Well, actually they weren't - at least not many of them. The sole
Radiophonics product that actually made it into a Goon Show was "Bloodnok's
Stomach", and that under protest of the Workshop's management - its sights
were set on higher things, like musique concrete. And it is surprising just
how many of the Goon Show effects are spot rather than grams - although
pre-recording of the most complex sequences was sometimes carried out,
frequently a sequence would be done on the fly with one operator and three
or four turntables. Virtuosity indeed.
Ted Kendall
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Biel" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, June 26, 2009 7:05 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Recording Innovations
From: Steven Smolian <[log in to unmask]>
> The most creative sound effects crew I know of was that working
> the BBC's "Goon Shows." In the midst of the laughter, I'm still
> awestruck by their proficiency and imagination. True classica,
> there are some I've listened to well over a dozen times.
> A belated bravo to those guys. Steve Smolian
I agree that they were creative, but it should be noted that a large
percentage of the Goon Show sounds were not performed live in front of
the audience like in the U.S., but were pre-recorded by the BBC
Radiophonics Workshop at Madia Vale and inserted into the program in the
control room.
Mike Biel [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sammy Jones
Sent: Friday, June 26, 2009 12:29 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ARSCLIST] Recording Innovations
Not to knock A Prairie Home Companion (which I love), but their sound
effects are more of a parody of classic era radio sound effects rather
than
a true representation. Generally I find the only effects which sound
realistic are the footsteps. Everything else is made by either Tom
Keith's
or Fred Newman's voices. It's funny, but hardly realistic or
representative
of the best that OTR had to offer. I often wish they would use real
sound
effects (even recorded!); OTR comedy and variety shows (think Jack
Benny)
always used real telephone rings and automobile sounds unless there was
a
particular comic reason to do them unrealistically.
A Prairie Home Companion's soundscapes can't hold a candle to modern BBC
Radio drama productions or the best of OTR.
Sammy Jones
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lou Judson [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 9:00 PM
> Subject: Re: Recording Innovations
>
> Prairie Home Companion is keeping this tradition alive - I got to sit
> onstage for one of their programs last year and their SFX guys are
> amazing - all live! They make phone calls sounds by talking into a
> paper cup...
>
> Other companies do it in various locations, too.
>
> <L>
> Lou Judson . Intuitive Audio
> 415-883-2689
>
>
> On Jun 24, 2009, at 5:14 PM, Tom Fine wrote:
>
> > The same can be said for the radio-drama sound guys of that era.
> > Material like the Lux Radio Theatre and the Mercury Theatre on the
> > Air/Campbell Playhouse often had complex SFX sequences and music as
> > well as multi-voiced dialog. Sterling's The Radio Manual lays out
> > CBS's custom mixing board for one of their large radio studios,
> > circa early 1940's. It was quite impressive. The amazing thing
> > about the radio guys is that this happened live over the air in
> > many cases, so not only did the sound elements need to go off at
> > the right time and flawlessly, the mix needed to be spot-on as well.
> >
> > -- Tom Fine
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