The Black Keys Fan Lounge Forum

I am really interested in Dan and Pat's recording style especially in their first albums. i have always been facinated at their analog, bare-bones approach to recording. i know they used a tascam 388 console (i want one!)for their early work but beyond that i was wondering if anyone had any info on the equipment and techniques that they used back when they were recording in their basement. Thanks

Hey folks! this is an old post but just stumbled on it!!

a bit geeky i suppose but it was always my opinion that the "the big come up" was not recorded to analogue tape. if you listen to it, it's not warm and fuzzy like the other albums which are recorded to tape and the distortion on the vocals sounds more harsh and less "tapey"! sounds like they are clipping a digital recorder maybe???? there is also no tape hiss and no tape saturation/compression to my ears. there isnt much weight to the bottom end either.

having said all this, it is by far my favourite album from the boys!!!!

Hi!

havent been able to find anything on the net! just been looking. I am going by what i hear when i listen to it. wicked album but no way is it analogue. Not that it really matters ey! people just assume it is because they have become known as an "analogue" band. having said that, Brothers was mixed on a computer using plugins. you make a good point about the budget. most analogue tape decks are pricey!

all just my opinion of course. i dont want to sound like the guy who thinks he knows everything!! any news on new material Mirby?? read somewhere about a ZZ top collaboration!

The recording equipment of the TBC have been discussed before on this forum. There even was someone posting saying he had the digital recorder that was used for TBC in a box in his garage. Rubber Factory is said to be a hybrid-recording (excuse me if I'm not using the right word here as English is not my first language ) recorded using both analogue and digital. Getbehindthemule...great nickname...great record; Mule Variations. That's one of the best lo-fi records I've ever heard. Ofcourse together with the first 3 TBK albums.

I believe I read it in an interview with Dan online.Shortly after Rubber Factory came out and he was asked about the recordingtechniques used. My guess is they recorded analogue and then mixed digital. You could try google?
Found something, allthough it's not the interview I mentioned above. Copy: “Rubber Factory,” released in 2004, was recorded as a digital-analog hybrid in an abandoned tire factory in Akron.
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080731/ART10/945212848