Creating a retro feel - Mixing & FX forums

Forums - Mixing & FX

Subject: Creating a retro feel

Pages: 1 2

Original Message 1/12 09-Aug-02 @ 03:50 PM - Creating a retro feel

Matt Hutch

Posts:

Link?: No link

File?: No file

I'd like to open it up to some of the more experienced producers here at DT to shed some light on creating a track with a retro feel to it.

An example of the sound I'm talking about would be tracks mixed by Kruder & Dorfmeister on their CD compilations. The sound of these tracks is definitely on the dull side, but it'd not just a matter of high end. The drums, synths, instruments and vocals in these tracks all have a retro feel to them.

I'm thinking it could be the use of tube compressors being overdriven which might create the sense of warmth and loss of high end, but I really don't know because I don't have any experience working with tubes, I'm just going by what I have read.

Any ideas?

[ back to forum ] [quote]

Message 2/12 09-Aug-02 @ 04:47 PM - RE: Creating a retro feel

milan

Posts: 5701

Link?: Link

File?: No file

analog tape. an old 8-trk for example.

[ back to forum ] [quote]

Message 3/12 09-Aug-02 @ 05:04 PM - RE: Creating a retro feel

Drop

Posts: 1128

Link?: No link

File?: No file

Yes! You know this is gonna be a good thread!

One of the really useful tips I read in one of K's drum articles, was the importance of changing some of your drum samples bit rate's. This works so well.

The retro sound your hearing could be a number of things but changing the bit rate of drum samples does take away top end and I think sounds warm aswell as giving a feel of dynamics.

What do you think K?

[ back to forum ] [quote]

Message 4/12 09-Aug-02 @ 08:31 PM - RE: Creating a retro feel

bastiaan

Posts: 1309

Link?: Link

File?: No file

Yep a few 8 bit low sample rat drums sounds and fx do wonders.

[ back to forum ] [quote]

Message 5/12 09-Aug-02 @ 08:54 PM - RE: Creating a retro feel

Mindspawn

Posts: 659

Link?: Link

File?: No file

Tubes, lower sample bits (but with good converters), tape decks, analog machines, etc. Hard to say really without hearing the track(s). Even with all digital gear, you can get a "retro" sound by creative use of EQ, compression, and so on. A lot of times it's an effect that can make a sound retro (old tape delays, phasers, etc., all sound very late 70s to me), sometimes it's the way the lines themselves are played. Sometimes it's sound choices for particular parts.

If you get your head around what's going on sonically in the trax you like (which it seems you're already doing) you're half way there....

[ back to forum ] [quote]

Message 6/12 09-Aug-02 @ 10:07 PM - RE: Creating a retro feel

damballah

Posts: 1675

Link?: Link

File?: No file

also with the K&D tracks, the very instrumentation has something to do with it. not knowing a specific track to talk about, I recall e-pianos, brushes on the drumkit, vibes, etc... sort of a lounge jazz thang. then run stuff through space echos and the like. of course it'll sound different than 909 samples and a virus direct into a soundcard with the treble cranked.

[ back to forum ] [quote]

Message 7/12 09-Aug-02 @ 10:38 PM - RE: Creating a retro feel

Brett

Posts:

Link?: No link

File?: No file

popped in to say roland space echo, but nevermind, been covered. Filtering with wahs works. the kaos pad or eletrix stuff too can do nice filtered delays etc.

[ back to forum ] [quote]

Message 8/12 10-Aug-02 @ 02:05 PM - RE: Creating a retro feel

xoxos

Posts: 6231

Link?: Link

File?: No file

what retro? how far?

i do just a little bit of digital clipping and aliasing in all of my tracks to stamp the audio as 16/44.1 era. it's the sound of now

[ back to forum ] [quote]

Message 9/12 11-Aug-02 @ 07:08 PM - RE: Creating a retro feel

Brett

Posts:

Link?: No link

File?: No file

LOL!! the future rhetro will be cd audio sound. that's is funny.

[ back to forum ] [quote]

Message 10/12 11-Aug-02 @ 07:20 PM - RE: Creating a retro feel

damballah

Posts: 1675

Link?: Link

File?: No file

I keep telling you guys, the "in" thing is that black-face ADAT converters sound. any idea how many records feature that?

[ back to forum ] [quote]

Pages: 1 2

There are 12 total messages for this topic

Reply to Thread

You need to register/login to use the forum.

Click here to Signup or Login !

[you'll be brought right back to this point after signing up]

Back to Forum