referance tracks

DamagedTrax

gonna be doin a few referance cds fairly soon so i thought id ask about here for idea.

basically tracks that you would consider impecably produced and give you that feeling when they leave the speakers

at the moment i have the following

pop/indie:

jeff buckley - lover, you should have come over (grace)
the sundays - (anything from) reading, writing & arithmatic
the cure - love song (disintegration)

rock/metal:
smashing pumpkins - mayonaise
metallica - the unforgiven
paradise lost - embers fire

electronic:
leftfield - storm 3000
chris mc cormack - the button
pounding grooves - pounding grooves 37

What feeling?

DamagedTrax

:rolleyes:

yeah, sorry..just had to...

ogy

"do it again" by steely dan

studiorat

Alison Krauss - Forget about it. Crystal clear production...

PaulBrewer

I use references that relate to the track in some way, no point in throwing up Alison when you're mixing a Dagon track!

The Sunadays' (who I love) album got slated at the time for it's thin production all over the place - so it's one man's meat is another man's over compression, I guess.

studiorat

Referencing a playback system I'd use something I knew on lots of different systems so as I could judge the frequency response against something I know well. Alison Krauss cd was robbed too!!!

Loved that Sundays album what a singer.

ZV Yoda

Hi folks... can I just ask - how do you use reference tracks?...

You pick an album/song with sound/production you like (or maybe even just some of the instruments e.g. drums) and then play this back through your monitors so you you have a benchmark when you're tracking/mixing your own music?

DamagedTrax

aswell as that, if you're recording/mixing in a studio you're not used to they can help you get a feel for how the sound of the room is.

PaulBrewer

ZV Yoda wrote: »

Hi folks... can I just ask - how do you use reference tracks?...

You pick an album/song with sound/production you like (or maybe even just some of the instruments e.g. drums) and then play this back through your monitors so you you have a benchmark when you're tracking/mixing your own music?

Yup, can be handy when the waters of doubt flood in, or handy if you're acclimatizing to a new studio, or monitors etc.

Some lads are way to cool to EVER need such a crutch, but I've no qualms myself ...

DamagedTrax

PaulBrewer wrote: »

I use references that relate to the track in some way, no point in throwing up Alison when you're mixing a Dagon track!

The Sunadays' (who I love) album got slated at the time for it's thin production all over the place - so it's one man's meat is another man's over compression, I guess.

i never found it thin at all. must check to see if i have a re-mastered version or an updated recording.

ok admittadly it aint a big phat beast but with that style id hope not.. its all about the jangle

DamagedTrax

studiorat wrote: »

Alison Krauss - Forget about it. Crystal clear production...

had a listen to some of her stuff just now..

ok it is pretty and nice and sonically beautiful but i think it lacks any character. i like music that has something of the engineer/producer imparted on it. a little feeling that seperates it from just the band.

like albini, you instantly know its an albini recording.

not taking anything from the recording, just a little to inoffensive for my tastes.

... says the guy that loves the sundays !!!

tweeky

Reference tracks are usually to test top, mid, bottom, sub and as a vox level/ kit level they don't have to give you the h*rn

DamagedTrax

i disagree i think the production on the track has to give you a serious horn, whats the point in using something as a reference that you wouldnt consider sonically close to the results that you hope to achieve.. assuming of course that you're (not yours personally) aim is to get it as perfect as possible.

.. couldnt give a balls about the tune to be honest

PaulBrewer

DamagedTrax wrote: »

had a listen to some of her stuff just now..

ok it is pretty and nice and sonically beautiful but i think it lacks any character. i like music that has something of the engineer/producer imparted on it. a little feeling that seperates it from just the band.

like albini, you instantly know its an albini recording.

not taking anything from the recording, just a little to inoffensive for my tastes.

... says the guy that loves the sundays !!!

Alison is scary, she's a top fiddle player too.

I remember seeing her and Vince Gill doing a duet on one of the CMA shows. After the gig the street outside was full of musicians talking about selling their instruments!

I saw her in the Gaiety years ago, those guys are down from another planet !

studiorat

worse than scary...
Cold Mountain Soundtrack, Oh Brother where art thou sound track, Elvis Costello, Sting, Producing Nickle Creek, 2 Academy awards and 21 Grammys!!!

Lacking character? Albini's mouth makes a bigger noise than his records, I'll never forgive him for americanising the wedding pressent.

DamagedTrax

yeah, but then you have his work with the pixies.

PaulBrewer

DamagedTrax wrote: »

yeah, but then you have his work with the pixies.

or maybe the Pixies work with him?

studiorat

According to the Albini the Pixies were...

"Blandly entertaining college rock"

I seem to remember some quote from him like if ever there was a band you could lead around like a prize bull..

He's also had a go at the Butthole Surfers, probably 'cause Paul Leary got the gig instead back then.

A lot of his records sound the same to me.

DamagedTrax

oh come on guys. he's been one of the most influential producers for a certain type of music, and yeah he has a rep as a big mouthed opinionated fuker and its cool to slag him off but anyone that cant see what he's done as pretty damn good needs their ears examined.

even that frames album sounded excellent

DamagedTrax

anyway, none of this has any importance cause while i do love what albini has done he's not someone id use on a ref cd.

leckie.. theres another supposed asshole :pac:

studiorat

I think he gets credit where it's not due...
He did sufer rosa and in utero. Not Nevermind and Dolittle.
He's good but there's hundreds of guys in that american indie scene who are just as good, just not as much of a pundit as Albini.

johnnylakes

Reference...production...for me...

Anything from Silverchair's 'Young Modern'

Nick Launay at the helm I believe

dav nagle

PaulBrewer wrote: »

Yup, can be handy when the waters of doubt flood in, or handy if you're acclimatizing to a new studio, or monitors etc.

Some lads are way to cool to EVER need such a crutch, but I've no qualms myself ...

The reason punky Brewster mentions such a thing is because in order to reference a track you have to bob up and down checking the dynamics and frequencies at different points and levels in relation to you ear position. So you may look like a sap. If you are too cool for school you would rather not.

120_Minutes

Tool's Lateralus is one of my favourite albums to check gear out on. its also produced by Dave Bottril and has won an engineering award or two...