More Than Animal

[PennyZero]

Genre

Rock

Instruments

Guitar: Schecter Diamond Series (modded out with John Petrucci Rainmaker and Dreamcatcher pickups)
Bass: Epiphone Thunderbird
Drums (virtual): BFD3
Vocal Mic: Rode NT-1

Effects

Guitars: Pedal board (Boss Super Overdrive and MXR Super Badass) --> DI to my interface (SLL 2+ MkII) --> bx_rockrack V3 amp sim
Bass: DI to interface --> GK 800RB amp sim
EQ and compression: Most channels use bx_console SSL 4000 E, with one or two channels using Pro EQ and Fat Channel instances. Pro EQ definitely where dynamic compression is needed. Vox uses SSL Native Vocalstrip 2 for a touch more precise de-essing and such.
Reverb: Epic Plate MkII
Delay: Beat Delay and Analog Delay
Mastering chain: bx_console SSL 4000 E --> bx_masterdesk Pro --> bx_clipper
Utilities: SPL HawkEye (levels, spectrum meter, M/S metering)

Special techniques

Pretty straightforward workflow. In general: (1) track everything --> (2) level balance and panning --> (3) EQ --> (4) compression (standard, multiband, sidechain) --> (5) automation --> (6) finishing touches then off to mastering
The most "special" techniques I use are with the bass probably. Outside of the normal EQ/compression/limiting, I send the dry signal to aux channels for (1) a subbass boost using bx_cleansweep V2, (2) an overdriven amp for a crunch layer, and (3) a steep-slope high-passed signal with boosts to the mids for some extra definition.
I also run aux sends for M/S processing from the guitars and vox to help flesh out the mono mix.

Released when

Coming Soon

EDIT: fixed broken SoundCloud link
Intended to be the lead track on the solo project album I'm working on, so there's a fair bit of build up through the first minute or so before the vox kick in and such. Gotta make the opening epic and all that, eh? The album is a lot of hard rock with influences ranging anywhere from proper bands like Deep Purple, Foo Fighters, Dream Theater, and Royal Blood to video game series like Mega Man X and Dynasty Warriors. It's a bunch of cheesy butt rock with fun solos and harmonized guitars. At least that's what I tried to do, you decide if it worked

 

[Lipica]

Correct link

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[AAV]

It worked. Nice drums - thought they were real. Bass, Drums and vocals sound great. Nice song - agree with you it takes a bit too long to develop at the start for the genre, but I like the idea of putting it together with an album in mind. Excellent. The only curmudgeonly comment I can offer is that the doubled/BV (ADT?) around the 1:40 mark sounds noticeably synthy to me - less on the song outro around 3:4x. Maybe just a tad more exposed. I (personal opinion only) would prefer to hear a more prominent harmonized vocal in those parts. Just me maybe. Great mix, real nice job.

 

[Stuart Welwood]

Very cool! I really like the energy. The intro sounds fine to me.

One question: When you uploaded the song to SoundCloud, did you make use of the the loudness adjustment when exporting the mixdown? I'm trying to decide on how to process the mixdown for loudness or whether to use it at all.

 

[Craig Anderton]

I like it! But of course, I have some suggestions, it's what I do .

• Check your mixes in mono - you depend on panning to differentiate the two guitars, but in mono you can hear they're not differentiated. I'd suggest using EQ to differentiate them more. Check the frequency range where the lead is most prominent, then cut a bit in the same range from the other guitar.
• I like the balance on the voice, might as well put a brighter spotlight on it. If I was mixing it, I'd add some upward compression on the lower levels to bring in more of that "human voice" stuff. (If you want an example of what I'm talking about, check out the vocal on my latest post here. Totally different genre, but it uses upward dynamics a lot.)
• As to the drums, damn close but try tiny velocity and timing changes on hits other than ones that fall on the grid. These shouldn't be random changes, moving hits slightly before or after the beat program the part's emotion - are you pushing forward, or pulling back? Use tension and release as a tool. Also, throw in the occasional low-level 16th note snare hit before or after one that hits on the beat.
• I'd also focus on the drums a bit more in places by automating the rhythm guitar part and bringing it down by 1 dB or so where you want the drums to shine.

BUT bear in mind I really like the artistic engine driving the music, and that's all the matters! My comments are simply details about things that may be able to represent the art better.

Finally, I'm going to make a suggestion I don't like to make regarding something I do like. I like songs where the intro develops. I do it myself. But we're living in a world where if you don't hook casual listeners in 10 seconds or 20 seconds at most, they tune out. I don't like giving in to that mentality (and I admit that I often don't), but realistically, you'll have a better shot at people sticking around if you play by their rules. Then again, you don't have to play by their rules

 

[PennyZero]

I really appreciate the thoughtful comments, y’all. Thanks! Lots of food for thought and tinkering to do in the lab after the weekend….

For a few responses:

The only curmudgeonly comment I can offer is that the doubled/BV (ADT?) around the 1:40 mark sounds noticeably synthy to me - less on the song outro around 3:4x.

I like your suggestion of boosting up the harmony layers, it’s always a delicate balance blending those in. Also no ADT here, just good ol’ me screaming into a mic for multiple tracks. My typical set up for verses is to do a single main vox track panned center with an aux send for a touch of delay or reverb (plus an aux send for parallel comp), then for harmonies I always track a left/right pair for each layer. Choruses I typically do the same, but also track a left/right pair of unison doubles for the main melody vox and blend those at a lower volume. So for example, where there’s a three-part harmony in the chorus (e.g., on the phrase “cry to the night”), I’ll have tracked my vocal 7 times. Recording sessions are exhausting, to say the least.

When you uploaded the song to SoundCloud, did you make use of the the loudness adjustment when exporting the mixdown?

Nope. All my processing is on the Studio One side of the equation where I know how to control and measure things. SoundCloud just gets my mastered .wav file.

Check your mixes in mono - you depend on panning to differentiate the two guitars, but in mono you can hear they're not differentiated. I'd suggest using EQ to differentiate them more.

I love this idea. Dialing in the mono mix has been a real uphill battle, so hopefully that’ll help things out. Modifying my arrangements and then doing some subtle M/S processing has been my main tool set, but tweaking the EQs might be the thing that brings it together.

If I was mixing it, I'd add some upward compression on the lower levels to bring in more of that "human voice" stuff.

Part of why this forum is so great, this is the type of feedback that’s hard for friends and family to articulate but is really useful to get. I run parallel comp aux sends on the main vox and on the drums, but sounds like I need to get better at making them more noticeable in the mix.

As to the drums, damn close but try tiny velocity and timing changes on hits other than ones that fall on the grid.

I always appreciate tips like this that can make my drum writing feel more human. As a guitarist, learning how to write good drums has been wildly fun but also a real journey.

 

[Craig Anderton]

Speaking of upward compression, if you have my Studio One tips book, you'll see it has an upward compressor. However, it's specifically for drums, so don't try using it with vocals. The best vocal compression tool I've found for the kind of vocals I want to make - a single voice with everything possible squeezed out of it - is the Waves MV2. Why so many vocalists seem unaware of its existence is a mystery to me.

Regarding drums, I gave a lot of tips in this post. It's in a thread that has additional tips on realistic-sounding MIDI drums.

 

[tpittman]

That is very powerful!! Great job of recording mixing and producing. This tune is fast and ballsy.
As you already mentioned the intro is a bit long but still, it is kicking and kicking hard.

I know you want you hear suggestions so here is mine: I was hoping to hear the break part (at about 3:20) to be a little
more defined as in possibly a halftime or slow down of tempo with just drums and bass for a bit then building back to finish song.

Regardless, I enjoyed the crap out of it and is very good the way it is. Great job of doing this and sharing!!

 

[Riff]

Awesome tune. I just joined the forum and this is the first song I listened to. What a great start.

I like the long intros. I wouldn’t change a thing on that.

 

[FenderDude]

This is a really awesome track!!! Thanks for the description of your setup and workflow. I'm working on a rock metal guitar demo project, and this really inspires me to see what's possible in S1. Regards