vocal chain for bjork/garbage?

[nodell]

does anyone have any information on the vocal chains that were used on the latest bjork and garbage albums? (mics, pre, converters??) I think both were done in Pro Tools (or Pro Stools, depending on who you talk to ) and I was interested in what they used to get the vocals onto disk.

thanks,
-neil

 

[UTS]

Hi,

I read an interview with Björk and her producer (can't recall the name) in which they were talking about exactly this topic. They used an SM58 (!!!) into a Focusride Red or even Digi 001 stock Pre-Amp. Pretty amazing results I think. The vocals sound is very nice, then again Björk's way of singing does a alot to get that sound.

Best,

UTS

 

[zap]

Isnt this "which mic which pre" $*^t getting outta hand? I mean really?

Any full range mic, any pre with low 'nuff noise floor, and EQ fixes evrything... right?

/Z

 

[anonymous]

I read that Shirley Manson of Garbage uses an Elam 251 (a Telefunken mic???)

Anyhow, it's THE valve mic, and V F expencive..

Perhaps someone would tell us more about it..

I (shock horror) have never used one... (choke!)



Jules

 

[Dave McNair]

Yes 251's are great. I've used some that seemed to make average singers even better. So what. I love the gear talk, but I get the feeling that a lot of you guys think that if you just get such and such piece of gear, life will be great. I can be a huge gear fanatic, and I have definate opinions about what is good and what is not so good. But to put things in better perspective, I got a CDR last week from a friend and eagerly popped it into our little cheap portable, cause my CD player is in the shop. The music is FANTASTIC. The songs are amazing, and very cool vocal performances. Very minimal production as well. He sent it to me to see if I might be interested in working on it further. After listening for about a week and really falling in love with it, I told him I didn't know if doing anything else would help. It already had such a great feel and vibe and I loved the vocal sound. I remarked how great the vocal sounded and thats when he told me the whole thing was recorded on BLACKFACE ADATS, the vocal was a 414, and there was no real drums anywhere on the songs! So I will still talk gear, but when things like this happen, and they do for me frequently, it makes the whole gear thing seem so meaningless. Write a great song and figure out how to sing it, for cryinoutloud.

 

[Jon Atack]

Hi Dave,

That is seriously v cool...wish I heard more music like that. I receive a few demos and budget albums each week and haven't heard a good one in a very long time...usual problems are a lack of originality or real talent, compounded by bad production & recordings & mixes.

Man...isn't life great when real talent and songwriting meets good musicianship and engineering in a nice room with nice gear? Gear is only part of the whole, and certainly not the biggest part, but as far as I'm concerned it does indeed help when the rest is all there.

As an aside...we are gonna have to find something to disagree on...nothing livens up a forum like a good friendly disagreement



Jon

 

[Marc Edwards]

Garbage : Elam 251 or Brauner VM1 into Manley VoiceBox, then PT.
Bjork : I've heard the same thing about the Shure mic and Digi001 as well.

 

[e-cue]

So much for those stupid ass Sumit Audio ads I see with Butch Vig....

 

[robdarling]

"SO MUCH FOR THOSE STUPID ASS SUMIT AUDIO ADS I SEE WITH BUTCH VIG."

WHY ARE PEOPLE SUCH FOOLS ON THESE FORUMS? JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE? RULE NUMBER ONE OF BEING IN A STUDIO IS NOT SAYING DUMB $*^t LEST YOU LOOK LIKE A COMPLETE DICK. GET THE ^#$% OUT OF THE ROOM AND GO GET ME SOME COFFEE, KID.

All right. Maybe that is a little hardcore as a response. But that is what pops into my head. The purpose of these forums is to meet, talk, and learn. Busting on something you obviously know nothing about is going to do nothing but drive the forums into the ground. That kind of energy is exhausting and makes the whole thing feel like amateur hour.

 

[nodell]

huh, did I start something here?

can't a guy be curious? maybe I was asking 'cause I thought the vocals sounded horrible and didn't want to make the mistake of buying the kind of gear that was used on those two recordings...

or maybe the fact that bjork uses a 58 into Digi001 and garbage uses top $$$$ mics and pre's actually proves things more than any discussion would.

in reality, i was just curious. i wasn't about to purchase any gear based on the result of this thread. i guess this is apparently a touchy subject around here.

- neil

 

[Jon Atack]

Naw, Neil, it's all good. The meeting of ideas and viewpoints is what it's all about. FWIW I didn't comment because I haven't the faintest clue what mics and pres were used on those recordings, but don't be afraid to ask anything you want here.

Hey Rob, good to see you...when are you coming out to Paris to mix a track or two in my new room? P.S. if you can help me cable the DL's for the SSL patchbay, I'll cover the flight and the per diems. We're building the TAD/ATC bigs next week, too.

Expresso, please!

Jon

 

[robdarling]

Hey Jon

Congratulations on the studio. It sounds like it's really coming together. Maybe spring aes could find me over on the continent. I'd love to check out the scene.

Sorry to get all tough on your forum. The slamming of great companies and wildly successful people who've made great music just gets on my nerves. I'll never understand those who can't express themselves without taking someone else down. There can be a lot of great people on these boards and that kind of stuff keeps them away.

 

[Jon Atack]

Rob,

Thanks and no apology needed...I don't mind seeing heated debate here as long as it doesn't involve threatening personal attacks.

In fact, a bit of excitement is cool with me. Keep hanging and let's start some action.

I'll definitely be at AES next spring. If you can swing by Paris just before or after, I'll give you the tour.

Jon

 

[Marc Edwards]

Hey neil, I was curious too, that's why I hunted down the information as well...

I think the "just use your ears and don't expect good results because you're using the same gear" argument is fine, but if you like the sounds, then it can be a great way of listening to a piece of gear you may not have tried (be it expensive or really cheap). It's a starting point, not an answer. As we know most gear has a signature sound that you can hear in everything that passes through them, this has nothing to do with the person operating it.

FYI: Bjork uses the Shure because most of the recordings are done in her NY apartment, or on the road, so background noise is a big problem.

BRING IT ON!

 

[e-cue]

Calm down Rob, I like Butch Vig and Summit Audio products. The day you can't tell a joke (be it a bad one) on an RO forum is the day I'll stop visiting this site. Other than that, I'll just leave it to the moderators.