Hacker News Reader

Comment by jpmattia | Hacker News Reader

> According to Billy Anderson, the recording engineer, the guitar tracks were recorded three separate times to thicken the sound, using custom-built amps so powerful that it wasn’t possible to stand in the same room with them. Each amp was recorded with seven or eight microphones, which gives you a sense of the dedication required to create something so loud.

[facepalm] The triumph of hype over signal analysis.

View on HN

Yeah... Though I think an analysis of the lyrics would suggest that they weren't in a sober signal-analysis kind of mood when making this record..

    Drop out of life with bong in hand
    Follow the Smoke toward the Riff filled Land
    Drop out of life with bong in hand
    Follow the Smoke toward the Riff filled Land
    ...
    Creedsmen roll out across the dying dawn
    Sacred Israel Holy Mountain Zion
    Sun beams down on to the Sandsea reigns
    Caravan migrates through deep sandscape
    Lungsmen unearth the creed of Hasheeshian
    Procession of the Weed-Priests to cross the sands
    Desert Legion Smoke-Covenant is complete
    ...

Plus, if you've spent all your advance on custom amps and weed, you might as well put them to use.

The band name "Sleep" and song titled "Dopesmoker" didn't tip you off?

Dude, I saw them in 2009 at their first reunion show. I've been tipped off for a while now.

There's nothing shocking to anyone who knows how music recording (in particular stoner / doom metal) happens. Recording yourself several times is standard practice (it's called doubling or quading in sound engineering terms). It fattens the sound because the performer will not play exactly the same thing twice: it is just like having two guitar players in unison. Recording with several microphones is also standard practice. Mic placement has a HUGE influence on the sound you get so you will usually use at least 3 mics when recording a guitar amp; more mics just gives you more flexibility to achieve the final mix.

I don't know much about signal analysis but amps sound different when louder. Since they couldn't enter the room due to the loudness, it makes sense to just lay out 8 different mics and use the best angle. Layer three takes and it doesn't seem like hype so much as a loud approach to recording.

A really loud amp in a small room has the added benefit of a nice-sounding natural compression.

And a pile of resonant modes, ensuring a non-flat response. But how is a small room causing non-linearity?

[facepalm] translation: our sound goes to 11!

Reply on news.ycombinator.com