Poll/Vote: Best sounding album with least expensive equipment

[swill777]

Any thoughts out there, just curious? And I am not talking about old,old, school stuff. Like fairly modern stuff. For example, whether this is true or not, I heard (maybe on the net) that one of Evanescence(sp.?)'s albums was recording in an apt. living room or something like that? I don't know about the specific equipment.

[pbell]

I'm not sure I'd say this is the best sounding album ever (infact it isn't) but David Gray's White Ladder was done in his apartment with 2 mics. I love this album, probably one of my favorites. I think the whole "non pro" sound gives it character.

I think Moby's play was done in his living room as well and that sounds cool.

[BLUElightCory]

Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet

I read they used Logic and a Mackie console. I'm sure there was also some really nice gear used on this record but you don't often read about Mackie 8-bus consoles being used on records that sound this great.

Another great Mackie record: Failure - Fantastic Planet.

Maybe if you're using a Mackie 8-Bus you should also use the word "planet" in your album title.

[pootkao]

Originally Posted by pbell

I think Moby's play was done in his living room as well and that sounds cool.

Its not like Moby's stuff NEEDS a big studio though... vocals are probably the only thing that get a microphone put in front of 'em... maybe some piano here and there?

Caribou's new record "Andorra" is pretty impressive sounding, and its just Dan Snaith at home by himself.

(ps: nice to see another 'Pegcity rep on here!)

[dlmorley]

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

[JP11]

Originally Posted by pbell

I'm not sure I'd say this is the best sounding album ever (infact it isn't) but David Gray's White Ladder was done in his apartment with 2 mics. I love this album, probably one of my favorites. I think the whole "non pro" sound gives it character.

.

Maybe partially in an apartment with 2 mics plus:

The single took almost two years to record and was mixed on a Neve VR desk at Metropolis studios, recorded to 2-inch tape, and edited using state-of-the-art Pro Tools hardware.

People love to glamorize the lo-fi "I just done did it by myself with no gear" thing, but I don't think it's ever really true.

Same for the Caribou one.

[allencollins]

Originally Posted by dlmorley

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

thats a great record what gear did they use?
I'm sure it was better gear than we think.


The classic drumloop in Behind The Wall Of Sleep
has been sampled on like a million rap records

[JP11]

Originally Posted by allencollins

thats a great record what gear did they use?
I'm sure it was better gear than we think.

CLASSIC TRACKS: BLACK SABBATH'S ''PARANOID''

"We did the backing tracks for Paranoid in the same place that we did the first album-Regent, a little 4-track just off Tottenham Court road in the West End," remembers Allom. "It was a good-sounding studio; we always got good results in that room. It was an absolute shithole, but it worked. [The console] was some custom-built thing; just a piece of old dross. Terrible thing-it didn't even have any midrange. We had to get it modified to get some midrange. We had two 1-inch 4-track Studers. We did have a Pultec. We had some Neumann mics; I think we had a couple of 67s. We finally acquired an old M49. We had a couple of old AKGs, whatever the forerunner of the 414 was. We had some old 64s, the pencil mics. I recorded Bill Ward's drums stereo using those pencil mics. Very few people recorded drums stereo back then. I thought it might be a good idea."

[craigmorris74]

Neutral Milk Hotel-In the Aeroplane Over the Sea and The Minders Hooray for Tuesday. Both recognized as great indie albums recorded on stuff most would find laughable. The sound great, though.

[espen askelad]

I remember reading that Brian Deck did the Ugly Cassanova record on a Digi001 using the stock converters, and it's pretty much all acoustic instruments there. Sounded good to me. But really, any time John Orth is singing, I'm pretty much gonna dig it.

[PRobb]

Bruce Springsteen did "Nebraska" on a PortaStudio!

[Alex Niedt]

Originally Posted by PRobb

Bruce Springsteen did "Nebraska" on a PortaStudio!

To me, that album technically sounds awful, but that dark, lo-fi sound sure does lend itself to the material in a pretty amazing way.

[Clayphish]

Originally Posted by BLUElightCory

Another great Mackie record: Failure - Fantastic Planet.

Maybe if you're using a Mackie 8-Bus you should also use the word "planet" in your album title.

Fantastic Planet does definitely prove that you don't need high end to make things sound good. If you have the songs and the vibe, the equipment isn't as important.

I'll add Sufjan Stevens Chicago to the list.

[pbell]

Originally Posted by JP11

Maybe partially in an apartment with 2 mics plus:

The single took almost two years to record and was mixed on a Neve VR desk at Metropolis studios, recorded to 2-inch tape, and edited using state-of-the-art Pro Tools hardware.

People love to glamorize the lo-fi "I just done did it by myself with no gear" thing, but I don't think it's ever really true.

Same for the Caribou one.

I really didn't know that, everything I've read about that album says he was completely broke when he recorded it. Which single are you talking about, I think there were a few off that album?

[allencollins]

Originally Posted by JP11

CLASSIC TRACKS: BLACK SABBATH'S ''PARANOID''

"We did the backing tracks for Paranoid in the same place that we did the first album-Regent, a little 4-track just off Tottenham Court road in the West End," remembers Allom. "It was a good-sounding studio; we always got good results in that room. It was an absolute shithole, but it worked. [The console] was some custom-built thing; just a piece of old dross. Terrible thing-it didn't even have any midrange. We had to get it modified to get some midrange. We had two 1-inch 4-track Studers. We did have a Pultec. We had some Neumann mics; I think we had a couple of 67s. We finally acquired an old M49. We had a couple of old AKGs, whatever the forerunner of the 414 was. We had some old 64s, the pencil mics. I recorded Bill Ward's drums stereo using those pencil mics. Very few people recorded drums stereo back then. I thought it might be a good idea."

wow you wouldn't know it
paranoid has one of the best gtr sounds to this day.
The vocals are huge too

[JP11]

Originally Posted by allencollins

wow you wouldn't know it
paranoid has one of the best gtr sounds to this day.
The vocals are huge too

In the article, it goes on to say that on Paranoid, they moved to "magnificent" Island Studios, a state of the art 16 track facility.

But even that "crappy" Regent Studios had Studer, Neumann, Pultec, AKG and so on...

[patrox247]

Didn't Frank record a Grammy winning James Taylor record in a house?

[JP11]

Originally Posted by pbell

I really didn't know that, everything I've read about that album says he was completely broke when he recorded it. Which single are you talking about, I think there were a few off that album?

Babylon.

The article is here.

It seems to me these great little stories are always a little (or a lot) misleading. I mean, when you've got a team of people, engineers and producers, and you're overdubbing drums and strings and whatever else in studios, and re-mixing on Neves and Harrisons and Tridents, and so on...even if it started in an "apartment" with 2 mics....

[Infernal Device]

Nirvana Bleach

I love that damn record. Has such a raw vibe like an approaching storm.

[chandlersonic]

Originally Posted by Clayphish

I'll add Sufjan Stevens Chicago to the list.

+1 Love that album ( come feel the illinoise is the exact name of the album btw, chicago's just a song off it )

[OVERNIGHT]

Originally Posted by chandlersonic

+1 Love that album ( come feel the illinoise is the exact name of the album btw, chicago's just a song off it )

I was waiting for someone to mention this record. Did it on a Roland VS-880 or some shit. I don't know for certain but I think it's probably safe to assume he mixed in decent studio.

[Brad McGowan]

Actually mixed on headphones, I thought I read.

Brad

[the tortoise]

All the albums by Fourtet sound pretty darn gorgeous, especially Dialogue, Pause and Rounds.

Keiran Hebden finally did some interviews in music tech magazines a few albums back and dropped a bit of a bomb.

He makes all his albums (which sell quite well and are critically acclaimed) on an old Dell PC he bought from Dixons, using the onboard Creative soundcard, Audiomulch and Cool Edit Pro, some off the shelf Sony
speakers he doesn't even know the model of
and the mic that came with the computer!

He has some instruments in his little room (a marimba, guitars and
percussion) and combines them with sounds he finds and makes himself by drawing in waveforms in Cool Edit.

It just goes to show that if you know how to use your equipment to get the sounds you want, then it doesn't matter what you use at all - talent is really all you need.

[dviola]

the photo album by eath cab for cutie...amazing songs...amazing production compliments of chris walla....most expensive mic they had was an AT4050 i believe (or maybe a 414 can't remember) check it out

[the tortoise]

Also, Sufjan Stevens' Come On Feel the Illinoise! was recorded on a Roland VS multitracker with an AT4033 as the main mic, I believe.

[bewarethanatos]

Originally Posted by the tortoise

Also, Sufjan Stevens' Come On Feel the Illinoise! was recorded on a Roland VS multitracker with an AT4033 as the main mic, I believe.

Personally, I think this album sounds amazing. The name of the album is simply "Illinois," though. Just like the other state album is just "Michigan."

[the tortoise]

Originally Posted by bewarethanatos

Personally, I think this album sounds amazing. The name of the album is simply "Illinois," though. Just like the other state album is just "Michigan."

No it isn't, it's called "Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lakes State"

They're often shortened to Illinoise and Michigan, but those are their real titles.

I love the sound of this record as well. Really, really gorgeous.

[bewarethanatos]

Originally Posted by the tortoise

No it isn't, it's called "Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lakes State"

They're often shortened to Illinoise and Michigan, but those are their real titles.

I love the sound of this record as well. Really, really gorgeous.

I'm sorry but I've always seen them as Illinois and Michigan. Even on Asthmatic Kitty's website they're listed as Illinois and Michigan. I know what the CD artwork says.

But anyway...

[79_Limited]

Primus 1st record. I read it was recorded for $6k on ADATs or something similar.

[joeybaggadonuts]

Originally Posted by Infernal Device

Nirvana Bleach

I love that damn record. Has such a raw vibe like an approaching storm.

yeah, there definitely was a storm approaching. that era was the last time there was decent music on the radio imho