interview of producer Creed Taylor on the Making of Girl From Ipanema - Jobim

https://www.jazzwax.com/2008/11/interview-cre-1.html

Dreaming today the song with working title No Comment

Suddenly while dreaming of Marina singing a song and while trying to rememer it, she sung another one which sounded very nice while I was flying quite high above ground. There were lyrics but they could be any lyrics. Trying to remember the verse and chorus, waking up, rushing to record on a small portable cassette recorder, could remember some of it. It is bossa nova in Dminor. Similar temo to The Girl from Ipanema - Jobim. Intro:F-EB/----/F-EB/----/G--FD/etc. Verse goes in melody (Dminor)--D-/F-E-/B---(Gminor7)/----,--E-(A7)/G-F-/D---(Dminor),repeat with improvisation,Chorus:--D-/E-F-/G---(Gminor7)/---/--GG(A7)/GAAB/B--A(Dminor)/----/--F-/E-D-/F---(Gmin7)/----/--E-(A7)/D-C-/D---(Dminor)

God may be a great record producer

How are gentle slope passive EQ (equalizers) created?

At your risk. Using patent US3624298? ie bridged T constant K with varying resistors on each of the inverse circuits, one being inductor, the other capacitor? For example by using equations from Elements on Sound recording - frayne, Wolfe... for a Shure SM58 microphone impedance of 314 ohms, left and right resistor of the T network, 314 Ohms each, lower shunt inductor 100mH, upper series capacitor approx. 1uF. Equations are L/C=R times R, l=R/(PIxfc), C=1/(PIxfcxR). For Fc=1KHz. Or using a simpler passive EQ described in Audio Cyclopedia - Tremain, where inductor circuit is connected to tap of variable resistor, capacitor circuit connected to tap of other variable resistor, each potentiometer for LF, HF bass, treble (attenuate or boost) respectively. If memory is correct potentiometers are in parallel with signal out. Or using just an inductor in series with variable resistor and total in parallel with mic, ie Pleiades (R,L) filter but with component valkues recalculated for a lower cutoff like the Cinema Eng EQ? By the way what is the variable filter, EQ inside the so nice Sennheiser MD421 microphone? By the way the AKG D 330 microphone used by ABBA at live shows? has 2 very nice EQs: bass correct, high increase. The Shure SM7 has a nice bass correction or low cut? filter and a broad band? reject, apparently to make the high frequency peak flat, schematic can be found on www.coutant.org. The AKG D1000 microphone has a nice bass correction passive filter too. Other non insertion loss way could be an inductor with core magnetic permeability that varies with frequency. This would create an inductance that varies in frequency in a different way to 6dB per octave. Some audio transformers (with silicon steel? mumetal?) such as Hammond transformers seem to have this property by measuring the primary inductance. If a low primary inductace transformer is choosen or the mic impedance is steped up by another transformer then the cutoff frequency could be moved to 1KHz which is close to a frequency in the Cinema Enguineering low frequency correcting side of the 4031-B program equalizer. Such inductance is to be connected in parallel with the microphone output.

It seems the Cinema Engineering Program Equalizer low cut is a shelving filter?

At your risk. Basic, quick frequency responce tests at bass -12dB showed (towards low frequency) slow decrease below say 5KHz, then more abrupt below 2KHz, finally shelving at about 150Hz. At a setting of -4dB, simmilar but gentler slope, shelvibg at around 300Hz. The Pleiades (130Ohm,20mH) gave a somehow similar responce but starting dropping at a much higher frequency. (signal generator by by Lode output impedance, aprox. 400 Ohms, readings taken on Rohde & Schwarz Psophometer).

Many thanks to Mikes Psalidas for giving me so much information on Cinema equalizers

Mikes Psalidas was an electronic Engineer. He designed the mixing cosole used by Finos Films, and gave the same mixing console for electronic music composer and producer Vangelis (Vangelis Papathanasiou). I admired the sound quality of the Finos Films songs by Aliki Vougouklaki et Al, made very very insisting phonecalls to the late Finos Films headquarters, after Finos death and they inventually let on the name of the man who designed them, Mikes psalidas at that later time engineering director at Pitsos factory. A phonecall to the factory made me speak to the man. asking, "are you the man responsible for the fantastic Finos Film sound?" He laughingly said "yes" and immediately invited me to his place later on, same day. The first thing he did was handing me a full pack of Altec original schematics, including engineering notes. From a paper by John Eargle - Altec, on monitoring equalisation, the US patent 3624298 was found on passive equalizers used by Altec, see today's posts. Mikes Psalidas generously immediately said that flat electronic frequency responce leads to non flat listeners's brain frequency response (not in his words), because flat electronically in simple terms sounds very bass heavy (not in his words). And he proceeded to donate me one of the gretest books, by Hollywood engineers, Elements of Sound Recording - Frayne, Wolfe. Saying i know, i also have this book. (First time seeing it was at the great Warwick University library). After thanking him again and taking the book we continued the interesting conversation. We hit off very well with Mikes Psalidas, and his wife was very kind too. I miss him. P.S. He could not find the schematic of the mixing desks, neither did he know what had happened to the mixing desks themselves. The coils for the inductors were wound by his friend Fousekis (both were at some time at Hellenic Radio and television) in the basement of an international Airline offices at Syntagma square. His daugther later, generous as him donated most of his books.

Understanding how the Motown, Altec9062A attenuation part of Equalizer operates with possible schematic, on patent US3624298, assignee LTV Ling Altec, Inc. Anaheim, Calif.

At your risk. The patent explains in detail 1/3 octave band attenuation equalizers, ie an EQ with greater resolution, but the principle and components used seem to be the same. A very recent light giving paper is Graphic Equalizers Based on Limited Action Networks, by Kurt James Werner. Inside the paper are actual measurments, equations given too.

Design equations, schematic link for the Motown graphic EQ, Altec 9062A graphic EQ

At your risk. This very informative and very recent paper was found with great bibliographic and journal references: Graphic Equalizers Based on Limited Action Netqworks - Kurt James Werner - Proc. 27th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects. If i am not mistaken by reading this paper, the Altec 9062A, Motown EQ are not constant B (constant bandwidth designs), and they are based on simpler constant K, bridged T networks where the varying 2 resistors are part of the LCR (inductor, capacitor, resistor) upper and lower inverse circuits. Also the paper Professional Audio Controls - Artur C. Davis, Don Davis was found by web search and it was realised that Davis are the inventors. Then in the Pleiades lab schematic library a printed patent was found by inventors Artur C. Davis, Donald B. Davis, James J. Noble, (Altec). It is US3624298, Sound Improving Means and Method. It shows in fig. 3 a bridged T constant K network with 2 varying resistors each in the LCR top and bottom inverse circuit. This EQ is an only attenuation version as it is meant for room sound system EQ correction. The inventors describe in detail how it works and the varying Resistors are linear and decrease in oposite directions. Left and right arm resistors are said each to be equal to system impedance. A simpler circuit on this patent, fig 2, is just a variable resistor in parallel with (an inductor in series with a resistor), in parallel with a capacitor. Signal is fed in series with such network. This is very similar to the recently described on euroelectron, fullrange speaker correction crossover network. The inductor in series reduces mid high heaviness, the varying resistor puts back some high frequencies, the capacitor passes higher frequencies if the speaker cannot go very high by itself. Back to the patent, the varying resistor controls increase attenuation bandwidth.

Where is the Cinema Engineering EQ 4031-B schematic?

So far it could not be found but information was for the Motwon graphic EQ, Altec graphic EQ, Langevin EQ 151'A which i do not undestand yet.

Still don't know

At your risk. But here is some light. It was decided to try Cinema Engineering EQ 4031-B. If memory is correct it can be seen on a documentary of Motown in the recording studio? Anyway, a Shure SM58 was connected directly to it. Then the output of the EQ directly to the Sony TC-D5M mic preamp in mono mode. Male singer to mic distance was the usual 24in, mic axis 30 degrees above head, towards nose. Surprisingly it worked although there is attenuation in the EQ. Of cource there was some hiss as the Sony recording level control had to be cranked up to maximum sensitivity. At EQ setting out, or both bass and treble controls to 0 the vocal sound was the usual muddy bass due to room acoustics, equal loudness curves, voice effort curves etc. As soon as the bass attenuate control reached -12db (at 100Hz?, bearing in mind that according to Audio Cyclopedia-Tremain, frequency response, attenuation starts at around 1KHz). (Monitoring was in real time trough Sennheiser HD-580 reference headphones while singing.) At -12dB the male voice quality was crispy clear and amazing, reminding of any greatly produced song. Say for exaple Could this be Magic - Manilow. Then a Pleiades one stage K117 JFET mic booster preamplifier was connected just after the mic, before the EQ, using a Canford input transformer and a Neutrik red jack with transformer inside as output transformer. There was no hiss as the cinema Eng EQ was more appropriately driven. Amazing sound again at -12dB low attenuation. The sound really sparkled when boosting also 2 to 4dB at 10kHz on both previous setupss. Then everything was disconnected and the SM57 was tried feeding directly the Sony TC-D5PRO. Again muddy, unclear, prominant mi8d bass, giving the impresion that someone is singing indide a very small space. Then a Pleiades (175mH:175mH) inline bass correcting transformer was insirted between mic and pre. Bass was much better but the mid bass still muddy. Then insited of this transformer a Pleiades (130Ohms,20mH) high pass filter was connected between the mic and pre. Now the vocal sound was much better with definition in mid and high frequencies but still not as good as using the Cinema Eng EQ in the bass register. When cascading both inline filters still the sound was not as good and worse in the mid. So winner is Cinema Eng EQ 4031-B, second best Pleiades (130Ohm,20mH) bass correcting high pass filter. At this point it was realised that the Pleiades (130Ohm,20mH) is a shelving filter of a different frequency than the Cinema Eng. Could a Cinema Eng equivqlent EQ or filter, possibly same schematic too be built inside an XLR to XLR adaptor? WHere is the Cinema Eng schematic?

Not trusting what we see as mic used on studio on a videoclip seems a good idea

At your risk. See for example Where do Broken Hearts go - Whitney Houston video showing a condencer microphone, and compare the Whitney: Inside the Album with Producer Narada Michael Walden video, Narada holding in his hands what looks like A Shure SM7 dynamic (moving coil microphone): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUHKIK4f5AY

A Brief History of Early Motion Sound Recording and Reproducing Practices - John K. Hilliard - Journal of the Audio Engineering Society, Volume 3, Number 4, 1985 April

Very nice paper discribing also the bass, mid bass, mid? heaviness effects created in listener's brain when a microphones is just connected to a preamplifioer with no EQ correction for the Fletcher Munson equal loudness curves, voice effort curves, recording space boominess due to standing waves etc.

Variable Mid frequency correction box or Pleiades vocal microph9one correction box

At your risk. A variable passive filter to correct for bass, mid heaviness due to proximity effect, Fletcher Munson equal loudness curvs, voice effort curves, low frequency small room standing waves etc. It is the usual Pleiades filter but the inductor is a multitap inductor, currently 12 position. Then in series is a 1K military quality potentiometer. Then in series there is provision for 3 swichable capacitors, say 10nF, 100nF, 1uF. capacitors are for creating a Shure SM7 type notch or band reject filter for removing a high frequency peak, or even for attenuating the fundamental of a singing voice. So all L,R,C are in series and the total connected across the microphone output. The toroidal core used is the Magnetec nanocrystaline M-059-03F6. Starting with 2 turns then multiplying by 1.42 to find yhe next number of turns for next tap. 1.42 times 1.42 makes roughly 2 so frequency cutoff is advancing in octaves. So 2 turns 0.6mH, 3 turns 1mH, 6 turns 2.4mH, 8 turns 4.3mH, 11 turns 8mH, 16 turns 17mH, 23 turns 35mH, 33 turns 73mH, 46 turns 141mH, 66 turns 290mH, 94v turns 600mH. Everything with be attempted to be fitted inside an orange color Hammond guitar pedal size aluminum box. Ie the 2 Neutrik male and female XLRs, the inductor under a 12 position 1 pole rotary switch, the 1K potemtiometer, the 4 position 1 pole switch and the 3 or 4 capacitors. Gray-silver colored knobs. Maybe a provision for disconecting the filter by a switch or an unconnected inductor rotary switch terminal for EQ in or out. Further reading for the bass, mid heaviness effects in the listener's brain mentioned in sentence 2: A Brief History of Early Motion Sound Recording and Reproducing Practices - John K. Hilliard - Journal of the Audio Engineering Society, Volume 3, Number 4, 1985 April

Pleiades DK91 9V, 1.2V battery electron tube (electronic valve) microphone booster (pre preamplifier) updates

At your risk. Considering containing everything in an Hammond orange, size of double guitar pedal, aluminium box. Ie the Bulgin 9V and AA 1.2V battery holders, the 2 Neutrik chassis XLRs, 2 octal bases for the input and output transformer, 1 miniature base for the DK91 pentagrid electron tube used in triode mode. (anode is g2 internaly connected to g4). These grids are close to the cathode filament making smooth operation of the electron tube with just Vb=9V. In fact miraculusly anode current is about 30 micramperes when grid is at space potrential, ie unconnected DC wise, only ac signal ie music deriving it through a coupling capacitor. If said control grid is connected to a 8.2 Megohm resistor and other side of resistor is connected to negative terminal of 1.2V filament cathode battery, Ia=90 microamperes, and if at positive terminal, Ia=120 microamperes. So grid 2, grid 4, (and possibly other grids too) is the anode to collect the dancing to the music signal loving electrons. Considering at some later stage making a gift to producer Nerada who was giving all those loving gifts, like talking teddybears to Whitney.

Nerada interview, How to get 57 number ones? (discusion on Clive Davis great input towards the end)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg1rVxlLXxc

Narada Michael Walden on Whitney Houston - documentary - YouTube

Interview of drummer of Kool and the Gang, George Brown

https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2015/09/george-brown-interview

Waiting impatiently for the book The Soundtrack of my Life - Clive Davis to arrive

On making small in ear headphones listenable, eg Sennheiser CX80s mod

At your risk. Please play headphones at a low level to protect your precious hearing. This is an atempt to make inexpensive in ear headphones sound close to the amazing reference Sennheiser HD-580. The small in ear headphones sound very treble heavy and bass light compared to the reference HD-580. Using experience on making full range speakers sound listenable by adding an inductor in series (to cut high frequency heaviness, see previous posts), the same was tried on the small headphones. But how to do it simply without really modifying them or using extra cables etc. A very high inductance index nanocrystaline toroidal core was found around Pleiades lab. It is the Magnetec M-059-03F6. It was decided to pass the headphone cable trough it as many times needed, after each time listening and comparing with HD-580. Almost unexpectably everytime after each turn high frequencies were decreasing. 10 turns was the maximum possible because then it is almost imposible to reinsert the mini plug due to space taken up in the hole of the toroid from the cable turns. Now treble seems just a bit higher than HD-580 while bass has become bigger and deeper (due to less high frequency prominance). No chance yet to compare with stock CX80s. It is a joy listening on Sony CD Walkman on public transport, beach, or in the library while writting this to the song Cherish - Kool and the Gang. i Cherish this CD walkman given by my aunt Didi (now a planet Aphrodite, Venus) at some difficult part of life. It immediately made life shine with Sennheiser HD-580.

Update to the Pleiades meal

At your risk. It is not a nutritional or medical advice. Currently it is organic oat flakes with filtered water, fresh lemon juice or skin, peal, royal dates, vanilla, a bit of sea water. Other meals may be fresh cut green clover, mallow, nettle, apple vinegar, freshly cut lemon or sour orange juice, virgin olive oil, wood oven baked whole grain bread with sourdough.

Interview of Producer Narada Michael Walden for Whitney Houston

The SM7 Shure microphone used can be seen at 1:54. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUHKIK4f5AY

A rare view into the music business, What do his colleagues say about Clive Davis (found from www.clivedavis.com)

https://variety.com/2022/music/features/clive-davis-90-man-music-meetings-1235225879/