Production Technique in Muzak

Record Production & Phonology

Developed for RMIT Media Arts

MUZAK & 'EASY LISTENING' PRODUCTION

'Easy Listening' was a dominant category of pop music in the 50s & 60s. It was a specific postwar musicological phenomenon, wherein the act of consuming music was employed as a means of soothing the ruptured psyche of a postwar culture (specifically America). The music was neither patriotic, nostalgic or escapist, but more somnambulistic than anything.

It was characterized by lush and evocative instrumentation, often with exotic embellishments, and almost exclusively instrumental. Vocal presences were only employed sonically. As such, identity in this field was fixed on the musical instrumentation - James Last's trumpet, Acker Bilk's clarinet, the 1001 Strings, etc. Also, the sub-genre of 'Exotica' (typified most by the likes of Martin Denny) imported postwar musical elements for further therapeutic effect - from Hawaii, Korea, Japan, etc.. "Muzak' is the trade-marked brand name of music industrially produced for the sociological purposes of effecting an 'easy listening' state of mind in the listener, and is thus the result of this cultural postwar phenomenon.

The various examples below of instrumental/vocal music/muzak on the surface might appear to be simplistic, but close analysis will reveal that the productions, arrangements and orchestrations are quite involved and detailed. Consider them in terms of the points covered in the introductory lecture on Record Production.

EXAMPLES

Herb Albert & The Tijuana Brass - THE LONELY BULL (1964)
Brass sound dominates the mix; background carries little definition. Note the overlaying (but not multi-tracking) of the trumpet in one channel, as the original master recording was re-dubbed with an additional trumpet line. This gives the effect of joining a 'dubbed' trumpet with a 'recorded' trumpet, thus simulating a stereo effect. (Often records of this period were available in 'monaural' and 'stereophonic' versions. This example suggests well exactly how many 'stereophonic' records were reconstructed from the original mono tapes.)

Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra - SWINGING SAFARI (1961)
An detailed arrangement of African rhythms into MOR swing; precise and crisp delineation of instruments based on timbrel selection (eg. the light trebly guitar strums blended with the snare brushes' off-beat; the boom of the occasional bass-drum; the fusion of voice and flutes; etc.). This is a good example of Kaempfert as an orchestrator/arranger who did so with an awareness of the sonic properties of the recorded sounds as well as conceptualizing how they would occupy space.

Sergio Mendes & Brazil 66 - THE FOOL ON THE HILL (1966)
A Brazilian/jazz reworking of a recognized Beatles' tune. Note the dynamics at the level of the arrangement, to the extent that the recording documents Mendes' conducting of the group. Note how this recording is a series of locations, points and positions in contrast to SWINGING SAFARI's interlocking of spatial zones and territories.

Burt Bacharach - WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW (vocal), WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW (instrumental) & DO YOU KNOW THE WAY TO SAN JOSE? (1969-71)
Sophisticated arrangements and orchestrations which develop through a variety of phases which articulate a narrative of dynamics. Note the more extreme close-miking technique, as well as the extremely fragmented approach to arrangement typical of Bacharach.

Link Wray - RUMBLE (1959)
An example of Link Wray's 'sound' which clearly was his 'sonic identity'. Wray developed fuzz textures in the late 50s and explored them in simplistic instrumental rock recordings for the proceeding 20 years. Note the rawness of this recording and how it embraces the rawness of Wray's guitar sound.

Duane Eddy - RUMBLE, REBEL ROUSER (early 60s) & REBEL ROUSER (late 70s)
Eddy is another example of a guitarist whose sound is as much typified by his recording process as his technique in playing, but this time with additional production embellishment. Compare his RAUNCHY with Link Wray's. Note how the arrangements of Eddy's tracks (by producer Lee Hazelwood) privilege the guitar's gestures, and how the guitar hovers on top of the backing not unlike the Tijuana Brass example. Compare also the 2 different recordings of REBEL ROUSER.

The Ventures WALK DON'T RUN (1964)
The biggest of all guitar bands, The Ventures' sound was based on simplicity in arrangement; note how each sound is clearly presented, and how clearly one can experience their interrelationship. This stems from the technical limitations of - literally - recording live onto a portable tape recorder in their parent's garage. This 'you-can-do-it-too' effect in the very sound of the track was inspirational to many budding guitar combos throughout the 60s.

The T-Bones NO MATTER WHAT SHAPE (1966)
Similar to The Ventures' example, but with a musicality in its production which extends beyond the dynamics and parameters of the 4-piece; extra instrumentation employed, etc.. This comes from the T-Bones in fact being trained session musicians who were attempting the primitive style of The Ventures.

The Big Four OUTTA TUNE (1957)
An example of a totally raw and live recording of a Rockabilly instrumental from the mid 50s. A direct recording of 4 performers in a single undivided small space, each making a lot of noise, with everything being recorded by a single mic. This contributes to the effect of 'capturing' an energized space. Note that the sound of the snare is as it is because of the strong velocity of its playing and the reverberation within the room..

Text © Philip Brophy.