Overproducing!! what the ...

  • Thread starter Thread starter CyanJaguar
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Nah man, a bet is a bet...you can keep it...really....
 
Gidge?

Gidge said:
Ive seen DefLeppard live so dont say it cant be reproduced (spare me all the comments about using recorded background vocals or whatever technique they use)....

Gidge... This above quote makes no sense to me....I nor anyone else (as I recall) ever said it couldn't be reproduced...although this is an aging thread, and I haven't read back for a while so I could be wrong... I've seen the Lep's 3 times in the past three years and yes It can be reproduced live... No disputing that fact.. But in order to do it properly, and acurately to the studio recording you gotta either invite 130 people on stage to do the BV's, or use a tape. They don't use them, so there live background vocal sound like three guys screaming into the mics.. not pleseant!. Using tapes or dats, with backup track are the norm.... I bet if you were really inclined to check into it, you would find that.. 8 out of 10 major performers... (im not talking club acts like "the foo fighters.." they usually do actually play it just off the stage .). I mean U2, van halen, sting.... In fact I just heard a live u2 thing with that Beautiful day song.... there were 3 edges doing the back-up singing, and 4 layers of guitars.. (even though only the Edge plays on stage)....
I know these could be overdubs after the fact, but it is still utilizing the technique...

unfortunately you can't be spared the comments about this, cause it is true, and a prominent fact of the music industry... :)
 
MrZekeMan said:


Maybe we should take all of the "overproduced" stuff, and make it a little more sucky. Imperfect it up a little. Shift some of the instruments out of tune.

Zeke

Awsome point man, Im with you. I beleive if a mix is "over-produced" Its just produced badly. A good production wil highlight the elements of the music and try to reproduce the song in the best possible way.
Awsome call anyway man!!
 
Music Rules!!!!!!!

I have seen many, MANY strong arguments made here within the thread, but as many of you have said, isn't it all about feeling? If you don't get anything from it, vibe-wise or that tug that makes you say, "Damn, this Rocks!!!"...... isn't all the production and polish wasted??? I am offering no real opinion here other than to say that it's not how you record it, but rather what you're recording, I think..... although, a little gloss and added spice couldn't hurt, if done to taste, like in cooking!!!! LOL
Just a few humble words from an old Texas boy who loves music and everything about it.......... including breaking that low-E string right in the middle of laying down the fattest, most kick ass monster rhythm track, Oh, Yeah...... I Love METALLICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL Little Z :p
 
too much of anythin is bad

man, after reading all your posts, I have come to some pretty deep conclusions about overproducing.

Too much of anything is bad.

I like that punchiness. Lets make it a little bit more punchy.

I like the hotness of the song. Lets make it hotter with more compression.

THat flange effect sounds way nice. Lets add a little bit more.

see how it goes.
 
over producing

my definition of over producing is adding so many tracks or effects to a mix that it starts to sound inapropriate, jeff mutt lang isnt as guilty of this as phil spector (has anyone heard riverdeep)
the layla producer added on so many guitar tracks that sometimes it sounded muddy.
 
Overproduced

One Definition:

You have been playing in 5 piece bar room cover bands for fun and profit since you were a kid in the early 80's. Recently, while attempting to update the band set list you realize that you have no chance in hell of reproducing live anything that you have heard on the radio in the past two years. So your choice is to become a "classic rock" or "oldies" band (heck, I'm only in my thirties), or become a dj.

"Overproduced" is a term I tend to use whenever I come across a level of production that can't be duplicated by mere mortals (mere mortals defined as me and my moderately talented peers). Not good, not bad. It just is what it is.
 
Re: Overproduced

chukchek said:
One Definition:

You have been playing in 5 piece bar room cover bands for fun and profit since you were a kid in the early 80's. Recently, while attempting to update the band set list you realize that you have no chance in hell of reproducing live anything that you have heard on the radio in the past two years. So your choice is to become a "classic rock" or "oldies" band (heck, I'm only in my thirties), or become a dj.

"Overproduced" is a term I tend to use whenever I come across a level of production that can't be duplicated by mere mortals (mere mortals defined as me and my moderately talented peers). Not good, not bad. It just is what it is.

Very good point actually.
 
Well, thats assuming the goal is to reproduce whats on the record exatly. That may not even be the goal of the band that recorded it. I've sure heard bands do versions of their songs live that were missing major portions of whats on the album, yet they still managed to blow doors.
 
but just to say a tune that cannot be played live with the same reproduction as the record is just out of context.

you are talking about critiquing a recording

some recordings like "carry on my wayward son" by kansas cant be performed live and the tapes used to roll at that segment of thier shows because the still had to play it

but that recording was perfect, not overproduced

its a matter of being tasteful with effects, instruments and overall arrangements.

being perfect should be something we all strive for.

overproduced recordings sound bad! dont do it.
 
Strange I saw Kansas perform it live on the Point of Know Return tour and it pretty much sounded like everything else they played, except that it was one of their more tame songs at the time. If they weren't playing it live you could fool me.
 
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Kansas is from here and it is kind of a regular occurance to see them at parties and at the bars in this area( not performing but just hanging out) so i know about the big hammond b3 sound on that song and alot of it is from a source tape and i have seen this machine personally. i guess alot of bands do this because the dont want to disapoint thier fans. the song is almost impossible to pull off live. but it always sounds perfect doesnt it.:cool:
 
darrin- I went to the same high school as Kansas (most of the members went to Topeka West High School), but they were 5 or 6 years older than me. I took guitar lessons at a store where Robbie Steinhart and Kerry Livgren worked, and I used to talk to Robbie all the time. The guy is an amazing piano player as well as a great violinist. I first saw them at a little tavern called Mothers. I was only about 14 or 15 years old but they let my friend and me stay because we had already purchased tickets. I've seen them so many times I can't even count.
 
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