Black Metal Recording Techniques

[WeHuntKings]

I know there enough KvLt mofos on this board with knowledge on the subject, so I thought I'd start a little discussion about it.

What are some tricks and techniques you employ whilst recording the black metals? I'm about to start recording a black metal project of mine and I'm just curiosa to see how others do it.

Tonality wise, I'm going for something to similar to Psychocandy, A Blaze in The Northern Sky, later Striborg stuff and Loveless.

[Uncle Grandfather]

I know there enough KvLt mofos on this board with knowledge on the subject, so I thought I'd start a little discussion about it.

What are some tricks and techniques you employ whilst recording the black metals? I'm about to start recording a black metal project of mine and I'm just curiosa to see how others do it.

Tonality wise, I'm going for something to similar to Psychocandy, A Blaze in The Northern Sky, later Striborg stuff and Loveless.

if you're talking about in the studio and producing your own project, i don't see why there should be anything different about the procedure from how you would normally approach it.

[Wes Mantooth]

Going for tones like that I usually turn up the treble on my mixer a bit for that ratty, trebly sound. Otherwise just dial in the tone you want and go about it

[skullservant]

I don't really have a set process at all. Almost everything I do is improvised and in sessions anyways, so I've done a mix of direct recording, mic'd recording, using drum machines, programming stuff. The first ever album I recorded I sent a death metal pedal into a practice amp which was then mic'd and sent through more distortion. The last track I recorded for a comp was all mic'd and then EQ'd post-recording. Just think outside of the box and have fun with it

[Jero]

Amazingly, those "death metal" labeled pedals are quite spot on for black and death distortion.
Several of the things I play just don't sound right without the DM I sold.

[D.o.S.]

Valnut is a must.

[WeHuntKings]

I want to do multiple guitars on is stuff, and I guess my main concern is getting some sort of clarity without everything turning into a trebly white washed mess. I want to strike a good balance between harsh frequencies and the ability to distinguish between all the instruments.

Also, I wAnt the vox to be along the Filosofem side of things, any good tips on mic techniques to get that sound?

[Wes Mantooth]

I want to do multiple guitars on is stuff, and I guess my main concern is getting some sort of clarity without everything turning into a trebly white washed mess. I want to strike a good balance between harsh frequencies and the ability to distinguish between all the instruments.

Also, I wAnt the vox to be along the Filosofem side of things, any good tips on mic techniques to get that sound?

Varg used a telephone headset mic or something like that for vox on that album I believe. So really just use the absolute shittiest mic you could possibly find.

[Bassus Sanguinis]

I know there enough KvLt mofos on this board with knowledge on the subject, so I thought I'd start a little discussion about it.

What are some tricks and techniques you employ whilst recording the black metals? I'm about to start recording a black metal project of mine and I'm just curiosa to see how others do it.

Tonality wise, I'm going for something to similar to Psychocandy, A Blaze in The Northern Sky, later Striborg stuff and Loveless.

Have You tried single coils /split coils on the guitars shredding in high resister? You might like to. That's one way to have that kind of thrashy treble br00tz, some metal humbuggers in the bridge position have just too much fat to the sound. Try also mixing a blend with the ambience mic to taste to get that ..."hut in a forest" feel.

[WeHuntKings]

I know there enough KvLt mofos on this board with knowledge on the subject, so I thought I'd start a little discussion about it.

What are some tricks and techniques you employ whilst recording the black metals? I'm about to start recording a black metal project of mine and I'm just curiosa to see how others do it.

Tonality wise, I'm going for something to similar to Psychocandy, A Blaze in The Northern Sky, later Striborg stuff and Loveless.

Have You tried single coils /split coils on the guitars shredding in high resister? You might like to. That's one way to have that kind of thrashy treble br00tz, some metal humbuggers in the bridge position have just too much fat to the sound. Try also mixing a blend with the ambience mic to taste to get that ..."hut in a forest" feel.

I've actually composed most of tthe songs for this project on my jaguar and my roommates squier strategy, and I really like the way single coils sound with this kind of music.

I know it's not black metal, but I also really love the vocals on Dopethrone by electric wizard too, is there any advice on attaining a similar tone?

[D.o.S.]

Run your vocal mic through a really dirty sounding pre.

[Greenfuz]

[WeHuntKings]

Hah, I'm pretty sure Black Lips used one of those for any early album of theirs.

[Forrrest]

when mixing blast kick drum, cut the low end.

[The4455]

On Guitar cabs:

a dynamic half way between the cone and surround up against the grill (%57 or i5)
a large diaphragm condenser about two feet away in line with the dynamic (At-4050, C414, ksm32)
a small diaphragm dynamic on the cone against the grill (Beta 52, Re-20, D112, D6)

On Bass:

a D.I. (Radial, rustybox)
a Large diaphragm dynamic halfway between the cone and surround (EV Nd868, Beta 52)

On open back guitar cabs you could mic the back of one of those as well. For Bass I'd do a room mic place in the corner of the room pointed towards the cabinet for more ambient low end.