Fiona Apple - WtP....Limp

[thenoiseflower]

I'd love to know more about this whole recording but two things stick out to me, ad I gotta ask, with the hope someone here may know so here goes.

Limp - the middle section from about 2:10 to 2:50, the drums on the left hand side and maybe even the washboard before them, they seem like an all on the room minimal mic thing. Is that Jon brion or Butch? and what mic is that, I know its a little crazy to ask, but u67? U87? it sounds like a good & live room too. which studio the song or even the part (I know, I know) was recorded at? type of verb likely used? Comp, Pre?
I know this is crazy, but I love that exact sound. and I've been trying with a U87ai, or 4038 or a combo of both all over the room and in other rooms ( along with other mics too but those are cetainly have gotten me closest so far) ----> api's, trident, 1272, Biz, Germ(close but not it), UA, and some standard comps, and can get the right tone and distance our room sounds tight (for a big room). But off the mic, I'm just not capturing the "right" smoothness, I dont know, I really wanna know factors Im hearing on this one drum part.
I know I may be nitpicking this sound I'm looking for , and its for a totaly different type of composition...and I know I am chasing a ghost form one of the best all around records of my time, and attempting to rip somthing from a moment where the stars, the artist, the producer, players, and engineers were all lined up niceley is nearly impossble, but thats what I wanna try to do, so help me out.

also, after that part, do I hear bongs being ripped?

and as a bonus question - Do we know if the record is all Tape? there is a small PT rig in the rack on the back cover of the liner notes.

sorry for the long post, its getting late and I've got 2 1/2 different kits setup righ now & and Im basicly done accept for this and its really kinda getting to me, I just know I'm gonna end up wanting to find a u67. I'll be coming back tomorow.

[corworld]

Whoa, get some sleep and then rethink what it is you need.

The drummer is Matt Chamberlain, that sounds like his playing. I think you are pretty close with a 4038 or U67. It sounds like an room mic without alot of compression. Rather than focusing of the chain, the sound of the kit is the key to the effect. Sounds to me like a small DW kit in a medium sized room. With the mic in the right spot and the right drums you'll have it. And if you don't, so what, your sound might fit your track better.

[BrianK]

I know a little...

Jon B does like using a single mic for kits - sometimes. It gives a clarity and focus that resembles good 1950s and 60s records. Note that Limp sound (an overdub added to the original kit tracks?) seems to have a louder tom tom, so it might be mic'ed in front, rather than room or overhead?

The room was NRG studios, a nice tall, diffuse live room. Doesn't seem like any artificial room effects.

The "bongy" sounds you hear are just variations on that percussive rhythm track throughout. Matt Chambelrin played it and at least one side (maybe both) are an old Wurlitzer Sideman mechanical/tube drum machine (which has buttons you can play) through a Tycobrahe Parapedal.

Jon and Matt are a perfect creative team in these ways; Jon has cool gear all over, but knows how to use it uniquely. He doesn't fall for the "this is a cool item, let's just use it as-is" which might lead to things other people have probably done. Instead, they seem to use inspiration from past things and try something new with it. As the "good" records always have and will!

[Drumsound]

What an amazing record and amazing track!

A big part of what you're hearing is Matt Chambelrin the guy's touch is just sick! He has a way of playing that almost sounds like its compressed, even when it isn't. I think its related to traditonal grip for the backbeat.

The drums could very well be vintage. Kinda dark, but lovely. The snare sounds metal to me, with the snares fairly loose.

It sounds like a mono ribbon with some hipper than hip compression. I agree with Brian, the small tom sound implies the mic was in front of the drums.

[jacobdetering]

Actually - although I don't have the liner notes in front of me, I think the drummer on that track is Jim Keltner - not Chamberlin.

[Drumsound]

Nope, Keltner plays on "I know" MC and Butch are listed on limp.

[absrec]

I have recently become intimately familiar with that record. Sounds to me like they probably got done tracking the drums, went to a new set of tracks, and then overdubbed the part. They probably liked the sound of the ambient mics more than the close ones. It still sounds to me like there are close mics involved, but they are just not prominent in the drum mix. I can't imagine that they got all scientific about it. It's probably one of those things that just "happened". You could try all day long to recreate that sound or you could come up with something cool on your own.

But, what the hell do I know? I've been wrong about a lot of things in my life.

-Aaron

[taturana]

man, i am absolutely in love with that record... it's definitely up there with most of my favorite all time records, of any time... fiona's voice and songwriting really impresses me a lot... no useless calisthenics, just a musical singer, serving the music and the ideas... the production is absolutely flawless and very creative. the lyrics are really cool... it's the best record i've heard in the last few years... and the follow-up "extraordinary machine" is no slack either... but "when the pawn" is a complete masterpiece.

in a time of disposable bands, and mass-made autotune driven pop music... fiona makes me believe it is still possible to make intelligent music.

for anyone that has not listened to it yet.. go out and buy it... i cannot exagerate how good this is..