Any good totally ITB productions?

[UncleBob]

I'm curious to know of any (if any at all) general-consensus, good, totally itb productions, hard rock or metal, that are out there?

When I say totally ITB, I mean programmed drums (using any of the common drum plugins and maybe a few samples), programmed bass, guitars through amp sims & impulses, any extra stuff like synths or orchestra all programmed etc etc and then all plugins for mix and master.

 

[Machinated]

yuck. not in my opinion.

 

[JohnGalloway]

Here's a song from an album I'm working on. About as ITB as you can get. Programmed everything.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9992828/Random Shit/Entry VIII - Heartless.mp3

Still in the process of recording guitars, however.

Drums are SSD shells with Superior Drummer cymbals
Bass is Zombass 2 with amp sims
Gutiars are Lecto

I don't see any reason why any programmed performance couldn't sound as sonically sound as some of the best "real" productions.

 

[UncleBob]

No offence John, but that pretty much sounds like a totally itb production to me, which there's nothing really wrong with, I'm just curious to find out if anyone has come even remotely close to a full on good studio production using the "fake" way.

 

[JohnGalloway]

No offence John, but that pretty much sounds like a totally itb production to me, which there's nothing really wrong with, I'm just curious to find out if anyone has come even remotely close to a full on good studio production using the "fake" way.

Or rather, you're trying to find a totally ITB production that sounds real?

 

[arvoitus]

I really like Devin Townsend's Ziltoid:



Drums are Drumkit from Hell and guitars are Pod XT. But i really don't know if the master was ITB too.

"Townsend then began work on his next solo album, Ziltoid the Omniscient. "And I really mean solo, in the true sense of the word," explained Townsend. "Nobody was around. For four months I worked completely on my own. I recorded each instrumental track and I also programmed all the drums. ... I was sound engineer and producer and I mixed every note in my cellar with a minimum of gear. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it all on my own." Townsend programmed the drums using Drumkit from Hell, a software drum machine provided to him by Fredrik Thordendal of Meshuggah."

 

[blue_fAng]

Did this a couple of years ago, grabbed the bass and drums from the guitar pro that the band sent me, guitars are amp sims, vst synths and mastered with ozone 3. I can't post full song, since it's still unreleased lol
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/28110505/NeptuneClip.mp3

 

[FarBeyondMetal]

Just did this for a friend. Programmed bass, drums and synth. It definitely sounds "ITB" though

https://soundcloud.com/anthonysmuse/chaos-entwined-final-1

 

[AntonioPetrole]

You're not going to find one, but that's okay! Killer itb productions sound like killer itb productions, and killer productions using all real gear and outboard etc are going to have a full real and analog sound. Difference bands require different sounds. However imo analog mixes will always sound better. However, there are plenty of itb mixes that sound incredible also, they just don't replicate the real thing

 

[UncleBob]

You're not going to find one, but that's okay! Killer itb productions sound like killer itb productions, and killer productions using all real gear and outboard etc are going to have a full real and analog sound. Difference bands require different sounds. However imo analog mixes will always sound better. However, there are plenty of itb mixes that sound incredible also, they just don't replicate the real thing

No question about that, was just curious to see what the current level is/ if much has changed.

 

[UncleBob]

Or rather, you're trying to find a totally ITB production that sounds real?

I've been out of the whole recording and mixing for a couple years now, just trying to see if anyone has done anything where if you had to hear it you wouldn't immediately say it was "fake", anything that might be convincing.

 

[blue_fAng]

If my memory doesn't fail and correct me if I am wrong, Andy Sneap mixed an album for Biomechanical with POD guitars, programmed drums and probably amp farm for bass, all ITB and sounding awesome as always.

EDIT: Or played through an electric kit but midi anyways

 

[LBTM]

There's nothing wrong with doing everything ITB, if you know what you're doing.

 

[Mikaël-ange]

However imo analog mixes will always sound better. However, there are plenty of itb mixes that sound incredible also, they just don't replicate the real thing

I have to disagree... Listen to everything done by Serban Ghenea since 10 years.
Mixed 100% ITB.
Miss independent-Kelly Clarkson was mixed all ITB by Dave Pensado.
Mike Dean have done an entire album (mix and master) all ITB in PT5

Andy himself had proven you can do ITB mix that sound as good, if not better than analog. Sames for James Murphy...

I can expand the list for a long times if you want

Edit: all electronic arrangement in Avatar are done ITB using PT stock virtual instrument. Mixed all in the box

 

[TonyS.]

Iconoclast from Symphony X is tracked on a MidiKit and this was a killer mix by Jens Bogren!

 

[Terminus]

The last few My Dying Bride albums (except the new one) have had POD guitars on the recording, and yeah not totally itb but worth mentioning since they do sound good (For Lies I Sire has a great overall sound). Also, not sure if you've heard of The Crown, but on their last album, the drums were an e-kit. Sorry I know these aren't full itb albums but then I cant' really think of any other than the ones mentioned. I don't think I've ever heard a professionally-produced album with amp sims yet. That's probably for the best heh.

 

[LBTM]

I really like Devin Townsend's Ziltoid

This albums sounds great.

Also This Cold Life's Ascent Of The Fallen is POD, DFH and SM7B on vocals I think.

 

[UncleBob]

I have to disagree... Listen to everything done by Serban Ghenea since 10 years.
Mixed 100% ITB.
Miss independent-Kelly Clarkson was mixed all ITB by Dave Pensado.
Mike Dean have done an entire album (mix and master) all ITB in PT5

Andy himself had proven you can do ITB mix that sound as good, if not better than analog. Sames for James Murphy...

I can expand the list for a long times if you want

Edit: all electronic arrangement in Avatar are done ITB using PT stock virtual instrument. Mixed all in the box

To be fair, there's a big difference between mixing something, and doing the entire production itb.

 

[XxSicRokerxX]

Programming the bass guitar is pushing it IMO. Programming drums is becoming a common thing now a days, even when people record real drums, mixers usually sample replace/mix-in the kick and snare, which sometimes gives a programmed/unnatural vibe. Even Sneap mixes in/replaces Kick, Snare, Toms at times. So, I think having programmed drums is completely passable, but IMO programming bass, in any professional work that is actually published is 0_o. As far as using amp simulation, again, its been used for a while now (Podfarm, VST Amp Rack), so its whatever, much rather prefer a cab (captures thump movement of speaker) but again it is passable.

 

[AntonioPetrole]

I have to disagree... Listen to everything done by Serban Ghenea since 10 years.
Mixed 100% ITB.
Miss independent-Kelly Clarkson was mixed all ITB by Dave Pensado.
Mike Dean have done an entire album (mix and master) all ITB in PT5

Andy himself had proven you can do ITB mix that sound as good, if not better than analog. Sames for James Murphy...

I can expand the list for a long times if you want

Edit: all electronic arrangement in Avatar are done ITB using PT stock virtual instrument. Mixed all in the box

I completely agree with you! However

...When I say totally ITB, I mean programmed drums (using any of the common drum plugins and maybe a few samples), programmed bass, guitars through amp sims & impulses, any extra stuff like synths or orchestra all programmed etc etc and then all plugins for mix and master.

I'm not saying a great ITB mix won't sound real, I'm just saying a great ITB mix won't sound like a great OTB mix.