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Post by copperx on Jul 30, 2024 15:35:26 GMT -6
Sooo I've got a band that wants a lo-fi sound. I'm not talking high distortion like the White Stripes, but more like the 60s lo fi. I've been chasing hi-fi all my life, and this would be a 180 degree turn. I'm probably not the person for this job, but I'm still curious. What would you do to get this kind of sound? Would you do the lo-fi effect at capture or at mix time?
This is the reference that the band gave me:
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Post by Darren Boling on Jul 30, 2024 16:00:39 GMT -6
Tupe on everything
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Post by Tbone81 on Jul 30, 2024 16:24:26 GMT -6
Ribbon mics to make things darker, dynamic mics for the lack of detail, minimal drum mics (kick, snare and OH), lots of HPF’s on everything. Then lots of tape/saturation/distortion plugins used to taste. And don’t forget to use “dirty” sounding reverbs. I like plates for how vibey and obvious they can sound.
Also, don’t wide pan everything. Keep it close to mono.
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Post by copperx on Jul 30, 2024 16:30:15 GMT -6
Ribbon mics to make things darker, dynamic mics for the lack of detail, minimal drum mics (kick, snare and OH), lots of HPF’s on everything. Then lots of tape/saturation/distortion plugins used to taste. And don’t forget to use “dirty” sounding reverbs. I like plates for how vibey and obvious they can sound. Also, don’t wide pan everything. Keep it close to mono.
I thought about the dirty reverb thing, but isn't that more of an 80's sound?
EDIT: Sorry, I thought you meant something like the Midiverb. I see you wrote plate. I need to sleep better.
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Post by christopher on Jul 30, 2024 16:42:33 GMT -6
If interested I can get you 7.5 ips from my jh110. That can get a nice rolled off thing
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Post by copperx on Jul 30, 2024 16:55:36 GMT -6
If interested I can get you 7.5 ips from my jh110. That can get a nice rolled off thing
Thanks!! I might take you on that offer!
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Post by bikescene on Jul 30, 2024 17:18:20 GMT -6
For that detuned guitar sound, pitch vibrato like from a Boss VB-2W pedal.
Maybe a crotch mic to mix in with minimal drum mics. A fair of muffling on the snare shorten the decay. Arranging the drum patterns so the hi-hat is either not played or hit quietly along with the kick/snare.
Referencing some Mac Demarco recording videos on YouTube would be helpful.
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Post by Dan on Jul 30, 2024 18:17:30 GMT -6
Art VLA
PSP Infinistrip, Vintage Warmer, and OldTimer
Klanghelm MJUC mk1 and mk 2 and SDRR2
Softube British Class A and Chandler stuff
Soundtoys Radiator
Variety of Sound Tesla Pro, Nasty VCS, and Thrillseeker whatever
Neold stuff. Fuse is a bit hifi. Half the Neold stuff can be dialed into sounding old.
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Post by Dan on Jul 30, 2024 18:19:04 GMT -6
The tube part is hifi or guitar stuff. The tape part is perfect for this because it sounds like a cartoon which is what the “lofi” guys what |
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Post by rowmat on Jul 30, 2024 18:37:49 GMT -6
Mainly just Lo-Fi vocal treatment using plenty of Soundtoys decapitator.
Saturated and somewhat furry.
Initially I thought it was a bit too much but it kind of grew on me.
Vocal tracked with a Coles 4038 > SCA N72 > 1176 > Heritage 8173 EQ.
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Post by yotonic on Jul 30, 2024 19:09:26 GMT -6
Check out Daptone Records. They used to post some production videos on youtube. Their lofi 60s sound is not special effects which can sound dated or “affected” and their recordings sound amazing.
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Post by gravesnumber9 on Jul 30, 2024 19:37:24 GMT -6
Track live in the same room. Bleed is a huge part of the sound. Also lots of ducking.
I know, ducking is a modern technique. But it happened naturally when using like 4 or 8 tracks on tape. Listen to stems of 60's stuff to hear. Anything on the vocal stem gets ducked like crazy. Usually rhythm guitar.
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Post by gravesnumber9 on Jul 30, 2024 19:38:55 GMT -6
Track live in the same room. Bleed is a huge part of the sound. Also lots of ducking. I know, ducking is a modern technique. But it happened naturally when using like 4 or 8 tracks on tape. Listen to stems of 60's stuff to hear. Anything on the vocal stem gets ducked like crazy. Usually rhythm guitar. Try keying the vocal to an opto to duck OH and rhythm guitar or something. It should sound familiar, like early Beatles. |
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Post by Dan on Jul 30, 2024 20:35:23 GMT -6
The tube part is hifi or guitar stuff. The tape part is perfect for this because it sounds like a cartoon which is what the “lofi” guys what crank that 12ax7 preamp tube into your normal processing and then run that + a big high shelf onto the tape in Tupe in another instance. Use HQ for both have a recent computer. Newer intel or apple silicon from the last few years or so so it doesn't melt. |
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Post by jacobamerritt on Jul 30, 2024 21:43:15 GMT -6
Dynamic mics, tube pres, tasteful LPF on stuff…
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Post by copperx on Jul 31, 2024 0:09:55 GMT -6
Dynamic mics, tube pres, tasteful LPF on stuff… Well, looking at this video below, it seems like dynamics can get that sound right off the bat, unless that recording is highly processed. Weird, I assumed everyone used a tube 47/67 in the 60s. And the first test song we recorded? all condensers everywhere and a pair of ribbons. Facepalms. Now the question, will any dynamic do here? what mics are they using here for the vocals? Anyone recognize them? |
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Post by paulcheeba on Jul 31, 2024 0:23:22 GMT -6
Send them to a specialist.
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Post by theshea on Jul 31, 2024 0:27:35 GMT -6
ok, thats right up my alley. dynamics and ribbons and compression and dry room helps when recording. mixing: softube bca has a nice 2254 comp which makes everything creamy and a saturation knob which i would abuse. also tape off course. plugins will do. spring reverb or plates. bit of slapback delay. limit your gear and your choises.
two more polished (to me) lofi song o mine:
if you need help - drop me a line or some tracks.
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Post by rowmat on Jul 31, 2024 0:49:29 GMT -6
Lead singer was the former drummer in my studio partner’s band.
I believe this was recorded to tape.
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Post by rowmat on Jul 31, 2024 0:56:47 GMT -6
And another local band ‘The Tesky Brothers’.
Recorded live to tape in their home studio in Warrandyte, Victoria, Australia.
Coles 4038 on vocals with plenty of ‘something’ being overdriven, possibly tube preamp distortion as heard on countless 1960’s Motown recordings.
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Post by rowmat on Jul 31, 2024 1:04:02 GMT -6
Pretty much anything by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard.
Most of their early stuff was live to a 1/2” 8-Track.
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Post by rowmat on Jul 31, 2024 1:22:27 GMT -6
Experiment with driving levels pretty hard which works better with tape, tubes and transformers.
And yeah ribbon mics if you want to avoid the over sizzley condenser sound.
Ideally you want to avoid clipping modern transistorised gear and especially converters as their distortion is less pleasing in a Lo-Fi sense.
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Post by copperx on Jul 31, 2024 1:23:24 GMT -6
ok, thats right up my alley. dynamics and ribbons and compression and dry room helps when recording. mixing: softube bca has a nice 2254 comp which makes everything creamy and a saturation knob which i would abuse. also tape off course. plugins will do. spring reverb or plates. bit of slapback delay. limit your gear and your choises. two more polished (to me) lofi song o mine: if you need help - drop me a line or some tracks. This stuff is beautiful. Did the tracks sound similar to the finished product after tracking with the technique you describe, or was it more in the mixing? thanks. I will drop you a line. |
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Post by copperx on Jul 31, 2024 1:27:19 GMT -6
Lead singer was the former drummer in my studio partner’s band. I believe this was recorded to tape. Great stuff. Do you know anything else about the signal chain? |
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Post by carymiller on Jul 31, 2024 1:37:26 GMT -6
Sooo I've got a band that wants a lo-fi sound. I'm not talking high distortion like the White Stripes, but more like the 60s lo fi. I've been chasing hi-fi all my life, and this would be a 180 degree turn. I'm probably not the person for this job, but I'm still curious. What would you do to get this kind of sound? Would you do the lo-fi effect at capture or at mix time?
This is the reference that the band gave me:
What kind of gear do you have in the racks? I used to use cranked vintage Neve 1066's and 1272's, even with the high self noise with ribbon mics and tube LDC's to get a more organically saturated tone. It was still hi fi, but it was colorful. Inductor EQ's (Great River EQ2NV, Neve EQ's, Manley Massive Passive, Pultecs, etc.) also help a TON. LA2A's...1176's...and Chandler Germanium Compressors are killer for this kind of style too. The idea is to commit at the source. Push things until they're on the edge of breakup so they saturate a little...let the tracks help you mix minimally. Don't clean things up too much in the mix. That's where I'd start. |
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