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Post by Johnkenn on Jul 15, 2014 20:08:14 GMT -6
Loving this...It just feels real. It could come off derivative, but it doesn't for some reason. Maybe because he sounds just like Waylon and it's recorded like it's 1971...So...it kinda is the real thing. Anyway, I love the shit out of it. So - the distortion on the vocals. It is my understanding that Dave Cobb did this on his Helios Console. On the peaky parts of the vocals I hear the distortion/lack of headroom that drives me kind of crazy with my Helios modules. I work hard to avoid it. I don't particularly think distorting vocals were ever in style so to speak...So, would you call this "driving" the vocals or "distorting" the vocals? What do you guys think of it? Am I hearing things? itunes.apple.com/us/album/life-of-sin/id865795112?i=865795207itunes.apple.com/us/album/living-the-dream/id865795112?i=865795210 |
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Post by Johnkenn on Jul 15, 2014 20:32:25 GMT -6
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Post by littlesicily on Jul 15, 2014 21:44:04 GMT -6
I just listened to that tonight, as well, and immediately noticed the vocal distortion. If nothing else, it's interesting.
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Post by gouge on Jul 15, 2014 22:19:08 GMT -6
I love distortion on stuff. sometimes i'll put vocals through distortion pedals in realtime just for effect.
what shits me is music that sounds like it's on AM radio. I mean seriously, what is the point of having thousands of dollars worth of hi end gear designed by geniuses to then turn around and make it sound so bad.
stuff can have distortion added and still retain depth and detail.
I guess I should point out I struggle to like this kind of country music in the first place but to then make it sound like it's being played through an AM radio and recorded back to cd just pushes me further away.
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Post by cowboycoalminer on Jul 16, 2014 6:22:51 GMT -6
I believe real country music is getting ready to break open again. I FEEL IT!!! Now boys, lets all join hands and say a prayer to that end..
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Post by Ward on Jul 16, 2014 7:47:30 GMT -6
I believe real country music is getting ready to break open again. I FEEL IT!!! Now boys, lets all join hands and say a prayer to that end.. I also wish for the same but I have my doubts. It's like wishing for real rock and heavy rock to come back to the mainstream. Music is marketed to our youth (17-27 year olds) and they want something 'new' not their parents, or our, music. And yes, I am also baffled by the love of Old Crow Medicine Show and Mumford and Sons etc. style jug-band music. |
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Post by Johnkenn on Jul 16, 2014 7:54:05 GMT -6
I just listened to that tonight, as well, and immediately noticed the vocal distortion. If nothing else, it's interesting. Yeah - I have to say, I don't like it. I know he was going for an effect, but...why? To me, his vocal sounds great...until the distortion. Even if it were only in certain places - but it's at every peak almost. Anyway, it won't stop me from listening to the record - it's killer. |
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Post by Johnkenn on Jul 16, 2014 7:58:34 GMT -6
I believe real country music is getting ready to break open again. I FEEL IT!!! Now boys, lets all join hands and say a prayer to that end.. I also wish for the same but I have my doubts. It's like wishing for real rock and heavy rock to come back to the mainstream. Music is marketed to our youth (17-27 year olds) and they want something 'new' not their parents, or our, music. And yes, I am also baffled by the love of Old Crow Medicine Show and Mumford and Sons etc. style jug-band music. My 8 year old and her 6 year old cousin LOVED "Life Of Sin"...(Don't tell my wife I played it for them) They were like, "play it again, play it again!" That being said, I'm certainly not a country "traditionalist" - boring shit comes in all flavors - but I DO love real shit...and this sounds like real shit. It's almost like you can hear when someone has IT - regardless of the genre. I think about 10% of the artists on the radio right now have IT. |
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Post by cowboycoalminer on Jul 16, 2014 9:03:15 GMT -6
His voice is SO dynamic. I've been listening to a bunch of his radio interviews where he plays some off his songs. He clips the converters regularly. It would be the same with a 73 type pre that I suspect they are using on his record. Saturating the input sounds fabulous on the quite parts but breaks up easily when he belts. He also said the record was recorded live so I'll bet overdubs were held to a minimum if any. It was an artistic decision I guess to leave the distortion alone. The Civil Wars did this as well on Barton Hollow. I would have done it differently but to each their own.
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Post by Johnkenn on Jul 16, 2014 9:14:07 GMT -6
jsteiger Did Dave record his vocals on the Helios console? It sounds alot like the distortion I get on my Helios - which I wouldn't particularly define as pleasant.
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Post by jsteiger on Jul 16, 2014 9:37:29 GMT -6
From what I recall, this was all cut thru the console. I don't think he mixed it on the Helios though.
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Post by littlesicily on Jul 16, 2014 10:48:06 GMT -6
I'm asking Dave now…see if he reveals :-)
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Post by Johnkenn on Jul 16, 2014 10:53:44 GMT -6
Friend-dropper  |
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Post by jsteiger on Jul 16, 2014 11:00:15 GMT -6
I'm asking Dave now…see if he reveals :-) I tried to lure him over here to post some months ago but I think he's too busy working to post. I'm sure he will tell you exactly what he did. He's good like that  as you already know! |
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Post by littlesicily on Jul 16, 2014 11:00:45 GMT -6
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Post by blackbird on Jul 16, 2014 11:23:27 GMT -6
Wow. Please stop obsessing and picking it all apart?
Just listen to the album as a whole project. How can one not love something that is this good? It only sounds like Waylon sometimes. We are all influenced by so many things that make what we do sound the way it does. Tracking through a console is wonderful as far as I'm concerned and how a lot of older records got their glue to make it all sound the way it does.
It's Sturgill Simpson and if you like the 70s outlaw country vibe, you can't help but like it the first time you hear it. Those early Waylon, WIllie and the like records had distortion all over them. I get this feeling some of you want crystal clean sterile shiny everything on every track because you're wanting airplay or something. This album actually goes somewhere in a very nice way. Can anyone deny that?
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Post by tonycamphd on Jul 16, 2014 11:39:59 GMT -6
My opinion is THIS distorion is a distraction, sounds like a mistake? maybe I'm missing the point, but I don't see how it's serving the music? Sorry just being honest.
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Post by blackbird on Jul 16, 2014 11:51:46 GMT -6
I should come back as myself (not under the Blackbird name) and reply to this because, the response above was from me personally (and it was distorted , not from the business necessarily. |
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Post by tonycamphd on Jul 16, 2014 11:57:26 GMT -6
To be clear, I've heard AMAZING stuff come out of ur place! No disrespect intended, quite the opposite, but we are an audio forum, of course we scrutinize the poo out of stuff.
respect sir
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Post by Martin John Butler on Jul 16, 2014 12:14:35 GMT -6
That vocal's kinda crushed. The vibe's real and true, so I still like it, but crippling the vocal isn't the answer, to me at least. I think I'd like to hear Simpson begin with a great standard sound, (like below) to begin with, and then, let his true colors make it real. Not saying Bentley's doing that, just that this seems like a good starting point for a vocal sound in the country style. Just a quick off the cuff opinion, like Blackbird said, if I listened to the album, the great vibe would likely trump any nit picking I might do when wearing my home engineer/producer hat.
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Post by Martin John Butler on Jul 16, 2014 12:21:26 GMT -6
https%3A//soundcloud.com/martin-john-butler/the-kindness-of-strangers
The sound on Bentley's vocal is what I was looking for here on this track, but my processing dirtied it up some. I think I can get closer with some tweaking of the preamp, my mic's close enough, I think.
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Post by littlesicily on Jul 16, 2014 13:33:01 GMT -6
I talked to Dave and he said he recorded everything thru the Helios EXCEPT the lead vocal which was: Beyer m160>Cloud Lifter > Neve 1064 no eq pushed hard > tape.
He also cut the vocal right next to the drums.
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Post by Johnkenn on Jul 16, 2014 14:07:37 GMT -6
Wow. Please stop obsessing and picking it all apart? Just listen to the album as a whole project. How can one not love something that is this good? It only sounds like Waylon sometimes. We are all influenced by so many things that make what we do sound the way it does. Tracking through a console is wonderful as far as I'm concerned and how a lot of older records got their glue to make it all sound the way it does. It's Sturgill Simpson and if you like the 70s outlaw country vibe, you can't help but like it the first time you hear it. Those early Waylon, WIllie and the like records had distortion all over them. I get this feeling some of you want crystal clean sterile shiny everything on every track because you're wanting airplay or something. This album actually goes somewhere in a very nice way. Can anyone deny that? I assume this is either John or Rolff...but who the hell is obsessing? Everybody here has said they love it...why can't we share an opinion? This is an opinion board. |
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Post by littlesicily on Jul 16, 2014 14:29:47 GMT -6
Thing is Dave is doing something different…some people think that record and it's sound is the savior to country music…others are turned off. Me… I love the daringness to be different and make people love it or hate it. God knows there's enough carbon-copy, bland dribble out there.
Back in the 90s… Rodney Jerkins purposefully didn't quantize the sequenced drums on a MJ track…it was out of time… and everyone talked about it… some said "WTF?" and others said he was a Badass…long before that term became popular.
Boldness in the face of cowardly-safe-mediocracy is a respectable thing.
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Post by Martin John Butler on Jul 16, 2014 14:36:47 GMT -6
Can't disagree with that littlesicily.
I think I'm a bit of a sucker for that big Neumann low end and clean top. Give me a Lyle Lovett, Chris Isaak sound and I'm good to go. I think I'l take a little more time to think on my responses when it comes to discussing progressive musicians. I might have been a little too quick to judge, sorry bout that Blackbird.
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as you already know!
