psychonaut
Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1303
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Posted on May 08 2013 09:58 AM
So fresh off the Instro Summit we went into the studio yesterday to record our forthcoming 7" record. This time we went to Excello studios in Brooklyn, which is an analog 24 track facillity with a huge live room.
http://www.excellorecording.com/
We were very pleased with our last album, but the room we recorded it in was very small. And our own studio is also small and only 8 track. I wanted to get a bigger drum sound this time and the larger room and high cielings really help in this regard.
The engineer was Hugh Pool, who is a very respected slide guitarist and was on the same page as us.
Everything went really smoothly and we laid down two songs live, which took about 4 hours after set up. Since we cut it live, it took a few takes to nail it. I think we got what we were looking for.
I used a Mosrite through a 53 Deluxe and a Dynacord echo (for that Euro style multi-head thing) on one song, and a strat through my Pro Reverb amp,tank and Echoplex on the other.
The songs we laid down were a cover of the Ted Taylor classic 'Cat's Eyes' and an original composition called 'The Thing' that was left over from our last record. As mentioned, it was 24 tracks on 2" tape -- although we don't need or use that many tracks. The drums are laid across four tacks, and one for the Bass guitar, two for the lead guitar, and two for rhythm guitar or organ (depending on the song). There were also 4 room mics: two condensor mics built into shotgun shells(!) high up, a Nuemann U47 really far back, and an RCA 77DX ribbon mic in the center of the room. A total of 13 tracks used leaving 11 open, some of which will be used for sweetening and sound effects.
We're going back next tues to finish up and mix. Hopefully we'll have it out by summer.
Here's some pictures of the proceedings (sorry some are blurry):
Getting the drums sound:
'53 Deluxe ready for action:
Our drummer hanging by the tape machine:
Engineer hard at work!
The Bass amp, an Ampeg B15:
One of the room mics, the venerable RCA 77DX:
Reverb tank and Echoplex, while a Mosrite looks on:
A Blurry Rob Morrison on the Vox Super Continental:
Between takes:
listening to a playback:
More to come!
— https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com
Last edited: May 15, 2013 12:57:22
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killbabykill34
Joined: Apr 03, 2010
Posts: 3201
Jacksonville, AL
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Posted on May 08 2013 10:07 AM
I love these little recording diaries. They always get my gears to turning in my head for things I would like to try. Looking forward to hearing it, Victor.
— THE KBK ... This is the last known signal. We offer Sanctuary.
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artdecade
Joined: Aug 30, 2012
Posts: 399
Twangsville
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Posted on May 08 2013 11:25 AM
I love these diaries, too. I learn a lot about what it takes to make the sounds that I love.
PS - Whatcha got on that pedal board there? 
— To Boldly go where no Tiki has gone before...
Last edited: May 08, 2013 11:27:05
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psychonaut
Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1303
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Posted on May 08 2013 12:03 PM
artdecade wrote:
PS - Whatcha got on that pedal board there?
Not a whole lot really, actually a bit of a joke compared to some peoples.
Just a tuner, a fuzz, a footswitch for the amp reverb and tremolo, and a footswitch for my Echoplex.
— https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com
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artdecade
Joined: Aug 30, 2012
Posts: 399
Twangsville
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Posted on May 08 2013 12:11 PM
Thanks! The Ashbass is a great pedal. I am using an Boss FZ-2 on my board. It has three settings: Crazy. Crazier. Clean boost. I never use that last one. Ha. I am still trying to figure out what made the design team even think of a clean boost when cloning a Super Fuzz.
— To Boldly go where no Tiki has gone before...
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psychonaut
Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1303
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Posted on May 15 2013 01:06 PM
Went back in yesterday to do some dubbing. Added some sound FX.
All that's left to do now is mixing, then it's off to the mastering engineer.
Here's some more gear porn:
— https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com
Last edited: May 15, 2013 13:06:42
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artdecade
Joined: Aug 30, 2012
Posts: 399
Twangsville
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Posted on May 15 2013 01:31 PM
Pure awesome! Looking forward to the release!
— To Boldly go where no Tiki has gone before...
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blueruins
Joined: Mar 05, 2010
Posts: 362
Mauna Lani, HI
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Posted on May 15 2013 01:54 PM
Thanks for sharing...I have been really impressed with your past recordings, capturing the band energy and maintaining a clear sense of space while retaining clarity.
Looking forward to hearing these results.
— http://blueruins.bandcamp.com
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caddady
Joined: Feb 14, 2010
Posts: 802
N.E. Ohio
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Posted on May 15 2013 01:57 PM
Send a hello to Hugh and his Janey from Y-town.
— http://www.reverbnation.com/thegreasemonkeyz
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on May 15 2013 02:02 PM
psychonaut, Nice '53 Deluxe. I have it's twin, albeit with slightly more ragged tweed. 6SC7's ?
I love mine.
Was that an RE-20 and a Royer in the earlier picture?
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
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psychonaut
Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1303
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Posted on May 15 2013 02:10 PM
CrazyAces wrote:
psychonaut, Nice '53 Deluxe. I have it's twin, albeit with slightly more ragged tweed. 6SC7's ?
I love mine.
Was that an RE-20 and a Royer in the earlier picture?
yep, 6sc7's. Still has the original tubes too!
And yes, well spotted, an re 20 and Royer indeed - althought they didn't agree with the Deluxe as much, so we went with the RCA mic in the end.
— https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com
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psychonaut
Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1303
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Posted on May 15 2013 02:11 PM
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psychonaut
Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1303
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Posted on May 15 2013 02:13 PM
blueruins wrote:
Thanks for sharing...I have been really impressed with your past recordings, capturing the band energy and maintaining a clear sense of space while retaining clarity.
Looking forward to hearing these results.
Thanks, Those are the very things I obsess over.
— https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on May 15 2013 02:17 PM
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artdecade
Joined: Aug 30, 2012
Posts: 399
Twangsville
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Posted on May 15 2013 06:14 PM
I don't mean to derail, but your inbox is full!
I bought both of your previous albums from iTunes and they've been in rotation non-stop. The only problem with iTunes is the lack of liner notes. Plus, its hard to find good documentation on the web. Now, I know some of your tunes are covers and I am trying to organize my library with the right info, because all of this is part of the learning process...  So far I have this:
Coffin Daggers
1. Psychonaut
2. Breaking Tide
3. Avenue X
4. Dr. Guillotine
5. Sandstorm
6. Rumble (The Phantoms Cover)
7. Cruel Sea (The Dakotas Cover)
8. Forgotten Prisoner
9. Hornets' Nest
10. Stella Vista '69
11. Alhambra
12. Bombora (The Surfaris Cover)
13. Seduction of the Innocent
14. Stampede (The Scarlets Cover)
15. Interstellar Overdrive (Pink Floyd Cover)
Monsters From the Id
1. Coffin Dagger
2. Shark Attack
3. Borgo Pass
4. Monsters from the Id
5. A Shot in the Dark (Henry Mancini Cover)
6. The Heinous Mr. Hyde
7. Haunted Pad (Ted Taylor Four Cover)
8. Something Wicked This Way Comes
9. Parasite
10. Evil Eye
11. Spooky (George Barnes Cover)
12. Smoke
13. But First . . . the Tranya!
14. Caravan (Duke Ellington Cover)
Am I missing any? Thanks for any and all help! You guys are awesome!!
— To Boldly go where no Tiki has gone before...
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NYStan
Joined: Jan 10, 2012
Posts: 68
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Posted on May 15 2013 06:25 PM
Your past recordings are all really good. Can't wait to hear what you've been recording in the studio.
— http://www.reverbnation.com/nucleusaccumbensstimulation
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psychonaut
Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1303
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Posted on May 16 2013 06:39 AM
artdecade wrote:
Am I missing any?
That's pretty much everything except for the two 7" we put out, but they're not available digitaly yet.
— https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on May 16 2013 07:40 AM
psychonaut wrote:
Went back in yesterday to do some dubbing. Added some sound FX.
All that's left to do now is mixing, then it's off to the mastering engineer.
Here's some more gear porn:
Very cool, Victor! Like others, I can't wait to hear what you've come up with!
Is that a Dynocord Echocord unit on the left?? Did you use it? That's a successor to the early '60s German Klemt Echolette units that were favored by the Atlantics, and that to my ears have the most unique sounds of any old tube/tape-echo unit out there! I've never tried a Dynocord version since they're so rare, but figure it's probably an amazing echo unit. (BTW, Tommy of the Concussions slathers his own vintage Echolette on pretty much everything he does, and boy, does it sound SWEET!)
Good luck with finishing everything up!
— Ivan
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The Madeira Channel on YouTube
Last edited: May 16, 2013 07:41:03
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psychonaut
Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1303
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Posted on May 16 2013 07:55 AM
IvanP wrote:
Is that a Dynocord Echocord unit on the left?? Did you use it? That's a successor to the early '60s German Klemt Echolette units that were favored by the Atlantics, and that to my ears have the most unique sounds of any old tube/tape-echo unit out there! I've never tried a Dynocord version since they're so rare, but figure it's probably an amazing echo unit. (BTW, Tommy of the Concussions slathers his own vintage Echolette on pretty much everything he does, and boy, does it sound SWEET!)
Yes it is a Dynacord, and yes, I did use it! I wanted to get the 3 head ripple thing, and the pre-amp on it is amazing. It is virtually identical to the Echollete (they were made in the same factory) the layout is different though. It has buttons to select each head where the Echolette has seperate vol knobs for the heads. The second playback head is also engaged with a button, as opossed to the Echolette's pull-knob. Other than that, they sound the same and do more or less the same thing. And of course it has the wonderful 'Magic-Eye' level indicator. I recently got an Echolette, but it needs a little work. They are very unique sounding machines for sure.
— https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com
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psychonaut
Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1303
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Posted on May 29 2013 08:12 AM
Went in to mix yesterday, and I'm very pleased with the result!
We mixed down from 24 track to a Studer 2 track 1/4" machine
We kept everything nice and simple as far as outboard stuff goes;
A little eq here and there on the mixer, which was a Calrec brand made to order for one of the BBC's mobile studios.
We went through a couple of compressors, a Teletronix and a couple of Universal Audio LA1176's, to tame some peaks.
And an EMT plate reverb.
I believe the trick to a good mix is to get the sounds on the tape right as you record it, so that you have less to mess with when you do mix it, and don't have to spend a lot of time correcting things. The flat rough mix should sound almost like the finished product -- if you achieve this, you're home free. I'm glad to say this was the case, everything went smoothly and quickly (helps save on $$ too!).
As far as the actual mix goes, The drums have a stereo spread and the Bass is down the center. The rhythm guitar/organ are also panned center. The lead guitar is panned hard left on the main mic and hard right for the guitar room mic. This created an ambient yet well centered sound. It's a departure from my normal habbit of panning the lead guitar left and the organ/rhythm guitar right and I must credit engineer Hugh Pool with that idea which I think worked out great.
Next step: Mastering
We'll probably go here:
http://www.saltmastering.com/home.htm
They have a preview head on their tape machine, which makes purely analog mastering possible. We're not doing a CD (they'll be obsolete soon), only vinyl and digital download (i'll have it mastered seperately for the download) -- I should explain that when you master from tape, if there is a preview head the engineer will hear this signal first (allowing him to make last second changes) and the signal from the normal playback head goes to the cutting lathe. Without the preview head, the egineer hears the playback head signal and then a digitaly delayed signal goes to the cutting lathe. This defeats the whole idea of keeping it analog for the vinyl version, so it's very important to me to master with a preview head.
That's about it really. If the mastering engineer allows us to attend the session (these mastering guys can be very funny about musicians hanging about when they're working) I'll be sure and post pictures as this aspect of recording seems a mystery to a lot of people, and it should be very enlightening.
Here's some more pics:
Studer 24 track machine and 2 inch tape
Calrec mixer and Yamaha NS10 monitors and an Auratone speaker in the center
Studer 2 track 1/4"
Assistant engineer waithing for the tape to rewind
The #1 on the tape flange indicates which reel it is, not what we think of ourselves!
stay tuned!
— https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com
Last edited: May 29, 2013 08:24:23
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