ripthisjoint908 Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Anybody know the album-by-album recording process? Live in the stuido? Track by track? Steady mix of both? Obviously there are overdubs and things, but i'm curious as to which albums they decided to do which way. Which method do you prefer? Why do you think they wanted to switch it up? I'm pretty confident both A.M. and BT were live for the most part, and Summerteeth and AGIB were tracked individually...the film IATTBYH indicates that Yankee was live for the most part, but i'm not for sure. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cam Jones Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 As a musician myself, I've always loved the idea of doing things differently each time to get a different experience and result. I know YHF might have been recorded live at time but there are also obvious cuts/punch ins etc. Sky Blue Sky was mostly recorded with everyone in a circle looking at each other which I think is really cool. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ghost of Electricity Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 i seem to remember reading somewhere that AGIB was written/composed/arranged on pro tools at the loft cutting and pasting extensively, then when it was "done" they learned how to play what they'd constructed on the computer, went to another studio and recorded it more or less live. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lost highway Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 I don't know about BT, and AM, but Summerteeth was an overdub fest. Bennett even played some of the drums.A lot of the core takes from YHF had a live band thing going, but then overdubs got crazy, and I think a lot of the live stuff got thrown out.AGIB is almost 100% live, as is SBS.WTA had most of the rhythm guitar, keys, bass and drums done live (vocals, not sure) in New Zealand with Nels and Jorgensen's stuff being added later at the loft.I think TWL has a lot of live tracks at its core too, but some pretty free exploration in the overdub process. I think they have it figured out at this point, and they've gotten the loft to a level where they don't even need to mix elsewhere. With that Neve in the room they've got all the infrastructure to make amazing albums with engineer rates being the only ongoing cost as they work. Pretty sweet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ripthisjoint908 Posted March 11, 2013 Author Share Posted March 11, 2013 Ahh I see. Ghost was really recorded mostly live? That surprises me. If anyone knows anything else about Ghost's recording process, please share! I'd love to know the story behind that. Any interviews would be helpful as well! The "written on protools-converted to studio" story is interesting. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Muzzle of Dan Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 See THIS THREAD on gearslutz. I found this in another thread here on the board (that specific thread I can't remember anymore...) It's got some comments from an engineer who worked the Ghost Is Born sessions. Look for the posts by Chris Shaw. There are also some great pictures of the room set up that he posted. There is a lot of great info here. The Wilco Book also has a lot of awesome stuff about Sear Sound and the writing/constructing/recording of Ghost. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lamradio Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Which method do you prefer? The last several records I have done, it has been 75% overdubs, but this is because of limited space and musicians. There's something to be said for recording live and it can really bring out the chemistry in a band, but I have found that both live and overdubbing can bring the same sounding results. If you want to still get a good cohesive sound, I think its important to have a good click-track to start with. For example, a full band recording with drums, the click-track should be a metronome with a rough mix of rhythm guitar and lead vocals. The drummer and bass player can then play along with this to lay down their parts at the same time (or separately depending on your available inputs on your board). A good drummer can play along with the metronome with no issues. After the rhythm section is laid down, its really a matter of preference on what you lay down next (usually guitars, misc instruments, vocals last). I have done 4 full length records using this method and have been very happy with the results. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
choo-choo-charlie Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 The Wilco Book. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ripthisjoint908 Posted March 11, 2013 Author Share Posted March 11, 2013 The Wilco Book.Yeah, I should really get my hands on that haha. Damn. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
renic Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 there is also an article in tape op where, iirc, they talk about sbs recorded mostly with 57's. and sear sound was fantastic. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lost highway Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 If you always play music as a group, it usually makes the most sense to record it as a group. I usually make exceptions for finicky details that you want more choices on: guitar solos, vocal takes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
choo-choo-charlie Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 AGIB = best-sounding Wilco record? I think so. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bleedorange Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 AGIB = best-sounding Wilco record? I think so. By a country mile. In all facets. I know they're never leaving the Loft, but what I wouldn't give for their next album to follow the AGIB model. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
choo-choo-charlie Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 I think TWL is the best-sounding of the three records made by this lineup -- closer to the sound of what drew me to Wilco records in the first place. YHF has some really nice touches and is a great headphone record, but AGIB, to my ears, is a real feast. Always finding new little sonic details. I think BT is pretty good on headphones, but I prefer the first three Wilco albums played loud through big speakers or in the car. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tstrapac Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 My favorite recordings of my bands have been everyone live but all amps isolated in a different, sound proof, room. A feed of a click track and all amps and mics sent to the drummer's headphones to get the drums recorded with everyone "live" then individual tracks recorded on top of the "clean" drum track. I hope that made sense.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ghost of Electricity Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 there are are many many aprroaches that can be taken to good effect. One recording done with one of my bands broke just about all the rules you could: we plugged guitars direct in to the computer, played to a click track, did all the amps on software sims, added some keys and even pedal steel from high-quality samples. the drums were done last, and live. I was sceptical about doing things this way, but the results were surprisingly good. the key was having a good engineer (who also happened to be the guitarist) I'm not saying that it would be my first choice of how to do it again, but just raising the point that different approaches can be taken to good effect. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anthony Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 AGIB = best-sounding Wilco record? I think so. Me too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ripthisjoint908 Posted March 13, 2013 Author Share Posted March 13, 2013 My band usually records completely live, or a scratch guitar to a click track, then drums to that guitar, then delete the scratch, and do all guitars including bass, live together, then other instruments separate, then vocals. As far as Wilco, AGIB and TWL are the best sounding to my ears. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
uncool2pillow Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 I would agree with AGIB. To me, it's the empty spaces. YHF is a great noisy feast, but there are a lot more sparse moments on AGIB. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 I am in the minority, as I like Summerteeth best. Very Beatlesesque. The others are too dry and claustrophobic for my taste. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lamradio Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 My least favorite as far as recording quality is Being There, even though it is probably my favorite Wilco record. The quality is too bright, almost tinny.. The album was mixed very well, but terribly mastered. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ripthisjoint908 Posted March 13, 2013 Author Share Posted March 13, 2013 I am in the minority, as I like Summerteeth best. Very Beatlesesque. The others are too dry and claustrophobic for my taste.Can't argue with that. I find new things with every listen on ST. Especially on tracks like PS and ELT. Very much like the White Album or MMT from the Beatles. The mix is perfect. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
choo-choo-charlie Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 For some reason, I sometimes feel totally overwhelmed by ST on headphones -- too much happening, like I'm over-saturated in sound. Or buried in sound... Maybe I need better headphones. AGIB just sounds warm and intimate to me, more so than any other. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ripthisjoint908 Posted March 13, 2013 Author Share Posted March 13, 2013 For some reason, I sometimes feel totally overwhelmed by ST on headphones -- too much happening, like I'm over-saturated in sound. Or buried in sound... Maybe I need better headphones. AGIB just sounds warm and intimate to me, more so than any other.I do see how some aspects of Summerteeth can be overwhelming, but something I love about it with headphones, is the stereo mix. The use of panning. If you have just one headphone in, you can put the other one in and hear the track transform into a completely new entity. A lot like the White Album like I mentioned. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
choo-choo-charlie Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 I don't listen to music with just one headphone in. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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