007 Title Song - "Another Way To Die" - Drum sound question

[airmate]

Just out of curiosity: Does anyone know how exactly they achieved the drum sound in the new James Bond title song? There's some pretty interesting compression going on...

[vancalot]

I cut and mixed that with Jack...
There are 2 completely different drum tracks on the song... A mono track (the entire song, except the third chorus) which was a 4 piece 50's Gretch kit mic'ed with a C-500 on kick, SM57 on snare and an AEA R888 above Jack's head... bussed thru a Fairchild 670 to ONE Mono track on the tape machine. The second kit was a 5 piece Ludwig kit mic'ed sort of normally and bussed to 4 tracks (Drums/Room L/R, Kick, Snare). It is the kit heard in the third Chorus...
There also is quite a bit of RE301 added to the mono kit from time to time and in the entire "Jazz" section after the third Chorus....
BTW... Cut to tape, 2-16trk 2" 827's. On mix I added a fair amount of live chamber from Blackbird D to the mono track.
v

[talkshowman]

Originally Posted by vancalot

I cut and mixed that with Jack...
There are 2 completely different drum tracks on the song... A mono track (the entire song, except the third chorus) which was a 4 piece 50's Gretch kit mic'ed with a C-500 on kick, SM57 on snare and an AEA R888 above Jack's head... bussed thru a Fairchild 670 to ONE Mono track on the tape machine. The second kit was a 5 piece Ludwig kit mic'ed sort of normally and bussed to 4 tracks (Drums/Room L/R, Kick, Snare). It is the kit heard in the third Chorus...
There also is quite a bit of RE301 added to the mono kit from time to time and in the entire "Jazz" section after the third Chorus....
BTW... Cut to tape, 2-16trk 2" 827's. On mix I added a fair amount of live chamber from Blackbird D to the mono track.
v

NICE!!

Vance, was Jack the drummist on this record then? I was wondering if it was perhaps the talented chap from The Raconteurs.

Can I just take this opportunity as well to say that you work in one fine studio my good man, read about it in Sound on Sound some months back. Did you perchance work with Ben Glover when he was over? Reason I ask is that Ben and I are from the same part of the world, our bands have played together several times in the past, and I'm more than a little envious that a peer of mine got to record at BlackBird.

Sorry if that went a little OT.

[airmate]

Hi Vance, thank you so much for all the details! I didn't really expect to get some first hand information, so it can't get better than this...

Also I'd like to say: Brilliant work! This is the most interesting drum sound I have heard in a pretty long time. To me it's the outstanding part of the song, even more so than the vocals.

[vancalot]

Originally Posted by airmate

Hi Vance, thank you so much for all the details! I didn't really expect to get some first hand information, so it can't get better than this...

Also I'd like to say: Brilliant work! This is the most interesting drum sound I have heard in a pretty long time. To me it's the outstanding part of the song, even more so than the vocals.

I really appreciate the comments. The song got such a slamming in the press, which is a real shame since it was a pretty cool project to be involved with, and no one understood the intense time pressure we were put under to make it happen. I have seen the opening of the film, and it will be really cool. The 5.1 mix has a bit of fun stuff in the rear that is not in the stereo mix....

As for Ben, I didn't work with him unfortunately....

Thanks again!
v

[lematrix]

Vance, the Track sounds so fresh !! I love to hear productions these days without Autotune, Vocaline and Beat Detective !!!

I heard it this morning for the first time in the tv in my hotel room this morning, and i went "woow" great !! The smile on my face is still on !

Greetings from Berlin Germany thumbsup

[Sui_City]

Originally Posted by vancalot

I really appreciate the comments. The song got such a slamming in the press, which is a real shame since it was a pretty cool project to be involved with, and no one understood the intense time pressure we were put under to make it happen. I have seen the opening of the film, and it will be really cool. The 5.1 mix has a bit of fun stuff in the rear that is not in the stereo mix....

As for Ben, I didn't work with him unfortunately....

Thanks again!
v

I have not enjoyed a Bond song this much in such a long time. It is far superior to many of the most recent ones.

Tell Jack and Alicia that.

I don't know what the press was looking for, but Jack gave them sexy, raw, rough and dramatic. And yes, fresh.

The same thing cannot be said of Madonna, Chris Cornell or Sheryl Crow. No offense to them as musos, but nowhere near as interesting in their Bond performances.

[airmate]

Originally Posted by Sui_City

I have not enjoyed a Bond song this much in such a long time. It is far superior to many of the most recent ones.

Tell Jack and Alicia that.

I don't know what the press was looking for, but Jack gave them sexy, raw, rough and dramatic. And yes, fresh.

The same thing cannot be said of Madonna, Chris Cornell or Sheryl Crow. No offense to them as musos, but nowhere near as interesting in their Bond performances.

I totally agree! But Amy Winehouse would have been interesting nonetheless...

[-Noodles-]

As a song, I don't mind it - certainly has something interesting about it.

As a Bond theme,.. I really hate it.

I'll probably copy and paste the information onto SoundOnSound forums as there's currently a topic there about this song - and information was required in there.

If it's not already up there, I'll edit this post with a link.

[edit ; topic was about the Raconteurs - but I posted it up anyway.
Forum - SOUND ON SOUND : Music Recording Technology ]

[Paul_G]

I think it's really cool as it really does defy all the over processed frankenstein stuff, but that's Jack White, he's enough to make anyone sick - talented bastard.
Why must they have the word Golden or Die in every Bond track though?
I love 90% of it but some of the bridge singing is awful.
Cheers
Paul G

[vancalot]

Originally Posted by Paul_G

I think it's really cool as it really does defy all the over processed frankenstein stuff, but that's Jack White, he's enough to make anyone sick - talented bastard.
Why must they have the word Golden or Die in every Bond track though?
I love 90% of it but some of the bridge singing is awful.
Cheers
Paul G

This may sound weird, but I really never lurk around here... funny that I had a few minutes to let my ears rest and looked at GS and saw this thread...

Thanks for all the comments!
v

[mars]

Second Sui City's comments - most interesting Bond theme for quite sometime. My compliments to Jack White & Ms. Keys. And to Vance, of course - fantastic sound!

[Paul_G]

Originally Posted by vancalot

This may sound weird, but I really never lurk around here... funny that I had a few minutes to let my ears rest and looked at GS and saw this thread...

Thanks for all the comments!
v

Thanks for sharing the drum chain with us. Sounds great!

[ZenKen]

Sounds GREAT! Great track and great job.
Refreshing to listen to.

[vincentvangogo]

Originally Posted by Paul_G

I think it's really cool as it really does defy all the over processed frankenstein stuff, but that's Jack White, he's enough to make anyone sick - talented bastard.
Why must they have the word Golden or Die in every Bond track though?
I love 90% of it but some of the bridge singing is awful.
Cheers
Paul G

I remember joking with my girlfriend some time ago about what the next Bond film should be called and we came up with 'You Only Die Another Day Forever Twice, Tomorrow.' or was it 'Tomorrow Is Another Die Forever Twice' I forget.

[ZenKen]

Originally Posted by vincentvangogo

I remember joking with my girlfriend some time ago about what the next Bond film should be called and we came up with 'You Only Die Another Day Forever Twice, Tomorrow.' or was it 'Tomorrow Is Another Die Forever Twice' I forget.

That is genius.
YouTube parody to follow.

[demel]

Hi Vance,

How did you get the sound of the thick opening guitar riff? It sounds really cool!

Overdriven gear or is that the straight up sound of the amp used?


Thanks!

[Paul_G]

Originally Posted by vincentvangogo

I remember joking with my girlfriend some time ago about what the next Bond film should be called and we came up with 'You Only Die Another Day Forever Twice, Tomorrow.' or was it 'Tomorrow Is Another Die Forever Twice' I forget.

Yes that's great. How about "Goldraker Royale from Russia with Death" ?

[Audio Hombre]

i don't want to sound like a bite in the ass, but i just listened to the track here and am curious if maybe this stream is really poor, because frankly, i think it sounds just awful here? i respect everyone involved immensely, and was really hoping to hear something fresh but am i the only one that thinks that [this example at least] sounds just awful?

the vocals sound like they were cut in a poorly treated room, and i know this can't be the case.i'd love to hear a better example of the track.

[vincentvangogo]

Originally Posted by ZenKen

That is genius.
YouTube parody to follow.

I don't know if you've heard of Adam and Joe, they do a weekly show on BBC6 including a spot called 'Song Wars' where each has to write/record a song in a certain style. Last week they each had to do a theme for the new Bond film: Adam and Joe – A Quantum of Solace « The Comedy Club

[FlatBeat]

Originally Posted by Audio Hombre

i don't want to sound like a bite in the ass, but i just listened to the track here and am curious if maybe this stream is really poor, because frankly, i think it sounds just awful here? i respect everyone involved immensely, and was really hoping to hear something fresh but am i the only one that thinks that [this example at least] sounds just awful?

the vocals sound like they were cut in a poorly treated room, and i know this can't be the case.i'd love to hear a better example of the track.

this is a really poor version. trust me this is not the version you will hear in the cinema. the real version is mind-blowing

[84K]

Originally Posted by demel

Hi Vance,

How did you get the sound of the thick opening guitar riff? It sounds really cool!

Overdriven gear or is that the straight up sound of the amp used?


Thanks!

no question about that, ZVEX. Or should I say, I would be shocked if it were anything else. I love those pedals. The Fuzz Factory gets that sound all day.

[fuga]

Vance, here in Portugal everybody that I spoke with is a great fan of that song. It's sonically perfect!

One day I will record in Blackbird Studios for sure! Congrats for your talent and creativity.

PMP

[vancalot]

Originally Posted by 84K

no question about that, ZVEX. Or should I say, I would be shocked if it were anything else. I love those pedals. The Fuzz Factory gets that sound all day.

You are correct... plus H3k up one octave and down one octave in mix. As if there wasn't enough going on there. I drove it past 0 to get digital distortion going in the octaves.

v

[vancalot]

Originally Posted by Audio Hombre

i don't want to sound like a bite in the ass, but i just listened to the track here and am curious if maybe this stream is really poor, because frankly, i think it sounds just awful here? i respect everyone involved immensely, and was really hoping to hear something fresh but am i the only one that thinks that [this example at least] sounds just awful?

the vocals sound like they were cut in a poorly treated room, and i know this can't be the case.i'd love to hear a better example of the track.

Well...they were recorded on the floor of the big room at Blackbird Studio A. The vocals were recorded to tape with the sound you hear on the track, which was....

A RCA 77 for Jack, a 251 for Alicia and an old Ampex mic side by side. The ribbon and the 251 hit a pair of 1073's then to each side of a Fairchild 670, flat. The Ampex went to a Fender Pro Jr in the room(at their feet..), mic'ed with a 421 into a 1073 with a 1176 inserted. There also was a AEA A440 in the room for the room sound. The three sounds were bussed together to make the "Main" vocal. Then we did doubles, which were just the amp and room sound... so there is quite a bit of distortion going on, especially on Jacks vocals... Alicia's were with the same treatment, but not as many doubles, so it sounds a bit cleaner.
v

[gainreduction]

Vance, great work.

That track sounds very fresh and cool. It´s out there in a good way.



PS. Thanks for stopping by Gearslutz, your life as you know it is over.

[demel]

Originally Posted by vancalot

You are correct... plus H3k up one octave and down one octave in mix. As if there wasn't enough going on there. I drove it past 0 to get digital distortion going in the octaves.

v

Thanks for sharing, Vance! and 84K with your great ear!

The intro really kicks off the song in a cool way.

[greatgreatriver]

I love the song and the mix - awesome stuff! You guys did a great job!

[ZenKen]

I am still totally loving this track and I am shocked that Jack White is SUCH a badass drummer. Damn.

[vincentvangogo]

No one checking out the Adam and Joe link? It's quite funny.