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the crash arcade sound
This post started out as a blog on our MySpace page back in 2005 before moving to the forum in 2007, as you can see I have come back & been editing it ever since as it helps me focus & learn.
.recording.
When i record the full length release i really want to go for a vintage style sound, so that when people listen to it without any clue who it is, they can't tell what year or even what decade it was recorded in. i want the actual sounds to touch people as well as the songs, i get such a great vibe from old sounds, old photographs, old pictures etc. i want to get that across in the production. but i don't want it to sound like a lo-fi demo, i want this to be high end all the way...
Of course i'm not going to go out & get an old analogue multi track because i love tracking digital & sequencing in Pro Tools. So i am going to use my AVID HD system to track with but through vintage style (but obviously modern) outboard pieces to get the vibe i am after combined with mastering grade but colored convertors in the Crane Aong HEDD, which will also be used on the mix buss.
I'm using Crane Song preamps so i get an open airy almost liquid sound but with a vintage warm vibe going on through the low end & i like the idea that if pretty much every track is tracked through the same preamps the mix tends to gel better together, like old mixes all tracked & mixed on the same analogue desk, the exception might be the lead vocal track...
Tracking guitars through my Matchless Clubman 35, using a Royer 121 ribbon mic of course.
Vocals will have to be though a 1930s style ribbon, AEA R44C, huge proximity & velvet tone!
Bass will be DI through an A-Designs REDDI, again more huge valve tone!
Drums i'll take the simple approach with two coles for overheads, an electrovice re20 or an akg d12 on the kick & a josephson e22s on the snare... or just use custom & vintage samples through SD3
Tracking compressors, i'll just use my Crane Song Trakker for guitars that want varying amount soft subtle or violent vintage compression, my Inward Connections Brute on bass, & my Retro Instruments Doublewide on the vocals.
For mix buss compression i'll be using my API 2500, salt sugar honey & cream all in one box, old style feedback compression but i'll probably keep it in the box for individual channels & internal busses.
EQs, i'm gonna throw everything vocal, guitars, drum stems, synths, bass etc. through at least one EQ for color purposes, either Inward Connections Nitro to grab the sound of those Cinemag transformers or Crane Song Insigna to really carve out some thick vintage valve tone before mixing in Pro Tools... my Crane Song Ibis is sweet on the mix buss before the API 2500 compressor.
Reverb it has to be the Bricasti M7 right now, shimmering sky! I will mix it up with some dreamy Lexicon too, however most of the guitar tracks will be drenched in pedal based reverb from makers such as EarthQuaker Devices & Old Blood Noise Endeavors.
Monitoring is obviously so important so to get the best out of my Genelecs i have a Crane Song Avocet monitor controller/converter, such a reassuring clicking sound from those relays...
I'll have to get mastering done at Abbey Road although i think that will put the release back another year.
taken from afterthepostrock forum [Postrock has some drone influences on its sound. Emotional enforcement is based on repetition, not only of chord progression, but also melody. Postrock hardly ever contains modulation/transposition, ie playing the chorus transposed a 4th up like most poprock.
Postrock's unique approach to tonality is a crockpot of colour notes; that is, any note that isn't the 1st, 3rd, or 5th in the scale of the key signature. Melodies can often focus on the repeated/enforcing the 2nd, 3rd and 7th of the scale. Postrock's favourite colour note, key signature/mode is undoubtedly the sharp 4th; (not flat 5th, sharp 4th. you still play a natural 5th. scale example: C D E F# G A B) it is rarely used in popular music, but postrock has jumped on it, and used it very effectively, as it is slightly dissonant but very evocative.
Postrock chords can often be very typical of the genre. A typical progression could be: I, VI, III, II. or any rearrangement of these chords. It is used by many bands, instantly I can name Sigur Ros and Explosions in the Sky as using it. Chords seem to typically move in thirds, either down or up, ie I down to VI down to III, I to III to VI, whatever.
Postrock chords are often best when they are using inversions; if you don't know inversion theory, learn it. First inversions are used a lot, and sound lovely (eg instead of a C chord being C E G, it is E G C). ]
.recording.
When i record the full length release i really want to go for a vintage style sound, so that when people listen to it without any clue who it is, they can't tell what year or even what decade it was recorded in. i want the actual sounds to touch people as well as the songs, i get such a great vibe from old sounds, old photographs, old pictures etc. i want to get that across in the production. but i don't want it to sound like a lo-fi demo, i want this to be high end all the way...
Of course i'm not going to go out & get an old analogue multi track because i love tracking digital & sequencing in Pro Tools. So i am going to use my AVID HD system to track with but through vintage style (but obviously modern) outboard pieces to get the vibe i am after combined with mastering grade but colored convertors in the Crane Aong HEDD, which will also be used on the mix buss.
I'm using Crane Song preamps so i get an open airy almost liquid sound but with a vintage warm vibe going on through the low end & i like the idea that if pretty much every track is tracked through the same preamps the mix tends to gel better together, like old mixes all tracked & mixed on the same analogue desk, the exception might be the lead vocal track...
Tracking guitars through my Matchless Clubman 35, using a Royer 121 ribbon mic of course.
Vocals will have to be though a 1930s style ribbon, AEA R44C, huge proximity & velvet tone!
Bass will be DI through an A-Designs REDDI, again more huge valve tone!
Drums i'll take the simple approach with two coles for overheads, an electrovice re20 or an akg d12 on the kick & a josephson e22s on the snare... or just use custom & vintage samples through SD3
Tracking compressors, i'll just use my Crane Song Trakker for guitars that want varying amount soft subtle or violent vintage compression, my Inward Connections Brute on bass, & my Retro Instruments Doublewide on the vocals.
For mix buss compression i'll be using my API 2500, salt sugar honey & cream all in one box, old style feedback compression but i'll probably keep it in the box for individual channels & internal busses.
EQs, i'm gonna throw everything vocal, guitars, drum stems, synths, bass etc. through at least one EQ for color purposes, either Inward Connections Nitro to grab the sound of those Cinemag transformers or Crane Song Insigna to really carve out some thick vintage valve tone before mixing in Pro Tools... my Crane Song Ibis is sweet on the mix buss before the API 2500 compressor.
Reverb it has to be the Bricasti M7 right now, shimmering sky! I will mix it up with some dreamy Lexicon too, however most of the guitar tracks will be drenched in pedal based reverb from makers such as EarthQuaker Devices & Old Blood Noise Endeavors.
Monitoring is obviously so important so to get the best out of my Genelecs i have a Crane Song Avocet monitor controller/converter, such a reassuring clicking sound from those relays...
I'll have to get mastering done at Abbey Road although i think that will put the release back another year.
taken from afterthepostrock forum [Postrock has some drone influences on its sound. Emotional enforcement is based on repetition, not only of chord progression, but also melody. Postrock hardly ever contains modulation/transposition, ie playing the chorus transposed a 4th up like most poprock.
Postrock's unique approach to tonality is a crockpot of colour notes; that is, any note that isn't the 1st, 3rd, or 5th in the scale of the key signature. Melodies can often focus on the repeated/enforcing the 2nd, 3rd and 7th of the scale. Postrock's favourite colour note, key signature/mode is undoubtedly the sharp 4th; (not flat 5th, sharp 4th. you still play a natural 5th. scale example: C D E F# G A B) it is rarely used in popular music, but postrock has jumped on it, and used it very effectively, as it is slightly dissonant but very evocative.
Postrock chords can often be very typical of the genre. A typical progression could be: I, VI, III, II. or any rearrangement of these chords. It is used by many bands, instantly I can name Sigur Ros and Explosions in the Sky as using it. Chords seem to typically move in thirds, either down or up, ie I down to VI down to III, I to III to VI, whatever.
Postrock chords are often best when they are using inversions; if you don't know inversion theory, learn it. First inversions are used a lot, and sound lovely (eg instead of a C chord being C E G, it is E G C). ]