How Do Wall of Sound?

[mrbean667]

I'm talking Devin Townsend/SYL kind of sound, with heavily multitracked everything, without making the mix sound botched and muddy.
A good example is something like this:


The vocals especially catch my fancy, there are 80+ vocal tracks, but he still manages to make them sound like one unified choir. There's a lot of delay, too.

 

[Erkan]

80+ vocal tracks? Seriously? :O

 

[ahjteam]

many layers at low volume to support the lead track

 

[if6was9]

also be severe with eq , compression and autotune on the lower in volume vocals if you're using alot of them.
Also you've to be a nazi with your takes, they have to be perfectly phrased and in tune, with every one you add the little inconsistencies build up and little things that can slide with 1 maybe 2 vocals become horrible when multiplied by 20!

 

[LeSedna]

I guess the wall is also created by the fact there is no instrument more important than another. There are a lot, the synth adds the depth, the guitars are quite quiet, everyone sits at different frequencies and it's good to make them play the same harmonies.

If you're gonna multitrack... If your recordings have any little parasite, add a noisegate in the insert of your recording track so that your layers won't add their parasites to make a nice "pshhhhcrkkitttttpshhhhh"

 

[ahjteam]

The idea of wall of sound is that you have one note or phrase that everyone playing or singing the same thing in naturally slightly different timing and timbre