Elvis record producer

[KPM]

We all know Elvis was actually in charge of his record sessions, he picked the songs, he directed the musicians toward the sound he wanted or felt was right for the songs and it seemed to work pretty well.
My question is, could he have had the same success if he decided to produce other artists?
Or would his way of producing not worked with anyone but himself?

[debtdbruno]

I think he had a good ear for music, don't see why he couldn't put that across to another artist

[KPM]

I would like to think he could have produced others, but wonder if his.......on the spot spontaneous approach would have been transferable to other artists who like more structured sessions.
Elvis did have a good ear for music and he seemed to know what he wanted in his approach to recording each song.

[Jungleroom76]

Interesting question Ken...

One thing I don't think Elvis would have handled well is the way music was recorded, especially later in his career. While most artists were recording songs and then overdubbing sections or words that they wanted to change, Elvis was still recording songs the old fashioned way....over and over until he got it the way he wanted it. (Does that make sense the way I explained it?)

I think some of the new recording techniques might not have suited Elvis' personal tastes for recording music, so I don't know how well he would have done in that aspect, but in terms of picking out music, Elvis DEFINITELY had an ear for that and would have been outstanding on that side of being a producer.

TCB!
Mike

[ThreeCornPatches]

I agree.
other subject btw. Elvis never seems to get credit for his Arrangments of songs they only say he never wrote anything himself and only stole songs. I think elvis deserve credit for making his own arrangements on music on how he wanted it to be. U need music to make a song, so he didnt write music but in someway he contributed in the fact of the arrangements.

[King Of The Whole World]

Interesting question Ken...

One thing I don't think Elvis would have handled well is the way music was recorded, especially later in his career. While most artists were recording songs and then overdubbing sections or words that they wanted to change, Elvis was still recording songs the old fashioned way....over and over until he got it the way he wanted it. (Does that make sense the way I explained it?)

I think some of the new recording techniques might not have suited Elvis' personal tastes for recording music, so I don't know how well he would have done in that aspect, but in terms of picking out music, Elvis DEFINITELY had an ear for that and would have been outstanding on that side of being a producer.

TCB!
Mike

Mike, I think you are correct about Elvis liked to record "live", from my understanding the Rolling Stones still record that way. I don't know if Elvis could have produced another artist recording sessions. Elvis always wanted to "feel" the music and it would be hard for another artist to get another artist to "feel" the same way on a song. Elvis created the mood and the sound that he felt went best with the song. So to transfer that to another person, I just don't know.

Elvis did have a great ear for picking out the right songs for him. Of course at least one time in his life he gave someone else a song to record, Elvis gave Roy Hamilton the song Angelica to record. I always thought Elvis should have recorded that song but maybe since Roy was an idol of Elvis he wanted to hear Roy sing the song. The high notes in that song would have been great for Elvis, even though Roy did a GREAT job of that song.

[KPM]

One huge difference between Elvis's way of recording and the the new-"record, dub, overdub and dub somemore" way is that Elvis would pretty much have his music ready for release in a matter of weeks. Today artists can work for years on albums..tinkering, overdubbing, even changing total direction in midstream.

[Jungleroom76]

One huge difference between Elvis's way of recording and the the new-"record, dub, overdub and dub somemore" way is that Elvis would pretty much have his music ready for release in a matter of weeks. Today artists can work for years on albums..tinkering, overdubbing, even changing total direction in midstream.

Excellent point!!

TCB!
Mike

[Jungleroom76]

I agree.
other subject btw. Elvis never seems to get credit for his Arrangments of songs they only say he never wrote anything himself and only stole songs. I think elvis deserve credit for making his own arrangements on music on how he wanted it to be. U need music to make a song, so he didnt write music but in someway he contributed in the fact of the arrangements.

Excellent point my friend!!

Yes, Elvis may not have written songs, but he adapted songs to suit his style...HOUND DOG is a classic example. Obviously Elvis' version of the song is clearly different than Big Mama Thornton's version, but Elvis obviously had a different and unique feel for the song...that is something that you just can't teach other people.

I am sure Elvis was way underrated as a producer for much of his music, and that is really a shame. It really covers up Elvis' abilities to "feel" the music, for lack of a better term...

TCB!
Mike

[ThreeCornPatches]

Excellent point my friend!!

Yes, Elvis may not have written songs, but he adapted songs to suit his style...HOUND DOG is a classic example. Obviously Elvis' version of the song is clearly different than Big Mama Thornton's version, but Elvis obviously had a different and unique feel for the song...that is something that you just can't teach other people.

I am sure Elvis was way underrated as a producer for much of his music, and that is really a shame. It really covers up Elvis' abilities to "feel" the music, for lack of a better term...

TCB!
Mike

That was exactly my point mike, i couldnt have sayd it any better!

TCB

[debtdbruno]

I would like to think he could have produced others, but wonder if his.......on the spot spontaneous approach would have been transferable to other artists who like more structured sessions.
Elvis did have a good ear for music and he seemed to know what he wanted in his approach to recording each song.

I think younger, hip, artists would have enjoyed the 'looser' feel to his sessions....with the mid session jamming and goofing around, keeping the whole thing informal, but accepting his expertise....

[KPM]

Excellent point my friend!!

Yes, Elvis may not have written songs, but he adapted songs to suit his style...HOUND DOG is a classic example. Obviously Elvis' version of the song is clearly different than Big Mama Thornton's version, but Elvis obviously had a different and unique feel for the song...that is something that you just can't teach other people.
I am sure Elvis was way underrated as a producer for much of his music, and that is really a shame. It really covers up Elvis' abilities to "feel" the music, for lack of a better term...

TCB!
Mike

Yes thats so true of most songs Elvis sang-credit for "interpretation" is very slow incoming since the explosion of "singer songwriters"
Most artists in the league with Elvis such as Sinatra, Crosby, Al Jolsen (I know some people are now scratching their heads and going AL WHO?) were not songwriters they were interpreters of songs, but somehow the credit for unique interpretation has been lost by "They didn't write their music"
Big Mama Thorntons Hound Dog was a mild R&B hit-Elvis's explosive version was a monster 2 sided hit which crossed musical boundaries-his unique interpretation had to have a hand in that explosion.

[ThreeCornPatches]

Yes thats so true of most songs Elvis sang-credit for "interpretation" is very slow incoming since the explosion of "singer songwriters"
Most artists in the league with Elvis such as Sinatra, Crosby, Al Jolsen (I know some people are now scratching their heads and going AL WHO?) were not songwriters they were interpreters of songs, but somehow the credit for unique interpretation has been lost by "They didn't write their music"
Big Mama Thorntons Hound Dog was a mild R&B hit-Elvis's explosive version was a monster 2 sided hit which crossed musical boundaries-his unique interpretation had to have a hand in that explosion.

Agree! Elvis version of hound dog could almost be considered a whole diffrent song since the arrangements and way of singing arent even the same as Big Mama Thornton

[Diane]

I also think the younger people would be receptive to Elvis producing for them. The only thing he couldn't pass on is his unique feel for his music and songs. Not too many artists if any feel as deeply as he did.

[debtdbruno]

that's very true Diane.........

[darkon]

It is funny that I was talking my daughters boyfriend, who is a musician, about the way records are made and the tracks are pretty much layered and mixed now where the musicians don't have be in the same studio or state. He was letting me listen to some of his demos and parts on his computer that they hopefully will make a demo CD out of.

I brought up that Elvis recorded with the band live in the studio so he could feel the music. To me there is something special about being to record the song "live". Especially when you feel how the song is working when being played or rehearsed and you have the ability to change it up with a drum fill or guitar solo or whatever on the next take. I even popped the Suspicious Minds Anthology CD to let him hear.

I don't care if Elvis wasn't a songwriter, he had the ear for music and the sound. He made those songs his own. Very few people can do that. I think he definitely would have made a great producer but I am not sure some artists would have liked his techniques.

[KPM]

Some artists today strive for absolute perfection in their recordings-nothing wrong with that as long as you realise that 2-3 years is a long time to make your fans wait for new music....and you recognise that perfection is in the eye (or in this case ear) of the beholder.

Even with multiple takes of some songs over and over-Elvis still got his records done quickly and out to fans fairly fast.
It was not until he had tired of recording that his problems with getting new product out started.