Often when I'm creating a track for Rap/R&B clients, they ask me to use the MPC. When I ask why they say things like "because it has that hip-hop feel" or "I want it to bang in the club so it needs that MPC flavor". The arguement has been made that certain pieces of gear have different nuances that can make the exact same track feel different. Of course different gear can "color" the sound but can the MPC REALLY be more "hip-hop" than another sequencer or is it all just 1s and 0s?
Does Gear Have Soul?
- Thread starter Mixxit12
- Start date
surgediadem
New member
yes it can and does, but its more to do with the fact that its been used for hip hop alot. but all high end gear/valve gear has that special something to it just passing the signal though it withought adding that reverb or compression or what ever it still makes it sound ever better
noisewreck
New member
Well, it's not just the sound quality/coloration that's at issue here. It's also about how the end user interaces with said piece of gear. Different interfaces force different workflow, interfacing, performing, etc. All of these factors combine to give a certain piece of gear its "soul".
And Robert D nailed it.
And Robert D nailed it.
fraserhutch
Flypaper for freaks
I know a slut who has a slot the eats tarot cards.Dumby said:
Drewcifer666
New member
An MPC, I dunno. That's kinda sketchy.
However, I think you can describe some gear as having soul. I have a couple guitars that have soul, for sure. That's the word I use when I really like the sound of a mic or a pre or an amp or an axe...I say it has soul. It's got something special and intangible that puts it above the rest.
Why is it I can walk in to the same guitar store fifty times and not even blink at a guitar, but on the fifty-first time, I walk in and a lazer-beam shoots at me from a guitar on the wall and my eyes go to it before I'm all the way in the door even? Then I pull it down and play it and it's instant magic. I buy it, but then I joke that I didn't buy it, it bought me!
However, I think you can describe some gear as having soul. I have a couple guitars that have soul, for sure. That's the word I use when I really like the sound of a mic or a pre or an amp or an axe...I say it has soul. It's got something special and intangible that puts it above the rest.
Why is it I can walk in to the same guitar store fifty times and not even blink at a guitar, but on the fifty-first time, I walk in and a lazer-beam shoots at me from a guitar on the wall and my eyes go to it before I'm all the way in the door even? Then I pull it down and play it and it's instant magic. I buy it, but then I joke that I didn't buy it, it bought me!
Drewcifer666 said:Why is it I can walk in to the same guitar store fifty times and not even blink at a guitar, but on the fifty-first time, I walk in and a lazer-beam shoots at me from a guitar on the wall and my eyes go to it before I'm all the way in the door even? Then I pull it down and play it and it's instant magic. I buy it, but then I joke that I didn't buy it, it bought me!
I've had that same experience with some women...
I totally agree about the way users interface with gear and with the commonality of it within a genre. I'm not really talking about the "sound" of the MPC (although I totally feel ya about the guitars) I'm more referring to the "feel" of a track that's produced from it. I've heard more than one person say that the "flow" of a track from an MPC is more "hip-hop". I've never really done an A/B comparision of say, a drum beat created on an MPC versus the same beat created on a Motif (or whatever) using the same sounds but I may try it just too see if I feel more "funktified" when the MPC beat is playing.
Keep the responses coming. Sometimes the more abstract ideas surrounding our industry are more interesting than talking about how to EQ my CD like 50 Cent (not that there's anything wrong with that).....
Keep the responses coming. Sometimes the more abstract ideas surrounding our industry are more interesting than talking about how to EQ my CD like 50 Cent (not that there's anything wrong with that).....
SouthSIDE Glen
independentrecording.net
If your clients knew what they were talking about, they'd be doing their own mixes instead of having you do it for them.
Like Bobby D says, your gear has soul if your client thinks it does. You use an MPC if your client thinks you do, regardless of whether you ever come within three miles of one.
It's your client's job to tell you what they want, but it is in NO WAY their job to tell you how to do it. The how is 100% entirely up to you. You just gotta be able to deliver, is all.
Just tell them, "You want that MPC sound, I'll give you that MPC sound." Whether you actually use an MPC to do it is entirely up to you.
G.
Like Bobby D says, your gear has soul if your client thinks it does. You use an MPC if your client thinks you do, regardless of whether you ever come within three miles of one.
It's your client's job to tell you what they want, but it is in NO WAY their job to tell you how to do it. The how is 100% entirely up to you. You just gotta be able to deliver, is all.
Just tell them, "You want that MPC sound, I'll give you that MPC sound." Whether you actually use an MPC to do it is entirely up to you.
G.
So true. I get the business end of "the MPC sound" and "yo, do you use Pro Toolz". I just find it interesting that there are some people (engineers and producers included) that believe that things like groove and character within a song can vary based on the manufacturer of the equipment used to create it moreso than the person that played it. Not to say that I don't agree to and extent. I'm not sure.
SouthSIDE Glen
independentrecording.net
The people who believe that are the same ones who believe that the quality of a mix is all gear and no engineer. They want to believe that gear is the great equalizer becuse that, frankly, is all they can hang their hopes upon to make it because they are too lazy to actually build up their talent the right way.Mixxit12 said:
Would B.B. King sound the same if he traded in Lucille for a Telecaster? Of course not. Would his sound have any less soul because of it? Also of course not. The soul is in the operator, not in the gear.
G.
legionserial
New member
SouthSIDE Glen said:
Reminds me of a funny story. A guy saw my Tascam US-2400 in my living room and immediately assumed I was some hot shot with professional credentials and I could make his hip hop sound 'phat'. Just cos I have something with a bunch of faders on it. He started asking me to record some stuff for him etc etc. So we got talking...
Of course when I explained to him that the US-2400 was merely a controller for my DAW and it plugged in through USB, and that I was merely a hack who records my own metal for fun, and that I really wasn't any kind of expert, he seemed to lose interest. Its funny how 'artists' can be mesmerised by your gear without actually having a fucking clue what it does or what you can do. I mean, for the skills I've got, I might as well have a crappy 4 track. The only things thats going to make any difference to his hip hop is his own talent. But he sees a bunch of stuff with knobs and dials and he thinks it can make him a 'star'.
I swear I'd get rid of the analog desk if clients weren't so impressed at all the faders and lights. It's basically used as a gigantic monitor mixer.
On another note, because of hip-hop's simplistic nature, a talented performer is critical to a good recording (not that it's not in every other genre). Because there are usually less elements to manipulate I find it more difficult to compensate for a bad take.
On another note, because of hip-hop's simplistic nature, a talented performer is critical to a good recording (not that it's not in every other genre). Because there are usually less elements to manipulate I find it more difficult to compensate for a bad take.
In terms of sound quality, I might say that vintage, "one of a kind" analog gear probably has more soul than mass produced digital sequencers. Having said that I think that look and history have a lot to play in the soul/myth of a piece of gear in addition to just sound quality.
I'll also say this in regards to those who subscribe the school of thought that any gear/instrument will give you a certian sound, like saying a certain sequencer has to be used for hip hop:
Picking up a strat will not make you sound like Clapton or Hendrix. They could have played an Ovation and still sound like Clapton or Hendrix.
Don't worry about how Bonham tuned his drums or what kit he used. There's only one person who will ever sound like Bonham and he sounded like Bonham on any run down (or pristine) kit he touched.
But to counter myself again, the fact that Clapton and Hendrix played strats definetly gives the strat a soul/life of it's own. I mean I love my strat, but I'm not pretending it's going to make me sound like someone who can actually play.
The point is, the soul of the person is more important than the soul of the machine.
This went on a lot longer than I intended. Nice discussion though.
I'll also say this in regards to those who subscribe the school of thought that any gear/instrument will give you a certian sound, like saying a certain sequencer has to be used for hip hop:
Picking up a strat will not make you sound like Clapton or Hendrix. They could have played an Ovation and still sound like Clapton or Hendrix.
Don't worry about how Bonham tuned his drums or what kit he used. There's only one person who will ever sound like Bonham and he sounded like Bonham on any run down (or pristine) kit he touched.
But to counter myself again, the fact that Clapton and Hendrix played strats definetly gives the strat a soul/life of it's own. I mean I love my strat, but I'm not pretending it's going to make me sound like someone who can actually play.
The point is, the soul of the person is more important than the soul of the machine.
This went on a lot longer than I intended. Nice discussion though.