[Column] Tatsuro Yamashita: Analog aesthetics and changes in sound after transition to digital

Column en 70s 80s Citypop

24 Nov 2025

[Column] Tatsuro Yamashita: Analog aesthetics and changes in sound after transition to digital

Production environment, equipment, recording methods, studio culture, media specifications

Text: mmr｜Theme: From the city pop era to the latest works, about the sound philosophy followed by “recording people”

In the history of Japanese pop music, Tatsuro Yamashita is not only a vocalist and composer, but also one of Japan’s leading ““recording authors’’. What runs through his albums, more than trends or musical genres that change with the times, is recording technology, medium, and acoustic philosophy.

especially,

Thorough sound creation in the analog tape era
Careful changes and selections after introducing digital recording/digital equipment
Relationship with studio culture in the city pop era
Consistency of philosophy in recent remasters

These changes are not simply differences in sound quality, but reflect the history of popular recording in Japan itself.

1. 1970s: The golden age of analog tape and the foundation of Tatsuro Yamashita

■ Sugar Babe (1973–1976)

Tatsuro Yamashita’s musical outlook was formed in the rock/pop analog recording culture of this period.

Recording media: Analog multitrack tape (2 inches, mainly 16-24tr)
Studio: Early Japanese studio (Victor, Nichion, CBS Sony, etc.)
Musical background: Deep commitment to American recording culture such as Brian Wilson, Phil Spector, Stax, etc.

During this period, Tatsuro said that he had already solidified the idea that ““recording technology is the basis of music.’’

■ Sound characteristics of “SONGS” (1975)

Self-chorus overdubbing
Dead room sound of drums
Live recording of horns/strings
Analog-specific thick mid-low range

Arrangements and recordings optimized for analog characteristics had already begun.

2. Late 1970s: Early solo period and the completed form of “Analog Layer”

■ “SPACY” (1977), “GO AHEAD!” (1978)

This period was the era when Tatsuro made full use of analog 24-track recording.

Features:

Temperature-feeling compression with tape
Overdubbing of hand playing (guitar, keyboard, percussion)
Dozens of overdubbing vocals

In later years, Tatsuro said, ““The more you layer analogue, the more nuances will come together,’’ and the works from this time are the ideal form of this.

3. 1980–1982: “RIDE ON TIME” “FOR YOU”

■ The pinnacle of recording technology in the city pop era

In the early 1980s, Japanese studio technology had reached a world-class level. At the center of this was CBS Sony Shinanomachi Studio.

▼ Analog recording peak

Equipment used: Studer A80/A800 24tr, NEVE console
Rhythm: Live drums + analog recording
Guitar: Warm tone through compressor
Chorus: “Dense layering” unique to analog
Reverb: EMT 140 plate with Lexicon pre-delay

The sound from this time is often referred to as the ““ideal form of city pop.’’

■ Recording aesthetics of “FOR YOU” (1982)

This work is said to be one of the top of Tatsuro’s works. Acoustic characteristics:

The highest level of clarity in analog recording
The “thickness” of analog drum recordings
Perfect chorus density and localization
The treble side is rounded and feels like an analog ear.

A rare work that is entirely analog but has modern resolution.

4. Late 1980s: Digital adoption period and cautious transition

CD was released in Japan in 1982. In the late 1980s, digital recording equipment (PCM, digital multi, digital reverb) began to spread rapidly.

However, Tatsuro Yamashita is one of the artists who was most cautious about digitalization.

■ First introduction of digital

Tatsuro began using digital equipment in earnest.

Introduced digital synths (DX7, etc.)
Limited use of digital reverb (Lexicon 224/480)
The recording itself strongly maintains “analog tape”

Specifically, I avoided digital recording itself for the following reasons:

In the early stages of digital recording, high frequencies are hard and depth is easily lost.
I hated losing the “roundness” of analog over-recording.
Analog was better for building my own chorus.

In fact, Tatsuro says, ““The era when analog 24 tracks became obsolete was a crisis for music.’’

5. 1990s: Entering the digital recording era and new approaches

In the 1990s, the industry completely transitioned to digital.

▼ Although Tatsuro transitioned to digital recording, his basic stance remained the same.

Adopts digital recording
However, increased processing to maintain analog texture
Musical instrument recordings still use a lot of live sound
Continued chorus recording method

■ “ARTISAN” (1991)

A masterpiece from the era of full-fledged digital recording
High resolution, clear mid-high range
Using digital equipment while maintaining chorus techniques from the analog era
Sound is sharp but not cold

Tatsuro says, ““Even with digital recording, you can create a sense of temperature depending on how you record it.’’

6. 2000s: The maturity of digital production and the establishment of “analog digital”

■ 2000s recording philosophy

Production environment is completely digital
However, focus on microphone selection and room sound during the recording stage.
“Design analog textures even if they are digital”

Tatsuro also built a high-quality recording environment at home, Achieving a unique fusion of self-produced + digital + live sound.

7. 2010s: Remaster era and “sound revival”

Throughout the 2020s, many analog era works have been remastered.

Even in remastering, Tatsuro has made it clear that he strongly dislikes changing the sound.

▼ Remastered features

Faithfully reproduces the original tape
No extreme EQ
Do not raise sound pressure unnaturally (reject loudness war)
Convey the original intent as is.

As a result, recent analog reissues have received high praise worldwide.

8. 2020s: Latest works - era of analog return

Nowadays, the demand for analog records is increasing again. Tatsuro maintains the following attitude amid the digital era:

Recording is mainly digital
But focus on analog release
The mix retains an analog feel
Avoid excessive sound pressure
Maintains roundness of high range and thickness of midrange

In particular, his latest work has a sound that is a high-level fusion of “analog roundness” and “digital information content”.

9. Chronology: Flow of transition from analog to digital

timeline title 山下達郎：録音技術の変遷 1973 : シュガー・ベイブ活動開始（完全アナログ時代） 1977 : 『SPACY』アナログ24tr多重録音の深化 1980 : 『RIDE ON TIME』 1982 : 『FOR YOU』アナログ録音の最高峰 1985 : デジタル機材部分導入（リバーブ等） 1991 : 『ARTISAN』デジタル録音本格化 2000 : 自宅制作環境デジタル化 2010 : リマスター時代、音圧戦争に抗う 2020 : アナログ回帰・高品質再発

10. Technical comparison of analog and digital sounds

– Differences in acoustics based on Tatsuro’s works

Item	Analog period (~1980s)	Digital period (1990s~)
Recording media	Tape (2 inches)	PCM/ProTools
Sound impression	Warm, thick, round	Clear, sharp
Chorus	The more you layer, the more it becomes together	It tends to become stiff when layered
Drums	Thick and natural low range	Fast rise
Noise	Small amount of tape hiss	Almost zero
Tatsuro”s evaluation	“It”s close to the ideal form of music”	“It depends on how you use it”

11. City pop and recording culture: Why is the sound of the analog era “special”?

The reason why Tatsuro Yamashita’s masterpieces were reevaluated worldwide as city pop was as follows. It”s not just the charm of the songs, but also the texture of analog recording and Japan”s 1980s studio culture.

point:

Compatibility of live drums and analog recording
Advanced playing by hand musicians (Tatsuo Hayashi, Hironori Ito, Jun Aoyama, etc.)
Acoustic design of large studios (Shinanomachi, Victor, On Air, etc.)
Rich mid-low range with NEVE console
EMT plate reverberation culture

These “time-specific conditions” make the analog city pop sound unique.

12. Conclusion:

Tatsuro Yamashita’s sound is not “analog vs. digital”

Consistency in “recording philosophy” is everything

Throughout his 50-year career, Tatsuro’s sound can be summarized as follows:

Analog era: By mastering the limits of materials and equipment, we have achieved the ultimate in “temperature sensation”
After digital migration: Continued to maintain an analog feel while accepting the evolution of technology
Remastered era: We have maintained a stance of faithfully reproducing the original sound rather than rewriting history

In other words, **Even if the media and equipment change, the essence of Tatsuro Yamashita’s sound remains the same. **

It is said that “recording technology is music itself”, This is a reflection of the beliefs he has held since the beginning of his career.