#300

on only shallow there were at least 10 tracks that were just Bilindas vocals :laughing:

#301

just the vocals though, the lowest thing in the mix, and like Kevins panning between two eq’s to get a wah sound, he could probably have just used some fx to get a very similar sound, point that slowdive aren’t sparser still stands

#302

I get doing stuff like that. Takes you outside the box and the limitations of technology, gives you more control over the sound. 100% behind Kev there.

3 Likes
#303

Also MueseuM do shit like that all the time so I feel like I need to justify it!

2 Likes
#304

“I’ve always told people exactly how I’ve made a record. The average My Bloody Valentine track is about one or two guitar tracks: less than a White Stripes or Cramps record. I could only get away with having one or two guitars at any one point because if you put a few on, then it took away from the effect, it sounded smaller and smaller. Basically, a My Bloody Valentine record has the same amount of tracks on it as most bands’ demos do.”

2 Likes
#305

the man also said he doesnt use pedals though when he clearly owns thousands so might not take his word for it

3 Likes
#306

It’s hard enough just asking him how many Jazzmasters he has

2 Likes
#307

My 2p on mbv… Feel like it starts really hitting its stride and getting interesting in the last few tracks and then it ends.

3 Likes
#308

Track sheet for a song

image

#309

I’m counting 8 tracks of guitar.

#311

why do you think it is easier to replicate live then, if it isn’t about the amount of tracks?

#313

alternate takes to choose from? i’d go with what Shields says himself, and to my ears it only does sound like a couple of guitars, with the tremolo arm and reverse reverb making it sound bigger, then the sample based lead lines on a few tracks

#314

I dont know what your point is to be honest, shields himself says there was nothing extraordinary about the production of loveless, it took so long due to various extenuating circumstances and his perfectionism, all his studio tinkering could be approximated live nowadays easily.

I think slowdive are better live because they dont actually try to recreate their sound as much, they come across as a lot more straight up indie rock live. whereas MBV do seem to be trying to recreate ‘their sound’ incorporate vibe killing backing tracks, and stopping every 10 seconds because things aren’t perfect, if they just played their songs with a rough approximation of their sound like slowdive they would probably be a lot better live, their songs are certainly strong enough

#315

like back in the day they would have a live flute player to do the sampled feedback melody lines from the record, that seems a lot better than just playing pre-recorded backing tracks, they should separate live from the studio more often

#316

Really funny that I keep getting notifications about this thread while I’m in the middle of obsessively tweaking the production of a specific track I’m making

Said tweaking involves making it a lot noisier and sludgier too

6 Likes
#317

Maybe they should cut out the variables on tour, do residencies in rooms that suit them. I’d definitely travel if the quality was that bit more guaranteed

2 Likes
#318

maybe what I am trying to say is I think maybe a lot of the credit for loveless should go to the yamaha engineer who came up with that reverse reverb preset

1 Like
#319

Yeah again though dude, if it was as simple as using a specific preset, why aren’t there loads of Loveless soundalike records out there?

2 Likes
#320

because it is very specific, and dont think most bands set out to be seen as merely imitators. I don’t think many seminal albums have loads of sound alike albums, sure you can hear the influence of albums on others, just as you can hear loveless’ influence on many things.

#321

I’m sure you’re right, but surely if it was as easy to recreate as you’re saying it is, there would be at least a few records that sound like it, given the esteem it’s held in (not by you, obviously, but by a fair number of people).

Guess my issue with what you’re saying is that you’re insinuating that the album is essentially a feat of engineering and contains nothing of worth creatively speaking. I get that you don’t like it, I mean whatever, not saying it’s compulsory, but to suggest that its all simply down to using a preset and there’s no songwriting or compositional skill (or anything else) is just… nah

3 Likes