Analog recordings?

[Them Bones]

Aight, I know Fortress is very new, but we know that another AB album is on the horizon cuz Creed's no more. You think the guys should record the next album analog? Like the MOP HC days? Foo Fighters pulled it off and although am not a huge fan of their entire catalogue, the sound of the new album was pretty sweet. I think AB should go analog on the next album. What say?

[Lenishere]

Couple things first off...no one said Creed is "no more." They are on hiatus for an extended period of time, and based on the success of AB and Tremonti, they are focusing more on that for a while, but it has not been confirmed that Creed is gone forever. Second, they have stated in the past they like to keep a "three year" album cycle for AB to let the fans "digest" the album, and due to side projects such as Slash and due to the amount of touring that goes with it and AB, it would be difficult to have anything sooner anyways without being rushed. Responding to the topic, yes, I do think it could be pretty cool to record analog. If it's done right it sounds awesome! Don't know if they'd ever do that though.

[abw1987]

Absolutely they should!

I remember discussing this during previous album cycles. I think the general consensus is usually that we would all love for them to do an analog album.

I wonder how such an album would turn out. It would likely be more raw and it would be easier to hear the individual instruments. Obviously, analog recordings are much more difficult to manipulate. Alter Bridge albums typically sound HUGE, so that might be sacrificed by recording analog. I think that would be a good thing, though. I'd love to hear Alter Bridge dialed back from the "wall of sound".

[Decay]

I would like to see that happen, yes. Analog recordings are really genuine. It'd take a good amount of time to record it, but I wanna hear the unsophisticated AB album, some raw, dirty sounds and stuff.

If they ever agree to do it, I'd be all for it.

[Mister Gold]

I would like to see that happen, yes. Analog recordings are really genuine. It'd take a good amount of time to record it, but I wanna hear the unsophisticated AB album, some raw, dirty sounds and stuff.

If they ever agree to do it, I'd be all for it.

Yeah, that'd be fantastic if they were to do that. I'd love to hear a more raw sounding AB album!

[Them Bones]

Couple things first off...no one said Creed is "no more." They are on hiatus for an extended period of time, and based on the success of AB and Tremonti, they are focusing more on that for a while, but it has not been confirmed that Creed is gone forever. Second, they have stated in the past they like to keep a "three year" album cycle for AB to let the fans "digest" the album, and due to side projects such as Slash and due to the amount of touring that goes with it and AB, it would be difficult to have anything sooner anyways without being rushed. Responding to the topic, yes, I do think it could be pretty cool to record analog. If it's done right it sounds awesome! Don't know if they'd ever do that though.

Trust me man, Creed are done for. I hate to say it, but its true. Well even if they ever come back, it'll be soul less, for money only and just to fill in the gaps between Myles goin off with Slash, although that doesn't seem like a possibility now that we have "Tremonti".


Getting back to the topic, AB would sound pretty good analog but I doubt they'll go for it. They love their pro tools.

[chtimixeur]

They don't have the balls to do it.
It's easier for them to keep on recording on pro-tools with Elvis.

[agny]

Wasn't Apocalyptic Love recorded analog?

[Inconquerable]

Wasn't Apocalyptic Love recorded analog?

Yes sir it was.

I was thinking about posting this myself a little while ago and I think it would be really great. It would be cool if they tried it on an EP or something like that first just to see how it goes and then decide from there whether they want to continue doing it or not.

[Therefromthestart04]

Well there might be hope for Creed fans because when Myles does the next Slash album Slash will tour it for the next ten years from the Amazon to China from north to south pole.

[anguyen92]

Well there might be hope for Creed fans because when Myles does the next Slash album Slash will tour it for the next ten years from the Amazon to China from north to south pole.

Not so fast, there, even the slight chance that would happen, Mark will still vouch for wanting to do solo albums over Creed albums. Sorry, but that's the ..... Sad But True part of the story.

[jerry424]

I'd be happy to hear an album done in analog. They couldn't brickwall the hell out of the mix that way.

As to the Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl bought the Neve console from Sound City, and put it in his studio. That console runs on magic and unicorn tears, and sound like God. Watch the Sound City documentary.

[chtimixeur]

I'd be happy to hear an album done in analog. They couldn't brickwall the hell out of the mix that way.

Yes they could.
Metallica's Death magnetic was recorded on analog tapes. Then they transfered the tapes on pro-Tools, and butchered the mixing and mastering.

[Crumbso]

It means nothing. You can brick wall an analogue recording. There are valve compressors you can use. Anyway, if it's going to end up as an mp3 or CD it's going to get digital in the end. There's no such thing as a true analogue recording these days.

[anguyen92]

It means nothing. You can brick wall an analogue recording. There are valve compressors you can use. Anyway, if it's going to end up as an mp3 or CD it's going to get digital in the end. There's no such thing as a true analogue recording these days.

I'm probably going to say

I mean, I always use this example a lot regarding this subject, but Metallica's Death Magnetic. Wasn't that album recorded in Sound City Studios and, thus, had the chance to use the famous neve console? Yet, that album had a lot of compression problems after it was done being recorded and that the Guitar Hero versions were, actually, better listening versions, because Metallica sent the album to the Guitar Hero people without it being mastered or something like that.

At the end of the day, it's always going to be up to the band, themselves, to fight for how they want their final product to sound. Dave Grohl wanted Wasting Light to sound very pure and raw without any brick-walling or anything and he got that and no higher-ups is going to argue with him on that, especially due to the great success it was.

Edit: Oh crap, chtimixeur already used the Death Magnetic example. This is what I get for putting people on ignore.

[AB23]

This isn't the creed reunion thread guys.... with the relationship that stapp and the other guys have now just forget it.

AL was analog I believe. It would be interesting and experimental. The guys seem to like to be experimental more and more with each album, so it may be plausible

[jerry424]

As to DM, only the drums, from what I understand.

And yeah, you can "brickwall" an analog recording, but if you master a recording for analog, you can't reach the level of volume stupidity that current recordings are using. I've heard if you try the needle would jump out of the groove.

What I'd like is a 24bit/96khz release.

[abw1987]

It would be interesting and experimental. The guys seem to like to be experimental more and more with each album, so it may be plausible

This is a good point, actually. The AB guys like to experiment, and that's something they often emphasize during interviews. I'm actually surprised that they haven't tried an analog recording already.

And yeah, you can "brickwall" an analog recording, but if you master a recording for analog, you can't reach the level of volume stupidity that current recordings are using. I've heard if you try the needle would jump out of the groove.

That is my understanding as well. I guess you would need to perform the entire process in analog. There would be no use in cutting all the parts to analog tape, and then immediately transferring them to digital format for mixing/mastering. You'd have to do the entire thing in album, encompassing tracking, mixing, master, and whatever else goes on. Then at the very end, the final product could be transferred to digital format for CDs/mp3s.

[Crumbso]

It would be interesting and experimental. The guys seem to like to be experimental more and more with each album, so it may be plausible

This is a good point, actually. The AB guys like to experiment, and that's something they often emphasize during interviews. I'm actually surprised that they haven't tried an analog recording already.

And yeah, you can "brickwall" an analog recording, but if you master a recording for analog, you can't reach the level of volume stupidity that current recordings are using. I've heard if you try the needle would jump out of the groove.

That is my understanding as well. I guess you would need to perform the entire process in analog. There would be no use in cutting all the parts to analog tape, and then immediately transferring them to digital format for mixing/mastering. You'd have to do the entire thing in album, encompassing tracking, mixing, master, and whatever else goes on. Then at the very end, the final product could be transferred to digital format for CDs/mp3s.

Well yes and no. People confuse analogue vs digital with the 'loudness war'. They are two separate entities. You can happily lower the overall volume to a level that a vinyl can handle it and yet the ratio between loudest and quietest moments would still be the same, this is the 'loudness war'. That is something that comes from making music directly for mp3 players/laptops/radios with shit speakers and marketing people wanting singles and albums to jump out at the listener. The problem is that this makes the quiet parts almost the same volume as the loudest parts and, thus, most of the dynamic nature of a song gets lost. You can find an example of the transition between quiet intro and loud verse in 'Slip To The Void'. Compare that to a similar situation on 'A Farewell To Kings' by Rush and the difference is stark:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/WOz2T-SdYiY[/youtube]
Transition at around 1:16

The analogue vs digital debate is different and doesn't really concern vinyl either, because it's recorded directly on to tape. The way that tape and analogue, principally valve amplified, mixing consoles work means that they generally can have a 'warmer' sound and, when driven, create a smooth distortion that can add to a sound. Recording to tape means that you have limited chances at recording as it's not so easy to drop in better takes to an original one. It often can involve the physical measuring, cutting and gluing of actual strips of alternate tape in place of the original. Obviously a huge pain in the arse. Your overdubs are also limited to the amount of tracks you physically have available.

Digital does not, generally, accentuate the same parts of the sonic spectrum that an analogue console does and without proper care can sound "flatter". It also sounds the same from loud to quiet but if pushed to far distorts in a very unattractive way, which is often referred to as "clipping". It brings an advantage of not have reams of degradable tape getting in the way. You can also drag, drop, cut, layer, manipulate & rearrange your recordings almost infinitely. This gives the producer and artists more freedom.

It's all down to preference though, most records these days are, and have been for a long time, recorded on digital work stations. Some might say that the warmer sound of analogue recordings is more pleasing & that, due to the arduous nature of tape editing, it's usually a truer representation of the artist's abilities as it's 'what actually happened'. This isn't always true though, if you've ever heard a Pink Floyd record you'll know that you can do some pretty mind blowing editing with tape.

I'd like to see AB do a more straight ahead 'live recorded' album though. Recording on to tape might bring a bit more punch to the sound and limit the amount of overdubs they do too.

[abw1987]

Thanks for the detailed post; I found it to be quite informative.

It never occurred to me that the analogue vs. digital debate was separate from the vinyl overload issue (for lack of a better term).

So it sounds to me like analogue recordings provide two potential benefits:

• A rawer, truer representation of the band
• A warmer, more dynamic sound

I do understand that it would give the band less freedom in terms of rearranging things or doing quick edits on the fly. Perhaps there's a way to record analogue and digital tracks simultaneously? That way they could use the digital recordings to drag-and-drop things as they please. When they're satisfied, they could just replicate the final arrangements using the analogue tracks. Does that make sense?