Record Time
All the bullshit worry, fear, paranoia-light I experienced – fretting over the mixdown…totally unfounded. Sure, everything went down the crapper relatively quickly, but it wasn’t the sort of collapse we usually experience. That’s something.
Actually, I know what we need to do to fix this situation. I have learned something from the wheelbarrow full of mistakes I’ve made in (and out) of recording studios. I’ve saved all the first mixes we took home from the studio at the end of every night and kept them organized and dated on my lap top (voice of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog: “You are a huge nerd.”)
Oh, what I’ve learned. Most of the mixdowns I’ve taken part in seem to be 3 to 7 hour efforts to make the final version of the song sound worse than the raw tracks. We achieved this in three hours last night – a record low for hours wasted on mixing two songs. That’s something.
The good thing is – I was finally able to prove (at least to the people riding in the car with me) what I’ve suspected for years…with everyone (especially producers) coming up with excuses and shinning me off…
Chris popped the cd in his car stereo and we listened to mix of Dil that we just finished. Then I said: “Remember what you just heard.” I played them (on the same car stereo) the mix of the same fucking song from the first night – when Larry just mixed shit sort of loud so we could hear everything – no compression – no limiter – no delay on the snare – no nothing…and guess what – this version made the “produced” one sound like it had a layer of film over it.
When we did the first you know what record – I did not have access to rough and ready mixes – because there were none (IDIOTS! Always leave the session with a mix – we were so fucking stupid). When we made Current I decided I wanted to keep track of as many raw sounding basic tracks (before the vocals) as I could. When Alex wouldn’t mix ‘em he showed me how to shut down the ADATs, put the shit away – and he let me do my own quickie mixes. We made one of these super-rough mixes for the last song on Current…(My Best Friend) – the guitars were so raw – and the two solos Dev stuck in there sounded like angry bees (in a good way). The drums were repeated punches in the face, gut, kidney region…you name it. When we finished the mix of the same song (that I loved soooo much before) at this semi-nice studio all I could say was: “Meh, I don’t hate it.” I told Alex – I told everyone who would listen: “I’ve got these mixes I did using the Mackie 12 into 2…and into some boom box Chris had in his basement. Alex, you remember doing them with me.” ADF said: “Dude, you just love the sound of tape saturation – it makes you thing this is louder or whatever you think it is.” So I couldn’t prove shit – but last night, Chris and Joe heard it. The raw mixes blew all this compressed/limited – whatever – stuff away. We need to work with the raw mixes we have – do minor editing shit – and stop ourselves before we destroy what we’ve done. I think we can still do this.
So now we have a plan.
If we only had a name.
Actually, I know what we need to do to fix this situation. I have learned something from the wheelbarrow full of mistakes I’ve made in (and out) of recording studios. I’ve saved all the first mixes we took home from the studio at the end of every night and kept them organized and dated on my lap top (voice of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog: “You are a huge nerd.”)
Oh, what I’ve learned. Most of the mixdowns I’ve taken part in seem to be 3 to 7 hour efforts to make the final version of the song sound worse than the raw tracks. We achieved this in three hours last night – a record low for hours wasted on mixing two songs. That’s something.
The good thing is – I was finally able to prove (at least to the people riding in the car with me) what I’ve suspected for years…with everyone (especially producers) coming up with excuses and shinning me off…
Chris popped the cd in his car stereo and we listened to mix of Dil that we just finished. Then I said: “Remember what you just heard.” I played them (on the same car stereo) the mix of the same fucking song from the first night – when Larry just mixed shit sort of loud so we could hear everything – no compression – no limiter – no delay on the snare – no nothing…and guess what – this version made the “produced” one sound like it had a layer of film over it.
When we did the first you know what record – I did not have access to rough and ready mixes – because there were none (IDIOTS! Always leave the session with a mix – we were so fucking stupid). When we made Current I decided I wanted to keep track of as many raw sounding basic tracks (before the vocals) as I could. When Alex wouldn’t mix ‘em he showed me how to shut down the ADATs, put the shit away – and he let me do my own quickie mixes. We made one of these super-rough mixes for the last song on Current…(My Best Friend) – the guitars were so raw – and the two solos Dev stuck in there sounded like angry bees (in a good way). The drums were repeated punches in the face, gut, kidney region…you name it. When we finished the mix of the same song (that I loved soooo much before) at this semi-nice studio all I could say was: “Meh, I don’t hate it.” I told Alex – I told everyone who would listen: “I’ve got these mixes I did using the Mackie 12 into 2…and into some boom box Chris had in his basement. Alex, you remember doing them with me.” ADF said: “Dude, you just love the sound of tape saturation – it makes you thing this is louder or whatever you think it is.” So I couldn’t prove shit – but last night, Chris and Joe heard it. The raw mixes blew all this compressed/limited – whatever – stuff away. We need to work with the raw mixes we have – do minor editing shit – and stop ourselves before we destroy what we’ve done. I think we can still do this.
So now we have a plan.
If we only had a name.
posted by edP | 8:57 PM
10 Comments:
As the token "punk rock guy" I feel the need to back up Ed on this one. TRACKS SOUND BETTER WITHOUT ALL THAT "PRODUCTION" MUMBO-JUMBO.
Take the Clash: The Self-Titled album rocked, Give 'em Enough Rope rocked, then they hit big and some studio-fairy spends a couple of weeks feeding the band drugs and selling them on the "underestimated power of a calypso beat" and you get CRAP like London Calling and Combat Rock. This happens with A LOT of great bands (Ramones, The Jam, The Who, The Kinks, The Stooges... and the list goes on - and on - and on).
As an old China-man (in my mind) once said: The raw-power of the original mix trumps the David Bowie production of Raw Power.
In my (worthless) opinion yer better off cutting rough mixes on an ADAT or a reel-to-reel and then running it through a wad of paper towels for that "production feel". Unless you can afford to have Steve Albini produce the album, and pay the big bucks to make it sound like it was recorded on a TEAC 4-track.
As a crusty old "punk rock girl," I think I agree with Josh.
I think the only "punk" who sounds okay with All That Production is Solo Bob Mould.
Which is NOT to say I don't groove on the SST Husker albums.
Maybe I jsut associate Ryko with PRODUCTION. Remember when David Bowie's "Sound and Vision" came out with all that shiny, clear, slick packaging?
Anyway, Bob Mould is The Man.
What happened to Action City?
I agree with these guys and ed. I called that guy, we are going back to the studio and spend two hours cleaning up any extraneous(sp - as if I care) noise - and doing nothing else. I told the old dog - when producers mix things for the radio - I want to say: "This song isn't going to be on the radio - so let's just make it rude and loud - the way I like it in my car." insert sex joke wherever you like - thanks for the input guys - our record is going to rock - or suck trying
One of my favorite records was that Bad Brains album with the White House on the cover. That was some of the worst production ever but the music totally makes it a non-issue.
A great example of crippling production is Butch Vig in the wake of his Nirvana cred. He made L7 sound like U2. Awful.
Chris,
Bad Brains' Self-Titled album on ROIR (the one with the Capitol on the cover) is a perfect example. How that band went from that brilliant album to "Quickness" (sucked HARD) 2 or 3 releases later is beyond me. Tell me it wasn't some studio-type or recording engineer that sold them on the metal-reggae "progression" of their music.
All I know about L7 is - they have one of my favorite song titles of all time: The Masses are Asses - that's me all over.
ed, less is more. definately. our two CD's were pretty much mixed as we went..the roughs we came home with were basically what we ended up with..minus, of course, editing tweaks here and there, touch of reverb on sax, etc. we got it mastered at golden mastering. john golden rules. he didn't compress either of the CD's.. we had him compress and add a touch of bass to the new one just to see and it sounded like poo.
i think in the end it really depends on what the music calls for. something like you guys is better raw and "under-produced"... however, something like the new meshuggah, which is all super produced line6, drum programmed metal sounds fuckin' badass.
oh, by the way, the anonymous post is me. tom o'donnell.
t
Hey T O'D - you ain't annonymous - you fucking rock!!! Thanks for e-dropping by - I need some of your records...when are you coming to town? Uh, maybe I should e-mail you instead of writing this on my own blog
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