Daniel N. Flickinger was an
audio engineer
An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduc ...
in the late 1960s and 1970s, who designed and manufactured some of the era's most important music
recording consoles. He designed recording consoles for
Sly Stone
Sylvester Stewart (March 15, 1943 – June 9, 2025), better known by his stage name Sly Stone, was an American musician, songwriter and record producer. He was the frontman of Sly and the Family Stone, playing a critical role in the development ...
,
Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Dubbed the " Gentle Genius", he is considered one of the most influential musicians of soul and socially conscious Afric ...
,
The Association
The Association is an American sunshine pop band from Los Angeles, California. During the late 1960s, the band had numerous hits at or near the top of the Billboard charts, ''Billboard'' charts (including "Windy (The Association song), Windy" ...
,
Ike Turner
Izear Luster "Ike" Turner Jr. (November 5, 1931 – December 12, 2007) was an American musician, bandleader, songwriter, record producer, and talent scout. An early pioneer of 1950s rock and roll, he is best known for his work in the 1960s and ...
's
Bolic Sound,
Johnny Cash
John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. ...
, and
Funkadelic
Funkadelic was an American funk rock band formed in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1968 and active until 1982. As one of the two flagship groups of George Clinton's P-Funk collective, they helped pioneer the funk music culture of the 1970s.John, ...
,
Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Cinderella Records, and
United Sound Systems among many others.
Flickinger revolutionized recorded music through the ''sweepable EQ'', an original
equalization scheme. Many credit Flickinger with the first design of a working sweepable EQ, while others contend he was one of many who did important work in early EQ innovations. Either way, Flickinger's design of these EQ's would influence his circuit design, and the work of others worldwide.
Flickinger innovations
*invention of the Parametric EQ.
[Source: How Does It Sound Now?: Legendary Engineers and Vintage Gear. Gary Gottlieb Author. Pg 29.]
*invention of the first recording consoles with Parametric EQ in every channel.
[
*development of the 'audio control surface' concept now in wide use in digital audio consoles.
*invention of remote-controlled gain devices: ''Remote-Gain Preamp''.
*development of modular bar graph illuminated metering, known as ''Level Lites''. Ubiquitous in consumer audio now in LED form.
*invention of the first ''in-line'' recording console
*advancement of assorted equalization schemes.
Flickinger's work has since become highly esteemed among recording professionals; ]Steve Albini
Steven Frank Albini (; July 22, 1962 – May 7, 2024) was an American musician and audio engineer. He founded and fronted the influential post-hardcore and noise rock bands Big Black (1981–1987), Rapeman (1987–1989) and Shellac (band), ...
wrote "I will go to my deathbed claiming Flickinger consoles are the best sounding mixing desks ever made. Period."
Recording studios using Flickinger consoles
*Studio Black Box (Noyant-la-Gravoyère, France)
* Key Club Recording Company (Benton Harbor, Michigan)
*Sonic Pharmacy The Sonic Pharmacy acquired the Flickinger M32B console from Rock City Studios on Sept 6, 2014. (Houston, Texas)
*Montrose Recording (Richmond, Virginia)
* Cinderella Sound (Wayne Moss) (Madison, Tennessee)
* Glaser Sound Studios (Nashville Tennessee)
*Yuchen Studio (TAIPEI TAIWAN)
*Paramount Studios (Chicago, Illinois)
*Huron Street Studio (Chicago, Illinois)
References
Living people
Place of birth missing (living people)
Year of birth missing (living people)
Audio electrical engineers
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