The Stephen Desper Thread

[Stephen W. Desper]

I can see the photos as well. I went ahead and saved them to my computer. Thanks so much!

I'm no computer wizzzzz, but saving them to your computer may only save the address to the file on the image hosting service and not the actual image itself. So be aware of that. Others here know more about this, so please advise. ~swd

[Reverend Joshua Sloane]

I'm pretty sure it saves the actual picture and not the address to the host for it.

................................

Mr Desper,

At times i'll have a lot of trouble with my self-confidence while recording a song. I do believe I have decent enough equipment to attain decent recordings so I can assume it's just my perceptions of the recording not being "as good" as it "could be". I'm wondering if you've ever been dissatisfied with any recordings you've done? Also were there ever a time when any Beach Boy, or the whole group together felt that something could've been recorded better, sung better, or played better?

I've read about Brian disliking his voice on "Let Him Run Wild", and he being ticked off about the chorus in "California Girls" sung slightly off beat, but i'm more interested in the days of which you spent with the group.

[Robert Wheeler]

Mr Desper,

Seeing as the analouge/digital debate came up in our discussion, I wonder if you would be interested in having a look at www.sa3.com . I first came across these guys a few years ago, and they really seem to be on to something. They claim to have new technolgy based on a new type of wave theory, and from what they are delivering it seems very possible to me.

There are a lot of things in wave theory that are perfectly explain, but one or two, such as the result of double slit refraction experiments that have never been explained. I've always felt there is a fundemental misunderstanding in the realtivity of waves and the properties of different waves, and that there may be a better physical explanation for some things, and that their might be logical roots to all sounds... and anyway check it out. The a-b samples on there are pretty cool.

[mike slattery]

Hi Stephen

I've got a bit of a 'how long is a bit of string' type question, which is:  how many different vocal parts can be happening at once and still allow the human ear to discern each part without it all becoming a big mush of sound..?

stacked harmonies wouldn't count, it has to be one different part for each voice, so 5 part harmony would indeed count, but 5 part harmony with eaxch part doubled would not

thanks

Mike

[Stephen W. Desper]

COMMENT TO ALL --

Got a call from Alan Jardine last night.  In the course of our conversation I told him I wanted to clear up some confusion in my mind about Sail On Sailer.  I said I had this vocal only tape of many songs and the vocal only of SOS certainly sounds like Carl singing to the backing track we did at the house studio during the Surf's Up days.  So I asked, was Blondie singing lead in the "Holland" release meaning that it was recorded again in Holland.  So Al said that it was Blondie but that song was not recorded in Holland.  It was done at Village Recorders when they returned from Holland, which accounts for the better production values heard in SOS over the stuff they recorded in the megshift (his words) setup they had in Holland.  He and I both stated how Blondie had pulled off such a Carl-like sounding vocal, even to the pronunciation of the words.  But he assured me it was Blondie.  Some of the tracks were from before but the lead was re-sung.  So, that ends that debate -- at least in my head.  ~swd

[Jaco]

For those who wanna know: I've found out that the tune Sail On Sailor is in perfect pitch, like f.e. A=440
As history tells it , I believe it was the only song completely recorded in the USA, unlike the rest, in Holland.

All the other songs of the album are slightly lower in pitch ( I cannot play along with it, on a normal tuned piano)

[Chris Brown]

Steven this has been discussed a few times before and speculated on, but can you offer any insights as to why Brian didn't sing lead on "A Day In The Life of a Tree"?  Most of us figure that it was just too personal and sad for him to want to go anywhere near it.  I'd be really curious to hear any thoughts you may have.  Thanks!

[Dancing Bear]

He and I both stated how Blondie had pulled off such a Carl-like sounding vocal, even to the pronunciation of the words.  But he assured me it was Blondie.  Some of the tracks were from before but the lead was re-sung.  So, that ends that debate -- at least in my head.[/b]  ~swd

Mr. Desper,

Have you closely compared your vocal only track and the Holland "Sail On Sailor" track? I have a hard time hearing "Carl" in the official release, to me it sounds unmistakingly like a Blondie lead. Furthermore, if you were out of the picture when the Blondie lead was recorded after the band returned from Holland, how could you have access to a vocals only mix?

Surely, it's way possible that 1. I don't know squat about Carl's and Blondie's voices and 2. You werent working with the Beach Boys anymore but you could have been given the vocals only mix of Sail on Sailor by Carl as a gift in 1973.

I apologize If I'm bothering you with a subject that's already closed.

[Rocker]

Hi Mr Desper,

I got two questions which I hope haven't been asked before.
First, I know many BBs-fans who ould like to know if that "sex sound" on the coda to "All I want to do" from 20/20 was a fake or real. Normally I would say "fake", but ith Dennis nothing seems so sure I believe...
And second, how came that you and the BBs used this radically different sound on Sunflower compared to the album before (20/20) ? Sunflower sounds like from another world compared to the "old class"-sound of 20/20. Had it anything to do with the change to Warner?

[Jeff Mason]

(knowing that the sounds at the end of that track are real, I can't wait for Desper's stories on THAT one...)

 

[mike slattery]

its absolutely real

(knowing that the sounds at the end of that track are real, I can't wait for Desper's stories on THAT one...)

 

[Roger Ryan]

He and I both stated how Blondie had pulled off such a Carl-like sounding vocal, even to the pronunciation of the words.  But he assured me it was Blondie.  Some of the tracks were from before but the lead was re-sung.  So, that ends that debate -- at least in my head.[/b]  ~swd

Mr. Desper,

Have you closely compared your vocal only track and the Holland "Sail On Sailor" track? I have a hard time hearing "Carl" in the official release, to me it sounds unmistakingly like a Blondie lead. Furthermore, if you were out of the picture when the Blondie lead was recorded after the band returned from Holland, how could you have access to a vocals only mix?

Surely, it's way possible that 1. I don't know squat about Carl's and Blondie's voices and 2. You werent working with the Beach Boys anymore but you could have been given the vocals only mix of Sail on Sailor by Carl as a gift in 1973.

I apologize If I'm bothering you with a subject that's already closed.

Thanks Mr. Desper for following-up with Al about the SOS session. Keep that tape safe; it would make a great addition to a rarieties collection some day.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Andrew Doe confirmed it was real in his book. I'll quote...

The non-musical fade, as you would expect from a Dennis wilson production, is, according to engineer Desper, precisely what is sounds like.

But, yeah, I want the story too... 

[Mitchell]

I think it MAY have been mentioned somewhere in one of the archives...

[Dancing Bear]

Hi Mr Desper,

I got two questions which I hope haven't been asked before.
First, I know many BBs-fans who ould like to know if that "sex sound" on the coda to "All I want to do" from 20/20 was a fake or real. Normally I would say "fake", but ith Dennis nothing seems so sure I believe...
And second, how came that you and the BBs used this radically different sound on Sunflower compared to the album before (20/20) ? Sunflower sounds like from another world compared to the "old class"-sound of 20/20. Had it anything to do with the change to Warner?

The story is told in details in one of those two links, probably the former:

http://surfermoon.com/essays/desperarchive.html

http://comiclist.com/smileysmile/viewtopic.php?t=8960

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

Looks like Chuck deleted the old thread?

[Charles LePage @ ComicList]

BTW, the petition was delivered to Brother Records and Capital Records on January 24.  Post office even gave me a signed confirmation for each.

[Charles LePage @ ComicList]

Looks like Chuck deleted the old thread?

Chuck is working on making Stephen's messages available ASAP.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

BTW, the petition was delivered to Brother Records and Capital Records on January 24.  Post office even gave me a signed confirmation for each.

That's cool news.

Chuck is working on making Stephen's messages available ASAP.

I figured you'd, er...Chuck would, have saved the thread.  I just like whatever figure of speech it is where you say a statement that you know is false and put a question mark after it.

[Charles LePage @ ComicList]

What I see in my head is super spectacular.  A Stephen Desper Search Engine.  A Digital Desper.  His words, broken down by category, all easily found by the Pico search engine.  I'm open to suggestions for the categories.

[Mitchell]

How about:

General (like the "Life" post)
Stories
Song Details
Recording Details

I'm sure there are more, but I'd have to look through the threads for ideas.

[Jonas]

Desperpedia

[Susan]

Mitchell - you forgot "Lessons."  He's certainly dispensed plenty...and at a mighty high level.

[Stephen W. Desper]

Mr Desper,

Seeing as the analouge/digital debate came up in our discussion, I wonder if you would be interested in having a look at www.sa3.com .  The a-b samples on there are pretty cool.

I read the artical with interest.  Thank you for pointing it out.  Some of the adverbs and discriptive adjectives used to discribed his results also would discribe the results I'm getting with my analog processing.  I did not listen to samples as I don't see what me telling him my cell phone telephone number as registration requirements has to do with downloading a sample of his work. All I know is, many things that you would think can only be done digitally are actually doable in analog with more musical sound.  But who knows.  Anyway it was interesting to read about.   ~swd

[Stephen W. Desper]

Hi Stephen

I've got a bit of a 'how long is a bit of string' type question, which is:  how many different vocal parts can be happening at once and still allow the human ear to discern each part without it all becoming a big mush of sound..?

stacked harmonies wouldn't count, it has to be one different part for each voice, so 5 part harmony would indeed count, but 5 part harmony with eaxch part doubled would not.

All I know is that with training a human being can keep track of five dissimular thought patterns.  A crow can keep track of three.  A dog one or two.  If you add harmony to the mix I suppose you could keep track of five parts.  I know in mixing I can keep track of four easy.  I use to mix sound and run the lights.  The mix was in real time and the light cues had to be given early.  So part of my brain was in realtime and part was operating in future time.  I got use to it after a while.  A TV producer must do the same -- call shots before the action and also keep his thought on what is actually happening.  Generally I would say that after five part harmony or five of anything, you tend to let it blur or run together.   ~swd