Pearl Jam Binaural

[jbuntz]

Anybody know much about how this album was recorded?

[jbuntz]

All I found is that on the binaural tracks, they used a binaural head/sphere in the room to track the instruments live. That would make mixing a bit more like mastering.

Anybody have other cool ways of recording a live band in a live sounding way?

[Wiggy Neve Slut]

TCHAD is GOD....

Its all i have to say, apart from this was not the best album he's dont IMHO.

He recently did some great work with a local OZ legend singer/songwriter and its sounds fantastic.

Cheers
Wiggy

[mitgong]

This record is sorta "Half-Tchad". It sounds like somebody got cold feet at the mix stage and handed a lot of the songs over to Brenden O'Brien (I think) to cover their ass. I dig Brenden, but it sounds like he spent about a day on it. A lot of his mixes on Binaural sound like they just came up the same way on the console, and he pressed "play".

Also, I think the head might have gotten used for some drum stuff, but not much else. Makes a cool title, though.

It's also interesting to check out the difference(s) in style between Tchad Blake's and Andy Wallace's mixes on Sheryl Crow's "Globe Sessions".

[gem]

riot act is for me one of the best sounding pearl jam albums.
there is this room.....the guitars....the drums....
vocals and bass is not my favorites but ok...
any info on this albums recordings?
thank you

[jason]

:-)
The guy who engineered (Matt Bayles) is at our place doin a record right now. We talked about that record a little bit but didn't get into specifics. Tchad produced and mixed about half of it, Brenden O'Brien did the other half as the band was used to his sound/style him. I'd ask him specific questions for ya but I won't see him before he goes back home.
jason

[gem]

Originally posted by jason
:-)
The guy who engineered (Matt Bayles) is at our place doin a record right now. We talked about that record a little bit but didn't get into specifics. Tchad produced and mixed about half of it, Brenden O'Brien did the other half as the band was used to his sound/style him. I'd ask him specific questions for ya but I won't see him before he goes back home.
jason

yes, it would be very interesting to get some info about that
room sound.
and guitars of course...
thanx

[nicolaad30]

I'm listening right now to Riot Act cd, and Jesus Christ!!!, those drums are so freaking awesome, the kick, the overhds.... I agree is one of the best sounding albums I've heard, though, there's nothing special about the voice other than it's sung by edder....

By the way, Down to Earth (Ozzy), simply awesome....

[AdamLazlo]

I'm not a die-hard Pearl Jam fan but I did buy Binaural because at that time I was studying binaural and ambisonics in my spare time and I was hoping the album used just binaural dummy heads. I later discovered that it was a mixture of binaural dummy heads and close mic'ing. I was kinda bummed but it still sounds great.

If memory serves me, there is a "in-studio" picture on the inside of the j-card and you can see a few binaural dummy heads plus other mics. It's not a close up picture but a wide shot... still pretty cool to see.

-- Adam Lazlo

[mixman499]

yes...yes..yes.

binaural was a GREAT sounding pj record....i happen to love all their albums...but that one had mr tchad blakes stamp on it. i particulary like the track "of the girl"...i am quite sure that the binaural head was used for the main guitar....the space on it is insane...particularly on nice headphones.

i've heard from several friends who have worked with tchad that the neumann binaural head "fritz" is used for the main drum sound with other mics filling in the "holes".

a friend of mine recorded at real world with him on a rock record...APT 26 was the band...i think they are all gone now...their record was released with mixes by chris lord alge...but the tchad stuff sounds so MUCH BETTER !!! the sounds on the drums are INSANE. from all accounts tchad has his own strange methodology he has come up with over the years...and it seems to work for him quite well.

matt bayles, who engineered binaural...along with alot of other pj discs has posted here on gear slutz occassionally. i will email him and see if he would have the time to share a bit on the making of binaural. i really like the drum sounds on that album as well...though i think what adam kaspar got on the newest album are unREAL !!! with matt cameron hitting the skins....it's probably a bit easier to get killer tones.

if you have not...check out some of the stuff matt has worked on...he is a fantastic producer/engineer...and a really nice dude..he recently has worked with mastodon and isis....he gets some insane drum and guitar tones.

[decobred]

ok, first of all, who spells chad with a T??? Second, the best Pearl Jam album ever is Yield. It's the best songwriting the band has done, and it sounds great. Riot act is awesome though, it has a vocal melody on that one song.

please detect the drunken humor.

[mixman499]

YIELD is a fantastic record with some GREAT songs.....I will have to disagree with the litehearted jabs at mr vedder's melodic prowess !!! I have always found great melody's in pearl jam's music. In my eyes, the best thing about that band is how they all just gell together into something unique (or as unique as it can be in the rock idiom)

I am pretty sure muzak versions of most pearl jam tunes would be recognizable instantly....I believe their melodic elements are pretty solid. Perhaps its that oh so recognizable, and copied.. voice that hides them for alot of folks. Either way...I dig them alot...still one of my personal favorite rock bands.

They are a band that is hated by many....oh well...I appreciate the work they have done, and along with stp and radiohead, I believe will go down as the best bands of the 90's.

I have been in love with the sound of most of their records, even 10...though I would love to hear that record remixed by brendan or adam kaspar. For what it was, and what it did for the band....its still a classic in my book.