How to sound old-school and yet good?

[mrT]

Old-school/old sounds/timelessness - it all boils down to the performance and the songwriting. Me placing a mic here and there or using a plug-in won't really achieve it. They might make me happy for a second, but it won't make my little song timeless.

I have to say that while I love old records and how they sound but copying them is just that. You aren't gonna get famous doing something they did 30years ago (wanna paint a Pollock today? you're too late). You can incorporate it in your music but if you don't take it somewhere different who cares? If you don't add anything to the music why should I listen to a modern remake of classic recordings? I'll just listen to the real thing. well I guess Jet did it but oh well.


PS. I know that's not what you meant but It spurred my little tangent.

 

[noisewreck]

Nostalgia? What nostalgia? Im 26

Yep, and it is your demographics who's all gaa-gaa-goo-goo over PT Cruisers, SSTs, Minis, etc... just to give an automotive counterpart.

"Sound destroying" doesnt take skill.

Actually it does. I should know, as perhaps 1 in 1000 of the sounds that I destroy is actually usable in music. So yeah, there is a lot of judicious destructionism and judgement that goes into the process...

But then again your cock is so big that you just spend time giving yourself a blowjob.

 

[travelin travis]

Jillchaw, man (or woman?), you've made alot of good points in this thread but you don't seem to realize that people write, perform, and record music for different reasons. One guy might have dollar signs in his eyes while another just wants to express how he feels about a girl. To me, a musician is anyone that express's something thru music. You seem to get off on good song writing. Obviously not everyone does. How else can you explain the tired shit that clogs up the radio and tv? I called you a musical hitler because you seem to think that every person should have the same musical intentions and you come off as elitist. According to you, if someone does'nt know a formula for timeless songs, that person is'nt a musician. According to you, guitar is tired and is'nt a primary instrument that any *real* musician takes seriously. You're trying to free me by giving me rules and regulations that must be followed? You act like you're the only person left in the world that's tired of living in a materialistic society. Ha! I personally own some modest recording gear, a couple of guitars, and a beat up truck (and a tool box ). I've spent the majority of my life focusing on things more important to me than money and at some point, I lost almost all motivation for money (except when I'm really hungry). I've sacrificed relationships, a home, nice cars, and decent jobs because they interfered with my music time. I've spent more weekends than I can count locked up in an apartment, stressing over some half assed song that I know no one is ever going to hear. I'm not a musician though am I..........

Let me jot this down...............Art is a formula. Art follows rules. Guitar is'nt a real instrument. I can't have any pudding if I don't eat my meat.

I do agree with you that song writing is probably the most neglected aspect of music today. If the song sucks, nothing else really matters, most of the time. Dogs can be fucked in other ways though.

 

[travelin travis]

There's a dance going on next door.

And you're all invited.

We're going to be dancing about architecture in to the wee hours. You guys should all come join us. You've all been demonstrating a skill that that should translate well.

.

It's either this or another discussion over which cheap ass chinese mic will make me sound more like eminem.....with out the fizzle sizzle....for under $100.....and which cheap ass mic preamp will put out the most mojo, for that mic, for under $100.........and how do I mix my single vocal track with my beat in nuendo with my waves plugins to sound prOfessional........which I bought on ebay for under $100..........ya feelin' me baby?............cause I got to get myself a deal..........goin' platinum see.............cause yall ain't heard these mad rhymes before........and watchu crazy crackers dancin' about architecture for anyway?...........sounds like yall might be confused or sumpin'..........or takin' them majic beans.

 

[Rico 52]

When I think of Jefferson Airplane I like The Crown Of Creation album.
The title song is murky as hell yet really cool.......then on the same album you have a song called Lather which is recorded with a really nice clarity.
I do not have any advice to give you as how to achieve what you want just this observtion.

 

[ausrock]

...

If that was an insult directed at my fiancee, I'd like you to take it back. She is truly the most talented vocalist and songwriter I have ever met.

That is probably the funniest thing I've seen in this thread..............it even outstrips Chessrock's comments .

 

[Superhuman]

Fuck guitar solos and guitar in general. If youre still doing everything with a guitar oriented mind youre more fucked than you know. Youve lost the race before it has begun if you conceptualize music through guitar.

What a load of cock, man that statement sucks balls harder than a fucking lottery machine. Some people like guitar based music it's a matter of taste, others like piano, others like electro or whatever. By your rationale violin virtuosos are dumbass pricks too because they are 'behind the times'? Music is not about trying to create what YOU claim to be a work of genius - that after all is in the ear of the beholder. If we all liked the same thing then music would become incredibly boring. It's the difference in tastes that keeps things changing and evolving along with technologies and society as a whole. Once music is made with integrity and is not simply fired out of a conveyor belt to generate money then it's a valid form of art - end of story. It doesnt matter if it's made by a beginner or an accomplished expert. There is no such thing as a proper song structure.
There are good musicians at every period in time, tastes change from generation to generation and background to background. In fairness you made a few interesting points throughout this thread but the whole 'I'm right and you're wrong' extremism thing robs you of credibility.

 

[zacanger]

That is probably the funniest thing I've seen in this thread..............it even outstrips Chessrock's comments .

Why is this funny?

 

[chessrock]

Why is this funny?

Because you're a fucking kid. Engaged? ? Jesus Christ.

I don't even think that's legal in most states.

 

[zacanger]

Because you're a fucking kid. Engaged? ? Jesus Christ.

I don't even think that's legal in most states.

I believe it is.

 

[ausrock]

Why is this funny?

Take your pick of any or all of the following..............;

1) What Chessrock said...........you're a kid.

2) Asking (or expecting) Jillchaw to apologise .

3) I can't help but feel you've been living the life of a hermit, ergo, you haven't got out to meet many singer/songwriters .

 

[zacanger]

Take your pick of any or all of the following..............;

1) What Chessrock said...........you're a kid.

2) Asking (or expecting) Jillchaw to apologise .

3) I can't help but feel you've been living the life of a hermit, ergo, you haven't got out to meet many singer/songwriters .

1. Already addressed.
2. Yeah, I know, never going to happen.
3. Not true, my good sir.

 

[mrhotapples]

I got rid of what I originally typed...It was mean.

All I'm gonna say is that there's very little difference between music being produced today and music being produced 600 years ago. It's all trendy and oriented around a specific set of instruments, and there are some people that are really popular that just have no talent.

But talent, even the idea of music, are all subjective. Dave Matthews, in my opinion can't sing. Neither could Janis Joplin. But they are good music. Great lyrics, great feel. SOUL.

My favorite band, flame my ass all ye please, is Coheed & Cambria. Their singer sounds like a girl and apparently they copy Rush at every turn and they're all gay. Their storyline for their concept albums is ill-conceived and they're just trying to be something bigger than they actually are.

But big fucking deal, they're great music to me.

The time you were alive or what influenced you DOESN'T FUCKING MATTER as long as people listen to it and you created it out of love or hate or something you felt inside, not to make money or expand your persona.

Because AGAIN...Music is all about personal connection, and it doesn't matter what kind you like because, undoubtedly, someone else thinks differently.

The Arcade Fire and Ray Davies both suck equally until you bring in human opinion. End of fucking discussion there. Saying you can define an abstract subject that relies entirely on opinion to give it any merit is IGNORANT.

 

[ausrock]

Not true, my good sir.

And yet you say this................."She is truly the most talented vocalist and songwriter I have ever met".


I wonder who really wears the pants in your relationship.

 

[chessrock]

I find Puppy love to be rather cute.

Aw.

.

 

[zacanger]

And yet you say this................."She is truly the most talented vocalist and songwriter I have ever met".


I wonder who really wears the pants in your relationship.

Oh, she does, of course. She also holds the whips and the keys to the handcuffs.

 

[zacanger]

I find Puppy love to be rather cute.

Aw.

.

Thank you!

 

[zacanger]

Way to give me random green there, and not sign it.

 

[XLR]

I vote this the most confused thread ever. Not confusing. Confused.


Hmmmm... "old school and yet good"? To me there's only "sounds good" and "doesn't sound good". I guess I don't approach sound quality very intellectually. And I prefer it that way.

Tim

 

[brendandwyer]

I really want to capture some type of 60s Jefferson Airplane sound, where it sounds simple and old-school, but still good. I mean, how did they do it - where there's drums panned all the way to one side and guitars on the left, and everythings clangy and kind of distorted, but it still sounds really good and pro. Is it something that can't really be achieved with home recording stuff? Everything I record ends up sounding "modern and bad" rather than "classic and good." Maybe I really need to turn down the gain on my amps and start using single coil pickups.

1. i would set up room mic's in tandem with close mics, or forego the close mics altogether.
2. it all hinges on the style that he band can pull off. the sound of jefferson airplane is unique to them. to approximate it, you would need musicians that emulate that sound

i've always thought it depends more on the performance than the room and mics put togther.