Knowledge

Phase 4 Stereo

Source 📝

27: 145:
Phase 4 recordings, required multiple overdubs over multiple reels of tape, bouncing down and bouncing across to different recorders. This increased the level of tape hiss on the final master, something which Phase 4 engineers could not tolerate. So they achieved in their scoring techniques what could be recorded in one pass what everybody else was achieving with multiple overdubs.
266:
Phase 4 Stereo was the label of Decca-London to compete in this segment. The title referred to the series of stages or phases that the stereo would have previously gone through. The recording stages, which benefited from the previous technological advances of the firm, were processed in a ten-channel
144:
Those 10-channel and 20-channel console outputs for Phase 4 recordings were originally made on then-novel 4-track tape, but the innovation was in the special scoring used to maximize the technology. Normally in recording techniques of the early-to-mid-60s, to get the kind of layered sound realized in
282:
Huge amounts of session outtakes exist which appear to be perfectly fine to the casual stereo listener, but, when the master take is confirmed against the outtake it's obvious if a pan cue was missed, or a processing element was omitted. Many of the sound engineer development people had worked in a
246:
recordings for their ability to reproduce the music in an analogous way as it would be heard in a concert hall, the system in principle did not have a good response at popular level. This was mainly due to the high cost of reproduction equipment that did not correspond to appreciable advantages by
324:
In 1964 Decca-London decided to include within the label a series with works of classical music known and accepted by the general public (Concert Series). The task initially fell to the easy listening director, Stanley Black. These recordings were not well received by the specialized critic who
278:
The sound engineer, in close collaboration with orchestra directors and arrangers, controlled the volume of certain musical instruments or orchestral groups to enhance their presence in the recording, or caused them to move between the left and right channels. It was also processed with effects
234:
The ffrr series was continued at the end of the following decade by another in stereo sound called ffss (full frequency stereo sound), equally appreciated for its quality. The sound shots were obtained by three omnidirectional microphones suspended at nearly 5 ', (1.5 meters) over the orchestral
300:
The sound engineers Arthur Lilley and Arthur Bannister made most of the series' recordings, but was Bannister who used sound manipulation with more exaggeration. During the initial stage, some artists of the Decca's easy listening catalogs participated in the series, like
253:
The emphasis was then placed not on achieving a realistic reproduction of the sound, but rather on dazzling the listener with effects and sound acrobatics that the stereo allowed to achieve artificially at the mixing tables
332:, always aligned with the popularization of the great classics, had no objection in making several recordings for Phase 4 Stereo Concert Series, a way followed by other directors of established fame such as 220:
music recording through its ffrr (full frequency range recording) series. These recordings took advantage of the technological advances developed by the firm during World War II at the request of the
359:
In the series of classical composers almost 200 albums were released. At the same time Decca continued recording classical music and popular music with traditional criteria.
152:
or "four channel stereo." But because there often are sounds in the extreme right or extreme left channels, the records may also give pleasing results when played on
293:
over twenty years earlier, and many of the younger assistant engineers would go on to perform similar scoring and engineering duties for what would later become
250:
In the early 1960s, strong competition began among the various record companies in an attempt to introduce the system to the non-specialized client.
356:. It is fair to recognize, however, that in these cases, the sound, although not exempt from exaggerated brightness, was not so artificial. 182:, was released with classical and soundtrack recordings from 1966 to 1979 (London 444 788-2 LPX/PY 871). In 2014, a 41-CD boxed set of 571: 167:, "gimmick" records engineered to make the sound travel from speaker to speaker, records featuring percussion effects, and historical 91: 137:
Phase 4 Stereo recordings were created with an innovative 10-channel, and later 20-channel, "recording console" (actually a
63: 543: 430: 279:
including electronic reverberation and microphone offset, all of which had to be done live to get the desired effect.
70: 566: 110: 44: 77: 561: 48: 59: 216:
By the end of the 1940s Decca had consolidated a remarkable prestige among music lovers in the field of
130:
label in 1961. The process was used on U.K. Decca recordings and also those of its American subsidiary
231:, the recordings of the Decca-London stood out for their wide frequency response and good resolution. 345: 581: 468: 37: 576: 321:. The series was successful in sales and a total of about 300 long play albums were published. 306: 302: 375: 401: 84: 325:
described them as having an unnatural sound and the director's approach being superficial.
289: 268: 8: 204:
which included songs from the late 1960s to the early 1970s. A selection can be heard on
515: 490: 341: 243: 149: 362:
The series was phased out in 1979, and almost all Phase 4 Stereo LPs were reissued on
405: 329: 284: 272: 228: 267:
console, (although later one of twenty was used). Then, the mixture was recorded on
353: 186:
classical albums was released, and in 2017 another 40-CD box set of soundtrack and
395: 337: 333: 438: 310: 294: 201: 187: 153: 138: 131: 460: 555: 409: 318: 217: 164: 127: 363: 349: 168: 314: 172: 236: 221: 461:"Sounds Galactic An Astromusical Odyssey John Keating 1971 Full Album" 26: 271:, mastered to two channels; and lastly, turned into stereophonic 255: 205: 160: 400:. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 12 June 1993. p.  148:
The concept of Phase 4 Stereo has no connection with
51:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 156:systems or other simulated four channel systems. 553: 227:In the hands of innovative sound engineers like 423: 242:Although devotees enthusiastically welcomed 126:was a recording process created by the U.K. 211: 163:were released with the process, including 111:Learn how and when to remove this message 431:"Endless Groove - London Phase 4 Stereo" 366:, including the classical music series. 175:Phase 4 "Concert Series" was produced. 554: 471:from the original on 21 December 2021 388: 49:adding citations to reliable sources 20: 13: 516:"London Album Discography, Part 5" 491:"London Album Discography, Part 5" 261: 14: 593: 572:Record labels established in 1961 537: 25: 36:needs additional citations for 508: 483: 453: 1: 381: 190:/popular recordings, called 7: 369: 192:Spectacular: Nice 'n' Easy. 10: 598: 159:Approximately two hundred 544:History of Phase 4 Stereo 567:Audiophile record labels 196:A space themed version, 16:U.K. Decca Records label 212:History and development 198:An Astromusical Odyssey 283:similar capacity with 180:The Phase 4 Experience 562:British record labels 376:List of record labels 184:Stereo Concert Series 328:However, the famous 290:Fantasia (1940 film) 171:records. In 1964, a 45:improve this article 441:on 28 January 2015 342:Anatole Fistoulari 247:potential buyers. 200:, was arranged by 150:Quadraphonic sound 134:during the 1960s. 435:Endlessgroove.com 330:Leopold Stokowski 309:, Werner Müller, 285:Leopold Stokowski 229:Kenneth Wilkinson 121: 120: 113: 95: 589: 531: 530: 528: 526: 512: 506: 505: 503: 501: 487: 481: 480: 478: 476: 467:. January 2015. 457: 451: 450: 448: 446: 437:. Archived from 427: 421: 420: 418: 416: 392: 354:Bernard Herrmann 116: 109: 105: 102: 96: 94: 60:"Phase 4 Stereo" 53: 29: 21: 597: 596: 592: 591: 590: 588: 587: 586: 552: 551: 549: 540: 535: 534: 524: 522: 514: 513: 509: 499: 497: 489: 488: 484: 474: 472: 459: 458: 454: 444: 442: 429: 428: 424: 414: 412: 394: 393: 389: 384: 372: 338:Erich Leinsdorf 264: 262:The Four Phases 214: 173:light classical 117: 106: 100: 97: 54: 52: 42: 30: 17: 12: 11: 5: 595: 585: 584: 582:London Records 579: 574: 569: 564: 547: 546: 539: 538:External links 536: 533: 532: 507: 482: 452: 422: 386: 385: 383: 380: 379: 378: 371: 368: 311:Ronnie Aldrich 295:Dolby Surround 263: 260: 213: 210: 202:Johnny Keating 188:Easy listening 178:In 1996 a CD, 154:Hafler circuit 139:mixing console 132:London Records 124:Phase 4 Stereo 119: 118: 33: 31: 24: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 594: 583: 580: 578: 577:Decca Records 575: 573: 570: 568: 565: 563: 560: 559: 557: 550: 545: 542: 541: 521: 517: 511: 496: 492: 486: 470: 466: 462: 456: 440: 436: 432: 426: 411: 407: 403: 399: 398: 391: 387: 377: 374: 373: 367: 365: 364:compact discs 360: 357: 355: 351: 347: 346:Charles Munch 343: 339: 335: 331: 326: 322: 320: 319:Stanley Black 316: 312: 308: 304: 298: 296: 292: 291: 286: 280: 276: 274: 273:vinyl records 270: 259: 257: 251: 248: 245: 240: 238: 232: 230: 225: 223: 219: 218:high-fidelity 209: 207: 203: 199: 194: 193: 189: 185: 181: 176: 174: 170: 166: 165:popular music 162: 157: 155: 151: 146: 142: 140: 135: 133: 129: 128:Decca Records 125: 115: 112: 104: 93: 90: 86: 83: 79: 76: 72: 69: 65: 62: –  61: 57: 56:Find sources: 50: 46: 40: 39: 34:This article 32: 28: 23: 22: 19: 548: 523:. Retrieved 519: 510: 498:. Retrieved 494: 485: 473:. Retrieved 464: 455: 443:. Retrieved 439:the original 434: 425: 413:. Retrieved 396: 390: 361: 358: 350:Lorin Maazel 334:Antal Dorati 327: 323: 299: 288: 281: 277: 269:4-track tape 265: 252: 249: 244:stereophonic 241: 233: 226: 215: 197: 195: 191: 183: 179: 177: 169:sound effect 158: 147: 143: 136: 123: 122: 107: 98: 88: 81: 74: 67: 55: 43:Please help 38:verification 35: 18: 525:14 December 520:Bsnpubs.com 500:14 December 495:Bsnpubs.com 315:Edmundo Ros 303:Eric Rogers 101:August 2017 556:Categories 382:References 237:Decca tree 222:Royal Navy 71:newspapers 445:20 August 415:20 August 410:0006-2510 397:Billboard 307:Ted Heath 469:Archived 370:See also 465:YouTube 256:gimmick 235:group ( 206:YouTube 85:scholar 408:  161:albums 87:  80:  73:  66:  58:  475:7 May 92:JSTOR 78:books 527:2019 502:2019 477:2018 447:2015 417:2015 406:ISSN 64:news 352:or 317:or 287:on 258:). 239:). 47:by 558:: 518:. 493:. 463:. 433:. 404:. 348:, 344:, 340:, 336:, 313:, 305:, 297:. 275:. 224:. 208:. 141:. 529:. 504:. 479:. 449:. 419:. 402:2 254:( 114:) 108:( 103:) 99:( 89:· 82:· 75:· 68:· 41:.

Index


verification
improve this article
adding citations to reliable sources
"Phase 4 Stereo"
news
newspapers
books
scholar
JSTOR
Learn how and when to remove this message
Decca Records
London Records
mixing console
Quadraphonic sound
Hafler circuit
albums
popular music
sound effect
light classical
Easy listening
Johnny Keating
YouTube
high-fidelity
Royal Navy
Kenneth Wilkinson
Decca tree
stereophonic
gimmick
4-track tape

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.