WOW ROCK REFERENCE ALBUMS

[luctellier]

Hi,

I'm trying to update my bank of reference CDs.

I'm working mostly with bands that are simillar to: The Used, Story of The Year, My Chemical Romance, Greenday, Fallout Boy.

I need suggestion of CDs that made you say "WOW - This album sounds AMAZING".

The last (and only) albums I've been really impressed so far was Greenday's American Idiot and Breaking Benjamin's Phobia, both mixed by CLA.

Thanks for your suggestions!

[teddy07x]

Originally Posted by luctellier

Hi,

I'm trying to update my bank of reference CDs.

I'm working mostly with bands that are simillar to: The Used, Story of The Year, My Chemical Romance, Greenday, Fallout Boy.

I need suggestion of CDs that made you say "WOW - This album sounds AMAZING".

The last (and only) albums I've been really impressed so far was Greenday's American Idiot and Breaking Benjamin's Phobia, both mixed by CLA.

Thanks for your suggestions!

seems like ur mixing style is in the range of CLA, Ulrich Wild? Neal Avron (did I spell it right?). and am I wrong? anyway, check out Filter - title of records.
and the people behind those records, Ulrich and the dude who did Filter work from the same studio. cant remember the name of the studio. But I once googled the studios, mixers and records. And found out that the Filter, ulrich wild, Breaking benjamin stuff wasnt for me :)

I hate every record neal avron produced, but I love his mixing on Minutes to midnight.

Imho the new linkin park record is MIXED very well.

As for Reference albums....

AC/DC - BIB
Guns n Roses - AFD
Metallica - Metallica (aka black album)
Tool - 10.000 days

And for a tour in the compressed mix land... Foo Fighters...

[catastrophic]

Weezer - Pinkerton

[luctellier]

Originally Posted by teddy07x

seems like ur mixing style is in the range of CLA, Ulrich Wild? Neal Avron

Definitely, and add Randy Staub to the list.

Originally Posted by teddy07x

Imho the new linkin park record is MIXED very well.

I'll check this out again but last time I listened to it, I thought the drums were not punchy, guitars too thin, not edgy enough.

Originally Posted by teddy07x

AC/DC - BIB
Guns n Roses - AFD
Metallica - Metallica (aka black album)
Tool - 10.000 days

That's not really what I'm looking for but thanks for your suggestion! :)

[Chrisc_o]

Originally Posted by catastrophic

Weezer - Pinkerton

Fun album with an original mix, but not what I would call a reference.

The Killers - Hot Fuss

I personally use Rustic Overtones - Viva Nueva quite often as a point of reference. The snare is kind of weird in most tunes, but the mix covers a broad spectrum, with some good loud and soft songs. Big drums, interesting instrumentation, lots of good info for the ears. May not cover your particular style, but a good mix reference none the less.

[firby]

Back in Black.

[Chrisc_o]

Well, I would have to say that referring to a familiar CD or two to help you understand a new set of monitors and/or a new room is extremely helpful. It also helps you tune into a mix style and help inspire you to reproduce things in a similar way.

Unlike your photography example, the point is not about gaining a fresh perspective, it is more about finding a common starting point. Not the same thing at all.

[luctellier]

Originally Posted by zaza2

wow, maybe im missing something, i can remember using reference CDs on my monitors when i 1st opened the studio, but i really do not have a reference CD that i want to reference to, i can remember when i did commercial industry Photos that i was taught never to do shoot/light the same way twice, always change it up for a new direction. I guess i took that with me when i started engineering.
My reference is what the artist is giving me and i run with it.

I guess you misunderstood what I was refering to...

My goal is to be aware of what's going on in the industry and see what other mixers are doing. IMHO, I think you can learn a lot by listening to what others are doing, whether it's good or bad. It helps to learn different approaches, techniques, sound, etc...Mixing style is always evolving and that's what I'm trying to achieve by listening to what is beeing released.

[seawell]

Switchfoot - "Nothing is Sound" has some great mixes on it by CLA.

[luctellier]

Originally Posted by seawell

Switchfoot - "Nothing is Sound" has some great mixes on it by CLA.

Yes I agree, that's the style of suggestion I'm looking for, thanks!

[ianvargo]

Pinkerton, Pinkerton, Pinkerton, Pinkerton, Pinkerton.

The drums are gigantic, the guitars are jagged, the bass is warm and fuzzy, the vocals are filled with longing, and by the time you're done listening to it for reference, it will have already burrowed its way into your brain and you'll need to listen to it more.

[Winey]

Of the big mixers I've watched work, most of them put up a reference now and again.
Even if it's their own past work. Helps with perspective.
I use the Green day american idiot record when I'm shooting for that ultra aggressive CLA thing. I even noticed that I have the EXACT same kick drum sample used on most of that record.

[LaLaFaV]

Originally Posted by ianvargo

Pinkerton, Pinkerton, Pinkerton, Pinkerton, Pinkerton.

The drums are gigantic, the guitars are jagged, the bass is warm and fuzzy, the vocals are filled with longing, and by the time you're done listening to it for reference, it will have already burrowed its way into your brain and you'll need to listen to it more.

Yeah, Pinkerton is great.
Also, the first Rage Against The Machine album for big drums, bass & guitars.

[luctellier]

Here's some songs I'm using as reference to help you understand what style of suggestion I'm looking for:

Greenday - "American Idiot"
Simple Plan - "Crazy"
Breaking Benjamin - "The Diary of Jane"
My Chemical Romance - "Welcome To The Black Parade"
Story of the Year - "And The Hero Will Drown"
Crossfade - "So Far Away"

[ianvargo]

Honestly, the records you listed above are part of a particular genre that I think kind of ruined rock music. As a businessman, alright, I understand getting clients to a certain level with their work. Regardless, a simple plan? I think Bleed American by Jimmy Eat World is something for you to check out. the album name got changed to self titled though.

[luctellier]

Originally Posted by ianvargo

Honestly, the records you listed above are part of a particular genre that I think kind of ruined rock music.

I understand what you are talking about but I'm talking about the sound, tones and mixes, not the songs. ;-)

I love the drum sound and guitar tones from Simple Plan's "Crazy".

I love the bass and guitar tones from Greenday's "American Idiot".

I love every tones from Breaking Benjamin's "The Diary of Jane".

[84K]

For that music, I would reference the latest releases from the above mentioned artist. That will give you the best perspective as to; what reverb sounds they like, the focus of the energy (which those bands are mostly drums IMO and cruchy/searing guitar tones), and the dynamics (in the above mention bands, there is very little).

Don't take that as a shot against that stuff, it has its own thing. The Pushed upfront, punchy thing is more important than depth and space. Its cool.

[moracspace]

Breaking Benjamin - "The Diary of Jane"
WHY?

[rimskidog]

The Stranglers: Suite XVI

[rockrev]

It takes a lot to really "wow" me nowadays. There's so much great stuff to be heard; however, there remains one album that I've yet to hear an equal. Just something about it . . . the story behind it, the way it was recorded, the dynamics and frequency range, the lyrics, the players, etc. It is truly a sonic work.

Marillion's Brave

dj

[Tom Hakala]

When I saw the thread title the first album in my mind was Superunknown.

And the other that came onto my mind while reading was SOAD Toxicity (the title track).

[DeathMonkey]

These are my favorite mixes in that genre, albeit on the lighter side:

Vendetta Red - Sisters of the Red Death
Thrice - Vheissu
Pinback - Summer in Abaddon
Death Cab for Cutie - Plans
Engine Down - Engine Down
Underoath - Define the Great Line

Also check out the latest Misery Signals and anything by Devin Townsend.

I don't like that oversaturated pop punk sound, but I ain't afeered of dense mixes.

[Ozzy]

Everytime I Die - Gutter phenomenan

[lpkyer]

Tool - 10.000 days is great suggestion still, you should check it out luc! It's my favorite reference cd for rock. No samples just very punchy, perfectly EQed everything.

Engine Down too sounds great.

I'm sure you'd dig most of Brian Mcternan's work;
Snapcase - End Transmission
Thrice - Artist in Ambulance
Cave In - Jupiter

[T_R_S]

Originally Posted by teddy07x

Metallica - Metallica (aka black album)
.

I would not call that album a great sounding record. No more tears was released around the same time and the sound quality blows away Metalica.

[bcgood]

Metric - Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?

bcgood

[lpkyer]

Even the last Metric record sounded pretty good to my ears. The guitarist just opened a studio with Seb Grainer from DFA

[Chrisc_o]

Originally Posted by zaza2

PLEASE do not take this the wrong way, just a question here. BUT, doesn't this seem to be a sorta copy cat path, most of my artist demand their own sounds, guitar, bass drum verbs, delays etc.

I have not had a band come in the studio in a long time that said, we want that green day vocal/drum sound or the Ozzy sound or it be in mastering for that matter.

I find this, while conceivable, to be a little odd. Every time I have entered a pro studio for a fresh tracking session as an artist, the engineer expected a mix CD of influences to tune his ear to. Most times when I deal with a new customer in my studio I at least ask what they expect their finished product to sound like. If you don't like the thought of being a copy cat (which by the way everyone is these days, at least in certain areas of production, arrangement, and production) then look at it as setting the expectation level of all involved. If a garage band who have been playing their instruments for 6 months books 2 days and expect to sound like the Black album from Metallica, then they need a reality check.

In the same vein, many musicians are simply too close to properly judge what they really sound like. Classic example is a drummer asking to sound like Bonham with a couch in his kick drum. What do you tell him, that he should give up because his kit isn't tuned like Bonham's, or do you listen to a reference together to point out what he needs to sound like Bonham?

I think you are grossly underestimating the value of this process, from both the artist's and engineer's POV.

[Tibbon]

It seems that you already know what you want, and nothing else.

Why don't you just Google CLA's discography and be done with it? Seems that you don't want to hear anything else.