The Randy Staub love thread

[C_F_H_13]

This forum rocks. C F H, you're a legend bro. I've been looking for info on Randy's techniques forever, and thought after the GS guys were hopeless there was no chance.

Now if you don't mind me inquiring further...

Is the crazy master bus compression a confirmed fact? That amount of GR sounds insane, and like it would absolutely stifle any mix. When I ran my GSSL at 4:1, 30ms and 100ms, if I did any more than about 2 to 3 dB the entire thing would just '2-dimensionalize'. Heck I just got it serviced so I could use the gentler 2:1 ratio, with 30ms attack and auto release more like CLA.

I don't suppose you happen to have those golden 3 kick samples on you? If you don't want to share, I totally understand. I've been building my own faux Nickelback kick/snares to use. The snare I'm happy with so far, but the kick lacks that low-punch.

Speaking of which, do you know whether Randy uses the ol side-chaining a sine-wave to the kick trick these days?

And fiiinally. Can someone elucidate on the PCM42 trick? I read up above, but about slamming the front-end of the unit... does that apply solely to the delayed signal? So essentially the outcome is a slapback delay that's really grungy and dirty... in many ways similar to what echoboy can do? Is the PSP PCM42 plug-in capable of doing this trick adequately? What sort of sub-divisons are the delays normally set to, and how are they panned?

Btw Jonesy: That 'some kind of monster' remix is monstrous.

The buss compression I've had confirmed by a few people. 6-12 db....seriously. The buss comp on the E/G series reacts alot differently then any outboard SSL comp I've ever tried.

the PCM 42 is really hardware only. Generally you set the delay time from 8-12ms (sometimes as high as 30ms), and drive the input knob so it's nothing but red clip light.So you run it either on the insert with the mix at 100% and it just makes your guitars edgier, or on an aux as a layer under your main guitars.

 

[Ermz]

Thanks a heap man!

Also, about adding lows to the OHs and stuff. I noticed that CLA's presets on the Waves SSL stuff did this often, and ever since I started doing it my mixes started fattening out and opening up. It's more of a rock thing than metal, as it can create a bit of muddyness, but dang does it work.

The PCM trick is one of the main things I'm looking to try out. That and working out how the darned drums punch so hard. 6-12dB on the master bus.... absurd.

 

[[UEAK]Clowd]

I want those samps.

ps- I tried cranking a bunch of low/low mids into my room track and it really beefed up the snare! I always wondered how CLA got his snares to poke through so hard and that is pretty much how, or at least one way to do it.

 

[MetalJonesy]

I don't suppose you happen to have those golden 3 kick samples on you? If you don't want to share, I totally understand. I've been building my own faux Nickelback kick/snares to use. The snare I'm happy with so far, but the kick lacks that low-punch.

I may have them, but if you wouldn't mid sharing that would be ace!

 

[crillemannen]

haha never thought that question would appear hahaha

 

[John_C]

I think i remember reading that Jens Bogren gets a lot of his lows from room mics as well

 

[jangoux]

Just a Q for the PCM42 trick. Where does he pan that ? It would made sense it be panned on the opposite side to make it wider (that Haas Fx trick) but with the thing overdriven i have no idea how it would sound (neither can I test atm).

 

[smy1]

It's funny, I have always boosted the lows on my overheads because I construct my drumsound from the OHs first. To me it's weird removing everything below 400-500Hz from the OHs ...

Think about it: unless you want the super separated drumsounds in modern metal, you will get the majority of your sound from the OHs. Including the low end. So it makes sense to work on them first and then augment them with the other mics/samples.

Try this: mute all drums except the OHs while the rest of the track is playing. Now try to make the drums sound good with the OHs ONLY. Compress them, EQ them, send them to a distortion bus, whatever. But do not use the rest of the drumtracks.

Then look at your EQ. You will most certainly have a lot of boost in the lows there! Then you add the rest of the mics/samples for more punch/clarity/crispness/definition ...

 

[HDWR]

Thanks guys for all this info. Slash thanks for answering my question on the pcm42 trick. One on ebay BIN for near $900...

 

[iamandy]

have you heard his remix of the some kind of monster track from st anger? fooking epic in comparison to the original, the whole album shud be remixed and produced by him, would sound killer!

can you send me this? thanks man!

 

[Ermz]

Cmon you wouldn't buy an antiquated digital delay just for this trick . Seriously, maybe the PSP plug-in does the same job? If anything I'm sure Echoboy has one effect in its bank that approximates the sound you get from this.

 

[Machinated]

I've heard that despite the PSP plug being a good plugin, its not really that alike to the real thing at all - apparently the "lexicon approved" remarks on their website are somewhat dubious.

 

[Ermz]

Bugger. I guess if someone could post an example of how the real PSP42 trick sounds on rhythm guitars, we could all try to emulate it either with EchoBoy or standard digital delays and saturation/distortion plug-ins?

 

[smy1]

Why not just try it out with any kind of stuff we have? I mean, there's no need to do it exactly like Staub, if it still works, right?

 

[John_C]

Sounds like a job for nebula to me

 

[Metaltastic]

Sounds like a job for nebula to me

Ooh, good call!

 

[::XeS::]

But what does he do with this psp42 trick?

 

[Ermz]

I'm pretty sure we could just emulate this effect ITB with either Echoboy or chaining digital delays to distortion/saturation plug-ins. What we need though is an example of the effect so that we know what to shoot for.

 

[Skinny Viking]

have you heard his remix of the some kind of monster track from st anger? fooking epic in comparison to the original, the whole album shud be remixed and produced by him, would sound killer!

If it wouldn't be a pain, I'm really curious about this myself ... could you send me the link if you get a chance?

 

[Ermz]

Here it is:

compare it to the original: