Originally Posted By: Charlie Fogle
The way comping is being addressed here, you guys are correct that it doesn't take 100 takes to get it right. However, many big studio recordings are done over a considerable period of time, sometimes months or more... No takes are discarded.. The singer comes in several times over a period of several months. New vocals are recorded with alternate phrasing. Different mic's may be used to try a different tone. The vocalist may be asked by the producer to try the song with a different emotional vibe.

There may be several 'alternate' versions of the same song, each requiring different phrasing and emotion. New or additional producers may be brought in - their input can change the direction or breath new life into a song everyone knows is a hit but for some reason or other, the magic hasn't been found yet.

100 takes isn't so awesome over a six month period.
And in the digital domain today, nothing is discarded.

Listen to the out takes and alternate versions of the Beatles and Beach Boys songs available on YouTube. Many early versions of their hits vary greatly from the final commercial single. Also, back in the day, album versions of a song many times differed from the single release.

I also think you guys may be underestimating how advanced tape splicing/editing was back in the day. They really could take pieces from 5-6 different takes of a song music and vocals and cut/splice them into a single composite. There was also a lot of bouncing between machines to save various versions and experiments...
Its not unusual to hear the Beatles stop and restart a song at a bridge or 2nd verse. That could be edited into a completely separate first verse recorded at a different time.




Exactly!

Chad (Hope that makes it easier)

TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.