Carpenters - click sounds on recordings

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   I've been upgrading a lot of Carpenters singles lately and noticed a TON of clicks on these recordings - an inordinate amount, really. It's really weird but I think that a lot of them are on the vocal take, and that Karen made a lot of clicking sounds while singing - either moving her mouth in between words or even during the words. Another aspect may have been that the engineer was switching between takes or simply turning off a vocal track after Karen was done with a line, causing a click sound when pushing the button to turn it off. A third theory is that the tapes just got crackly over time, from wear and tear and degradation. Any one have any knowledge or theories as to what happened? Markie, maybe you can chime in? Guys, listen to the single version of "Solitaire" (or probably any version of it) - it's really noticeable throughout. But it's on many of the hits.

Edited by EdisonLite

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EdisonLite Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 18 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 203	Post Options Post Reply Quote EdisonLite Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Carpenters - click sounds on recordings Posted: 24 March 2013 at 12:38pm
	I've been upgrading a lot of Carpenters singles lately and noticed a TON of clicks on these recordings - an inordinate amount, really. It's really weird but I think that a lot of them are on the vocal take, and that Karen made a lot of clicking sounds while singing - either moving her mouth in between words or even during the words. Another aspect may have been that the engineer was switching between takes or simply turning off a vocal track after Karen was done with a line, causing a click sound when pushing the button to turn it off. A third theory is that the tapes just got crackly over time, from wear and tear and degradation. Any one have any knowledge or theories as to what happened? Markie, maybe you can chime in? Guys, listen to the single version of "Solitaire" (or probably any version of it) - it's really noticeable throughout. But it's on many of the hits. Edited by EdisonLite

Glenpwood Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 03 April 2012 Status: Offline Points: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote Glenpwood Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 24 March 2013 at 6:08pm
	That clicking noise is the saliva in her mouth or her wetting her lips before/after lines while singing. Check out the first click before she sings the opening line of Weve Only Just Begun for example. Karen was never a belter by nature despite her range and sang very close to the mic and quietly according to several books of the Carpenters hence why this is on her vocal tracks. The only album I don't notice it as much is the solo album but those Phil Ramone productions are rather different than what Richard was doing. Hope this helps.... Edited by Glenpwood