Dennis,
If I were recording instrumentals, my personal preference would be one amp without effects. With that configuration I can duplicate any two amp sound through the board, and effects can be added to the monitor mix without going to tape. Recording with a dry signal allows you total freedom and the ability to hear different effects to choose from in real time during your final mix.
Having said all that, when I was doing sessions full time, about 98% of my work was recording direct. Most of the time I found the difference in the sound I got either way didn’t amount to a hill of beans to the producers. Also, in the smaller studios it’s more convenient to go direct so the “cross talk” between instruments doesn’t interfere with each other. I’ve recorded a few sessions since then and they’re much better about amps. Maybe it’s because I insist on using one.
Just for the record, all of my swing series sessions except 40’s thru the 80’s and In the Mood for Swingin’ were recorded direct. I’ve often wondered about the difference in sound had I used amps on those recordings.
As for boxing, in the sixties I was knocking everybody out, so sex before a session was never a problem.
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Buddy Emmons on 08 October 2003 at 07:38 AM.]</p></FONT>
