Some questions about...Djent

[Jan [MTW]]

Hey guys,
the bad I'll record this week asked me if I'd be able to make a sound similar to the new Volumes album. I am kinda happy about that, because I am tired of the bands who ask for the sturgis sound.
But now I have some small questions about this kind of sound :

1. As for the guitars it doesn't seem to be that hard!? I'll probably end up using the TSEx50 ampsim with the s-preshigh impulse (any tips for a better fitting impulse?) and a good amount of gain. Boosting at around 800hz for clarity and 1600hz to emphasize the pick attack. Also I read that you should highpass at 200hz to get a tight lowend. But I am worried that the guitars (-->the whole track) will end up sounding lifeless. Any tips considering this problem?

2. It seems that the drums will me my biggest problem in this project.
The slate samples for kick and snare I usually use won't really fit the style, I think. Do you know any good free samples that come close to the volumes sound? Maybe LSD samples? Superior Drummer?

3. Since the bass is very prominent in this style of music, because you cut so much lowend away from the guitars, do you have any "special" processing tips for it?

4. A Sm7b for vocals should do the job, right?

Keep in mind that the band wants a sound that is similar to this :


It'd be cool if you could point my in the right direction!

 

[Clark Kent]

Djent is not just about tone. F.ex. playing djent guitar means you have to be a super tight player. Anyways here's a djent guitar chain:

GUITAR -> COMPRESSOR -> NOISE GATE -> TUBESCREAMER -> AMP (modern amp like Recto, Engl... why not 5150/6505) -> (possibly another) GATE -> CAB -> MIC

Or get Axe-Fx. Clean guitars have a long reverb going into a short wet delay so it keeps on ringing. Possible choruses etc. according to taste.

With drums it's important that the snare is loud.

Other than that I would treat it just like any other mix.

 

[Clark Kent]

And the reason for the compressor and noisegate in the beginning of the chain is 1) gate will need to be super tight so it cuts sustaining notes. 2) the compressor will boost wanted sustained notes so the noisegate lets them through.

 

[Jan [MTW]]

Thanks for the guitar chain! Didn't know about that. I need to use an ampsim because the band's guitarist already ordered an axe fx but it will still take some time until it arrives. Do you think the TSEx50 would do the best job?
Is the EQing I use for a djent sound correct? (200hz highpass etc.)

I really hope that they're tight players.
Some suggestions for the right drumsamples would be cool!

 

[AdamG94]

I don't see why slate samples wouldn't fit to be honest. Although Superior drummer seems to be the go to set of samples for a lot of djent. Your biggest problem with drums will be the programming imo, it needs to be really accurate (velocity and timing wise) to get the desired effect and make the polyrhythms sound like they should.

Guitar wise, a lot of the 'djent' tone comes from the musician, having a really tight and heavy picking style is a must, as well as a low 6/7 string tuning. Axe-fx seems to be everywhere in djent at the moment, if you can get your hands on one, or get DI's re-amped through one then you'll be set tone wise.

With bass, Monuments tracked one bass part playing the exact same thing as the guitar and another playing the actual bass part. If it's done tight, then it can make the guitars sound huge, but it has to be perfect.

 

[PeterPaul760]

Hey guys,
the bad I'll record this week asked me if I'd be able to make a sound similar to the new Volumes album. I am kinda happy about that, because I am tired of the bands who ask for the sturgis sound.
But now I have some small questions about this kind of sound :

1. As for the guitars it doesn't seem to be that hard!? I'll probably end up using the TSEx50 ampsim with the s-preshigh impulse (any tips for a better fitting impulse?) and a good amount of gain. Boosting at around 800hz for clarity and 1600hz to emphasize the pick attack. Also I read that you should highpass at 200hz to get a tight lowend. But I am worried that the guitars (-->the whole track) will end up sounding lifeless. Any tips considering this problem?

2. It seems that the drums will me my biggest problem in this project.
The slate samples for kick and snare I usually use won't really fit the style, I think. Do you know any good free samples that come close to the volumes sound? Maybe LSD samples? Superior Drummer?

3. Since the bass is very prominent in this style of music, because you cut so much lowend away from the guitars, do you have any "special" processing tips for it?

4. A Sm7b for vocals should do the job, right?

Keep in mind that the band wants a sound that is similar to this :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIBaLIH7k2A

It'd be cool if you could point my in the right direction!

Daniel, The guy who produces volumes (actually writes for them) and did bermuda has and sells his own sample packs, so you can get these exact sounds. I know he uses waves GTR for guitars a lot, I want to say he used GTR on shredder this time too. But the volumes EP last year was guitar rig 3. That will work just fine. So you gotta know how to use them to get it sounding pretty good. Bass idk, but ive never been a fan of his bass. (Gotta find a solid bass to make that guitar rockin) But drums you can buy here

http://www.dbsamples.com/dbsamples/dB_Samples.html

also, kick down 100hz in your DI quite a bit and bump 1k up hard with pretty narrow Q's to get that almost "wah" like djent guitar sound they had on their EP. I've talked to them many times because were on the same label and are all pretty good friends. So this is all first hand information.

Limit the bass and use your ears to make it cut of course. SM7B will work just fine for just about anything. As long as you dont have shitty instruments to work with, you shouldnt run into too much trouble.

Also, brausteins sample packs are super processed so they smack to hell and back with no problem, so buy those, use your ears, and you should be in the ball park to get going. Of course you wont make it sound identical to his really just because he does what he does and he only knows what he does, if that makes sense. But do what you do man, GOOD LUCK!

Hope this helped you man

 

[PeterPaul760]

I don't see why slate samples wouldn't fit to be honest. Although Superior drummer seems to be the go to set of samples for a lot of djent. Your biggest problem with drums will be the programming imo, it needs to be really accurate (velocity and timing wise) to get the desired effect and make the polyrhythms sound like they should.

Guitar wise, a lot of the 'djent' tone comes from the musician, having a really tight and heavy picking style is a must, as well as a low 6/7 string tuning. Axe-fx seems to be everywhere in djent at the moment, if you can get your hands on one, or get DI's re-amped through one then you'll be set tone wise.

With bass, Monuments tracked one bass part playing the exact same thing as the guitar and another playing the actual bass part. If it's done tight, then it can make the guitars sound huge, but it has to be perfect.

Monuments is SO good.

axe fx will work too but if you want the volumes sound, you already have the info on what has been used. Just gotta have the mix to do it.

 

[Jan [MTW]]

Wow, these are awesome informations! Thanks you so much dude!
Do you know which sample pack contains the samples he used on the new volumes album?

The tip with the bass sounds cool, but I know the bassplayer of the band I'll record and I can't really say that he's tight.

 

[PeterPaul760]

NP dude, Im not sure what samples exactly are they.

You'll probably have to edit the fuck out of that bass player then.

 

[PeterPaul760]

However! The uber heavy kit can be WAY more versatile than pack 1, get that and you'll be in the ballpark. the metal pack snare is WAY too roomy, it sounds cool but it gets annoying! But i still love it. definitely a love hate thing.

 

[Jan [MTW]]

Ok thanks dude! From your post I assume that you have both packs?!
Would be cool if you could look up in which pack the particular samples are!

 

[PeterPaul760]

Like what drum? if thats the question then theyre just listed as aspects of sound. (full, ring, room, etc) but I am not sure, i would say just work with it and see what sounds good to you. Ofc you'll hear different than me.

 

[AboutBlank]

"The dB Über Kit comes with WAV and GOG files, and also .tci files for Slate Digital TRIGGER and .nki / .nkm files for KONTAKT. "

Love it when they include .tci and .nki files, every sample maker should include these ones(atleast .tci)...
Also the room samples sounding promising.

hmm, tempted...

 

[Jan [MTW]]

Like what drum? if thats the question then theyre just listed as aspects of sound. (full, ring, room, etc) but I am not sure, i would say just work with it and see what sounds good to you. Ofc you'll hear different than me.

I meant like the drums of the new Volumes record! .. The thing is that I dont want to buy both packs, but I want these samples, so that the band is satisfied and gets the volumes drum sound they asked for!

 

[PeterPaul760]

I meant like the drums of the new Volumes record! .. The thing is that I dont want to buy both packs, but I want these samples, so that the band is satisfied and gets the volumes drum sound they asked for!

Then go with the UBER pack, that will be your guy.

As far as room, its not like a z4, more like a small studio room really close to the drum

 

[setyouranchor]

Anybody got a mix with these UBER samples used?

 

[PeterPaul760]

I've only used them once and it was a blend of like 4 snares, ring and full from the uber kit and my own samples.

 

[setyouranchor]

Meh, they fucking suck from what I just heard on the site haha

 

[Trevoire520]

I was going to start a thread very similar to this actually! Been speaking to a 7/8 string band with djent influences about recording some stuff and it's not really a genre I've dabbled with in the past. Any more tips on recording djent would be much appreciated!

 

[chrisrivalry]

whoa whoa whoa, Waves GTR???? HOW!?