Re: [Harp-L] Chaka Khan I Feel for You

[Philharpn@xxxxxxx]

Fats Domino's hit records were speeded up slightly, reportedly to raise his 
voice to make him sound younger. Some people thought piano players were going 
out of their minds trying to match the raised pitch (between the piano keys) 
but many phonographs have had a variable speed option to "correct" for many 
years. 

(HOW MANY people played an LP [33-1/3 rpm] at 16 rpm [used for talking book 
records] to learn a tune?) 

My 4-speed changer from the 1960s has a strobe that you could set the 
turntable speed by pressing a button to light it up and turn so the pattern stayed 
"steady." If the record still didn't sound "right" the sound could be adjusted 
the dial by ear.

I think the windup mechanical 78 rpm phonographs (Gramophone?) also had this 
feature.

Many home reel-to-reel tape recorders came in two speeds; some had 3 speeds. 
But most of the home market did not have variable speed; only the pricier 
models that cost several hundred dollars did.

Today, there are several excellent CD programs that work on the computer to 
adjust the speed. You can slow down a Little Walter CD to creeping speed 
without changing the pitch. Or you can change the pitch slightly or even the key in 
play back. There are several freestanding CD players that slow or increase the 
speed starting at about $100 going up to $300 or so.

Stevie is a great gadget guy; he had one of the first machines that looked 
like the standard office Xerox copier that would copy printer matter (book, 
magazine) and "read" it back out loud.

And Stevie made several (all?) albums by using overdubs on a xx-track 
recording machine and playing ALL the instruments.

Stevie could play anything he wanted in any key on any key harmonica (unlike 
us mortals) and tweak it a few dozen ways electronically with one of his 
gadgets.

So the who issue comes down to two questions: !. Do you really care what 
Stevie did on the recording? (academic question) Or 2. Do you want to know how YOU 
can play it? 

This then prompt two other questions: 3. Is it possible for a mortal 
harmonica player to execute this? And 4. Is it worth the trouble?



Because if it turns out (we may NEVER know) that Stevie played a special 
tuned chromatic (Ab, Eb) AND speeded it up on the recording nobody will ever 
duplicate this live without the special tuned chromes and/or some pitch shifting 
equipment.

I certainly hope we get this resolved.

Phil Lloyd


   



In a message dated 5/10/08 8:26:10 AM, ltlbuddha@xxxxxxxxx writes:


> >From what I have heard over the years, it is not uncommon for an artist's
> recording to be sped up. This allows for a musician to play a difficult
> piece at a more reasonable speed. Not saying this is always the reason or
> that it is the artist's choice. This has caused a great deal of
> consternation to those trying to pick up a piece by ear.
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