also double tracked quite often.
In fact, the World's introduction to The Byrds via the intro figure
on "Mr. Tambourine Man"; that is TWO Rickenbacker 12 string guitars
(Well, the same guitar recorded twice anyway) you are hearing.
The tracks over at sugarmegs confirm this. In the world of sound, one
and one don't make two, they make three. Denny Doherty called
this "Harvey".
A 3rd sound is produced when two sounds are blended together that
meld together in a unison or harmony format. More commonly known
as "Overtones", of course.
Rickenbacker 12 string guitars are known for their weak, thin, non-
sustaining sound, and this is somewhat hampered and sabotaged even
further by a nut made out of nylon, as opposed to being horn, bone,
or micarta Mi(Carta)-Sorry!).
HOWEVER, just a TOUCH of augmentation to these instruments will turn
them into an orchestra. Interestingly, effects of all kinds, and just
a TINY amount, have such an effect on Ricky-12 Strings.
So, in 1965, Terry Melcher compressess the 12 string, double tracks
it alot as well, also some good 'ole '60's reverb, and there is
your "Byrdsound".
Why Steve's toy is such a gem, is that it plain and simply brings
more Rickenbacker to the Rickenbacker!!
I am hearing some slacking on the "Turn" album, when comparing to
MTM; especially on "The Times They Are A Changin". Sounds like only
one 12 string track there, and sounds kind of weak.
Same with "Wait & See"; that poor song, it's not like it's bad, it's
a nice tune, but it just sounds like a prototype for something else
somehow, and again the 12 string just isn't "All there".
Now, "The World Turns All Around Her" brings us back to the magic of
the MTM album, and obviously it doesn't hurt who the songwriter was
either...RIGHT Starbuck's Patrons!! (Stephanie knows what I'm talkin'
about...)
And again, I'm on record as saying that "She don't care about time"
has the greatest sound combination of Roger & David's guitars of any
Byrds tune
"Lay down your weary tune"; great song, but the production is sloppy
and plodding, and nobody really ever gets out of each others way
during the 3 minutes, and perhaps it's the only time that
Chris' "Newness" to bass is really ever exposed, to my ears anyway.
A good argument against this is that it's raw, and "Organic", which
indeed it is.
Bob Dylan has been quoted as saying that "Lay Down Your Weary Tune",
is the only time that The Byrds ever really "Got It".
Of course, Bob liked rawness and sloppiness. "Highway 61 Revisted" is
a total mess; major chords when they're supposed to be minor, off
metre playing, and of course everyone knows Al Kooper's "Like A
Rolling Stone" story!
"Highway 61" is also one of the greatest albums EVER made, and one of
my personal favourites.
But yeah, there is something special about the sound of the 12 string
on the MTM album; especially the title track, and "The Bells Of
Rhymney". Also, the way the tracks unfold, the cohesion of the
record, etc.
In fact, the only bad thing about the album, is that they didn't
quite have the image yet: No cape on Crosby, and Chris' hair is only
half straightened...
Double tracking the Rickenbacker 12 string guitar is a BIG DEAL in
getting The Byrds sound.
Christian
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