Collective questions for Mr. Sneap -thread

[Aaron Smith]

What inserts do you use in your mastering chain in addition to the trusty Finalizer? Where in your mix or mastering chain does snare clipping occur?

[Dandelium]

Originally Posted by Aaron Smith

What inserts do you use in your mastering chain in addition to the trusty Finalizer? Where in your mix or mastering chain does snare clipping occur?

+1

[jacare]

Sticky...

[MetalJonesy]

Originally Posted by Aaron Smith

What inserts do you use in your mastering chain in addition to the trusty Finalizer? Where in your mix or mastering chain does snare clipping occur?

+1

[Sickan]

Originally Posted by Aaron Smith

What inserts do you use in your mastering chain in addition to the trusty Finalizer? Where in your mix or mastering chain does snare clipping occur?

+1

[ahjteam]

Originally Posted by XGabrielX

Hey andy, what do you think about the loudness war?

I remember this post that Andy once posted related to the Chimaira album that he mixed.

Originally Posted by jacare

Sticky...

Or a link to the FAQ? Brett, we are looking at you...

Originally Posted by Aaron Smith

What inserts do you use in your mastering chain in addition to the trusty Finalizer? Where in your mix or mastering chain does snare clipping occur?

+1

[Dom Ostarig]

In your opinion, every professional metal drummer must play to a click??? Why?

(sorry, i don't know if Andy already answer that in a past thread)

[ahjteam]

Originally Posted by Dom Ostarig

In your opinion, every professional metal drummer must play to a click??? Why?

(sorry, i don't know if Andy already answer that in a past thread)

SOULFLY

[Vandyn]

in which circumstances would you like the tape recorders back again?

[Black neon bob]

Originally Posted by Aaron Smith

What inserts do you use in your mastering chain in addition to the trusty Finalizer? Where in your mix or mastering chain does snare clipping occur?

this...

[enditol]

What processing makes up your chain for bass and / or vocals?

[jacare]

Originally Posted by Vandyn

in which circumstances would you like the tape recorders back again?

+1

[cobhc]

Yeah, I'd like to know if you use clipping on the snare to stop the mastering fucking it up, I know a lot of people here do this, but I always wanted to know if the pro's use one as well.

[Rob Logic]

Originally Posted by Aaron Smith

What inserts do you use in your mastering chain in addition to the trusty Finalizer? Where in your mix or mastering chain does snare clipping occur?

+1

[cobhc]

Also ahjteam, might wanna change that last bit about "Andy played guitar in a band called Sabbat" that's past tense, unless I'm very much mistaken Sabbat is still playing shows, and Andy does still play guitar for them .

[cobhc]

Oh, and also, when blending your snare samples in, do you blend only with the top or bottom mic of the snare, or both?

[ahjteam]

Originally Posted by cobhc

Also ahjteam, might wanna change that last bit about "Andy played guitar in a band called Sabbat" that's past tense, unless I'm very much mistaken Sabbat is still playing shows, and Andy does still play guitar for them .

Yeah, I actually didn't realize that Sabbat made a comeback in 2006, so it was my bad

[Andy Sneap]

Originally Posted by Ermz

You mentioned reamping the bass DI. Do you still use the real amp mainly for grit, or the broadband bass tone? Cheers.

Can be both depending on what I need.
Sometimes I can get a really good low out of the DI, sometimes out the mic. Bass can sound so different depending on the player and bass used so its a bit of trial and error.

[Andy Sneap]

Originally Posted by GuitarHack

What's your favorite Mic-Pre these days? Still the Spider?

Is your Mesa Oversize Cab still a Slant? ( Marcus)
thanks

yes I still love the Spider, I'd buy another if there wasn't such a long waiting list. I have several API 3124's which get used alot too.
Thing is about the oversize cab, correct me if I'm wrong but dont the bottom cabs slant up on the top 2 speakers too? I have 2 normal size boogies also which I like alot.

[Andy Sneap]

Originally Posted by ahjteam

Thank you Andy for your answers, I compiled them to the first post. I would still like to ask from the acoustic guitar micing... Can you be a little more specific on the micing? Do you use a large or small diaphram mic and how far do you have it and where do you aim it?

And then another questions: How much do you use delay and reverb, what kind and where do you apply it on (drums, snare, vocals...)? Do you rather mic up a room or do you use digital reverb instead?



+1

Again it depends, I just used a sony C800G on the Megadeth record and it sounded great, aimed between the sound hole and where the neck meets the body. I've had good results with small diaphram mics also, especially if the guitar seems a little too boomy.

I find having a tiny bit of room in there helps glue the kit together, but I tend to always use a verb just to give the kit more power. Guess thats my love of 80's metal coming out. Delay I'll tend to use a touch on chorus vocals, esp if melodic and solos. I usually roll the top end back and send to the verb too.

[Andy Sneap]

Originally Posted by XGabrielX

Hey andy, what do you think about the loudness war?

Sometimes I´m realy gettin headaches of listening to newer productions ( like "the ghost inside" , "throwdown" , "all shall perish"...)
this records are all mixed great, but the mastering sometimes destroy all the energy in my opinion.

When you are mastering projects, do you try to get the "industry standard loudness wise" or you just try to let the mastering fit the different styles of the music.

for example:

all shall perish doesnt need dynamcs so lets make this real hot
and 36 crazyfists is a dynamic band, so try to archive this through the mastering process?

I´m realy looking forward to a Pro-opinion.

cheers

I think there's a happy compromise. I usually aim for an average of -10 rms and see compare the sound before and after and see if I'm damaging the mix. If so, you know what, I back it down, I know, crazy concept!

In reply to Aaron, Im usually going for the waves ssl comp, crane song tape simulator and the finalizer in my master buss inserts.

[Andy Sneap]

Originally Posted by Dom Ostarig

In your opinion, every professional metal drummer must play to a click??? Why?

(sorry, i don't know if Andy already answer that in a past thread)

Well although most sessions I do now are to a click, I just think its important the practice to a click.

[Metaltastic]

Originally Posted by Andy Sneap

Thing is about the oversize cab, correct me if I'm wrong but dont the bottom cabs slant up on the top 2 speakers too?

Yeah, up until ~2 years ago that was the case, but Mesa now offers fully straight Recto OS cabs (about time!)

[Chryst Krispies]

Hey I just wanna thank you for answering all these questions.

It's pretty cool of you. The force is certainly with you.

/end asskissing.

[ahjteam]

I updated the first post.

edit: Also an additional question: What brand DI-boxes and reamp-boxes do you use? And do you prefer single, dual or quadtracking on rhythm guitars?