Andy: On reference CDs

[KeithRT99]

Deftones - whitepony/around the fur
Opeth - blackwater park
In flames - colony
Dimmu borgir - PEM

 

[Ermz]

As refference I use whatever CDs most fit the sound of the artist that I'm recording/mixing. More often than not there is an Andy production in there somewhere, because he is essentially the refference point for the modern metal sound, which bands are really digging.

 

[sorceron]

Dimmu- Puritanical

i refered to that cd for my latest track. heh cant say i came close.

www.myspace.com/abigailwilliams

its the first track on the player "watchtower"

 

[prowlergrig]

heh am i the only one who doesn't like the drum sound on dt's awake?
i distinctly remember the first time i heard 6:00 and i thought the drums sound so artificial (especially when they're playing by themselves )...

 

[cobhc]

i know what you mean prowler, they do sound a little wierd, really loving the drum sound on blinded by evergrey at the moment, especially the toms

 

[MKS]

As long as you don't have the triggered drum sound from images and words, you're doing just fine.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

I think DT's drum sound on Awake is great, amazing, sooooo much better than DB if you ask me

 

[Matt Crooks]

As long as you don't have the triggered drum sound from images and words, you're doing just fine.

That triggered sound is the EXACT sample used on the First Firehouse album. Same producer, same samples, same poor triggering

 

[MKS]

We talked Portnoy after a show on that tour and he was quite amusing. He was talking about how he had threaten (jokingly) the the sound guy to bring his snare up in the live mix since it actually had dynamics unlike the lifeless triggered sound on the CD.

 

[Kazrog]

Anything produced by Andy Sneap, most recently Arch Enemy's latest
DevilDriver - The Fury of our Maker's Hand
DAATH - The Hinderers
Mnemic - The Audio Injected Soul
Soilwork - Figure Number Five

 

[aramism]

im glad to see so much love for awake drums. not only is it my fav album ever (or at least not a tie with apetite for destruction) but on a sonic level it is probably my fav album. the production to me is unmatched, everything is so crisp and clean without being uber digital and cold, it is very warm and punchy at the same time. the drum sounds are out of this world, and the bass also.



but as far as reference cds go it really depends on the band or type of sound im going for. at the moment i am doing a popish rock band so im really listening to several cds

armor for sleep - what to do when you're dead
deftones - white pony/ deftones
tool - 10,000 days
mr.big - lean into it




other albums i really dig to try to get inspired by

DT - train of thought for clear low tuned guitars non overdistorted
opeth - ghost reveries
chimaira - ressurection
lamb of god - sacrament
arch enemy - anthems/doomsday
metallica - metallica

much much more just a few that i've been diggin lately to match up to my own stuff. i'm still very very very very far away thogh lol.

 

[whitedamp]

Godsmack - Faceless.

 

[Soundlurker]

My main reference is almost always Arch Enemy's Doomsday Machine...and I'm not really a fan of the band. Same with Exodus, not that I don't like them but I do like the production more than the band.
Other than that, Chimaira - Ressurection, last 2 Caliban albums, KsE and so on

 

[Youpimatin]

At The Gates - Slaughter of the Soul
Edge of Sanity - Purgatory Afterglow
Allfader - At least we will die together
As I Lay Dying - Shadows are Security
Vacant Stare - Vindication
Machine Head - Burn my eyes
Carcass - Necrosism/Heartwork

 

[TomiR]

Here I go:

Nevermore: DHIADW and the remastered Enemies of Reality
Carcass: Heartwork
Machine Head: The More Things Change
Porcupine Tree: Fear of a Blank Planet
Opeth: Ghost Reveries

 

[Ermz]

Nickelback - The Long Road (one of the finest reference points for high-gain guitar sound)
Arch Enemy - Doomsday Machine (Andy's most solid mix to date, IMO)
Porcupine Tree - Deadwing (amazingly lush production)
Opeth - Damnation (same as above)
Nightrage - Sweet Vengeance (TOMS!!!!)
In Flames - Clayman (good natural drum ambience)
Portishead - Dummy (great fat tape/sample sounds)

etc. etc.

 

[blackcom]

Meshuggah - DEI
FF - Demanufacture
Testament - The Gathering
Pantera - Vulgar

 

[Noumenon]

Fredrik Thordendal's Special Defects - Sol Niger Within
Darkane - Expanding Senses
Darkane - Layers of Lies
Nevermore - TGE
Testament - The Gathering.

 

[Sloan]

BOSTON - Boston

The only thing I have heard this sound bad on was a cellular phone. Anywhere else, it seems to be the most perfect sounding album ever created. I almost always pop an extreme boner when I hear this masterwork.

 

[Waterboy]

Bananarama - True Confessions
Samantha Fox - Touch Me
Culture Club - Kissing to Be Clever


This is the way I see it: if I don't sound like any of the above mentioned groups, I am on the right track.