Regina Spektor: Begin to Hope (Production)

[jdjustice]

i love this album, especially because of the vocal sound.

the vocals sound so crisp and clear, and even though the album is 'radio-level', there are plenty of dynamics present.

does anyone have info on what microphones and other gear were used on this album?


thanks,
~j.d.

[jdjustice]

bump

[RKrizman]

I don't know, but I like it too.

-R

[dashamu]

Same for me. I was wondering about her vocal chain as well.
Have you noticed all the noise during the fades at the end of the tracks?
Is that the room or what? Maybe she was recording her vocals in the control room.
Anybody?

[ubernym]

I'm also curious about her album Soviet Kitsch; It's one of my favorite albums musically, but I noticed significant distortion on the higher notes of Spektor's vox, did anyone else notice this? Begin to Hope seems to have been mastered a little better.

[Koed]

Just bought both albums, love them. Very interested in any information about the production.

[max cooper]

She's a quiet singer, I think. I like recording quiet singers because you can crank the gain a little more and get nice dynamics.

[KrisNY]

I love Regina.

There's an awful lot of noticable compression on Better, though... don't you think?

[Koed]

any news on this, since she's doing very well in the charts ?

[geeek]

bump bump

i'm also a fan of the compression

and the room sound on several passages in tracks such as "somedays" - "im in love with your daughter" - the room makes it, and it's timeless

[Mackdaddy]

I'll bump this one, very very cool records to listen too.

Bob Ludwig - Mastering
Craig Bishop - Engineer
David Kahne - Bass, Producer, Engineer, Mixing

These were some names I got off MSN.com for album credits, was surprised I couldn't find any info on allmusic.com.

Seems like she produces the majority of her albums, that must be nice haha.

[JohneeLeeMiller]

I worked for David a short while ago and I might be able to help...

Most of the album was tracked in David's own studio in Mahattan that uses RME ADI-8 DS converters (among other RMEs), Sequoia for tracking, Nuendo for mixing, all of it run on a custom PC. Antelope Rubidium Clock. The main monitors he uses are Advent AV570s(!). More outboard gear than God.

He tracks all vocals through this U47 clone he has, not sure who makes it. I could find out if someone REALLY wants to know. I'm not 100% on the vocal path. For a pre I'm fairly sure it's one of his 1073s.

So: U47->1073.

Not sure what, if any, kind of compressor/limiter was used, though he loved his Elysia MPressor, so he might've used that.

Just took another listen to some tracks, definitely compression on the vocals, don't know if that was done ITB or through one of his LA2As, TG1s, or the MPressor...

[GIACOMO-_]

Thanks Miller! thumbsup

More datails ? Im very interested!

[James Lugo]

She's been working in my room the past few months.

[GIACOMO-_]

Wow! Really ? She's you friend ?

[Dean Roddey]

I love this album also, but it's pretty brutally compressed, for that type of music particularly.

[GIACOMO-_]

"Begin to Hope" (2006) sound wonderflull.

"Far" (2009) less, to my opinion.

[realmike15]

Originally Posted by jdjustice

i love this album, especially because of the vocal sound.

the vocals sound so crisp and clear, and even though the album is 'radio-level', there are plenty of dynamics present.

does anyone have info on what microphones and other gear were used on this album?


thanks,
~j.d.

I can't answer your question but...

Regina Spektor has one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard. Her cuteness comes through in everything she sings. A lot of my friends can't get over her "produced" sound, but I unapologetically love her music anyway.