We all know Nigel Godrich adds spacey noises to his productions...

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

...but how does he actually make said noises? I mean, I have a vague idea how someone could make most of those sounds, and some of them are clearly just messing with effects, but some of them are pretty musical, and I was wondering if there's ever been anything written about him actually playing an instrument, or just an FX loop, or anything along those lines. Or if anyone can clearly detect a particular keyboard patch in stuff he's done.

― Eppy (Eppy), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 13:44 (twenty years ago)

Or if he's just messing with MAX/MSP on a laptop, I guess.

― Eppy (Eppy), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 13:45 (twenty years ago)

From what I've heard production-wise (specifically Radiohead), Godrich is a proponent of the "studio as instrument" philosophy. He's very well versed in effects and recording techniques - using the likes of compression and tape delay for effect. He doesn't count himself as an expert in the latest technology, since he cut his teeth in the pre-Pro Tools days.

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 20:49 (twenty years ago)

I think it's also safe to say he had more of an engineer role on Kid A and Amnesiac, letting the band drive the technology.

What are specific examples of sounds you are trying to determine the source from? Re: keyboard patches, I would imagine he didn't all that much to do with those sorts of things, except perhaps on a consultative level.

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 20:51 (twenty years ago)

i read that max/msp is like a band member unto itself for those guys

― a name means a lot just by itself (lfam), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 21:37 (twenty years ago)

AMS out the wazoo

― electric sound of jim [and why not] (electricsound), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 02:02 (twenty years ago)

it sounds like he's big on manipulating the controls of delays/reverbs in real time, while recording. fairly unorthodox. on ok computer he used alot of envelope-controlled effects, drums triggering filters, etc. and yeah, he's way big on the creative over-compression thing.

he does play bass on the thom yorke album, and i like his style and tone.

― awesome little blues monkey (awesome little blues monkey), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 14:11 (twenty years ago)

He's definitely a talented guy, just based on his Radiohead production credits alone.

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 19:59 (twenty years ago)

I was actually listening to the new Beck album at the time, which has a lot more noises-qua-noises sprinkled through, it seems like. I was just wondering if aside from MAX/MSP anyone heard any specific techniques/equipment being used.

Uh, what's AMS?

― Eppy (Eppy), Friday, 13 October 2006 20:07 (nineteen years ago)

AMS were one of a handful of companies (along with Lexicon and Eventide, who still exist, and stuff like the Ursa Major Space Station) who made the first generation of digital delay/reverb/pitch boxes. The technology was relatively primitive, sample rates were low, and algorythms often quirky- hence, alot of the older units have a different, and often pleasingly-imperfect sound. They also lend themselves much more to real-time tweaking.

― awesome little blues monkey (awesome little blues monkey), Friday, 13 October 2006 22:31 (nineteen years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.