3 mics on the snare, Fredman technique on guitars, OLD SCHOOL sound!

[Glenn Fricker]

Hey gang,

Here's a cut from the new Final Stage album, "Through the Mirror." The Sneap Board's very own Broodwich created the cover art.

Nice work, Mr. Wich!


This isn't exactly the "final" mix.... The band is currently shopping for a deal & are totally paranoid about an unadulterated copy getting loose on the web.... so there's a little voiceover midway thru the song & a few other blips & farts thrown in on tom fills & shit. But you should get a good idea of how things sound.

Anyway, on the engineering side, we used 3 mics on the snare, 421's on the toms, Sansamp/real amp on the bass, and the Fredman technique on the guitars. This is real, no bullshit - old school 80's metal. Even the mastering is old school. I.E. there's actually dynamics on this track. So, crank up your playback system before you listen!

Here's the link:
http://www.myspace.com/spectresound
Or
http://www.spectresound.ca/recordings.shtml
There's a hi-res player on either page, & it's track #1.

Feel free to comment.

 

[ffaudio]

What mics on snare? And what positions? Two on top one on bottom? Top/Shell/Bottom?

 

[Glenn Fricker]

We had a 57 & a Studio Projects C1 on the top & a 57 on the bottom. The C1 was pretty tricky to place as it has a huge shockmount, but somehow we managed....

-0z-

 

[smy1]

Sounds REALLY good on those little Logitech speakers here. Very dynamic.

No disrespect to you, because you did a great job as an engineer/mixer, but this band really needs a producer who tampers with their songs to make them sound "professional" ... there's just too much stuff in there that can be done better.

 

[Glenn Fricker]

No disrespect to you, because you did a great job as an engineer/mixer, but this band really needs a producer who tampers with their songs to make them sound "professional" ... there's just too much stuff in there that can be done better.

LMAO!!! Dude, I was co-producer with the band on this one. Here I thought I pushed them really hard. We even brought in Jeff Klingbeil from Betrayer, an extremely talented singer, to do the backup vocals.

But hey, you can't be all things to all people. And I do appreciate the honesty.

Thanks,
-0z-

 

[KeithRT99]

everything sounds well-recorded, but i think the mix could be more interesting. The snare sounds too weak/soft? it lacks low end crack (i've noticed this in all your records, so it could be your personal preference). Also when i think of this type of music, i think the snare should sound huge and have a larger than life reverb sound (gated reverb perhaps?). Also the vocals could be more interesting, they sound alittle plain. they could use some echo/reverb accents. i have no problem with the dynamic level of the track, but i don't think it's a very dynamic sound. It sounds very even and steady without being compressed, but i would like to hear some movement.

 

[jesterroot4]

lmfao...

personaly, i think this mix is awsome! you said you was going for that 80's sound, and you've done than nicely!

also, your snare sounds awsome! maybe a tad too loud in the mix... but good!

i was soon thinkin about doing some old fashioned glam rock recording with my mates.. could be interesting. lol

nice job

 

[smy1]

Oh, Glenn, don't get me wrong, I am not thinking performance wise (I actually like the performances), but stuff like

a) some of the lyrics really have no "flow" and sound jammed into the amount of bars that they have to fit into

b) some parts are too cluttered, the intro bass for instance where the clean guitar, the bass and the singer all compete for attention - in my opinion the bass needs to step back there

c) some parts are simply too long/repetitive and could just use something like a simple one or two note lead guitar in the back to "add" a buildup and provide new things to catch the listeners attention again.

Keith: by dynamic I meant "not squashed" (as you remarked, too). The only real dynamics I can think of in this song could probably be to have the clean parts a bit softer than the hard parts and then make the chorus even fuller.

 

[Glenn Fricker]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the comments.... ANY feedback is good feedback as far as I'm concerned.

The 'dynamics' I was talking about was the fact that there are still transients left on the drums.... & the meters actually move.


Anyway, Keith, you mentioned "low end crack" for the snare. Could you elaborate a little further? As in, what frequencies do you think I should be looking at?

BTW, we tried to stay away from the huge, cheezey reverb on the snare. None of my favorite classic albums had a gated snare. I.E. British Steel, Point of Entry, Piece of Mind, Powerslave, Machine Head (the album, not the band!) etc, etc, etc.


Thanks again,
-0z-

 

[KeithRT99]

Keith: by dynamic I meant "not squashed" (as you remarked, too). The only real dynamics I can think of in this song could probably be to have the clean parts a bit softer than the hard parts and then make the chorus even fuller.

i wasn't referring to your post. i just mean that the mix lacked a dynamic push: it wasn't squashed or compressed sounding at all, but it didn't breathe.

Oz: Gated verbs don't have to sound cheesy, try them, you may like it. Sometimes they really fatten up a track too. I'm not 100% sure on what frequencies you should boost on the snare (no analyzer here atm), but it sounds like it was hipassed around 200hz. It just needs some beef. BTW i think the performances are very tight, the mix could just be more interesting.

 

[gibbed]

I'm digging the mixing, the drum sound in particular is very good.

the song itself is a little boring for me, it doesn't have any of the hooks which make 80s metal so cool.

 

[Ermz]

Hey Oz, I'm glad you're keeping very busy and involved!

As usual I can't say I'm a big fan of the band or mix. Everything is separated nicely, but on the whole it's not a sound I dig personally. I think on the whole it lacks what I consider that pro mix 'wall of sound' cohesion of all the individual elements into the one force. Bass is a bit boomy on my playback system here too. But hey, for all I know these are all deliberate aesthetic decisions, and it's just my opinion.

So good stuff man, I'm glad you're still doing your thing and people are digging it.

 

[Glenn Fricker]

I think on the whole it lacks what I consider that pro mix 'wall of sound' cohesion of all the individual elements into the one force. Bass is a bit boomy on my playback system here too.

As always, I very much appreciate the critique. Kinda funny though, about cohesion..... I've had a few comments here in town to the exact opposite!


One thing I think I should bring up.... just how far this band has come & what I can do with them.... A little perspective works wonders:

Here's something I did with them last year.
In The Night

And this year's project:
Age of Ashes

Yeah, it's a little quieter, but far more punchy. That & waaaay cleaner.

 

[scorpio01169]

i dont know if it's myspace or the performence but it sounds like theres so timing issues on that first 80s song

 

[Glenn Fricker]

Yep, it was some timing issues with the band on last year's project. With the new track, the band is much tighter.

-0z-

 

[Mark_Palangio]

Vocalist reminds me of Ripper Owens. Not bad, although I think the tone sounds a bit thin.

 

[SymbolicSV]

i really think those guitars sound killer !!!! the drum sound is very good but not my style, what i really like is the clarity in the overall picture amazing