Reproducing Effects, of Cover Songs

[soundguy_99]

Hey guys,
I am a young sound tech working in a local nightclub and get a fair amount of local bands in playing the typical popular cover tunes (ie. ACDC, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, ect). I want to try and get into more accuretly reproducing effects from those orginal recordings, both vocal effects, guitar effects, as well as drum effects,and studying them. I understand that alot of it has to do with the way the band plays the tunes, as well as the gear you have on hand, but I want to get more of a general guide, to help get closer to the orginal sound from the album.
Is there any website or place I can go to, get a break down of the delay times and other details of the effects, used in the orignal recordings, of some of the more popular tunes, that alot of cover bands play.
I want to get more into understanding effects, and how they were used in some of the classic rock tunes.
any help is greatly apreciated,
Thanks,
soundguy_99

[lionstar]

Hi Soundguy_99

Its good that you want to reproduce some of the classics sounds, but you have to remember that live sound and studio sounds are a little different. In the studio you have a controlled enviroment where you can have isolation between instruments, where as a live stage has little in the way of isolation. Having said that there are techniques that you can nick from the studio ie mic techniques, spilt channel eq etc.

There is a book called " Behind the glass" lots of famous producers share some of their secrets. Also try to listen to the effects on a classic track, start with the type of reverb on the snare, is it a gated reverb or a 2 second hall. If you have a multi effects unit start with a preset close to the one you want to copy and tweek it till it sounds the same.

I dont think there's a short cut or book that will give you all the presets, it's up to your ears to pick out the detail.

If i find any other books i will post a new thread.

[87PRS]

hey soundguy....its very interesting that you'd want to accomplish these simulations, in my experience it seems most bands would have the major hooks and effects already translated into the songs, ie as they learn them. Seems to me that the sound tech traveling with the band would also have these parts worked out, since some bands don't have a dedicated sound man with the band its good to know that sound men such as yourself are inspired. lionstar is absolutely correct...you'd have to use your ears to duplicate the effects on the recordings....there are just certain things in a song that a listener might expect to hear, and alot of effects are so subtle they wouldn't recognize, but add to the over-all sound....good thread, thanks!

btw....welcome to the audioforums

[GZsound]

I would think your task is huge. You would have to learn what effect was on each instrument and each vocalist in every song a band might do. Plus you would need to have the equipment capable of reproducing that effect available.

Every effect trick in the book could be found on the bands you mention. From doubled vocals to harmonizers to delay lines, slap back, reverse reverb, gated drums, etc. and frequently there are different effects going on within any given song.

I think the fact you are trying to enhance the performance of the groups at the club is admirable, but unless you know what effect was used when in each song and you have that effect available... wow, that's a heavy task.

I seriously doubt there is somewhere you can go to find the effect used, the brand of the effect, the settings of the effect, etc. in the studio on all those recordings.

Just listen to each song and see what you can discern is being used and try to create it if possible.

And remember most audience members would not know or care if the reverb on the snare was the same as on the studio recording of the original band.. Only "signature" effects would be important.