The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack: studio, gear and credits

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack: recorded at Atlantic Studios, 1841 Broadway, New York City, NY (Studio A), produced by Joel Dorn, engineered by William Arlt. See the credits and gear, then recreate the sound in your DAW.

Details

Song: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Artist: Roberta Flack
Genre / Style: Soul / Vocal Jazz / Contemporary Folk
Date(s) Recorded: February 24–26, 1969 (Entire album recorded in a 10-hour span)
Original Record Company & Catalog #: Atlantic Records (SD 8230 for the *First Take* album; 45-2864 for the 1972 single)
Release Date: June 20, 1969 (Album); February 1972 (Single release after inclusion in *Play Misty for Me*)
YouTube Search: Listen on YouTube

Personnel and session credits

Producer(s): Joel Dorn
Chief Recording Engineer(s): William Arlt
Musicians & Session Performers:

Roberta Flack - Lead Vocals, Acoustic Piano
Ron Carter - Double Bass (Upright)

Studio and recording technology

Tracking Studio & Room: Atlantic Studios, 1841 Broadway, New York City, NY (Studio A)

Reported gear and setup (not independently verified)

Mixing / Overdub Studio: Atlantic Studios, New York City
Mixing Console / Desk: Custom Atlantic "Tom Dowd" Desk (Early MCI/Atlantic hybrid console with rotary pots and early slide faders)
Multitrack Tape Machine & Format: Ampex MM-1000 16-Track 2-inch tape machine at 15 IPS
Studio Monitors: Altec Lansing 604E Super Duplex in custom utility cabinets
Key Outboard Processors & Hardware Units:

EMT 140 Mono/Stereo Plate Reverbs (Heavily featured on vocals and piano), Pultec EQP-1A, Teletronix LA-2A, Fairchild 670

Signal chains covered in the full track sheet

Instrument-by-instrument recording pathways, including: Lead Vocals (Roberta Flack), Acoustic Piano (Roberta Flack), Acoustic Guitar (Bucky Pizzarelli), Upright Double Bass (Ron Carter), String Section (Arranged by William S. Fischer).

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