The Ventures and the Shadows, perhaps a difference?

[drakula63]

From what I have heard, the Shads could sing better too...

[anniv 63]

Totally agree The Ventures vocal renditions are simply awful . Neither Gerry Mc Ghee or Don Wilson are singers however the Japanese
seem to love Don Wilson and his version of RUNAWAY as it seems to have been featured annually in concert sets in that country for nearly
50 years.!!!!!

[wstagner]

Whatever the reason for incorrect pitch on recordings, it was easily solved on turntables w/pitch controls, then later CD players w/pitch controls.

Best example of "wrong" pitch recording is Ventures Live in Japan '65. I don't remember the xact % but if you decrease the speed (ie pitch) all of the songs are at the correct pitch. I believe recordings like this were sped up on purpose to make the music sound more exciting. I guarantee you that Blue Moon was played in C, not C# or B. Off the top of my shrinking head, I can't think of any toon the Ventures played starting in the key of F or B flat.

On the other hand, which Shad's toon(s) are played in F or B flat?

None of this is criticism, just observations.

Like I said, it's an intresting topic. Recent (past 35 years or so) live recordings speak for themselves about what keys the Ventures or Shads play their toons in.

[RayL]

When an instrumental is recorded in F or Bb it often means that a Bb tenor saxophone is involved. Guitarists favour certain keys (E and A major, A minor, etc) because the notes and chords fall more naturally under the fingers and similarly, people who play the Bb tenor find the flat keys like F and Bb easier to finger. Of course, if that sax player is reading from music, then when the music shows the note of C on the stave, the sax player fingers C and the note of Bb comes out of the instrument! Confused? Stick to the guitar!

Ray

[wstagner]

Good call, Ray. Here's a pic of the Ventures with their sax player VERY EARLY on...http://www.google.com/imgres?start=182&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1293&bih=730&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnsb&tbnid=iYDLZpLSOtvr7M:&imgrefurl=http://sixtiesheartbeat.blogspot.com/2010_10_01_archive.html&docid=mBIGZ8VmZHQ-ZM&imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_pqZ335sY-ow/TLYSbqvsnYI/AAAAAAAAAwg/kT2OTJqS3TE/s1600/Ventures.jpg&w=400&h=400&ei=j611T9mXKYz-8ATA19GSBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=191&vpy=374&dur=776&hovh=157&hovw=162&tx=112&ty=184&sig=100822121558846796594&page=9&tbnh=157&tbnw=162&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:12,s:182