EQ Magazine - February 2008 - (Page 48) H ow l o u d i s i t w h e n yo u d o yo u r g u i t a r ove r d u b s ? I don’t usually play through a full stack, but I’ll use one 4x12 cabinet and crank up the amp as far as it can go. I want the speakers to sound like they’re going to pop right out of the cabinet. Of course, there’s a point where you can go too far with the volume, so you have to find the spot where the speakers are raging, but just before they collapse into mush. I’m assuming yo u ’r e n o t a g u y w h o u s e s M a s t e r Vo l u m e k n o b s ? Absolutely not. You lose low end with those. I s e n s e a r e c u r r i n g theme, here. . . . Yes. Low end is the recurring theme with us. We’re living for the bass. The power of Blue Cheer isn’t just in the volume, it’s that we really chunk out the lows for our rhythm tracks. The low end also gives us what we consider a more old-school sound. I don’t have anything against high end—I love screaming guitars—but fat rhythm tracks are a big part of the band’s signature style. Ultimately, you want to hear what everyone is playing, but we don’t compromise the power you hear—and feel— in the low end just to make the mix crystal clear. D o y o u h a v e t o m a k e a ny s o n i c a d j u s t m e n t s t o e n s u r e t h e l ow s a r e p ro p e r ly t r a n s l a t e d ? I just try to keep as much low end in my rhythm-guitar sound as possible. I’ll also tweak Dickie’s bass sound so that our frequencies cross over a bit. Where the bass starts to leave off in the low mids, the guitar will start there, and then take on the higher frequencies. I also scoop out some of the high-midrange frequencies to diminish any harshness.The hard part is usually the mix, because high end can be pumped up louder than low end.You can only make bass so loud before the meters go into the red. It’s a constant battle putting in as much low end as we can get without making the tracks too muddy or distorted. W h at a b o u t c o m p r e s s i o n ? I don’t like it on the guitars. At the volumes I play, the speakers have kind of an automatic compression effect, and everything gets squashed down at the mastering stage, anyway. So I don’t compress the guitars very much as they’re being recorded. D o e s t h e r e c o r d i n g m e d i u m a ff e c t t h e l ow e n d i n a ny way ? A little. We tracked to Alesis ADATs, but we mastered off a 1/4" analog mix that was running at 15ips. W h a t i s yo u r v i ew o n g e tt i n g a n o l d - s ch o o l g u i t a r s o u n d t h e s e d ay s ? First, let me say that I’m absolutely into modern technology. But you have to use the technology in a way that’s true to your artistic vision. Like I said, super-clean, high- fidelity sound isn’t necessarily the thing for Blue Cheer. Analog tape was obviously the sound of classic rock and roll, but tapebased studios are difficult to find these days, and they can be expensive. So, given that fact, I believe that using as much tube gear as you can is the way to find that vintage sound in a digital age. I’ve used PODs and other modeling processors, and I like There’s nothing like a Neumann Unity: and the KMS 104 The KMS 104. Too polite for a real rock stage? We think not. Just ask 311. With a heavy gauge grill, a moisture barrier popscreen and feedback protection filters, the Neumann KMS 104 isn’t just any condenser mic – it’s made to withstand the realities of tour. 311 sings, raps, and belts out their signature blend of rock, rap, and reggae with the KMS 104. For raw power and aggression balanced with subtlety and true artistry, there’s nothing like a Neumann. Available in satin nickel or matte black finish. KK 104 capsule head for exclusive use with Sennheiser wireless. www.neumannusa.com www.eqmag.com FEBRUARY 2008 EQ 49 www.neumannusa.com www.eqmag.com
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