Why don't I get a big bang when the song starts?

[Circuithead]

Perhaps your extra takes are played too exactly like the first. It didn't sound doubled to me which is why I suggested that as an option. Tracking doubles with a different guitar might make a bigger difference.

I actually don't want to deviate too much from what I got right now as far as tone goes. I'm sitting between a chainsaw and a swarm of angry bees and it sounds pretty dangerous but like it. Plus I don't have another 7 string with delicious passive duncans I can easily borrow, even though I could severely downtune a 6 string to A. I know it's not the typical type of music for your average 7 strings player but I ran out of skills trying to make faster shit so now I'm just lumbering around, plus I like tight strings.

Whoever suggested more kick is right on too. I'm fucking around with it right now and turns out I do really need to chill out with the space shuttles and bring in more kicks for starters. I'm whipping out the bass now so I can lay down some tracks but yeah it seems like we're moving and the samples we're a big part of the problem. Thanks man

[Circuithead]

I agree with the above comments! One thing I can add is that I've done this sort of thing before—achieved that big hit/transition—by putting a high pass on the entire mix at the beginning and automating it to turn off right at the moment you want the oomph. The power of the hit can be really emphasized depending on exactly how much high pass you're willing to dial in, but even a more conservative amount will still manage to up the contrast between the two parts. And I agree that bass would help.

That's interesting, do you turn it back on if the part is in the middle of the song or you just commit for the rest?

[Bartimaeus]

My first impression is that the guitar tone could use a hair more upper mids. It's just a little too hollow to have the heft necessary for a punchy intro.

One think that might be worth trying in addition is a transient shaper. Distortion naturally smooths out transients, so adding them back in post-distortion can give more punch to a sound while also retaining the added harmonics. Flux Bittersweet is free and works great.

That highpass filter trick could definitely help too.

[Circuithead]

My first impression is that the guitar tone could use a hair more upper mids. It's just a little too hollow to have the heft necessary for a punchy intro.

One think that might be worth trying in addition is a transient shaper. Distortion naturally smooths out transients, so adding them back in post-distortion can give more punch to a sound while also retaining the added harmonics. Flux Bittersweet is free and works great.

That highpass filter trick could definitely help too.

I'll admit I'm 100% ignorant in the domain of transients but I know it's a good thing to know when mixing drums especially.

Let me download that plugin and give it a try. Any general pointers?

[friendship]

I do really need to chill out with the space shuttles

We've all been there.

[Circuithead]

I'll be moving on to farming equipment samples now. Much easier to mix and just as rich in a narrative sense.

Did the hay bale fall on your head? Does the hay bale have feelings? Are you the hay bale? Would you marry a hay bale?

*click of fuzz pedal activating, as the smell of legal, canadian, federally provided chronic fills the air*

DDDDJJUUUUUNNNNNN

[whoismarykelly]

On the subject of count-ins - sometimes a count-in makes something stronger because its part of the song rather than a signal to the band. If you you placed one or two snare hits as the count-in at the end of the sample then people get that slight warning that something awesome is going to happen. Kick or snare work well for this thing IMO. Stick clicks or hats don't hit as hard.

[nogodsnobedtimes]

Agreed with everyone else. Add bass, BIG cymbal hit, and more volume.

The song sounds pretty dope though, I dig it.

[friendship]

Also as an alternative to the count-in you could try the classic trick of copying the big crash cymbal on the first downbeat, reversing it, and having it swell up to that downbeat. Fade it to as short or as long as you think creates the amount of anticipation you'd like.

edit: I'm not saying you need to do this, I just like ideas.

[Circuithead]

On the subject of count-ins - sometimes a count-in makes something stronger because its part of the song rather than a signal to the band. If you you placed one or two snare hits as the count-in at the end of the sample then people get that slight warning that something awesome is going to happen. Kick or snare work well for this thing IMO. Stick clicks or hats don't hit as hard.

Like the song V off your latest? The way that one starts out, with the chaos cued in by drum hits sounds fucking insane. Heads reminds me of PG.99 quite a lot, especially the vocals.

Hats don't hit as hard but if you like Deftones you'll be familiar with the subtle count-ins that Abe Cunningham does sometimes and it works well too.

The song sounds pretty dope though, I dig it.

Thanks I really appreciate that

Also as an alternative to the count-in you could try the classic trick of copying the big crash cymbal on the first downbeat, reversing it, and having it swell up to that downbeat. Fade it to as short or as long as you think creates the amount of anticipation you'd like.

edit: I'm not saying you need to do this, I just like ideas.

The very first demo of that song I recorded had the fuzz swelling in right before the boom, so you get the vibe I'm going for. I'm planning on doing the same thing and adding a cymbal is a good idea.

That's the old one : https://www.dropbox.com/s/r1zl307em4vgs ... l.mp3?dl=0

You'll notice the tone is fucking mud, but I can appreciate that and I sure did like it before I got the twin earth and recorded everything again with it. The fuzz swells in and the song starts. The cymbal here is a great idea. I'll try it for sure.

[MechaGodzilla]

I agree with the above comments! One thing I can add is that I've done this sort of thing before—achieved that big hit/transition—by putting a high pass on the entire mix at the beginning and automating it to turn off right at the moment you want the oomph. The power of the hit can be really emphasized depending on exactly how much high pass you're willing to dial in, but even a more conservative amount will still manage to up the contrast between the two parts. And I agree that bass would help.

this is what i thought too^^ just pull back the low end from about 36secs until the riff kicks in

[whoismarykelly]

On the subject of count-ins - sometimes a count-in makes something stronger because its part of the song rather than a signal to the band. If you you placed one or two snare hits as the count-in at the end of the sample then people get that slight warning that something awesome is going to happen. Kick or snare work well for this thing IMO. Stick clicks or hats don't hit as hard.

Like the song V off your latest? The way that one starts out, with the chaos cued in by drum hits sounds fucking insane. Heads reminds me of PG.99 quite a lot, especially the vocals.

Had to go look to see what song that was lol. Yeah any drum thing that indicates "oh fuck something sick is about to happen" can add a lot to a song. I love a countoff on the snare over stick clicks because its way more intense and the count-in becomes part of the performance.

The Locust are really awesome at this because all their songs start with a single snare hit live.

[Circuithead]

Yeah the locust, I bought Plagues Soundscapes and The Locust while on vacation in Poland just this year and I can't even listen to the S/T because it's a tiny disc and I'm not putting that in my car stereo. Plague Soundscapes is genius though so I assume the other one probably is too.

[whoismarykelly]

Oh yeah they have an epic history of weird format CDs. I have a copy of that tiny 3" disc at my house that I could only ever play on my discman when I was a kid.