rock-a-billy techniques

I'm Painting Again · Post by **I'm Painting Again** » Sat Nov 27, 2004 5:09 pm

A while ago..some of you TOGeezerz might remember I had started a thread on rockabilly..well today..a year or two later..they booked a date with me..

instrumentation is

Gretsch electric hollowbody/fender tube amp 65 reissue
upright bass (he plays through some crappy amp live)
drums
vocals

they want a trashy 60's sound..like rough garage surf rock..

now i track to computer and mix to an Ampex440b through a Hill console..I know my mics and outboard and what they do pretty well..and its mostly a hi-fi setup..so i need some ideas on grungelizing the signal..

i have a tubespring verb, a tube amp that can deliver the grunge, some neve eq that can give that weird sweet nasily brittish rock grunge..some narrow range effect mics..memory man..big muff..a 60's transistor tape deck that does sweet grunge fuzz like the beatles..

i think im pretty ok with guitar and vocals and bass but the drums are going to be difficult to grunge up..so thats my main problem..

any ideas?

syrupcore · Post by **syrupcore** » Sat Nov 27, 2004 5:17 pm

might be stupid but I'd bet a lot of those garage recordings in the sixties were proly recorded with bad mics in ugly rooms. I have plenty of both, I dunno about you.

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Sat Nov 27, 2004 5:22 pm

Slapback delay, baby!!!

leigh · Post by **leigh** » Sat Nov 27, 2004 5:24 pm

BEARD_OF_BEES wrote:they want a trashy 60's sound..like rough garage surf rock..

...a 60's transistor tape deck that does sweet grunge fuzz like the beatles..

i think im pretty ok with guitar and vocals and bass but the drums are going to be difficult to grunge up..so thats my main problem..

For drums, first thing I'd say is don't close mic them. I wouldn't even go stereo. Put one mic well overhead, and maybe another out in front, but not close to the kick.

You want it to sound roomy. Use compression/overdrive to bring out the room sound. Maybe run one channel of drums straight in the mix, but mult the channel through the tape deck you mentioned, set for moderate to heavy fuzzing. Blend the straight/fuzzed drum faders to taste.

Leigh

johnny7 · Post by **johnny7** » Sat Nov 27, 2004 10:17 pm

I have had good luck "reamping " a snare track thru a small guitar amp in an empty room and miking from a distance. I also will run the snare thru my old space echo way hot so that you are distorting the electronics ( and getting some analog-y-ness) That is a word isn't it?

Johnny 7

joeysimms · Post by **joeysimms** » Sat Nov 27, 2004 10:31 pm

Wild Bill wrote:Slapback delay, baby!!!

Al · Post by Al » Sun Nov 28, 2004 2:45 am

joeysimms wrote:
Wild Bill wrote:Slapback delay, baby!!!

I'm Painting Again · Post by **I'm Painting Again** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 8:31 am

I'm Painting Again · Post by **I'm Painting Again** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 8:32 am

i know about the dang slapback already!!

whaddaya think..upright bass..not the best amp or au natural ? both ?

this is going to be a fun project..

maybe i should have two paths on everything or most things..one hi-fi and one grungey and blend at the mixing ?

i think it would be a cool sound..though not true to the 60's garage sound..more like that on steroids..

Dr. Sausage · Post by **Dr. Sausage** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 8:38 am

Wild Bill wrote:Slapback delay, baby!!!

swingdoc · Post by **swingdoc** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 9:08 am

Regarding your avatar. Which is the coolest thing ever. Is there a man siting in the back between the bears?

I personally wouldnt worry too much about tracking ala grunge. Id track like usual. Visualizing your project, I'd end up trying to "grungify" the tracks via hitting compressors hard on a multed track and blending to taste. Thats how I'd do the bass as well. Likely, the bass' amped track will be grungy enough. I'd definitely try to get a mic on the upright itself as well as the amp.

Just dont paint yourself in a corner by ending up with a bunch of dirty tracks.

SqueeGees · Post by **SqueeGees** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 9:57 am

about what swingdoc was saying...

the mic up to the bass itself will give some good string noise and mabey add to the distorted-ness sound you seem to be looking for...

I'm Painting Again · Post by **I'm Painting Again** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 11:46 am

yeah i think there is some dood back there..

i was going to essentially track like normal then add an additional chain to everything..a grungey chain..so i could pick and choose hi-fi and grunge and or blend..i think that might be awesome..

johnny7 · Post by **johnny7** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 2:24 pm

Definitely mic the upright! It is easy to make upright sound like hell but making it sound good is difficult. A good ribbon is great for the transients. I have had good luck with an M160 down near the bridge for rockabilly slap.
Then you can run off the pick up DI or through an amp.

Just my .02.

J7

I'm Painting Again · Post by **I'm Painting Again** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 5:41 pm

that sound like a good idea..thx Johnny

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