"Nickelback" sound

[Jake 2.0]

Nickelback is a Canadian band, thier old drummer played on the long road album and their new drummer Daniel adiar played on the newer album" all the right reasons" josh freeze didn't play on any of nickelback's tunes.

[octatonic]

Originally Posted by HIGHENDONLY

Well they sold 6 million albums on their last album...They must be doing something right!! I don't get how that band gets so much hate,yet sells alot!!! I think they have great songwriting and sound. Ya they may sound alike on alot of tracks, but who cares. You can't hate on a band that's selling like that..

Oh yes I can.

Bands need to grow or take time off and do something else, in my opinion.
You can't keep churning out the same stuff over and over- otherwise it stops being art and start to resembles cookie cutter music.
Limp Bizkit are the same.

I think of them as the "Def Leppard" of alternative music- but maybe that is because I live in New Jersey and I hear it blaring out of every 20-something-driving-a-pickup's stereo.
You know, the guys in Harley Davidson t-shirts, who don't ride.

I didn't mind the track "Animal" but everything else sounds too similar.

[sodium glow]

Originally Posted by jimijay

Furthermore, if you don't have the Neve 1084 preamp, UREI 1176 compressor and Avalon 737 SP to go with the Rode mic, you're not going to get "that" sound... and don't forget the SSL for the mixdown.

I'm pretty sure that Photopraph was mixed by Mike Shipley using a summing box and not on an SSL. So I've read anyway...

[musical5]

The mixer, whoever it is, posts here on GS. He stated it was mixed ITB.

[snüzz]

i think that saying if people buy it must be good is like saying because GW was voted to office, twice at that, that he must be a good president. whoever is recording and mixing there music is obviously good at what they do and getting the sounds they are looking for even if the compostiions are weak. kudos to them for having a job!

[jimijay]

Originally Posted by sodium glow

I'm pretty sure that Photopraph was mixed by Mike Shipley using a summing box and not on an SSL. So I've read anyway...

I copied that gear list from the Mix article linked on page 1 of this thread, way before Photograph. My point was if you just pick up a Rode mic, like they used, you can guarantee you can't magically achieve their "sound" with the mic alone.

[AllAboutTone]

I like Nickelback, im not sure if they just released a new CD or not in the past weeks or so, i do know the one they released about a year ago the production is horrible, it has tons of headroom but harsh and cold as hell.

[TheNoize]

Originally Posted by ddrumddude

What kinds of things are they doing in their mixes to get such a full sound? It's sort of like everything is a wall of sound...to me anyway.

---to the nickelback haters---please respect that this is something I am interested in. If you have a problem with them, just please move on. I'm not looking to start another -insert popular band here- war about how they suck so bad. Thanks!

Nickelback have definitely a great hard rock sound in their albums and the production quality is just great!

I love how they kept the true mesa boogie tone characteristics unchanged and still made it sound great.

But if you are in love with the wall-of-sound effect, let me recommend some other stuff you should be listening to, to analyse their mix:


Linkin Park (All except the last one which sounds like doodoo)
Chevelle (specially Wonder What's Next)
Saliva (anything)
Limp Bizkit (Significant Other and Chocolate Starfish)
P.O.D. (Satellite, Payable On Death)

-Anything by Ben Grosse and/or Tom/Chris Lord-Alge (Alter Bridge, Fuel, Sevendust, Breaking Benjamin)


Theres some really great hard rock stuff out there!

That list is basically what i use for A-B reference when I'm doing hard rock wall of sounds.

[StrykeBack]

Originally Posted by TheNoize

Nickelback have definitely a great hard rock sound in their albums and the production quality is just great!

I love how they kept the true mesa boogie tone characteristics unchanged and still made it sound great.

But if you are in love with the wall-of-sound effect, let me recommend some other stuff you should be listening to, to analyse their mix:


Linkin Park (All except the last one which sounds like doodoo)
Chevelle (specially Wonder What's Next)
Saliva (anything)
Limp Bizkit (Significant Other and Chocolate Starfish)
P.O.D. (Satellite, Payable On Death)

-Anything by Ben Grosse and/or Tom/Chris Lord-Alge (Alter Bridge, Fuel, Sevendust, Breaking Benjamin)


Theres some really great hard rock stuff out there!

That list is basically what i use for A-B reference when I'm doing hard rock wall of sounds.

the list looks pretty familiar to what i listen to to compare mixes since most of the bands I work with try for that sound. I like the overproductioned wall of guitar sound and lately it seems that sound is out unfortunately. I'm scouring the net and myspace searching for bands just because i'm bored of the old cds and all the latest bands have pandered to that indie-i wear womens tight jeans so my dick falls off boy wanna be rock bands.

[TheNoize]

Originally Posted by StrykeBack

the list looks pretty familiar to what i listen to to compare mixes since most of the bands I work with try for that sound. I like the overproductioned wall of guitar sound and lately it seems that sound is out unfortunately. I'm scouring the net and myspace searching for bands just because i'm bored of the old cds and all the latest bands have pandered to that indie-i wear womens tight jeans so my dick falls off boy wanna be rock bands.

That sound is OUT? haha. I know what you mean.

You picked the wrong decade to expect quality in "rock" indies. 90s was your time (our time) and given the music business theory of the 10 year cycles, this is a decade of more commercially accessible poppy stuff, and it's going to end in roughly 3 years, when people will get tired of this and start buying more rock again, causing an increase in the quality of bands, specially for that genre.

Production styles have also a lot to do with market and the actual talent/ears of the bands.

Walls of guitar sound with huge vocals and drums being aggressively limited in the mastering stage are the nightmare of MP3 encoders, and the bands who lately ask for a more british sound (as opposed to the "wall" which is typically american rock/nu metal sound) are bands who got stuck in the past and don't really have good taste to pick a good sound, yet they are very demanding with the producer to get the crappy sound they intend.

By definition, hard rock bands with amazing sounding albums are people who usually trust the producer, specially if it's a big name producer.

I even read an article about some crappy brit rock style band who complained about Andy Wallace and they had to pick another producer because Andy wasn't "listening to them". Can you imagine? If I had andy wallace mixing my record I would be smart enough to shut the hell up, bring him some coffee and let him work his magic while I watched him over the shoulder to learn something!

[seb37000]

I even read an article about some crappy brit rock style band who complained about Andy Wallace and they had to pick another producer because Andy wasn't "listening to them". Can you imagine? If I had andy wallace mixing my record I would be smart enough to shut the hell up, bring him some coffee and let him work his magic while I watched him over the shoulder to learn something!

Well I can understand this, I love what Wallace does but maybe this was not the sound this band was loking for. It happend to me the other day, a band I mixed told me they really liked my mix and that it sounded great but was not what they where looking for, they felt it was to produced for them, really thats no probleme, i prefer that than a band that will go with it and then trash you after like what Nirvana did to wallace on Nevermind.

[TheNoize]

Originally Posted by seb37000

Well I can understand this, I love what Wallace does but maybe this was not the sound this band was loking for. It happend to me the other day, a band I mixed told me they really liked my mix and that it sounded great but was not what they where looking for, they felt it was to produced for them, really thats no probleme, i prefer that than a band that will go with it and then trash you after like what Nirvana did to wallace on Nevermind.

Well then screw them! I have no respect for bands who come with the "I don't wanna sound too overproduced" crap. If they go to a specific producer it's because they WANT to sound produced and more commercially polished the exact way that producer does it! If they didn't think of that, screw them! Want a trashy sound? Buy a $199 audio interface and record your album at home! lol

Nirvana trashed Andy Wallace?!?! After what he did for them on that legendary album?

If that's true, I suddenly lost a lot of respect for Kurt and Dave.

[TheArchitect]

Originally Posted by HIGHENDONLY

Well they sold over 5million of their cd, last year so they are doing something right.

Actually it just means they threw a lot of money at marketing.

[moon_unit]

A thread on Nickelcrap ...

Is the Harmony Central server down again ?

[AllAboutTone]

Originally Posted by moon_unit

A thread on Nickelcrap ...

Is the Harmony Central server down again ?

You could say "NickelBag" but is there enough to go around ?

[TheNoize]

Originally Posted by moon_unit

A thread on Nickelcrap ...

Is the Harmony Central server down again ?

Heh... can you make a track sound better than they do? Show me.

That should make you ****.

[Dave Derr]

Originally Posted by TheNoize

Nirvana trashed Andy Wallace?!?! After what he did for them on that legendary album?

If that's true, I suddenly lost a lot of respect for Kurt and Dave.

Its true that Kurt was pissed that Nevermind ended up sounding too slick. The thing is, Kurt selected Andy after liking what he did to Slayer. What happened most likely? Kurt didnt know what Slayers tracks started out like... only what they ended up with after Andy did his magic. But when Kurt had his own tracks spruced up... knowing what they were to begin with, he could compare what he started with, to what Andy caressed them into, turning those tracks into a timeless album. The changes were shocking to Kurt, and he was blinded to the beauty and focus that Andy brought to NEVERMIND.

Im quite sure this happens many times. Def Leppard re-did a whole album when they tried to get away from the production that Mutt Lange always stamped on their stuff. But a few weeks before the "non-Mutt-produced" album was to be released, they pannicked and realized that their sound up to then, was pretty much Mutt's sound. They refused to release that non-Mutt album and kind of started over. If I remember corrrectly, that album cost over a million to make as a result of them re-doing it.

PS. I love both Andy Wallace and Mutt Lange

[TheNoize]

Originally Posted by Dave Derr

Its true that Kurt was pissed that Nevermind ended up sounding too slick. The thing is, Kurt selected Andy after liking what he did to Slayer. What happened most likely? Kurt didnt know what Slayers tracks started out like... only what they ended up with after Andy did his magic. But when Kurt had his own tracks spruced up... knowing what they were to begin with, he could compare what he started with, to what Andy caressed them into, turning those tracks into a timeless album. The changes were shocking to Kurt, and he was blinded to the beauty and focus that Andy brought to NEVERMIND.

Im quite sure this happens many times. Def Leppard re-did a whole album when they tried to get away from the production that Mutt Lange always stamped on their stuff. But a few weeks before the "non-Mutt-produced" album was to be released, they pannicked and realized that their sound up to then, was pretty much Mutt's sound. They refused to release that non-Mutt album and kind of started over. If I remember corrrectly, that album cost over a million to make as a result of them re-doing it.

PS. I love both Andy Wallace and Mutt Lange

Wow. That really makes me feel great about being producer/engineer/musician, and not just musician.

Still, I'm not surprised about Def Leppard, but Nirvana? Wow...

[moon_unit]

Originally Posted by TheNoize

Heh... can you make a track sound better than they do? Show me.

I've got better things to do with my time at the moment. Like counting ceiling tiles and picking my nose.

Once I pry out that last boog ... I'll let you know, and I'll jump all over your challenge and make something that sounds just like NippleCrack. Promise.

[ClaySchmitt]

Nickleback sound? hmmm......

Take any shitty, twelve year old lyrics("what the hell is on Jimmy's head" will do), harmonize and pitch the piss out of the already bland vocal so he sounds like a wanna be hardcore robot, and then throw some power-chords under with a totally bland drum part.

Seriously, get a life people, this is redneck crack specifically marketing to America's (sadly)largest demographic: "The stupid ones".

This is an issue of how you define good music. "Does the music sell a bajillion records?(business)" VS. "Does the music touch and inspire you?(art)".

I mean come on, its like they polled America and found out exactly what people wanted from what they hear in their cars. -- Lets see, I want lyrics I can relate to, a drum part that doesn't confuse me. The way he sings does NOT justify the words he is singing. And the music doesn't justify the way he is singing either.

Honestly, would you rather listen to lyrics that were terrible and sounded like a robot, sung in a completely inexpressive way? Or a badly recorded with kick ass music to back it up and lyrics that inspired something(aside from nut-punching hate), and made sense with the vocal expressions.

Okay so lets sing lyrics that blanket everyones experience in a super broad, yet horribly bland way. How can you listen to them and not be .

I am not bashing the business end. They did it man, they are rolling in the bucks. But please, for the love of God don't try to tell me this is art.

I can't wait till like 2 albums from now when the feel led to re-invent themselves and try to be real-creative-musicians. It will be hysterical and you ALL know it.

/flame (sorry)

[Methlab]

This is not a music critic forum. It's a production and engineering web site. I never understood people who have to dog somebody's music in this kind of atmosphere.

I know an awful lot of people in the music business who think Nickelback's record was exceptionally produced and engineered. It is a very good sounding album regardless if you like the songs or not. I personally am not into their music, but they are VERY cool guys and they know what works FOR THEM. That is more then most bands can say.

[lordnielson]

Originally Posted by Methlab

This is not a music critic forum. It's a production and engineering web site. I never understood people who have to dog somebody's music in this kind of atmosphere.

I know an awful lot of people in the music business who think Nickelback's record was exceptionally produced and engineered. It is a very good sounding album regardless if you like the songs or not. I personally am not into their music, but they are VERY cool guys and they know what works FOR THEM. That is more then most bands can say.

Word

[ClaySchmitt]

Originally Posted by Methlab

This is not a music critic forum. It's a production and engineering web site. I never understood people who have to dog somebody's music in this kind of atmosphere.

I know an awful lot of people in the music business who think Nickelback's record was exceptionally produced and engineered. It is a very good sounding album regardless if you like the songs or not. I personally am not into their music, but they are VERY cool guys and they know what works FOR THEM. That is more then most bands can say.

=business.

If you read very very closely, you'll notice like 95% of my comments are on their production and musical choices. Actually your post is about the band, not the production.

I never said anything about them being assholes or anything. When I talk to people in the "business", the first thing they tell me to do is to sell out early and sell out often.

As I said- sorry. It was late last night and I personally reaaally dislike this band. I am far from anything in this business at this point(21), but check my other posts. This is my only off-tangent rant. I was just looking for some people to level with me.

[Methlab]

Originally Posted by ClaySchmitt

=business.

If you read very very closely, you'll notice like 95% of my comments are on their production and musical choices. Actually your post is about the band, not the production.

I never said anything about them being assholes or anything. When I talk to people in the "business", the first thing they tell me to do is to sell out early and sell out often.

As I said- sorry. It was late last night and I personally reaaally dislike this band. I am far from anything in this business at this point(21), but check my other posts. This is my only off-tangent rant. I was just looking for some people to level with me.

I should have been more clear. By business I meant producers and engineers who are professional and get paid. And no, my post was about the production. I said they know what works for them, which is why they produced themslevs so well, and I said a lot of people who do this for a living are very impressed with the sound of that record.

thumbsup

[TheNoize]

Originally Posted by Methlab

I should have been more clear. By business I meant producers and engineers who are professional and get paid. And no, my post was about the production. I said they know what works for them, which is why they produced themslevs so well, and I said a lot of people who do this for a living are very impressed with the sound of that record.

thumbsup

I know I am impressed!

And ClaySchmitt acted very unprofessional by not being able to separate his personal music taste and his thoughts on recording/mixing quality.

As an engineer/producer, a lot of the bands I enjoy listening to are not much because of the lyrics or whatever ClaySchmitt thinks is important, but the mix! That's why I listen to Limp Bizkit for example. As a producer and musician, I love to hear a good mix to inspire me.
Nickelback actually have pretty good hard rock lyrics, with good direction, sense of rhyme and prosody, while they're still meaningful. People relate to them.

[ClaySchmitt]

oh wait, this is the internet, Im not allowed to post opinions.

my bad.

Sorry(again),
Your favorite "unprofesisonal"

[TheNoize]

Originally Posted by ClaySchmitt

oh wait, this is the internet, Im not allowed to post opinions.

my bad.

Sorry(again),
Your favorite "unprofesisonal"

That was cute.

Oh by the way I've been getting flamed abusively in this forum for posting opinions, so I'd watch out if I were you. There's some hateful people around.

Still, I think it was unprofessional because I believe liking a bands music is a totally different thing. And even if it wasn't, I think you're just complaining about the wrong problem.
I wouldn't complain about a hard rock band (at least they're actual, you know, MUSICIANS). I would complain about all the spoiled little princesses who are lipsyncing in the pop world just because daddy paid for the wardrobe, writers & producers. Little princesses going from fatso redneck Britney Spears to dumb little Ashley/Jessica Simpson sisters.

Still, I admit the production quality is amazing and I would listen to those mixes for A/B anytime if I was mixing pop.

[ClaySchmitt]

Understand that I agree with you Noize. The production is good. The guitars sound amazing. The drums sound good. The bass, yes. The vocal - ehhh. I dont like the excessive harmonizer. The mastering - amazing. I feel like they have accomplished what they were shooting for.

I was simply ranting as I stated in my op.

Though I will disagree with you that little princesses singing pop is what I should be worried about though. Little princess singers aren't trying to pass their craft off as art. Pop is just that, pop. Rock music on the other hand..... I dont like the influence bands like Nickleback have. I imagine 15-45 year old guys actually turning to bands like this for good rock music. I just think there are so many more dimensions you know?

Im not saying I am right, I am only stating my thoughts.

Again, sorry to rant and throw off the thread. You guys rock for being able to look at Nickleback objectively. (seriously)

[TheNoize]

Originally Posted by ClaySchmitt

Little princess singers aren't trying to pass their craft off as art.

Oh yeah. They are.

Originally Posted by ClaySchmitt

Pop is just that, pop. Rock music on the other hand..... I dont like the influence bands like Nickleback have. I imagine 15-45 year old guys actually turning to bands like this for good rock music. I just think there are so many more dimensions you know?

It's way better if they turn to Nickelback than Cradle of Filth and Gorgoroth. At least it's the music that is commercial (which demands some writing knowledge), not the random black metal garage screaming backed up only by a commercial attitude of being very vampirish.

Originally Posted by ClaySchmitt

The vocal - ehhh. I dont like the excessive harmonizer.

Wow so that's what that is? Harmonizer? Damn I need that! Is there any RTAS plug in for that?

[filthyrich]

The Nickelback sound. Prepare to be dumber having listened.

The Webshite :: Nickelback

By the way...be sure to listen all the way to the end..as hard as it may be.

By the way way...I know the production sounds great. I just have true hatred for the music that they create.