Author Topic: Any recording engineers in the house? Interested in analysis of I&W, Awake sound  (Read 1586 times)

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Offline jasc15

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In my opinion, these are DTs best sounding albums, and I find much of my enjoyment of any album is determined by similar qualities that I don't have the knowledge to describe.  Words like "clear" and "spacious" come to mind.  I'm sure much has to do with the band's obsessive precision, which is apparent even on terrible bootleg recordings.

I'm hoping for this to be a discussion of what recording techniques, instrument effects choices, etc result in the overall sound qualities of these records.

Offline WilliamMunny

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In my opinion, these are DTs best sounding albums, and I find much of my enjoyment of any album is determined by similar qualities that I don't have the knowledge to describe.  Words like "clear" and "spacious" come to mind.  I'm sure much has to do with the band's obsessive precision, which is apparent even on terrible bootleg recordings.

I'm hoping for this to be a discussion of what recording techniques, instrument effects choices, etc result in the overall sound qualities of these records.

I love both albums, and they sound very different from each other, but very much 'of their time.'

The band's production choices have largely evolved in line with the trends of modern music, but for my money, Scenes and 6 Degrees are DT's high-water mark for production on every level.

Interestingly enough, the albums you cite had outside producers, while the album's I cite were produced by the band. Obviously, neither is necessarily 'better,' but I suspect that DT had way less input on I&W and Awake than they did once they started doing it all in house.


Offline jasc15

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I love both albums, and they sound very different from each other, but very much 'of their time.'

They certainly do sound like products of their time, while both being very different from each other.  But I still pair them in terms of this nebulous "openness" quality that I hear in contrast to almost any other DT album.
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for my money, Scenes and 6 Degrees are DT's high-water mark for production on every level.

I think Scenes remains my favorite DT album, but I'm interested why you think these 2 are better produced.  I think the drums can be a bit muddy on 6D.  Not a fair comparison to the triggered drums on I&W, but Awake is a much more valid comparison.

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Interestingly enough, the albums you cite had outside producers, while the album's I cite were produced by the band.

Interesting.  I think I knew that about I&W, but not Awake.

Offline WilliamMunny

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I love both albums, and they sound very different from each other, but very much 'of their time.'

They certainly do sound like products of their time, while both being very different from each other.  But I still pair them in terms of this nebulous "openness" quality that I hear in contrast to almost any other DT album.
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for my money, Scenes and 6 Degrees are DT's high-water mark for production on every level.

I think Scenes remains my favorite DT album, but I'm interested why you think these 2 are better produced.  I think the drums can be a bit muddy on 6D.  Not a fair comparison to the triggered drums on I&W, but Awake is a much more valid comparison.

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Interestingly enough, the albums you cite had outside producers, while the album's I cite were produced by the band.

Interesting.  I think I knew that about I&W, but not Awake.

Like I said, it's all subjective...6 Degrees and Scenes, while not necessarily similar, are more in line with what I'm looking for from a 'rock' record than just about anything I've heard from anyone, period.

Between the two albums, I feel like DT covers a ton of sonic ground, but the foundation (MP's drums) is just beyond solid. Listen to the final instrumental build in "Blind Faith" and you will hear what I think is a flawless mix capturing every last detail of DT's musical chaos.

Offline Stadler

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Please accept my vote for the run of Scenes - Octavarium as being just fantastic sounding records, from a guy that isn't all that bothered when it's not. 

Offline Kram

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Please accept my vote for the run of Scenes - Octavarium as being just fantastic sounding records, from a guy that isn't all that bothered when it's not.
100% with you on this!  Octavarium is one of my favorite sounding albums period! And Scenes and 6DOIT are amazing sounding as well IMO.

Offline Dream Team

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I have nothing intelligent to contribute other than the Awake team produced an album by Heart the year prior (Desire Walks On) and you can totally hear the similarities. They definitely had a sound they were going for.

Offline jasc15

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I have nothing intelligent to contribute other than the Awake team produced an album by Heart the year prior (Desire Walks On) and you can totally hear the similarities. They definitely had a sound they were going for.
I just gave that a listen, and I think I see what you mean.  I would have never picked it out randomly, but your suggestion made me listen for similarities.  I can kinda hear the big drum room too.

Online HOF

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I have nothing intelligent to contribute other than the Awake team produced an album by Heart the year prior (Desire Walks On) and you can totally hear the similarities. They definitely had a sound they were going for.

Kind of like Firehouse’s Hold Your Fire album having the same triggered snare sound as I&W (via David Prater).

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I have nothing intelligent to contribute other than the Awake team produced an album by Heart the year prior (Desire Walks On) and you can totally hear the similarities. They definitely had a sound they were going for.
I just gave that a listen, and I think I see what you mean.  I would have never picked it out randomly, but your suggestion made me listen for similarities.  I can kinda hear the big drum room too.

Just checked some of it out as well. The song “Rage” (in addition to being a bit of a Kashmir pastiche) has a dead on bass tone, and a very similar soundscape on the instrumental passages as several parts of Awake.

Offline PixelDream

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I have nothing intelligent to contribute other than the Awake team produced an album by Heart the year prior (Desire Walks On) and you can totally hear the similarities. They definitely had a sound they were going for.

Ď didn't know that, I certainly hear the similarities.

Awake is my favorite DT album and it also happens to be my favourite sonically, with 6 Degrees coming in second.

I just love how big the drums sound on both albums but especially Awake. The room sound is fantastic.
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Online hefdaddy42

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I have nothing intelligent to contribute other than the Awake team produced an album by Heart the year prior (Desire Walks On) and you can totally hear the similarities. They definitely had a sound they were going for.

Kind of like Firehouse’s Hold Your Fire album having the same triggered snare sound as I&W (via David Prater).
I saw those guys live in my hometown a few months before that album came out.  At that time they hadn't yet changed their name to Firehouse, and were still known as White Heat.  Good times.

My hometown was not all that far from where they were based at the time (Charlotte), so it was a good crowd. 
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Offline JLa

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Unfortunately I think DT's albums often don't sound as good as they deserve. Awake is stellar in my ears, though. From the first second of the 6:00 drum intro and all the way through, it sounds amazing.

I also like SDOIT.

Offline Dream Team

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I have nothing intelligent to contribute other than the Awake team produced an album by Heart the year prior (Desire Walks On) and you can totally hear the similarities. They definitely had a sound they were going for.
I just gave that a listen, and I think I see what you mean.  I would have never picked it out randomly, but your suggestion made me listen for similarities.  I can kinda hear the big drum room too.

Just checked some of it out as well. The song “Rage” (in addition to being a bit of a Kashmir pastiche) has a dead on bass tone, and a very similar soundscape on the instrumental passages as several parts of Awake.

Yup, “Rage” is definitely exhibit A.