stefani's luxurious

Discussion on new albums, developing listening skills, critical listening to others' work, as well as TOMB members' MP3 links, online recording critiques

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bradb
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stefani's luxurious

Post by bradb » Sun Jan 01, 2006 11:34 pm

so i'm down in austin tx this weekend, my old home and perhaps the most fun city on earth...

driving home after the party and this song comes on the radio.. its using that biggie sample from "hyptnotize"...such an amazing sample and multiple people have used that since. i later find out the song is gwen stefani's "luxurious".

the chorus vocal effect , I can't figure it out. its so good. seems like something sped up? multiple harmonies. any ideas?

the version down here in austin has slim thug(?) rappin on it... not so into the southern hip hop, but his delivery is great, behind the beat, mad swagger.

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Rodgre
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Post by Rodgre » Mon Jan 02, 2006 8:17 am

I've done a few pop-singer sessions going for that style, and my technique has been to quadruple track the vocals (usually just assembling them from the various takes) and spreading them out in stereo, and possibly even adding chorus to those, if necessary.

It always depends on the track, and the singer's voice. Sometimes the doubling sounds really lush and complex. Sometimes it's a little too inconsistent (which is great if you're trying to do something that sounds like John Lennon, or the Waitresses).

Autotuning can either help or hurt you here. Too much of it, and you've got a bunch of tracks of robots singing, with less of the natural chorusing that you get between the tracks. This should go without saying, but a great singer, who knows how to be consistent will make it so much easier.

Roger

bradb
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Post by bradb » Mon Jan 02, 2006 8:19 pm

hey roger,

have you checked out the song?

the effect is quite pronounced, i don't think its accomplished with doubling/chorusing/autotuning only... gotta be something else.

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Rodgre
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Post by Rodgre » Tue Jan 03, 2006 8:04 am

I'll get it from itunes now and check it out.


EDIT:

I'm listening on headphones now, and it doesn't sound that exaggerated to me. It sounds like a lot of subtle harmony overdubs, and wide panning. Maybe a little chorusing on the doubled vocals in the bridge. The prechorus has a lower 5th harmony panned to the right and the melody on the left, and that sounds wide.

One thing I wonder is whether you are noticing that it sounds particularly wide on the radio. I find that certain stations have some crazy stereo enhancers that make stuff sound super super wide.



Roger

bradb
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Post by bradb » Tue Jan 03, 2006 10:40 am

yeah, i think it is definitly some extensive harmonies going on in there, especially the prechorus. There is a great timbral quality that i'm noticing. I'll listen for the lower 5th and melody.

I've heard some disparaging remarks about this album but this track I like, which is mostly due to the main sample and chorus. The "cha-ching" part when the main sample drops out is pretty sad though, if they're making choices like that on other songs, no wonder its not a loved record.

that main sample (from "stay with me" by ??) is awesome. here its slowed down.

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