Rivers Cuomo's doubled leads on Weezer I

aeijtzsche · Post by **aeijtzsche** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 12:30 pm

Just a little musing. I've long admired the sound of Rivers' vocals on the first Weezer album. It took me a long time to realize that some of the verse leads were double-tracked. He was pretty precise at times.

There's not really a question here, although I'd love to hear thoughts or observations or sepcial knowledge about the topic. It's really more of a heads up, I guess. If you're looking for a really driven sound, try doing really precise doubles of a lead vocal. You don't really want that big chorusy sound, like some of the Beatles sloppier doubles, or a Mike Love lead or something, but very exact.

Check it out, I think it's a pretty unique sound. The tracks that feature the doubling throughout are No One Else, Buddy Holly (interesting panning on the two leads here), and Holiday.

I realize that double tracking is not a unique technique, and goes back a long way, but I don't know that it's been done to such a unique sounding effect that much. Of course, it helps that I love Rivers' voice on that album anyway, and therefore I'm probably biased as to the uniqueness of the sound.

Thoughts, please.

MT · Post by MT » Thu Apr 13, 2006 12:49 pm

I think you hear it a lot these days on tons of stuff (verse & chorus). The entire Foo Fighters catalog, for instance. Love that Weezer Blue though. Good stuff.

joeysimms · Post by **joeysimms** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 1:26 pm

I fail to see how Weezer's doubled vocals are in any way 'unique', but party on.

wedge · Post by **wedge** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 2:04 pm

One of my ex's HATES doubled vocals, especially on my stuff. She says it's hard to decide which one of "me" to listen to. I try to tell her that it's a tried and true technique dating back to the dawn of pop music, but she doesn't care. She just hates it. Of course, I really dig it, and really enjoy layering my own voice.

aeijtzsche · Post by **aeijtzsche** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 2:14 pm

I fail to see how Weezer's doubled vocals are in any way 'unique', but party on.

I appreciate your permission. Sometimes you have to fight for your right to party. On.

I also fail to "see" how they're unique, but for some reason, they just have always sounded fresh and singular to me, so for the sake of subjective analysis, I chose to call them unique. I'm sure it has something to do with the way Rivers' voice resonates with me, perhaps the dryness and precision of the vocals, you got me.

Anyway, the uniqueness is beside the point. I just think it sounds great and I'm saying I recommend that people try something like it if they're used to single vocals. Or something.

aeijtzsche · Post by **aeijtzsche** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 2:17 pm

One of my ex's HATES doubled vocals, especially on my stuff. She says it's hard to decide which one of "me" to listen to.

That's partially what I find interesting about the weezer vocals; at times, I don't know that the average person would even process that there are two synchronous leads going. Perhaps it's unique to me due to the perceived transparency of the double. I mean, it took me 8 years to figure it out. In my defense, I was 12 when I first heard the album.

MT · Post by MT » Thu Apr 13, 2006 2:21 pm

It may also have a little to do with this guy, though Rivers is great.[/url]

xonlocust · Post by **xonlocust** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 3:35 pm

aeijtzsche wrote:
One of my ex's HATES doubled vocals, especially on my stuff. She says it's hard to decide which one of "me" to listen to.
That's partially what I find interesting about the weezer vocals; at times, I don't know that the average person would even process that there are two synchronous leads going. Perhaps it's unique to me due to the perceived transparency of the double. I mean, it took me 8 years to figure it out. In my defense, I was 12 when I first heard the album.

it keeps getting better and better. pretty soon you'll start hearing faders being unmuted and all sorts of other rediculous details in records you've heard 1000 times. it consntantly blows me away how incredible music is, how a record can be so finite yet living, if you allow it to be and listen for it.

aeijtzsche · Post by **aeijtzsche** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 3:39 pm

it keeps getting better and better. pretty soon you'll start hearing faders being unmuted and all sorts of other rediculous details in records you've heard 1000 times. it consntantly blows me away how incredible music is, how a record can be so finite yet living, if you allow it to be and listen for it.

Yeah, I definitely agree with that. I've come to love the sound of punch-ins, for example. The sloppier the better. Really abrupt awkward fades of distorted guitars going from a loud chorus to a soft verse are fun too.

And now, as much as I love the sound of it when he's right on, I almost treasure the moments where Rivers goes just a few cents sharp or flat on the double and creates that beat.

jv · Post by jv » Thu Apr 13, 2006 6:08 pm

I just recently realized that most of the vocals on the first Ramones album are doubled, and I've been listening to that on and off for 30 years.

soundguy · Post by **soundguy** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 6:55 pm

doubled vocals?

bon fucking scott.

his picture should be next to the definition.

dave

Spark · Post by **Spark** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 8:12 pm

That Blue album is great. You couldnt pay me to listen to thier new stuff (well maybe...) but that album is a classic.

mjau · Post by **mjau** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 8:38 pm

soundguy wrote:doubled vocals?

bon fucking scott.

his picture should be next to the definition.

dave

Wow, I had no idea Bon and I shared the same middle name. Awesome.

jmoose · Post by **jmoose** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:04 am

xonlocust wrote:it keeps getting better and better. pretty soon you'll start hearing faders being unmuted and all sorts of other rediculous details in records you've heard 1000 times. it consntantly blows me away how incredible music is, how a record can be so finite yet living, if you allow it to be and listen for it.

No doubt!

I remember the first time I listened to "Good Vibrations" with my 'engineering ears' on...HOLY edits Batman! That kind of thing will drive you mad and after a while, especially if you look for those details. I got into a phase where that sort of thing ruined my ability to just listen to music because I'd hear all the "bad stuff". Now I can selectively turn it on & off, and sometimes when it's off...I can still detect that stuff. I just don't care! lol

But anyway that first Weezer record is just so unreal. Those guitars sound huge!

these_go211 · Post by **these_go211** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 7:50 am

j moose said:
But anyway that first Weezer record is just so unreal. Those guitars sound huge!

i agree. they sound fantastic. i thought i heard they recorded those guitars at very moderate volume levels, like bedroom levels. anyone else heard this or know about it. sorry to hijack the thread

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Rivers Cuomo's doubled leads on Weezer I

Rivers Cuomo's doubled leads on Weezer I

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