Phil Spector is one of the most iconic music producers in history. He established a technique of production called the Wall of Sound which created a new level of sonic saturation and blending that dominated the 1960s music industry.
Image Credit: Phil Spector during a 1960’s recording session
The technique involves all studio musicians and accompanists playing in a single room with echo chambers. Across the room numerous mics are laid out and the sound meshes and bleeds into every mic in the room. This established a level of uniformity that Spector believed was critical in creating a hit record.
Phil Spector Documentary Excerpt
Spector’s Artists
During the 1960s, Phil Spector used the Wall of Sound with multiple artists.This production technique is most notably seen in songs like “Be my Baby” which was sung by The Ronettes, who were one of the major vocal groups that Phil Spector produced for during the 1960s. Though they were considered “famous stars”, Spector was often the name people associated with the Ronettes’s hit songs. Though the Wall of Sound creates a pleasing recording for audiences to hear, the technique removes individuality. In fact, in a documentary on Spector and the Wall of Sound. Two Interviewees discussed Spector’s decision to have musicians playing for hours on end before ever turning a microphone on. (Phil Spector Wall of Sound Video) Hours of playing made the studio musicians exhausted, so that by the time recording began no individual musicians instrument would stand out in the final mix. Establishing the layer of sonic uniformity that Spector desired.
The Ronettes: Estelle, Ronnie, Nedra (Left to Right)
The recording process itself involved all artists playing in the same “booth” while recording a song. Microphones would be placed around the room at seemingly random locations. In addition to microphone placement, the studio itself was outfitted with echo chambers. These echo chambers “did not make the sound, but enhanced the sound.” (Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound Doc) The sound created by each musician would bleed into multiple microphones. This created a thick and sonically rich texture. In some cases the Wall of Sound was able to “cover up” mistakes made by musicians. During the recording of “Be My Baby”, a member of the labels team was in the studio and heard a dozen musicians out of 36 making musical mistakes. Outside of the booth, Spector was able to capture the record “Be My Baby.” A record that went on to be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. (Miller)
The Crystals: Uniform Dresses and Hairstyle
The Wall of Sound was not exclusive used with Ronettes records. During the 1960’s the Wall of Sound became “the dominant production strategy for American pop music.”(Hughes) Spector was able to achieve critical acclaim with multiple recording groups. The Crystals, much like The Ronettes, were one of Spector’s girl-groups. Spector worked with the Crystals during the 1960s and used the Wall of Sound to make records like “Da Doo Ron Ron.” This song was released in 1962 and matches the sonic uniformity heard in songs by The Ronettes. (Miller)
Impact on Women
During the 1960s, Phil Spector was one of the producers who specifically looked for women to be artists he signed. However, this was not for entirely positive reason. Though Spector worked with all black girl groups like the Ronettes and Crystals, he did this because of the potential revenue. Spector used an already discriminated against group, i.e. black women, to create his music because it allowed himself to be the forefront of the sound. Though the Ronettes were in the public eye, the music they created limited their sexuality and racial identity. In music videos and performances the group wore identical clothing. A perfect example of such instance is seen in the “Be My Baby” performance video. Furthermore, Spector’s exploitation rather than assistance of black women is supported by Spector being sued by The Ronettes for failing to pay the group appropriately. Due to the structure of the contracts Spector won the suit, however fans of the group believed there was a layer of bad faith negotiations in the original contract discussions.
Though the Ronettes were arguably Spector’s most successful group, the Crystals fell into the same trap of exploitation. Both groups were young, attractive, black women who came from impoverished communities. Spector again used the Wall of sound to create hits for the Crystals like “Da Doo Ron Ron.”
While some could argue that Spector’s implementation of the Wall of Sound and utilizing girl groups was an act of feminism. The reality of the situation says otherwise. The Wall of Sound stripped away identity and individuality thus making it easy for Spector to target black women. As their subordinate nature in society pushed him to the forefront of the music. Similar comparisons have been made within the fashion industry, where designers specifically use black models in shows. Whereby it is assumed the black women is inferior to the outfit they wear and thus will not detract from the outfits display. Though music is not something you wear, the principle of the matter remains consistent from fashion to music. (Ehrenreich) Furthermore, this principle demonstrated an “interchangeability” of black women as artists. Hence Spector’s work with both the Ronettes and the Crystals. Though Spector “assisted” in the careers of many women, the facts suggest his “help” was really an exploitation of women in society. (Miller)
Influence on Modern Artists
Influence on Modern ArtistBut, some have argued Spector used the Wall of Sound to limit individuality and make the listener hear the music in its entirety rather than individual sections. This technique was used in the song “Be my Baby”, which was a massive success on music charts. The Wall of Sound was so influential in early pop music that modern day artists like Bruno Mars have adapted and used the technique when recording music.
Bruno Mars: Treasure Music Video