London, UK, November 29, 2024 —Harrison Audio launches the first episode of its new Harrison to the World video series with Nashville-based Americana recording artist Taylor McCall and a host of talented musicians from both sides of the Atlantic. McCall, who is currently on tour with superstar Robert Plant, recorded a track he had written entitled "Black Powder Soul" at Harrison's International Studio using the new 32Classic analog console.
Harrison to the World aims to unite artists from across the globe with the unique sound of Nashville. The inaugural episode features Taylor McCall working alongside accomplished musicians including Clive Deamer (drums and percussion), Joe Coombs (guitar) and Lisa Lipkin (backing vocals). The documentary-style film takes you on a journey through the entire writing, production and tracking process, finishing on creating a reference track to be sent on to the mix engineer. This video is an opportunity to hear the amazing warmth and tone of the 32Classic console, whilst exploring its workflow and advanced hybrid features.
Modern sessions using legendary equipment
The first several minutes of Harrison to the World put the company's legendary gear in context, starting with an overview of Harrison founder Dave Harrison, who began his career as a saxophonist and recording engineer in Cincinatti area before starting the company. He eventually became a studio engineer and manager at King Records, working with artists including John Lee Hooker, James Brown, the Platters and more.
After he made his move to Nashville in the mid '70s, he finally brought his product vision to the market: The Harrison 32 Series console. The 32 Series console featured a innovative in-line design that was integral to bringing multi-track recorders into the console path. Eventually, the Harrison 3232 became the sonic benchmark for analog consoles, renowned for their rich and natural sound, musical EQ, and transformer coupled mic pres.
The rest, as they say, is history. Harrison technology was used to record Michael Jackson's Thriller and Bad albums, Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, ABBA's Voulez Vouz, AC/DC's Highway to Hell, Steely Dan's Aja and so many more. Now, the legacy of the original Harrison in-line analog console continues with its 32Classic, which combines the best of the company's heritage with the very latest technology in studio production.
Classic production techniques with the Harrison 32Classic Console
This Harrison to the World episode dives into Bruce and Cottier selecting and placing mics for various applications, including drums, guitars and vocals. A production decision made was to run all of the various microphones through the preamps on the Harrison 32Classic console, unifying the sonic signature of the record but also providing an opportunity to hear the sound of the console. For Bruce, who has worked on several Harrison consoles in the past, it was a very satisfying experience: "It reminds me of recording on Harrisons in the '80s. You relied on them for the bottom end, but there's also this sweet quality at the top end," he says.
He also appreciates the layout and workflow of the 32Classic: "The signal flow through the console is great, especially when you have multiple input sources coming in," he adds. "It is also very well designed ergonomically, so you can get to everything really quickly. The color scheme is very sensible, and it's obvious where you are supposed to put your hands."
Classic production techniques with the Harrison 32Classic Console
This Harrison to the World episode dives into Bruce and Cottier selecting and placing mics for various applications, including drums, guitars and vocals. A production decision made was to run all of the various microphones through the preamps on the Harrison 32Classic console, unifying the sonic signature of the record but also providing an opportunity to hear the sound of the console. For Bruce, who has worked on several Harrison consoles in the past, it was a very satisfying experience: "It reminds me of recording on Harrisons in the '80s. You relied on them for the bottom end, but there's also this sweet quality at the top end," he says.
He also appreciates the layout and workflow of the 32Classic: "The signal flow through the console is great, especially when you have multiple input sources coming in," he adds. "It is also very well designed ergonomically, so you can get to everything really quickly. The color scheme is very sensible, and it's obvious where you are supposed to put your hands."