Hostname: page-component-5b777bbd6c-5mwv9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-06-21T23:13:51.626Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Configuring the sound-box 1965–1972

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2010

Ruth Dockwray  and
Allan F. Moore
Ruth Dockwray
Affiliation:
Faculty of Media, Arts & Society, Southampton Solent University, East Park Terrace, Southampton, Hampshire SO14 OYN, UK E-mail: Ruth.Dockwray@solent.ac.uk
Allan F. Moore
Affiliation:
Department of Music & Sound Recording, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK E-mail: Allan.Moore@surrey.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

When a stereophonic track is heard through headphones or over loudspeakers, the image of a virtual performance is created in the mind. This virtual performance, which exists exclusively on the record, can be conceptualised in terms of the ‘sound-box’ (Moore 1993), a four-dimensional virtual space within which sounds can be located through: lateral placement within the stereo field; foreground and background placement due to volume and distortion; height according to sound vibration frequency; and time. From the mid-1960s, the increasing shift from mono to stereo meant that producers and engineers had to contend with the notion and potential of a song's sonic arrangement or mix, resulting in a disparity of sonic placement and a diverse range of sound-box configurations. By 1972, a normative positioning of sound sources within the sound-box was established, which we term the ‘diagonal mix’. This article focuses on the consolidation of this norm by means of a ‘taxonomy of mixes’ and the utilisation of visual representations which detail the sound-box configurations of a variety of pop/rock, easy listening and psychedelic tracks from 1966 to 1972.

Type
Articles
Information
Popular Music , Volume 29 , Issue 2 , May 2010 , pp. 181 - 197
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

References

Anon, 2003. ‘How do I create a stereo mix from mono material?’, Sound On Sound, December, http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec03/articles/qanda.htm (accessed 2 June 2008)Google Scholar
Bartlett, B., and Bartlett, J. 2002. Practical Recording Techniques (3rd edn) (London, Focal Press)Google Scholar
Borthwick, S., and Moy, R. 2004. Popular Music Genres: An Introduction (Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press)Google Scholar
Chanan, M. 1995. Repeated Takes: A Short History of Recording and its Effects on Music (London, Verso)Google Scholar
Crabbe, J. 1968. HI-FI in the Home (London, Blandford)Google Scholar
Droney, M. 2003. Mix Masters: Platinum Engineers Reveal Their Secrets for Success (Berklee, Berklee Press)Google Scholar
Eisenberg, E. 2005. The Recording Angel: Music, Records and Culture from Aristotle to Zappa (2nd edn) (Yale, Yale University Press)Google Scholar
Gambaccini, P., Rice, T., and Rice, J. 1996. Guinness Top 40 Charts (Middlesex, Guinness)Google Scholar
Gibson, D. 2005. The Art of Mixing (2nd edn) (Boston, Course Technology)Google Scholar
Gracyk, T. 1996. Rhythm and Noise (London, I.B. Taurus)Google Scholar
Hodgson, J. 2007. ‘Outline for a theory of recording practice with reference to the mix for Pink Floyd's “Speak to Me” (1973)’, Journal on the Art of Record Production, 1/1, http://www.artofrecordproduction.com (accessed 13 February 2007)Google Scholar
Jones, S. 1992. Rock Formation (London, Sage)Google Scholar
Katz, M. 2004. Capturing Sound (California, California Press)Google Scholar
Kehew, B., and Ryan, K. 2006. Recording The Beatles (Texas, Curve Bender)Google Scholar
Martin, G., with Pearson, W. 1994. With a Little Help from My Friends (Boston, Little Brown)Google Scholar
Middleton, R. 1993. ‘Popular music analysis and musicology: bridging the gap’, Popular Music, 12/2, pp. 177–90Google Scholar
Moore, A.F. 1983. Rock: The Primary Text (Milton Keynes, Open University Press)Google Scholar
Moore, A.F. 2001. Rock: The Primary Text: Developing A Musicology of Rock (2nd edn) (Aldershot, Ashgate)Google Scholar
Moore, A.F. 2005. ‘The persona–environment relation in recorded song’, Music Theory Online, 11/4CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moore, A.F., and Dockwray, R. (2010). ‘The establishment of the virtual performance space in rock’, Twentieth-Century Music, 5/2, pp. 219–41Google Scholar
Morton, D. 2000. Off the Record (New Brunswick, Rutgers University Press)Google Scholar
Moylan, W. 2007. Understanding and Crafting the Mix (2nd edn) (Burlington, Focal Press)Google Scholar
Rumsey, F. 2002. ‘Spatial quality evaluation for reproduced sound: terminology, meaning, and a scene-based paradigm’, Journal of the Audio Engineering Society, 50/9, pp. 651–66Google Scholar
Schafer, R.M. 2006. ‘The music of the environment’, in Audio Culture: Readings in Modern Music (pp. 29–39) (London, Continuum)Google Scholar
Whitburn, J. 2004. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th edn) (New York, Billboard)Google Scholar
White, P. 2000. ‘Improving your stereo mixing’, Sound on Sound, October, http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct00/articles/stereomix.htm (accessed 9 January 2007)Google Scholar
Whiteley, S. 1990. ‘Progressive rock and psychedelic coding in the work of Jimi Hendrix’, Popular Music, 9/1, pp. 37–60Google Scholar
Whiteley, S. 1992. The Space Between the Notes: Rock and the Counter-Culture (London, Routledge)Google Scholar
Zak, A.J. III 2001. The Poetics of Rock: Cutting Tracks, Making Records (California, California University Press)Google Scholar
Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, ‘What Now My Love’ [1966]. The Very Best of Herb Alpert. A&M, 396906-1. 1986Google Scholar
Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, ‘Casino Royale’ [1967]. The Very Best of Herb Alpert. A&M, 396906-1. 1986Google Scholar
Argent, ‘Celebration’ [1970]. Ring of Hands. BGO, BGOCD480. 2000Google Scholar
Bee Gees, ‘World’ [1967]. Their Greatest Hits: The Record. Polydor (UK), 589400-2. 2001Google Scholar
Carpenters, ‘Goodbye to Love’ [1972]. The Singles 1969–1973. A&M, AMLH 63601. 1973Google Scholar
Cher, ‘Bang Bang’ [1966]. The Very Best of Cher. Warner Bros, R2 73852. 2003Google Scholar
Neil Diamond, ‘Cracklin’ Rosie' [1970]. The Greatest Hits 1966–1992. Columbia, 471502. 1992Google Scholar
Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and the Trinity, ‘This Wheel's on Fire’ [1968]. Various – Our Generation. Teledisc, TELCD 39. 1989Google Scholar
Aretha Franklin, ‘Think’ [1968]. Aretha's Gold. Atlantic, 7567-81445-2. 1993Google Scholar
Isaac Hayes, ‘Walk On By’ [1969]. The Man! The Ultimate Isaac Hayes (1969–1977). Stax, CDSXE2 133. 2001Google Scholar
Brenda Holloway, ‘You've Made Me So Very Happy’ [1967]. The Motown Anthology. Motown, 980765-8. 2005Google Scholar
Jimi Hendrix Experience, ‘Spanish Castle Magic’. Axis: Bold as Love. Polydor, SPELP 03. 1967Google Scholar
Jimi Hendrix Experience, ‘Purple Haze’ [1967]. Are You Experienced? MCA MCD, 11608. 1997Google Scholar
Jimi Hendrix Experience, ‘Crosstown Traffic’ [1968]. Electric Ladyland. MCA, MCD 11600. 1997Google Scholar
Jimi Hendrix Experience, ‘Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)’ [1968]. Electric Ladyland. MCA, MCD 11600. 1997Google Scholar
Engelbert Humperdinck, ‘There Goes My Everything’ [1967]. Engelbert: His Greatest Love Songs. Universal Music, TV 0602498335109. 2004Google Scholar
Tom Jones, ‘Daughter of Darkness’ [1970]. The Definitive Tom Jones 1964–2002. Universal Records, 882957-2. 2003Google Scholar
David McWilliams, ‘Days of Pearly Spencer’ [1967]. The Days of Pearly Spencer. EMI, SRS 5075. 1971Google Scholar
Matt Monro, ‘Born Free’ [1966]. John Barry – The Best of the EMI Years. EMI, 07243 523073 2 6. 1999Google Scholar
Des O'Connor, ‘Dick-a-Dum-Dum (King's Road) [1969]. Des O'Connor… By Special Request. EMI, MFP50007. 1977Google Scholar
Pink Floyd, ‘See Emily Play’ [1967]. Relics. EMI, MFP 50397. 1971Google Scholar
Cliff Richard, ‘Congratulations’ [1968]. Cliff Richard – The Hit List. EMI, 7243 8 30917 2 0. 1994Google Scholar
Cliff Richard, ‘Goodbye Sam, Hello Samantha’ [1970]. Cliff Richard – The Hit List. EMI, 7243 8 30917 2 0. 1994Google Scholar
Small Faces, ‘Itchycoo Park’ [1967]. The Small Faces – The Collection. Castle Communications, CCSCD 108. 1986Google Scholar
Tomorrow, ‘My White Bicycle’ [1967]. Various – Nuggets II – Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond 1964–1969. Rhino, R2 76787. 2001Google Scholar
Roger Williams, ‘Born Free’ [1966]. Various – The Real Popcorn Collection Vol. 2. Paradiso, PA 3911/9. 1997Google Scholar
Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, ‘What Now My Love’ [1966]. The Very Best of Herb Alpert. A&M, 396906-1. 1986Google Scholar
Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, ‘Casino Royale’ [1967]. The Very Best of Herb Alpert. A&M, 396906-1. 1986Google Scholar
Argent, ‘Celebration’ [1970]. Ring of Hands. BGO, BGOCD480. 2000Google Scholar
Bee Gees, ‘World’ [1967]. Their Greatest Hits: The Record. Polydor (UK), 589400-2. 2001Google Scholar
Carpenters, ‘Goodbye to Love’ [1972]. The Singles 1969–1973. A&M, AMLH 63601. 1973Google Scholar
Cher, ‘Bang Bang’ [1966]. The Very Best of Cher. Warner Bros, R2 73852. 2003Google Scholar
Neil Diamond, ‘Cracklin’ Rosie' [1970]. The Greatest Hits 1966–1992. Columbia, 471502. 1992Google Scholar
Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and the Trinity, ‘This Wheel's on Fire’ [1968]. Various – Our Generation. Teledisc, TELCD 39. 1989Google Scholar
Aretha Franklin, ‘Think’ [1968]. Aretha's Gold. Atlantic, 7567-81445-2. 1993Google Scholar
Isaac Hayes, ‘Walk On By’ [1969]. The Man! The Ultimate Isaac Hayes (1969–1977). Stax, CDSXE2 133. 2001Google Scholar
Brenda Holloway, ‘You've Made Me So Very Happy’ [1967]. The Motown Anthology. Motown, 980765-8. 2005Google Scholar
Jimi Hendrix Experience, ‘Spanish Castle Magic’. Axis: Bold as Love. Polydor, SPELP 03. 1967Google Scholar
Jimi Hendrix Experience, ‘Purple Haze’ [1967]. Are You Experienced? MCA MCD, 11608. 1997Google Scholar
Jimi Hendrix Experience, ‘Crosstown Traffic’ [1968]. Electric Ladyland. MCA, MCD 11600. 1997Google Scholar
Jimi Hendrix Experience, ‘Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)’ [1968]. Electric Ladyland. MCA, MCD 11600. 1997Google Scholar
Engelbert Humperdinck, ‘There Goes My Everything’ [1967]. Engelbert: His Greatest Love Songs. Universal Music, TV 0602498335109. 2004Google Scholar
Tom Jones, ‘Daughter of Darkness’ [1970]. The Definitive Tom Jones 1964–2002. Universal Records, 882957-2. 2003Google Scholar
David McWilliams, ‘Days of Pearly Spencer’ [1967]. The Days of Pearly Spencer. EMI, SRS 5075. 1971Google Scholar
Matt Monro, ‘Born Free’ [1966]. John Barry – The Best of the EMI Years. EMI, 07243 523073 2 6. 1999Google Scholar
Des O'Connor, ‘Dick-a-Dum-Dum (King's Road) [1969]. Des O'Connor… By Special Request. EMI, MFP50007. 1977Google Scholar
Pink Floyd, ‘See Emily Play’ [1967]. Relics. EMI, MFP 50397. 1971Google Scholar
Cliff Richard, ‘Congratulations’ [1968]. Cliff Richard – The Hit List. EMI, 7243 8 30917 2 0. 1994Google Scholar
Cliff Richard, ‘Goodbye Sam, Hello Samantha’ [1970]. Cliff Richard – The Hit List. EMI, 7243 8 30917 2 0. 1994Google Scholar
Small Faces, ‘Itchycoo Park’ [1967]. The Small Faces – The Collection. Castle Communications, CCSCD 108. 1986Google Scholar
Tomorrow, ‘My White Bicycle’ [1967]. Various – Nuggets II – Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond 1964–1969. Rhino, R2 76787. 2001Google Scholar
Roger Williams, ‘Born Free’ [1966]. Various – The Real Popcorn Collection Vol. 2. Paradiso, PA 3911/9. 1997Google Scholar