was mixed by Scientist at King Tubby's. I am therefore thinking that this should be a case where Scientist used the highpass filter as described by Michael Veal in his book dub soundscapes on page 138.
Sending instrumental tracks trough a high or bandpass filter with very high resonance settings can get you there. Hear this distorted kazoo like sound made from a guitar lick:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85BO82Uk ... age#t=308s

Maybe at other points he sent the vocals to that filter too, it's hard to tell..

cheers
daniel/interruptor

Red eye
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Post by Red eye » Sat Sep 08, 2012 7:12 am

Nuff thanks for the info!!!

Yeah, Kazoo like. It's such a typical sound, one of the elements that made that Tubby / Scientist sound yunno. In most cases mixed more in the background tho.

Could it be that there is a wah wah or auto wah ( dunno if auto wah even exist back in the days ) somewhere in the signal chain as well???
That because I hear some modulation going on I guess, not sure.
Gonna try some stuff on some recording for fun, see what I can come up with.

Plus, a very nice link you send along with the reply!
Nuff inside info.

Thanks again King!

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stranded horse
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Post by stranded horse » Sat Sep 08, 2012 2:14 pm

The modulation could come from a wahwah, but most likely from fiddinling around with the HPF itself

Red eye
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Post by Red eye » Sun Sep 09, 2012 1:53 pm

Alright, sound logic!
Thanks fi di info.
Any knowledge about the HPF maybe?
Did they use a external one ( if thats the case, home modified probably :D )
or the one from the desk maybe?

Ises

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stranded horse
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Post by stranded horse » Sun Sep 09, 2012 2:22 pm

I've read Tubby added it himself to his mixing console. I don't see a reason not to use an external one though.

Red eye
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Post by Red eye » Sun Sep 09, 2012 8:04 pm

You're right, should matter anyway.
Gonna check out some settings chains soon.

Thanks to y'all.
Irie Ites

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