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The Top 10 Greatest Flange Effect Recordings of All Time!!!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Posted by: Jeffrey McAlack | Posted in: Artist / Heroes,

A couple of months ago, prior to recording the demo video for the Soundblox Tri-Mod Flanger (see below), I did a little “flanger research.” This was a simple process of going back and listening to some well known recordings that use the beloved effect we call “flange.” Okay I'll admit it, I was looking for some cool ideas to steal. Anyway, after combing my record collection, asking other people for suggestions and Googling “great flange recordings”, I had compiled a pretty comprehensive and awesome list of tunes. Eventually, I said to myself, “hmmmmm, they’re all cool songs, but which one is best? Which is the second best? Which is the third best?” (I think you know where I'm going with this). After all the research and polling, I ended up with a list that I like to call The Top 10 Greatest Flange Effect Recordings of All Time!!! 

Before we get started I'd like to take a moment to talk about flanging, what it is and what it sounds like. In order to achieve the flange effect one must play two identical audio signals simultaneously while fluctuating the speed on one of them—the result is that classic “whoosh” sound that has graced so many great recordings. Originally this could only be done with tape, but nowadays it's done with both analog and digital effects processors.

I never would have compiled this list if it wasn’t for the Soundblox Tri-Mod Flanger demo video. The Tri-Mod Flanger houses 11 great sounding flanger variations with three different sweep control modes: LFO, Envelope Follower and Hot Hand. Check out the video (and please realize that this recording is not part of the "All Time Great Flanger" list). 

 

So here we go. And please, if there is some great tune that you think I’ve missed—let me know. I have a fairly thick skin and can admit when I’m wrong so feel free to criticize. I do, however, reserve the right to disagree. Also, I apologize, for including all the lip-synch performances, but I wanted to use only studio recordings.

1. Itchycoo Park (The Small Faces) – If you’ve ever felt inclined to blow your mind, you’ve probably been to Itchycoo Park. A lot of people site this song as the first record to use flange. That is not really true, but I would say it’s probably the first time anybody fully realized the potential of tape flange. Because of its esteemed place in recording history, it has to top the list.

2. Bold As Love (The Jimi Hendrix Experience) – We couldn’t possibly make it through the countdown without a Hendrix submission. It was tough picking between this one and “House Burning Down”, but I love the unexpected left turn this song takes during the outro solo. And the flange effect totally enhances the "Experience" (pun intended).

3. Keep Yourself Alive (Queen) – Here we go, the first of two galloping horse riffs in the countdown (more on that later). Queen comes out ahead in this subcategory because...they ROCK me!

4. …And the Cradle Will Rock (Van Halen) This video is the main offender at the lip-synch crimes investigation lab, but it's still damn entertaining and you've got to love that they're not even trying. Eddie Van Halen used flange in a lot of Van Halen songs ("Unchained", "Ain’t Talkin’ bout Love", "Atomic Punk", etc.) so I had to make a simple judgment call and pick a favorite. In my opinion, one of the all time great rock moments comes when Dave asks the question: “Have you seen junior’s grades?” He is immediately answered by a huge and nasty sounding flanged Wurlitzer electric piano (yes folks, that’s a Wurly). Oh and by the way..."Have you seen David’s boots?"

5. For the Love of Money (The O’Jays) – Legendary bassist Anthony Jackson delivers a funky flanged bass riff for this 70s soul classic. The drums also get a healthy dose of flange. Donald Trump used this tune for his show The Apprentice, but please don’t blame the O’Jays for that.

6. Head Over Heels (Tears for Fears) – This may be the most tastefully executed flange moment of all time. The effected drum fill at minute 2:57 magnificently pushes this track to a higher level of intensity. A few years back this song received a second life courtesy of the Donnie Darko soundtrack. I think it deserves a third life.

7. Barracuda (Heart) - A truly great guitar riff. It’s hard to listen to this song and not imagine myself atop some mighty steed. This riff is also the basis for my belief that flanged guitar was made for muted chugging. 

8. Pictures of Matchstick Men (Status Quo) – What a great song! I’m not sure the flange effect plays a crucial role in the overall impact of this recording, but it sure sounds cool. I couldn’t leave it off the list, Status Quo are a wildly underrated band (at least in America) who deserve far more attention.

9. Are You Gonna Go My Way (Lenny Kravitz) –The flanged break down section in the middle of this tune helped make it an instant classic. At the time of its release the song sounded totally retro, but remarkably hip...great guitar riff too.

10. You Don’t Love Me (Al Kooper, Mike Bloomfield, Steven Stills - The Super Sessions) – Steven Stills' other super group. I arrived at this track upon the suggestion of Bob Chidlaw, Source Audio's Chief Scientist. Al Kooper, the guy who played the legendary organ riff on Bob Dylan's  "Like A Rolling Stone", was the ring-leader of the Super Sessions record. Sadly Mike Bloomfield and Steven Stills never actually played together on this classic album--this track is from the Steven Stills side of the record, but it's a great one. No subtly here, we've got flange front to back. I'm guessing that during the mixing sessions somebody said, “Hey let’s use the effect from "Itchycoo Park"...that might sound cool.” They were right, it does sound cool. 

11. You’re All I’ve Got Tonight (The Cars) – Right about now you’re probably wondering why there is an eleventh entry in a top 10 list—sorry, I just can't stop...sue me. These guys have an advantage because they’re from Boston (Source Audio’s home town). They’re all former Berklee guys, I believe. 

12. Nobody’s Fault But Mine (Led Zeppelin) It was between this tune and “Kashmire” for Zep’s entry into the Flange Countdown. I had to go with  “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” because the flange effect plays such a crucial role in the song’s appeal.

13. Crazy Horse (Black Label Society) – Zakk Wylde absolutely crushes the competition with this heavier than God riff from his new album, Order of the Black. The heavy-duty flange on this track is to be expected—subtlety is not something for which Mr. Wylde is known.

13. Sonic Reducer (The Dead Boys) – Here are punk legends the Dead Boys rocking some flange. I had to include two videos here. The studio version is a prime example of a cool flange effect, but while I was doing my research I stumbled across this 1977 video of the Dead Boys at CBGBs playing “Sonic Reducer”—explosive. I included the CBGBs video is a gift to myself--if you've made it this far into the blog, I'm sure you don't mind.


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