What is the deal with this genre?

[cloy26]

So, it seems to me every single band off Rise Records, many of which record at Chango Studios here in Florida sounds exactly the same, mostly the drums. I am not trashing the work at all, obviously its very good, but is it common for a studio to turn out almost identical tones, regardless of the context they are used in? It seems like bands like Oceana (not oceano), Broadway, Of machines, etc... all sound identical. Granted, its the genre too, but it really bugs me that many local bands I know around here are paying big money to go there and be turned into something that is so over played. I am not trying to discredit the studio, as it sounds solid, but I guess I'm asking all the fellow sneap forum engineers about your opinion? Granted, I am obviously not experienced in recording, but I want to hear experienced opinions on this subject matter.



edit: If this is wrong or unprofessional in anyway, obviously take it off. I don't want to start trouble over a misunderstanding, I'm just very curious.

 

[colonel kurtz]

yea well if you have the same bunch of bands on the same label going into the same studio with the same engineers, they're probably tracking in the same rooms with the same signal chains, using the same amps and cabs, having the same samples used on the drums kits, and being mixed in roughly the same manner

 

[cloy26]

damn, when you put it in that context, I feel like a damn idiot.

I don't know my purpose in the op. lol.

edit: it was more of a rant, I guess. Idk. People I talk to about this have absolutely zero experience with recording and they all think it is the end all recording studio.

 

[SentencedToBurn]

damn, when you put it in that context, I feel like a damn idiot.

I don't know my purpose in the op. lol.

edit: it was more of a rant, I guess. Idk. People I talk to about this have absolutely zero experience with recording and they all think it is the end all recording studio.

whatever, i think your completely justified. I think its a studio's job to not churn out the same shit for every band. As an engineer you have to make things sound a little different. They should use different amps, different samples, different micing techniques. Otherwise it turns bland. I know a couple different studios that just do the same shit over and over. Record vocals, put the same compressor settings to the voice, same reverb settings. its upsetting. change it up!

 

[Suicide_As_Alibi]

I know what you mean - I've been living in this city for 8 years, and in all that time no locals bands had really got anywhere until about a year ago. Then 2 (admittedly quite good) bands recorded their demos at the same studio, and they both got signed by big-ish labels soon after. They then both recorded their debut albums at the same studio, about 8 months apart.

I've got all four of those CDs, and even though one is a death metal/goregrind band and the other plays spazz-core/grindcore, and it was around 14-16 months from the first demo to the most recent album, the only difference sound/production-wise on any of them is the vocals. Same amps, same cabs, same drum samples, same relative levels... it's really lazy. It doesn't even sound like they moved the dials on the amp.

Steve

 

[Trevoire520]

I know what you mean - I've been living in this city for 8 years, and in all that time no locals bands had really got anywhere until about a year ago. Then 2 (admittedly quite good) bands recorded their demos at the same studio, and they both got signed by big-ish labels soon after. They then both recorded their debut albums at the same studio, about 8 months apart.

I've got all four of those CDs, and even though one is a death metal/goregrind band and the other plays spazz-core/grindcore, and it was around 14-16 months from the first demo to the most recent album, the only difference sound/production-wise on any of them is the vocals. Same amps, same cabs, same drum samples, same relative levels... it's really lazy. It doesn't even sound like they moved the dials on the amp.

Steve

A bit off topic, but I love some of the genre names that are coming out these days! Spazz-core, goregrind, I'm sure I've read about zombie-core and some other daft ones aswell.

Back on topic, metal production is getting pretty stale at the moment imo, every band uses Mahogany guitar with EMG's>Tubescreamer>5150>Rectifier Cab>SM57 these days. Everyone sample replaces the fuck out of everything with Steven Slate samples. Everyone uses a SM7B for vocals. The list goes on and on. Not knocking the sounds or any of the tools used to make them but I find it's making every band sound exactly the same at the moment. I'd much prefer to have a bit of variety to be honest.

From the studio's point of view though, chances are everyone comes in asking "can you make our stuff sound as good as XXXX band that you recorded?" and seen as "good" is a subjective thing the safest option for the studio is to use all the same stuff and make it sound exactly the same. Cos if it sounds the same the it must be as good right?

Who knows, maybe in a couple of years I'll be moaning that everyone's using boosted Windsor's,

 

[cloy26]

From the studio's point of view though, chances are everyone comes in asking "can you make our stuff sound as good as XXXX band that you recorded?" and seen as "good" is a subjective thing the safest option for the studio is to use all the same stuff and make it sound exactly the same. Cos if it sounds the same the it must be as good right?

I completely understand, why change something that works? But like I said, from the creative aspect and being in a band, I can't think of many more things that piss me off more than when local bands that are awful go to "said" studio and they come out sounding nothing like what they went in. Not even production wise, I mean literal song writing. I don't know, this situation has been bugging the shit out of me lately. Maybe it's because I'm jealous. lol. But thanks for seeing where I'm coming from.

 

[Harry Hughes]

I think this topic belongs in the main forum, not in Production Tips.
But yes, this is partly what is making bands sound samey.
There are so many metalcore bands that sound so samey.
The only positive is that what it does do, is that it can make the more unique bands rise to the top and stand out from the bunch more easily.

 

[veronicafalls]

I know that Joey Sturgis recorded a few or some bands in rise records. Like Attack Attack! , TDWP, Emarosa (I'm not sure if he recorded both Emarosa albums or just the first one), Miss May I.

 

[arv_foh]

It's not just this genre, for example on a bunch of David Bendeth (Paramore, Breaking Benjamin)'s recordings you will hear the exact same snare drum.

 

[veronicafalls]

It's not just this genre, for example on a bunch of David Bendeth (Paramore, Breaking Benjamin)'s recordings you will hear the exact same snare drum.

truth is almost everyone wants to sound like their influences or bands that are either popular or their favorite band. hence why joey sturgis gets pounded with "can you give me a pod farm patch?"

 

[cloy26]

yah, but emarosa doesn't sound anything like Miss May I... like tone wise.

 

[cloy26]

I think this topic belongs in the main forum, not in Production Tips.
But yes, this is partly what is making bands sound samey.
There are so many metalcore bands that sound so samey.
The only positive is that what it does do, is that it can make the more unique bands rise to the top and stand out from the bunch more easily.

sorry for double posting, but I put it in here because I wanted to address the production aspect of the songs, not the composition of them.

 

[veronicafalls]

yah, but emarosa doesn't sound anything like Miss May I... like tone wise.

that's because between the time joey sturgis recorded emarosa and recorded Miss May I, they were done with different set ups. Emarosa's first CD came out in 2007 and Miss May I's "Apologies For The Weak" Came out this year. So about a couple years in between.

 

[cloy26]

ah. true. I always just envision Joey with the signature sound, but who doesn't? lol

 

[The Front Studio]

I gotta be honest, I understand what you're saying.
When you look at composition, there's a huge difference between bands as Broadway and Of Machines,
but when you look at the production there are not many differences.
There are differences, though I know they're not huge.

BUT, I don't think you should say they sound (exactly) the same.
I seriously disagree with that.
You can compare this with the records Joey Sturgis produces
they don't sound the same, but if you listen closely you can tell they're recorded at Foundation Studios
(though I've been mistaken a few times. For example Aim For The Sunrise and Skies Of December didn't record @ Joey's studio, but I thought they were)
Same thing goes for Chango,
Same thing goes for almost every studio.
Correct me if I'm wrong

 

[nwright]

yea well if you have the same bunch of bands on the same label going into the same studio with the same engineers, they're probably tracking in the same rooms with the same signal chains, using the same amps and cabs, having the same samples used on the drums kits, and being mixed in roughly the same manner

Along with that you more than likely have an mixing engineer or producer who has a pretty good idea of what THEY think sounds good (which the band would be hip to if they wanted to use that producer in the first place), and they will take the mix in the general direction of thier preferred taste.

I do think there are AE's and/or producers who work with the band's vision and bring it to life so that each of their productions sounds a bit different, and then there are some who are known for "their sound" and the bands that go to that guy obviously want "that sound." Combine that with a label that sticks to a particular niche in a particular genre and I don't see how bands WOULDN'T sound the same or similar. Just the way it is.

I have never listened to any band from Rise Records, so I could be talking out of my ass. What I do know or what snippets of said bands I have heard, I doubt I'd ever own any of their CD's to really know how similar they are.

 

[abt]

I think you've got to also point the finger at the bands. If they're not speaking up and telling engineers/producer what they want then they'll get generic sounds. On the flip side if they are speaking up then you'll find that's exactly the sound bands are asking for.

 

[ahjteam]

http://www.ahjteam.com/upload/sound_of_modern_metal.mp3

 

[The Front Studio]

I think you've got to also point the finger at the bands. If they're not speaking up and telling engineers/producer what they want then they'll get generic sounds. On the flip side if they are speaking up then you'll find that's exactly the sound bands are asking for.

I agree