Can We Recreate The Motown Sound? | Reverb

What makes Motown sound like Motown? Will Kurk and Joe Shadid take a trip to Rax Trax Recording studios to explore the musical must-haves of the beloved Motown sound...and find out whether we can emulate the feel with a band of incredible session players and a Hitsville dream.

Film Production: John Gagen and Michael Lux
Directed by Michael Lux
Edited by John Gagen

Meet The Band:
Vocalists: Slique Jay Adams, Cherise Thomas, Malone Muzik, Sam Trump
Bass: Mendell Beckford
Guitarists: Neal Alger, Joe Shadid
Piano: William Kurk
Violins: Caitlin Edwards, Edith Yokley
Viola: Dominic Johnson
Trumpet: Corey Wilkes
Saxophone: Marqueal Jordan
Drum Kit: Leonard Maddox, Jr., Chuck Lacy
Tamborine: Mike Logan, Jr.
Bells: Stephen Lynerd
Timestamps:
Intro - 0:00
Opening - 0:45
The Studio - 2:18
Drums & Percussion - 5:13
Piano & Keyboards - 7:51
Bass Guitar - 9:12
Electric Guitar - 10:07
Strings, Horns & Overdubs - 11:00
Vocals - 12:35
Mixing - 15:00
Performance: "My Girl" - 18:00
Performance: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" - 21:05

[krisbooth]

This is like porn for audio engineers. Love it

[thebreakfastmenu]

I'm most impressed with how the drums came out. They're pretty much perfect.

[KAIOabstrct]

The vocalists are out of this world, hats off to everyone here damn.

[iwiggs]

DAMN that male vocalist for "Aint No Mountain High Enough" absolutely killed it!

[JohnDemkeMarketing]

I'd love to see Reverb recreate Phil Spector's Wall of Sound.

[billhennigh]

I recorded some Motown material in LA in the late 70's. Your effort got close. One thing that we did that you guys aren't doing is using a 4 track machine with vso (variable speed to get correct slap time) for tape slap. And using main channel input modules to return the slap tracks so that the delay can be sent to the live chamber. By using main input channels for returns it allows the ability to re enter the delay dry and wet. This was the same method used to create the Phil Spector 'Wall of Sound'

[kevink]

The Funk Brothers might be the most underrated group of musicians of all time.

[dennismoodymusic]

As an engineer, I recorded hundreds of sessions for Motown with Hal Davis, Mark Gordon, and Barry Gordy from 1975 to about 1985. Temptations, Supremes, Smokey Robison, Thelma Houston. Your very close with your comparison! Very dead rooms, very deadened drums, very little compression. Good job!

[skaneverdies]

God damn. Hats off to EVERYONE. The presenters, the researchers, the engineers, and of course, those impossibly on-point session players. Incredible effort.

[Minalover]

I'm a 70 year old guy who always wondered how Motown got their unique sound. Thanks for this fascinating video...

[botimsifmusic]

I love how everyone is just vibing on their instruments without overdoing it

[paulmichael]

This is the best episode y'all ever uploaded.

[Breakbeats.]

Look at the session musicians. They can't help but smile.

[BigBri]

14:17 That over-peak tape distortion is part of the Motown sound. Drums and vocals were particularly prone to peak out on those records, and it sounded so hot! It added a live quality to the recordings instead of the sterility of staying within protocol.
Bass and guitars were always clear & pure, though. Total opposite of rock & roll.

[terrymiller]

"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" was nailed.

[alanwann]

Oh I'm wowing the vocalists here, this is how to sing.

[credenza]

Also worthy of mention are the brilliant arrangements. The way instruments drop in and out, the peculiar way the strings play unexpected and unorthodox notes, the synchronized runs with piano, bass and percussion, the key modulations and the way the song moves from one section to another. So much going on.

[izeoftheworld]

Looks like I'm selling my amp and and buying some sponges

[chrisclermont]

Glad to see younger musicians taking such an active interest in learning how great records were made in the past. Keep hope alive!!

[ProdigyBowlersTour]

Regardless of how close you got or didn't get to recreating the original sound, this was a super fun video to watch, and I don't mind telling you it moved me to tears in a few places. What a magical time it was, and this white, suburban teenage kid was as profoundly moved by Motown, and really, all the music of that era, as anyone could possibly be. It resonates through my soul to this day. This music is timeless, regardless of who is playing it.