本帖*后由 Stone654 于 2017-2-17 15:34 编辑
Kaki King：热衷变化
Andy Ellis，翻译Stone654
2002年，当Kaki King自己在家录制第一张原声吉他专辑的时候，她从未想过未来会和唱片公司签约、进行世界巡演，以及成为媒体的掌中宝。外界对她音乐的接受度是如此地高，这位23岁的纽约艺术家不知怎的就开始了职业吉他演奏生涯。2003年她自己录制的专辑Everybody Loves You被重新制作推出，里面记录了令人惊叹的演奏技巧。专辑的第一首曲子名为Kewpie Station，包含了错综复杂的拍击技巧以及反手按弦的技巧，这些预示着一位指弹新星的诞生。尽管Kaki King吸收了Michael Hedges, Preston Reed以及Leo Kottke 等人的演奏风格，但她独树一帜，与众不同。
在她2004年发行的第二张专辑Legs to Make Us Longer中，King开始尝试不同的乐器。大提琴、小提琴、贝斯、鼓以及滑棒吉他的演奏不仅证明了King作为一名编曲者的实力，还表现了她对探索吉他独奏之外的欲望。接下来的两张专辑Until We Felt Red和Dreaming of Revenge中，King那无止境的创造力显得更加引人注目。两张专辑中，他演奏了打击乐器、贝斯以及中音吉他、键盘、合成器、滑棒吉他和电吉他。她还将歌词和人声融入音乐，循环乐句以及复杂的配器令其早期指弹乐迷倍感惊愕，其他的听众则被其创新精神深深地折服，King的乐迷也越来越多。
有了这样的经历，King再一次进行创新就没有那么令人惊讶了。在她*新专辑Junior中，King一反近些年来多音轨叠加的创作习惯。关于伴奏部分，King找来了鼓手Jordan Perlson和精通多种乐器的Dan Brantigan 来录制伴奏音轨。
为了了解更多内容，包括Kaki现在使用的调弦、设备以及作曲方法，我们杂志在Kaki在一次澳洲、欧洲、英国和美国的巡演过程中采访了她。
左为鼓手Jordan Perlson，右为音乐人Dan Brantigan，中间为Kaki King正使用Fender 1972 Telecaster美豪。
摄影：Jennifer Ebhart
Q1:是什么让你产生了组建乐队录制Junior这张专辑的念头？
A1:在我前一张专辑Dreaming of Revenge中，绝大多数乐器都是我亲自演奏的，包括贝斯、鼓、键盘、吉他和滑棒吉他。这一次我想尝试一些新点子：直接在录音棚里录制三人乐队的演奏，然后再剪辑成一首首的曲子。很明显，绝大多数乐队录制唱片都是用这种方法，但对我来说这是一场挑战。我认为，作为一名音乐工作者，尝试新点子很重要，三人乐队正是锻炼方法之一。这一回，我邀请Jordan和Dan来协助我编曲，这在以前也是不曾有过的。
Q2:你进录音棚之前需要彩排吗？
A2:当然，过程也很有趣。我和Jordan还有Dan组成了个小团队，在Jordan的地下室折腾了三天左右。我会提出新点子，并通过彩排来完善它们。我喜欢和其他音乐家合作，创意这东西需要集思广益。比如：我不用为一段鼓的节奏伤脑筋，因为那是Jordan的工作。这些人是非常出色的演奏家，他们常常会想到我想不出来的新点子，给我灵感。能够在给出的伴奏基础上随意即兴真的很令人振奋。
Q3:Malcolm Brun制作了Dreaming of Revenge这张专辑，而Junior这张专辑你同样找到了他。是什么让你和他再度合作呢？
A3:我们已经有了交流沟通的默契，这在制作唱片的过程中是极为重要的一个因素。当棚子里开始手忙脚乱的时候，懂得如何冷静处理很重要。此外，Malcolm见过我绞尽脑汁创作时候的样子，所以我在写歌的时候不会感觉太过拘谨。我们已经对彼此产生了充分的信任。
Q4:我在Youtube上看过很多你和Burn在Le Maison Bleu录音棚里合作的作品。Junior这张专辑的录制还是在那里进行的吗？录音棚里光线很棒，还有沙发，看上去是个舒适的好地方。
A4:是的，那地方很酷。Burn有着各种各样的乐器，环境也很让人放松。比起光秃秃的录音棚，那里更像是一个起居室。他也有很多模拟设备。找到一个我熟悉的环境对创作很有帮助，特别是这次的三人乐队。
Q5:所有音轨都是同期录制的吗？
A5:除了Sloan Shore和Sunnyside这两首。它们伴奏是先录的，solo是后录的。Malcolm只需要架好麦克风，我们就可以开录。Dan先是用贝斯给我和Jordan伴奏，然后用Nyle Steiner发明的一种乐器EVI（Akai’s Electronic Valve Instrument）在音轨上叠加美妙的旋律。EVI是一种电子喇叭，Dan可以用它来创造非常美妙的质感。
Q6:Junior这张专辑的录制花了你多长时间？
A6:不算太长。我们并不打算为它竭尽全力。头三天我们先录好伴奏，后两天Dan过来叠加他的EVI效果。接下来我和Malcolm大概花了一周半的时间并轨、写歌词、录制人声。由于他还带了别的项目，我们中间暂停了片刻，然后花了不到一周的时间完成了歌曲的录制和混音。整个过程似乎非常迅速，但有些人一周之内就能录好唱片。
摄影：Jennifer Ebhart
Q7:你都用了什么吉他？
A7:我有几把Hamer Newport ，在这张专辑中用的比较频繁。我十分喜欢半空心电吉他的手感。Newport系列很轻，大小也合适。在Sloan Shore这首曲子中，我用了Malcolm藏品之一的Fender Jaguar中音吉他。当时我正犯愁新的音色，Malcolm建议我试试这把琴。尽管它已经降到了贝司的音域，但听起来仍然像吉他一样清晰，这令我在两个世界里穿梭自如。我还用到了我的Gretsch牌滑棒吉他，在Legs to Make Us Longer这首曲子中第一次出现。
Q8:音箱的话都是什么样的呢？
A8:Malcolm有着不错的录音级音箱收藏，所以我直接用他调好的设备就可以了。我并没有太留意它们的牌子，不过我记得有一只是老Ampeg。（具体的设备请留意文末的Malcolm的访谈）
Q9:你有参与混音过程吗？
A9:当然。我先把工程交给Malcolm做初混，然后拿过来看一下。如果我想强调一下某一段的细节，我会让他放大。这有点棘手，因为他只用纯模拟的方式来混音，每一步都是手动完成的。他拧旋钮好像跳舞一样，每一个旋钮都有不同的作用。所以如果我想放大某首歌里30秒长的的吉他solo，他要重新混整卷带子。这风险很大，所以我得试着接受一些听起来不太完美的地方。
Q10:能聊聊专辑中歌曲的创作历程吗？
A10:有些与众不同，因为所有的歌词和人生都是在伴奏录好之后创作的。我们从节奏和编曲入手，间或涉及一些我的小灵感，等到伴奏录好后曲子基本就定型了。每天晚上Malcolm都会给我们混好的成品，我把它们带回家，熬夜写好歌词，下次进棚子的时候去试效果。有些人喜欢搞一个小本记录歌词灵感，但我从来不觉得这能顶多大的事，然而我还是坚持这么做。有时候，当有灵感闪现或听到值得记下来的片段时，我会在本子上把它们记下来。但绝大多数情况下，我都是听着刚录好的伴奏现场创作。有时候Malcolm会架一支麦克风，我会唱一些歌词片段，然后我们在此基础上进行创作。
Q11:开放调弦和其他特殊调弦在你的以前的专辑中占主导地位，新专辑中也是一样吗？
A11:除了Sunnyside这首曲子，所有曲子用的都是特殊调弦。
Q12:这些调弦是你之前用过的还是在创作时想出来的？
A12:有一些是我以前惯用的调弦，但通常我会想：“为什么不能把这根弦调低一点，那根弦调高一点看看呢？”我发现自己的手部动作总会趋于某种套路，但特殊调弦以后，你的手和思维就会再次充满创造力，脱离从前的束缚。你必须重新探索指板来寻找新的指法和声音，往往会令你收获颇丰。
Q13:你是怎样记住这些调弦的？
A13:我现在和别人合奏，所有人的调子必须对上。我有专业的吉他技师Anna Morsett 来帮我调弦（笑），如果你想知道那些调弦具体都是什么，那你得问她。她的工作在演出中很重要，我们如果想通过在台上现场调弦来适应大量不同的特殊调弦的需求，观众就会变得不耐烦。而如果每一首曲子开始前Anna能递给我一把已经调好弦的琴的话，我们就能保持演出的节奏和连贯性，这是一个很大的进步。
Q14:你需要多少把吉他来满足你的调弦需求？
A14:目前我们的演出都控制在2个小时左右，不算滑棒吉他的话一共四把琴。
Q15:你用的调弦多于四种吗？Anna在演出的时候会一直给这些吉他调弦吗？
A15:当然，我用的调弦远远多于四种，每场演出大概十种左右。
Q16:你在台上会使用Hamer Newport吉他吗？
A16:我确实有几把Newport，但我需要一把更有劲的琴，就买了一把1972 Telecaster美豪和乐队一起巡演。这对提升现场效果有很大的帮助，箱子我选择Fender Bassman ，一般直插。
Q17:你是所有的琴都接到Bassman 上还是只有这把Tele是这样？
A17:除了我那把Adamas木琴直接进PA以外，都是这样。
Q18:你的签名型号1581-KK Adamas 在发布之后有过设计变动吗？
A18:琴桥的材质变了，除了一些琐碎的细节之外，整体没什么大变化。以前巡演的时候我经常带好几把，现在电吉他用的多了，Adamas 就只带一把了。
Q19:和我们聊聊你用的单块吧。
A19:我的装备总是在更新，但目前我用一块Ernie Ball音量踏板来控制音量、一块Boss DD-3用于延迟效果，此外我还有一块Boss TR-2颤音单块，一个Boss
OC-3八度单块和一个Fulltone OCD的失真单块。至于一些诡异的音色，有时候我会用到Electro-Harmonix 合唱八度单块。
OC-3八度单块和一个Fulltone OCD的失真单块。至于一些诡异的音色，有时候我会用到Electro-Harmonix 合唱八度单块。
Q20:你的指甲特别长，有什么故事呢？
A20:和其他吉他演奏家一样，我也会去美甲店做水晶甲，唯一的不同是我做的特别厚。厚指甲弹出来的声音不一样，好比薄片薄厚的区别。如果指甲做薄了，弹出的声音会很逗。我自己给指甲修型，把底部磨平，刻意让拇指指甲长出很多。因为我拨弦的时候拇指总是与弦平行的，故而需要较长的指甲才能拨到弦。当然，我的拇指也做了水晶甲。
Q21:你现在主要听谁的音乐寻找灵感？
A21:我会听大量的巴西音乐：Bebel Gilberto、Virginia Rodrigues以及Rosa Passos 等人的作品。虽然在我的音乐中他们的影子并不明显，但我很喜欢他们的作品。
Q22:你接下来的打算是什么呢？
A22:我已经连续巡演四个月了，还有三周就告一段落了。老实说，我现在只想着让巡演圆满结束。
制作人Maslcolm在Kaki King的专辑Junior中的贡献：
Kaki King今年的专辑Junior和08年的专辑Dreaming of Revenge都是在Malcolm Burn经营的Le Maison Bleu录音棚（靠近纽约Woodstock）完成的。两张专辑都是由Burn出品制作的，不过从前是他和Kaki两个人的合作，今年则是一个团队项目。
“从概念上来讲，Kaki希望这张专辑中的曲子在舞台上也能够被完美演绎出来”，Burn说。上一张专辑中有几首曲子配器很复杂，如果想要现场演奏，她需要五人管弦乐团才能达到效果。巡演是Kaki谋生的途径，所以这次她需要一些可以轻松移植到舞台上演奏的曲目。我唯一需要操心的就是保证吉他的主角地位，别让她被鼓手抢了风头。她的演奏是人们购买唱片的主要理由，我不希望人们因为其他一些事情分心。在Kaki和乐队录制的过程中，Burn采用了双音箱的方案。“我先开一台Fender Super Reverb箱子，清音开得很响，然后串联一个Gibson Skylark 1*10一体箱”，他说。我把Kaki的琴直接接进Skylark，然后用一根跳线连接Fender Super Reverb。至于叠加的音轨，我们也会用到Ampeg Gemini一体箱。
“我使用森海塞尔MD409来给音箱拾音。录木吉他的时候，我经常用纽曼U67。在Junior这张专辑中，我使用纽曼U47来录制人声，但以前我们也用过索尼C-37A。我个人倾向用API和Calrec 的话放，并对Bellari MP105电子管话放也有兴趣。”
“我使用Pro Tools高保真系统进行编辑，但在心里我会把电脑当成一个24轨的磁带录音机。每一轨都输出到模拟调音台上，Amek帮了我个小忙。我尽量回避Pro Tools里的插件之类的功能，因为我并没有耐心和精力去搞那些东西，也不认为靠插件调一调就能让母带变得更好听。除了个别时候用到的de-esser
插件，我平时都依赖于外部效果。当有需要的时候，我会选择自动模式，但我更偏爱手动缩混歌曲，每一次混音都好比一场演出。我觉得这种技能仍然很实用，因为它能让你主动思考从前没有考虑到的东西，而不是做好预期机械地按部就班地产生结果。我想，这样更具有艺术创造性。”
插件，我平时都依赖于外部效果。当有需要的时候，我会选择自动模式，但我更偏爱手动缩混歌曲，每一次混音都好比一场演出。我觉得这种技能仍然很实用，因为它能让你主动思考从前没有考虑到的东西，而不是做好预期机械地按部就班地产生结果。我想，这样更具有艺术创造性。”
原文：
Kaki King - Embracing Change
Andy Ellis
June 16, 2010
When Kaki King started circulating a home-brewed CD of acoustic guitar instrumentals in 2002, she could hardly imagine it would lead to a record deal, national tours, and enthusiastic media attention. But the response to her music was so positive that the 23-year-old New Yorker suddenly found herself swimming in the deep end of the solo-guitar pool. Re-released in 2003 as Everybody Loves You, her self-produced debut featured a mind-blowing range of techniques. With its intricate, slapped-body percussion and overhand fretted melodies, the album’s opening track, “Kewpie Station,” heralded the arrival of a major new guitar talent. Though King had clearly absorbed ideas from Michael Hedges, Preston Reed, and Leo Kottke, her playing was distinctive and unique.
On her second album, 2004’s Legs to Make Us Longer, King began weaving other instrumentation into her music. The subtle sounds of cello, violin, upright bass, drums, and lap steel highlighted her skills as a composer and also signaled her desire to venture beyond the realm of solo guitar. King’s restless creativity became more evident on her next two albums, Until We Felt Red and Dreaming of Revenge. On both discs she played drums and percussion, bass and baritone guitars, keyboards, synthesizers, lap steel, and electric guitar. She also increasingly began featuring songs with lyrics and vocals. Some fans of her early solo acoustic guitar pieces were dismayed when they heard her loops and heavily textured sounds. But other listeners were drawn to the innovative spirit at the core of her music, and King’s audience continued to grow.
Given that history of musical morphing, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to discover that, once again, King has embraced change. On her latest album, Junior, King makes an abrupt shift away from the overdubbing approach she has pursued in recent years. Opting to record with a rhythm section, King enlisted drummer Jordan Perlson and multi-instrumentalist Dan Brantigan to lay down the basic tracks for Junior.
To learn more about these sessions—and to get the lowdown on her current tunings, gear, and songwriting approach—PG caught up with King on the final leg of an extended tour that included Australia, Europe, the UK, and the US.
On her second album, 2004’s Legs to Make Us Longer, King began weaving other instrumentation into her music. The subtle sounds of cello, violin, upright bass, drums, and lap steel highlighted her skills as a composer and also signaled her desire to venture beyond the realm of solo guitar. King’s restless creativity became more evident on her next two albums, Until We Felt Red and Dreaming of Revenge. On both discs she played drums and percussion, bass and baritone guitars, keyboards, synthesizers, lap steel, and electric guitar. She also increasingly began featuring songs with lyrics and vocals. Some fans of her early solo acoustic guitar pieces were dismayed when they heard her loops and heavily textured sounds. But other listeners were drawn to the innovative spirit at the core of her music, and King’s audience continued to grow.
Given that history of musical morphing, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to discover that, once again, King has embraced change. On her latest album, Junior, King makes an abrupt shift away from the overdubbing approach she has pursued in recent years. Opting to record with a rhythm section, King enlisted drummer Jordan Perlson and multi-instrumentalist Dan Brantigan to lay down the basic tracks for Junior.
To learn more about these sessions—and to get the lowdown on her current tunings, gear, and songwriting approach—PG caught up with King on the final leg of an extended tour that included Australia, Europe, the UK, and the US.
What prompted you to form a band to record Junior?
On my previous album, Dreaming of Revenge, I played most of the instruments myself, which meant layering bass, drums, and keyboards in addition to my guitars and lap steel. This time I wanted to try something I’d never done before, which was to put together a trio and cut the tracks as a group, live in the studio. Obviously, that’s the way many bands make their records, but for me it seemed like a real adventure. I feel it’s important to try new ideas and keep growing as a musician, and working with a trio was one way to accomplish that. This time, I relied on Jordan and Dan to help me arrange and develop the music—a very different approach for me.
Did you rehearse before going into the studio?
Yeah, and that was fun. I got together with Jordan and Dan, and for about three days we worked out the basic tracks in Jordan’s basement. I’d bring in ideas and we’d develop them as a group by jamming and trying out different arrangements. I liked getting input from the other musicians—it wasn’t my job to come up with all the ideas. For example, I wasn’t worried about finding the right drum parts or developing a groove. That was Jordan’s job. And of course, because these guys are amazing musicians, they’d come up with parts I wouldn’t have thought of, and that inspired me as a guitarist. Playing with a rhythm section I was able to explore lead lines and solos, and that was exciting, too.
Malcolm Burn produced Dreaming of Revenge, and you tapped him to produce Junior too. What drew you to work with him again?
We’d already gone through the process of learning how to communicate, and that’s important when making a record. When things get difficult in the studio, it’s good to know how someone will react to the situation. Plus, Malcolm has seen me struggle with ideas or parts, so I don’t feel self-conscious working on my vocals. We’ve developed the ability to trust each other’s creative process.
I’ve seen wonderful YouTube videos [The Making of Dreaming of Revenge, Vignettes 1-5] of you and Burn working in his studio, Le Maison Bleu. Did you return there to record Junior? With all the lamps and couches, it looks like an inviting space.
Yeah, it’s really cool. He has all these instruments and the environment is relaxed—more like a living room than a sterile studio. He has a lot of old analog equipment, too. Having a familiar place to record really helps, especially because I was trying this new trio approach.
Did you cut your band tracks live?
Except for “Sloan Shore” and “Sunnyside,” two songs I recorded solo, we cut the rhythm tracks live. Malcolm just mic’d us up and we went at it. Dan played bass with me and Jordan, and then later set up his EVI [Akai’s Electronic Valve Instrument, invented by Nyle Steiner] to overdub tracks of strange and beautiful sounds. The EVI is an electronic trumpet that Dan runs through all kinds of processing to create these amazing textures.
How long did you spend recording Junior?
Not long. We really didn’t want to labor over the music. We recorded as a trio for three days, and Dan came back for two days to add his EVI sounds. Then Malcolm and I spent probably a week and a half working on overdubs, developing lyrics, and doing some vocals. We took a break because he had another project, and then I came back for less than a week of singing and mixing. It felt like we worked relatively quickly, but then again, some people complete their albums in a week.
What guitars did you use?
I have several Hamer Newports, and I used them a lot on this record. I really like playing a hollowbody electric, and the Newport is light and the right size for me. On “Sloan Shore,” I played Malcolm’s Fender Jaguar baritone. I was looking for a different sound and he suggested I try it. Though he had it tuned down in the bass register, it has the sonic clarity of a guitar—it gave me a bit of both worlds. I also played my Gretsch Electromatic lap steel, which first appeared on Legs to Make Us Longer.
How about amps?
Malcolm has a nice collection of recording amps, so I used whatever he’d set up. I didn’t pay much attention to what they were, but I recall one was an old Ampeg. [For details on King’s amp rig, see our conversation with Malcom on p. 3]
Did you get involved with mixing?
Yeah, certainly. I leave it up to Malcolm to do the first mix, and then I’ll respond to that. If I want to hear more of a particular part, I’ll ask him to emphasize it. But it can get tricky because he doesn’t do any digital mixing at all. He does each mix manually— it’s almost like this dance he does with the faders—and every one is different. So if I want to hear a little more guitar 30 seconds into the song, he has to reconstruct an entire mix. It’s a dangerous game, so I have to live with some things I might prefer to hear a bit differently.
Describe how you wrote the songs for this album.
It was a bit unusual, in that I wrote almost all the lyrics and many of the vocal melodies in the studio after we’d laid down the rhythm tracks as a trio. We came in with grooves and arrangements, which had evolved from ideas I’d brought to the band, but the songs themselves took shape as Malcolm and I worked on them after tracking with the trio. Every night, he’d give me a mix of what we’d done musically—a little compilation of soundtracks, basically. I’d take them home, stay up late and write lyrics, and then try them out during one of the next vocal sessions. Some people keep notebooks full of potential lyrics, but I never found that to be very helpful, though I do keep a journal. Occasionally, when something brilliant comes out of someone’s mouth or I hear something I want to remember, I’ll jot it down. But for the most part, I prefer to react spontaneously to the music we’ve just recorded. Sometimes Malcolm would set up a mic and I’d sing some lyric fragments, and we’d develop the ideas right there.
Open and altered tunings have played a central role in your previous records. Was this also true of Junior?
Every song except “Sunnyside” was in an open tuning of some sort.
Were these favorite tunings you’ve used before or were they discoveries you made while writing for this album?
Some are favorites, but often I’ll think, “Let’s see what happens if I lower this string here and raise that one there.” I often find my hands can get locked into formations they’re familiar with. When you tune your guitar differently, all of a sudden your fingers and your mind have to be creative again because you’re not relying on shapes and places that sound good or feel familiar. You have to explore the fretboard to find new fingerings and sounds, and that leads to new discoveries.
How do you keep track of your tunings?
Now that I’m playing with a band and everybody has to be in tune with each other, I actually have a guitar tech, Anna Morsett, and she does all my tunings for me [laughs]. If you want to know what they are, you’ll have to ask her. It’s especially important when we’re switching tunings from song to song. If I retune the same guitar to something radically different onstage, I can just feel the audience energy start to taper off and off and off. When Anna hands me a guitar that’s already tuned up, we can keep the momentum of our performance. It’s a big improvement.
How many guitars does it take to stay on top of all your tunings?
Right now we’re doing a two-hour show and, not counting the lap steel, I use four guitars.
Do you use more than four tunings? Does Anna retune some of those guitars while you’re playing?
Oh yeah—I use lots more than four tunings. Probably ten per show.
Are you playing your Hamer Newports onstage?
I do have some Newports, but because I needed something with a little more oomph, I bought a 1972 Fender Telecaster Deluxe for playing on the road with the band. It’s really great for what we’re doing. I run it through a Fender Bassman.
Do you use the Bassman just for your Tele or for all your guitars?
For everything except my Adamas acoustic, which goes directly into the house system.
Has your signature model 1581-KK Adamas changed or evolved since it was introduced?
I think we changed the bridge wood, but other than little cosmetic things, nothing major. I usually carry several on the road, but because I’m playing more electric guitar right now, I just bring one with me.
Tell us about your pedals.
My pedalboard is always in a state of flux, but currently I’m using an Ernie Ball volume pedal for swells and a simple Boss DD-3 for delay. I also have a Boss TR-2 Tremolo pedal and a Boss OC-3 Super Octave pedal, and a Fulltone OCD distortion pedal. For weird sounds, I’ll sometimes use my Electro- Harmonix Harmonic Octave Generator.
You have amazingly long fingernails. What’s the story there?
Like many guitarists, I go to a nail salon and get acrylic overlays on my fingernails. The difference is I get them really thick. Thick nails sound different—it’s like a thin flatpick versus a thick one. If the acrylic nail is too thin, it sounds funny. I shape the acrylic overlays myself, flattening out the bottom surface. I grow my thumbnail out because when I pluck a string, my thumb is almost parallel to it. The angle requires a long nail to catch the string. That’s an acrylic overlay on my thumbnail, too.
Who are you currently listening to for musical inspiration?
I’m listening to a lot of Brazilian music: Bebel Gilberto, Virginia Rodrigues, and Rosa Passos. I know it’s not really apparent in my own music, but it’s something I like.
What’s next for Kaki King?
I’ve been on the road for four months straight. In another three weeks, we’ll be done with this tour. Honestly, that’s about as far as I can see.
Producer Malcolm Burn on Making Kaki King's Junior
Kaki King recorded this year’s Junior and 2008’s Dreaming of Revenge at Le Maison Bleu, a studio near Woodstock, New York, that’s owned by Malcolm Burn. While Burn produced both discs and 2008’s Dreaming was essentially a collaboration between King and him, Junior was a band project.
“I think, conceptually, Kaki felt she wanted to make a recording that could be taken out on the road and recreated,” says Burn. “There were a few tracks on the last record that featured a lot of orchestration. To perform them live, Kaki had to get a little five-piece orchestra together to get the point across. Touring is her bread-and-butter, so this time she wanted to record music that could translate easily from the studio to the stage. My only concern going into this project was that her guitar remained central to her music and didn’t get overshadowed by the drummer’s virtuosity. Her guitar is half the reason people buy and listen to her records, so I didn’t want anything to take away from the intricacy of her performances.”
Burn used a dual-amp rig for many of the electric-guitar parts King tracked live with the band. “I ran a Fender Super Reverb, set pretty loud and clean, in tandem with an old Gibson Skylark 1x10 combo,” he details. “I plugged Kaki’s guitar into the Skylark and then ran a jumper cord out from the Skylark’s second input jack into the Super Reverb’s input. For overdubs, we also used an Ampeg Gemini combo.
“I used Sennheiser MD 409 dynamic mics on the amps. To mic Kaki’s acoustic, I’ll typically use a Neumann U 67. On Junior, I mostly used a Neumann U 47 for her vocals, but in the past we’ve also used a Sony C-37A. I generally favor API and Calrec mic preamps, and I’m also a big fan of those funky little Bellari MP105 tube preamps.
“I’m running a Pro Tools HD system, but mentally I treat the computer like a 24-track tape machine with a dedicated hardware channel connected to a respective Pro Tools track. Each track’s output has a channel on my big analog console, which was made by an offshoot of Amek. I try to stay away from the internal processing aspect of Pro Tools—all the plug-ins and stuff. I really don’t have the time, patience, or energy for that—or the gullibility to believe that plug-ins will make my record sound a whole lot better. Apart from the occasional de-esser plug-in, I use outboard effects. I’ll use automation when I have to, but I prefer to mix a song manually. This way, each mix becomes a performance. I think this technique is still valid because it allows you to spontaneously come up with something you hadn’t thought of, as opposed to preconceiving the sonic outcome and just working toward that inevitability. It’s a more painterly approach, I suppose.”
附：Kaki King的调弦：
Charting Kaki's Tunings
Kaki King’s guitar tech, Anna Morsett, keeps her stage guitars strung, tuned, and ready to play. She uses .012-.053 Elixir Polywebs on King’s acoustic guitars and .010-.046 Nanowebs on King’s electrics. The following chart lists the 10 tunings King used most on her latest tour. (6-5-4-3-2-1
“Bone Chaos in the Castle” - C# A# C# F A# C#
“Pull Me Out Alive” - B B C# F# B C#
“Montreal” - E B C# G# B D#
“Everything Has an End, Even Sadness” - E G E G B D
“Death Head” - C# G# C# F A# C#
“Jessica” - E A D G B D#
“Can Anyone Who Has Heard This Music Really Be a Bad Person?” - C# G# C# E B D#
“Doing the Wrong Thing” - E G D F# B F#
“Playing with Pink Noise” - C G D G A D
