It's fun reading up on mixing & mastering techniques from the classics. I've learned this track has people's opinions quite divided. Many say it's hitting the limiter way too hard!

Man i just love how it sounds so overdriven. How it opens up when there's no bass, and cruches when the bass drops in again. It's one effin hard hitting LIMITER pumpin track and when i play it i frown my face in exitement!
It wouldn't have been the same without the dirt.


What do you think? Too much limiting?? The limiter used was an Antec i read in case you wonder.

Many youtube versions didn't sound so nice. Here's a snippet where you can hear it well.
http://www.allmusic.com/sample/t1119324/
or
http://www.allmusic.com/song/surfin-bird-t1119324
Click on the speaker.
Last edited by zeep on Thu May 24, 2012 10:10 am; edited 1 time in total

The best sounding version is on the original 45 RPM vinyl, played at 33 1/3rd RPM. Trust me, you haven't lived until you've heard this.

Sean Costello

I'm fortunate to have a 320 mp3 directly from the 45. It sounds great. The one i linked to is a re-recording of the vinyl while dropping oil in the grooves. It's a very good version that found it's way to cd.

It sure is! For this song, the pumping is kinda cool. It adds to the whole "recorded at a party" atmosphere! Then again, some things shouldn't be analyzed to much, and just enjoyed for what they is!

How about the relatively wild delay and reverb effects on "They're Coming to Take Me Away" by Napoleon XIV? Or the flipside, which was the same track played backwards. I remember when this song actually got airplay on daytime AM radio, even the B side! Wild times on radio, imagine such abandon on radio these days! (Clear Channel = death of FM radio!)

http://youtu.be/kBfxl_T6ldg


SFAM