Name the CDs you use for sonic reference

[BrianT]

Name the CDs you use for sonic reference, if you would.

Please keep it to one, single CD per genre. I mean THE CD you would put up to check a CR, new speakers or your own mix against for a given genre.

I think it will illuminate much here. New reference material to scope out, as well as a snapshot of what other posters consider "it ". That would help frame out people who hear the same and who do not when referencing gear as well, perhaps.

I'll start with one ref CD.

Pop: No Doubt "Rock Steady" CD


Regards,
Brian T

[bassmac]

Only one...

NirvanaNevermindACDCBackInBlack

[e-cue]

I swear we did this topic here before, but my search came up empty.

Blackstreet : Another Level
Peter Gabriel : Up
Tribe Called Quest : Lo End Theory
System of a Down : Toxicity
Jessica : You Can't Resist (one of the greatest unknowns)
Atari Teenage Riot : 60 Second Wipe Out
Dixie Chicks : Home
In Search of NERD : The original, and the commercial version with live drums

[Curve Dominant]

Hey Brian...

I recently used Pink's "Get The Party Started," mixed by Dave Pensado, to A/B for one particular track on a CD I'm producing, where I needed to get that tight dance sound happening.

As Knox pointed out, Dave knows how to get the midrange happening. That's a trick and 1/2 if you're a newbie like I am. It took me 2+ days of tweaking that mix before I got it close enough for R&R. Well worth it, though. The track rocks now.

OK, now a question:

We're currently producing a REALLY SOFT & SLOW urban ballad.

Any suggestions on what to A/B it with?

Thanks in advance!

[kesserich]

Recently, I have been making heavy use of Radiohead's "Amnesiac". And, if can tolerate sugary pop, Spike Stent's work the newest No Doubt is tight as balls!

bye-bye
paul

[Neve Sucks!]

Originally posted by Curve Dominant


We're currently producing a REALLY SOFT & SLOW urban ballad.

Any suggestions on what to A/B it with?

Dru Hill
Joe

[Renie]

Charles Dye will be doing a analysis of No doubt's 'Hella Good' in a few days on my 'Guided tour of a hit mix' thread, over on his guest forum, if anyone is interested and wants to join in a discussion.
It'd be great to have the people referencing No Doubt involved.

[Jules]

Alt rock reference - Foo Fighters - track 'Monkey Wrench'

Monitor check - own production + Extacty album by Lou Reed (was recorded in NYC Seer sound and sounds AMAZING - full range)

[Wiggy Neve Slut]

Beck Mutations
Miles Davis Kind of Blue
Massive Attack Mezzanine
Pavement Wowee Zowee
Elastica Elastica
Metallica Black
Ides of Space First translated in 1965 (Aussie)

Personal mixes that i know inside out...

Or any albums that come out of the studio cos i generally know who they sound in there so i can relate to other situations/ environments

But it also depends on what im listening to at the time...like at the moment im really digging the new album by Sigur Ros and a band from NY called 'Interpol' which is very cool and dark sounding...kinda like they dug up Ian Curtis from Joy Division..eek: :eek:

PEACE
Wiggy

[alphajerk]

there is no IT, no THE... it is IMPOSSIBLE to A/B another to something you are working on unless you are working on the same in a remix situation.

CD's i think that are sonically blissful however:
becks mutations
material's hallucination engine
clutch's jam room
sparklehorse's its a wonderful life
aphex twin's richard d james
flaming lip's clouds taste metallic

[Fletcher]

Temple of the Dog - Temple of the Dog
Tasty- Good Rats
Waiting For Columbus- Little Feat
Blender- Collective Soul
Fear Not The Obvious- The Yayhoos

Among others....

[Phil Aiken]

Wildflowers - Tom Petty (very natural sounding)
Joshua Judges Ruth -Lyle Lovett (for the low end)
Swervedriver-Mezcal Head (for the loud guitars)
Any 70's era Stones record for vibe and mix levels.
Beatles for clarity and seperation.
I hold Rudy Van Gelder's records in the highest esteem.

[BrianT]

Originally posted by Curve Dominant
Hey Brian...

I recently used Pink's "Get The Party Started," mixed by Dave Pensado, to A/B for one particular track on a CD I'm producing, where I needed to get that tight dance sound happening.

As Knox pointed out, Dave knows how to get the midrange happening. That's a trick and 1/2 if you're a newbie like I am. It took me 2+ days of tweaking that mix before I got it close enough for R&R. Well worth it, though. The track rocks now.

OK, now a question:

We're currently producing a REALLY SOFT & SLOW urban ballad.

Any suggestions on what to A/B it with?

Thanks in advance!

Ol' Dave P (aka Hardrive), eh?

Dave is great. He's the only other person I've ever willingly let mix an album I was producing and he nailed it. I had to mix one thing on it just to check us out, racing so to speak. Big fun. I don't have the Pink record, but I'll get it. Thanks for the info.

As far as Urban, slow and ballad. Hmmm. I don't know exactly what to call the genre, but India Arie's new thing is disturbingly clean and clear.

It's got to be some kind of reference point, but I'm really not sure what co compare it to. Maybe have a listen to that?


Regards,
Brian T

[cram]

I'm going to bend the rules a little and list two for each purpose.

For open and clean reference:
Talk Talk: Colour of Spring
Bill Frisell: Nashville

For compressed but still clear:
Tool: Aenima
Steve Earle: Copperhead Road

For smashed but still listenable:
Prong: Rude Awakening
SoundGarden: Badmotorfinger

For raw but still controlled:
Flaming Lips:Clouds Taste Metallic
Radiohead: The Bends

For the unattainable:
Peter Gabriel: Last Temptation of Christ

Where are the new emoticons we were promised dammit!!!!

[Stizz]

I always come back to

Warren Bernhardt - Trio '83 for the unattainable piano sound ( I realize that the particular Steinway and the player make up the sound, but audio-wise it is perfect (everything on DMP sounds awesome))

[Curve Dominant]

posted by BrianT:
Ol' Dave P (aka Hardrive), eh?

The one and only...

Dave is great. He's the only other person I've ever willingly let mix an album I was producing and he nailed it. I had to mix one thing on it just to check us out, racing so to speak. Big fun. I don't have the Pink record, but I'll get it. Thanks for the info.

I don't know if you'll care for Pink herself, but damn the CD shore is mixed well.

As far as Urban, slow and ballad. Hmmm. I don't know exactly what to call the genre, but India Arie's new thing is disturbingly clean and clear.

It's got to be some kind of reference point, but I'm really not sure what co compare it to. Maybe have a listen to that?

Yo, good lookin' out Bri...I'm gonna check the India Arie.

I also found ballads by Jill Scott and Floetry, both mixed at Touch Of Jazz studios here in Philly; and a pretty number by Tweet called "My Place."

Between those four I should be somewheres in the ballpark.

[Jules]

"and a pretty number by Tweet called "My Place.""

FYI - e-cue who hangs here has done recent work with Tweet.

[Curve Dominant]

"and a pretty number by Tweet called "My Place.""

FYI - e-cue who hangs here has done recent work with Tweet.

IMNSHO, "Southern Hummingbird" was one of the most underrated CDs of the year.

[sonic dogg]

in no particular order for any reason other than it doesnt matter..........


john anderson country til i die

little feat waiting for columbus

sheryl crow sheryl crow

donald fagan the nightfly

the tractors the tractors

and for listening to the monitors reproducing cool old tube equipment recordings....
elo eldorado


peace........

[Jay Kahrs]

Just one? Hmmm... Black Crowes "Amorica" has always sounded damn good to me. I also like Soundgardens Superunkown a lot, Radioheads OK Computer, Tom Petty Wildflowers and the Brand New Heavies Brother Sister are at the top of my heap.

[groundcontrol]

Jay, funny you mention the BNH' Brother Sister that could almost be my #1. Also, Amorica and Mutations (not very original I know), most Bjork' and Radiohead' stuff I love but don't find it that good sounding... What else, MA' Protection (sounds better to me than Mezzanine and catchier songwriting too!), Propellerheads Decksanddrums... (good ref. for club stuff), oh yeah NIN' Downward Spiral!, canadian band Crash Test Dummies' Give yourself a hand... There's so much stuff really...

[Ol' Betsey]

Originally posted by cram

For the unattainable:
Peter Gabriel: Last Temptation of Christ

Hey Cram,

Funny to see that album listed. What a great choice. I wasn't engineering when that album came out but, how can I say this, the 'scope' of that soundtrack really influenced my attitude towards what can be achieved within music.

Can't remember ever using it as a 'sonic reference' but maybe I should try.

I just saw a new film from Australia called Rabbit Proof Fence and all through the film I was wondering who did the soundtrack and voila: Peter Gabriel.

Quite a sad story (and now, thankfully relegated to history) but the music had that same sympathetic attitude between the sound, production and emotional effect.

Maybe this OT? Oh well...

R.

[e-cue]

Originally posted by Curve Dominant


IMNSHO, "Southern Hummingbird" was one of the most underrated CDs of the year.

Thanks a lot guys... They did mess the credits up a little bit on the record, but tweet gave me a very nice shoot out so who cares. We are scheduled to start her next one of the 1st, but it's pushed back so many times, I'll believe it when I'm hitting F12.

I forgot to list a couple cd's, but I'm going to list songs instead because not every song is mixed well of some of these:

Toni Braxton : Unbreak My Heart
Blaque : 808
Toni Braxton :He Wasn't Man Enough For Me (Dexter Simmons KILTED IT!)
Dru Hill : These Are The Times
Jessica : Get Up
L.V. : Women's Gotta Have It (Great cover, another of the Pensado's most underateds)
Bilal : For You
Slum Village : Blaze it up (certains elements of this track are great to a/b to)
Mary J Blidge : I Can Love You (Darkchild in his infancy)
Weezer : Buddy Holly (If my mix sounds like this, I'm overcompressing)
Dr Dre : Still D.R.E.

[NYC Drew]

Sade : No ordinary love, or Cherish the day.

NYC Drew

[jon]

My ref stuff is in my Masterlink and changes a bit depending on the project I'm working on. Right now, there are tracks from the following in the machine:

Rock/metal playlist:

Deftones, System of a Down, Tool, Nirvana, POD, Puddle of Mudd, Sum 741, Ash, Linkin Park, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Pantera, Soulfly, The Used, Godsmack, Creed, Slipknot and Coal Chamber.

Rap/R&B/Pop/Jazz playlist:

Dre, Xzibit, Avril, Nelly, Missy Elliot, Mary J. Blige, Ashanti, Norah Jones, Jill Scott, Diana Krall, Beck, Serge Gainsbourg, Zazie, Florent Pagny, India Arie.

[Jay Kahrs]

The other disc I use a lot to see if my top is outta whack is Dave Matthews Crash. If what I'm doing is brighter or harsher then that I gotta get back to work. That disc is as bright as I could ever stand anything, maybe a bit too bright and open but I like it.

[Nathan Boddy]

I use a fair few CD's - depends on what I'm mixing, however I have a few favourites

Who is Jill scott? - Very heavy on the bottom end, but so warm and sperated, it also has an awsome vocal sound

Cassandra Wilson, Travelling Miles - The first track is simply unabelievable, speration is so good for jazz stuff

Brandy, Full Moon - Just to remind me how much compression you can get away with!


regards
nathan

[Curve Dominant]

Who is Jill scott? - Very heavy on the bottom end

That's the Philly sound yo...might not translate perfectly elsewheres, but here in Philly folks make faces at you if you don't got an extra couple pounds of greasy chicken wings in the bottom of your mix.

Hey e-cue, Do you know Colin England?? I believe he produced a track on the LV Joint. Anyway it was he who introduced me to Dave, and Dave who intoduced me to protools. (During the pre HD/192 days)

Speaking of which Didn't you mix the Tweet on the now defunct useless mix system????

Or was it the holy grail of recording the HD/192

Of course ya'll know I"m jokinggrudge

[Jax]

e-cue,

What happened to Lauryn Hill? The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill has some amazing mixes/production happening. Also without a doubt the heaviest thump I've experienced to date. Some tracks have downright shitty sounding BG vox though.

For ways to mix acoustic guitar in with hip hop, there are a couple tracks (don't rmember their names) that are startlingly good.

Who did that? I don't know where my copy is.

Originally posted by e-cue

Toni Braxton : Unbreak My Heart
Blaque : 808
Toni Braxton :He Wasn't Man Enough For Me (Dexter Simmons KILTED IT!)
Dru Hill : These Are The Times
Jessica : Get Up
L.V. : Women's Gotta Have It (Great cover, another of the Pensado's most underateds)
Bilal : For You
Slum Village : Blaze it up (certains elements of this track are great to a/b to)
Mary J Blidge : I Can Love You (Darkchild in his infancy)
Weezer : Buddy Holly (If my mix sounds like this, I'm overcompressing)
Dr Dre : Still D.R.E.