queenfanatic
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Post by queenfanatic on Aug 20, 2020 5:21:31 GMT
I was just doing some research for an upcoming project and I came across these two figures, taken from an August 12th, 1972 Billboard Magazine issue. I wanted to see if anybody knew what any of the equipment seen on the photo below is. Also, on photo 4, it happens to mention that Trident now has upgraded to a 24-track machine and works with quadrophonic sound. Does this mean in anyway that Queen II could have actually been recorded with a 24-track machine? Or had they actually just used a spare 16-track? It’s not the greatest idea to speculate, but with photographic evidence on our hands, we might have something here. Photo 1 (Mixing consoles, a synthesizer, a telephone, and some outboard signal processors on a studio rack by the looks of it):  Photo 2 (looks like another mixing console, apologies for the improper cropping):  Photo 3 (appears to be a tape recorder and some other equipment I’m quite uneducated about):  Photo 4 (evidence of a 24-track used on Queen II?):  Apologies for the bad quality and small photo. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2020 14:42:18 GMT
According to Beat Instrumental (January 1975, IIRC), Trident's 24-track wasn't fully operational even at the time of the SHA sessions. In fact, you can see that both 'Procession' and 'God Save the Queen' were done on sixteen-track. I suppose that by the time that article was written they were optimistic about the machine and thought they'd have it running by the time it was printed, but it looks like it wasn't.
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queenfanatic
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Post by queenfanatic on Aug 20, 2020 18:57:44 GMT
According to Beat Instrumental (January 1975, IIRC), Trident's 24-track wasn't fully operational even at the time of the SHA sessions. In fact, you can see that both 'Procession' and 'God Save the Queen' were done on sixteen-track. I suppose that by the time that article was written they were optimistic about the machine and thought they'd have it running by the time it was printed, but it looks like it wasn't. Ahh alright, thanks for the information!  Huh, I haven’t heard much about the Procession one, is there a track sheet somewhere or something along those lines? |
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pg
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Post by pg on Aug 20, 2020 20:10:48 GMT
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queenfanatic
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Post by queenfanatic on Aug 20, 2020 20:12:16 GMT
Thank you!  |
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pg
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Post by pg on Aug 20, 2020 22:03:11 GMT
There are a few threads on there about trident, including contributions from Neil Kernon (a tape op from 71-75), Alan Harris (not sure) and Ken Scott (engineer /producer).
What I couldn't find was any reference to the installation of 24 track.
From Norman Sheffield book, the start of assembling a new desk appears to have been ongoing through 1973, but there's no clue as to when it might have come into use. There's a reference on the trident audio website to the prototype A range being built as a 16 track but with space to upgrade to 24. So the building of the new desk and the 24 track capability don't appear to be simultaneous.
The only recording I can find being done at Trident after Queen 2 and before late '74 is Supertramp Crime of the Century (much mixing though), and can't see any evidence of that being 24 track either.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2020 22:22:15 GMT
Huh, I haven’t heard much about the Procession one, is there a track sheet somewhere or something along those lines? DVD extras, when Brian's speaking about his arrangement of the National Anthem (which was also recorded at Trident, long after Queen II, on 16-track). |
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pg
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Post by pg on Aug 25, 2020 8:26:08 GMT
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2020 12:11:03 GMT
I read that too when browsing through that website, but to be fair, it doesn't necessarily mean they didn't have 24-track machines at the time: '... when they add a 24 track studio, desk and mixer' might easily mean a second or third one. Keep in mind there was Trident Studio 1 (the main recording room, with the legendary 'Hey Jude' piano) and Trident Studio 2 (overdubs and mixing, inside the same building). They could've upgraded Studio 1 to 24-track in 1974 (for instance) and then scheduled to 'add a 24 track studio, desk and mixer' to Studio 2, or vice-versa.
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pg
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Post by pg on Aug 26, 2020 7:57:42 GMT
fair point, but a second 24 track would be less newsworthy, and likely to be labelled "another 24 track..."
I think we're all agreed that Trident didn't have 24 track recording at any time Queen were recording there, though.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2020 13:31:52 GMT
They might have, if we count the Trax (or Traxx?) sessions in summer 1975. Granted, Queen were producing rather than being the main act, and that's so far unreleased, but still...
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Huh, I haven’t heard much about the Procession one, is there a track sheet somewhere or something along those lines?
