Making Records With Eric Valentine - WTF#1 the answers Round 4

[@mylesmartyn]

This has become in a matter of a few months the most important resource on music recording on the internet.

[@GregsGuitarLessons]

WTF Question! We know you love your tape saturation. You’ve used a handful of plugin options in your videos at this point. Saturn on everything. J48 tape sim. Lofi on drum buss. Sansamp on heavy snare. Decapitator with Butch. What inspires you to use those different flavors on different sources? Why a sansamp in a snare vs. Saturn? Thanks for everything you’re doing. This channel is a wealth of information, and we’re all grateful for your efforts.

[@mrwev]

Some of the choices happen because I go through phases of being into one plugin at a particular time. The ones that REALLY work tend keep showing over a longer period of time. Lo-Fi has been good to add a bit of crunchy brightness to a drum mix or individual drums. I use it sparingly though. It is not my favorite for more saturated sounding stuff. The J37 plug is good when trying to smooth out high end. It does thing of distorting more at high frequencies. Decapitator I actually dont use that much. I think it was being used in the Weezer sessions when I got them so I left it on. Then I'll end up reaching for it more if it was being used a lot in the session. Fab Filter Saturn has consistently proven itself to be pleasing to my ears so it keeps getting used and I have some much control over how and where it distorts.

[@lucasetten]

Thank you for taking the time to answer all of these questions. You don’t have to, but it’s very much appreciated. Cheers.

[@louderthangod]

In space, no one can hear my poorly mixed low end.

[@mrwev]

Haha!

[@damienlott]

You shouldn't be defined by the worst thing you have done in your life, you are way more things. That's the deepest thought I have heard in years, thank you for that.

[@justforsneakz]

Eric that insight about your friend at the space station was super interesting! What a unique little thing to add to these vids haha!

[@PatFlanigan]

TIL Eric mixed 5 Seconds of Summer. I mean I don't love the band, but it just shows how versatile Eric is as a producer and mixer! Much respect, my sir!

[@mylesmartyn]

It's kind of cliche to think of drums as the hardest thing to record in rock n' roll music - but in reality acoustic guitar is usually much more difficult to do well - I think some of this has to do with the Dreadnought being the most popular guitar size, most of which have a very dynamic and slightly out of control low end that often needs to be surgically and aggressively cut. An other issue with recording acoustics is that the attack sound of striking the string produces a percussive sound that is loud enough to interfere with the sustain or overall tone of the note. You can test this by muting the strings with your left hand and striking the strings with different materials - you'll find that even when using just your fingers, there is string noise. Would love to hear about your approaches to recording, EQ'ing and compressing acoustic guitars!!

[@coldroomstudio9973]

Hi Eric - Thanks for doing this - Really enjoying the series!

[@aricmeerbott3323]

Record Red Fang! That would sound so good. Dunno if they could afford you or not, but that would rule.

[@jaydee6126]

As a space nerd, I was geeked to hear the story about Jessica Meir and her experience aboard the ISS. I asked you a question about your connection to science, hope you get to it! Thanks for these videos, Eric.

[@Am6-9]

Jay Dee I’m not really space nerd, but I’ve had the chance to visit the astronaut training center of ESA near cologne, where they had full replica of ISS modules. It was pretty fascinating!

[@christianfengerbc6490]

The channel went from 0 to 100 - slowed down a bit early but now is lapping 99.9% you tube content ( great stuff MrV)

[@SocialGore]

When the Death From Above guys come back to do a production deconstruction with you, can you do the track "Never Swim Alone"?

[@mrwev]

Yeah I love that track!

[@SocialGore]

@@mrwev It thumps so hard, I gotta know how you did it

[@attherateofarobase]

Another DFA deconstruction would be incredible.

[@tootory9506]

In regards to Drum microphone phase, What is the advantage to using time adjuster in ProTools instead of just sliding back other wave forms to line up crest and trough? I always feel like the snare is the most direct hit with the least amount of delay, so it would make more sense to move things ahead to match the snare mic and kick Mic instead of delaying the kick and snare to match the overheads or other distant Mics?

[@CitizenInGame]

I was really enjoying this episode but you really had me at Carl Sagan!

[@GraemeWoller]

Carl Sagan. Instant winner. Every time I see the pale blue dot image and read those words I cry. Every single time.

[@Ramplcro]

Great great channel. It's great to see someody like you so open about thing you do. This channel definitely deserves way more subscribers. If i may, i would like to ask you if there is a difference in final result between recording a mic with a analog saturated class A mic pre and recording a mic in a pristine colorless interface and passing (and recording) that colorless recorded signal later through a good analog mic pre? Thanks in advance.

[@mrwev]

I have had good success running cheap stuff through good mic pres after the fact. I did that on a recent live recording where the band was recorded in totally flat with super conservative levels. As transparent as possible. I took all the drum mics and ran them through UTA mic pres and really pushed level. It felt just like it does when I track through those pres from the start.

[@Ramplcro]

@@mrwev Thank you for answering. Seeing the videos of mix/recording deconstruction i kinda imagine a video of you and a special guest in a top hat. If for some reason it ever happens make sure to give him a strat or a tele :D Keep the good work.

[@soundtoys795]

Please make your new T-Ride mix available for download. And also your SRC remix PLEASE!!

[@SteelRecordsProducer]

Can you PLEASE school me on the guitar sounds for "Start Something"? Or any rock guitar mixing knowledge in general. Those sounds changed my life when I was in high school!

[@MrJumboblimpjumbo]

On part 3 you talked about biking with Sagan--check out the Trail Gator when he's a couple years older! (I don't work for them)

[@mrwev]

Just took a peek at this... That is definitely gonna happen :)

[@thomasgilmartin1]

@@mrwev I used to hang around Ted King, who was the breakaway chasedown guy who helped Sagan win a ton of races. How could I guess you liked road cycling?!?!? Ted has a ride every fall in Maine Krempels Challenge kingchallenge.org. He tells some great Sagan stories. I attended UCI world championships in Richmond, VA and was at the finish when Sagan won!

[@anthonycronk2001]

Hey Eric, I know you’re still swamped in questions but How would you go about recording a jazz record? And have you done any before? Stylistically the productions completely different from a rock album, I’m curious how you would go about it. Some people still even record jazz albums straight to vinyl. (Check out the band butcher brown)

[@mrwev]

I have recorded two jazz fusion records with Tom Coster. They are definitely not traditional sounding records but were really fun to do. I got record a bunch insanely gifted musicians. I'll add this question to the Q and talk about how I approach it differently

[@anthonycronk2001]

Awesome! Thanks so much. I’m definitely gonna go and check those albums out

[@Journeymanlive]

Trying the dulicate-delayed of subby kick, it's really not easy to pull off ! thanks a lot, more Wonderfull things to try :)

[@MangoMaelstrom]

can you do a breakdown of the 5SOS song please?

[@mrwev]

I am planning on doing Looks so Perfect!

[@taopagan]

Wow, thanks! I really appreciate you going through your mental records - taking the time and describing things which, I suppose, are mostly second nature for you now.

[@SCOREWIZARDSMUSIC]

Thanks for making videos, you are awesome!!!

[@pimpum24]

WTF ARE THOSE MONITORS U USE?! Also could you pull off the one-mic drums sound without your undertone audio eq?

[@finn6612]

Thanks, Eric!

[@cap217cap217]

Where do you send/post the questions?

[@mrwev]

Go here to ask a question. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lX3RhXyYhNBprZo thanks for the interest!!

[@jordansears3911]

Thanks again Eric :)

[@imslicc]

yay!

[@WillJukedTheBox]

U don’t like sony c-800?

[@mrwev]

I know its a great mic I just have never owned one and have never had the chance to get to know it. I'm sure I would love it if I had the chance. I do hace experience with the C-500 and i LOVE that mic.

[@WillJukedTheBox]

MAKING RECORDS with ERIC VALENTINE oh word? didn’t even know there was a c-500. Have u tried any of the modeling mics like the slate vms or townsend sphere? Comparing the frequency response and sound on app.audiotestkitchen.com the get remarkably close in their emulations, esp the sphere.

[@soundtoys795]

Your bouncing iTunes logo on the left side of the screen is driving me BATTY!!!

[@mrwev]

Haha! sorry about that.

[@soundtoys795]

@@mrwev NP, I am easily distracted and to be honest it's a pretty short drive....

[@Am6-9]

Well, thanks for pointing to that.... now I keep staring at the left side and waiting for it to happen!!! 😡

[@uzefulidiot]

"Thingamajig" I c wut u did there m8