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KENNETH KELLY While there are other so called isolated tracks out there that were sourced from Rockband using the Sourceforge software Audacity. Those tracks were not the original recording done in the studio by Ritchie Blackmore. This recording is what is referred to as a (Stem) in the recording industry and was released directly by the record label. Some may question the authenticity: This recording has mistakes in the beginning and the end as well. Not to mention the Harmonized solo @ 3:49. The entire album was recorded with instruments and amplification setup in hallways, alcoves that were snaked to the Rolling Stones Mobile Recording Unit on a bus in the parking lot. Many so called experts will say that Richie used a Vox AC 30 amp, guess again! Since his introduction to Fender Stratocaster electric guitars, they have become Ritchie’s hallmark instrument. He has the frets scalloped to increase the vibrato. He never uses the middle pickup and has it screwed down even with the pick guard. Ritchie uses two modified fire-breathing 200-watt Marshall Major amps into four 4 X 12 Marshall speaker cabinets with a Hornby-Kues treble booster. Around 1970, Ritchie debuted his secret weapon, a modified Aiwa reel-to-reel tape recorder. The Sorcerer of the Stratocaster would plug his guitar directly into the recorder’s input, with the tape recorder kept paused in the record mode, he used it as a preamp to boost his Marshalls into the stratosphere. Interesting excerpt from an interview with Ritchie Blackmore: “The Aiwa gives me a fatter sound, if I don’t use it, the tone is too shrill. I find it very difficult to play without it. I’ve tried all types of different amplifiers, but they’re a little bit too clear; I like a little bit of distortion which is controlled through my tape recorder. I built my own tape recorder; well, I didn’t build it, but I modified it from a regular tape recorder to an echo unit. It also preamps and boosts the signal going to the amp. If I want a fuzzy effect l just turn up the output stage of the tape recorder. I used to do that at home; I used to take my tape recorder and use it as an echo. So I thought if I could use it at home I could use it onstage and it sounded right onstage. I just keep it on record so it records, and it’s like a continual echo because I couldn’t get that echo with any echo machine. There’s a cord from the guitar into the tape recorder input, and the output stage just goes back to the amp. And I can control the volume, too; I can have it loud with no distortion or vice versa. I have a little foot pedal that I can stop and start it with. A lot of people think when they see the tape going that the solos are being recorded. It creates a continual boom, boom, boom and repeats. Most echo machines are awful; it’s like you’re in a hallway. The tape recorder doesn’t interfere with the note you’re playing. I’d really be in trouble if somebody stole my recorder.” - Ritchie Blackmore
