Discuss the various methods you use in music production, from compressor settings to equipment type.

By elmacaco Thu Sep 04, 2003 11:58 pm
I just thought of something, Madlib never hid the technique he used to get the quas voice, he told it straight out, in every interview that anyone asked. I don't think he's hiding anything.

Foo, what effect and sound are you talking about that make you believe that he's got a secret weapon?

Byvelcro Sat Sep 06, 2003 1:33 am
so..after reading the entire thread.


would you guys recomend the sp-303 sampler..to a newbie not wanting to blow his load on a mpc.
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By Prah_860_ Sat Sep 06, 2003 4:15 pm
velcro wrote:so..after reading the entire thread.


would you guys recomend the sp-303 sampler..to a newbie not wanting to blow his load on a mpc.


i wouldn't jump the gun.....you might wanna wait for the mpc 1000
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By DOVESKI Mon Sep 08, 2003 5:13 pm
New Remix mag has a page on Madlib, hes sticking to his guns, a SP303 and a VS880, as far as secret weapons, is does go on to mention how when he finishes a beat he dumps it into ProTools and runs certain parts through a bunch of fancy compressors and stuff.
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By Dr.Foo Mon Sep 08, 2003 6:03 pm
elmacaco wrote:I just thought of something, Madlib never hid the technique he used to get the quas voice, he told it straight out, in every interview that anyone asked. I don't think he's hiding anything.

Foo, what effect and sound are you talking about that make you believe that he's got a secret weapon?


Im not talking about the quas. voice, tis pretty easy to see he just sped the tape up. What I am talking about is his beats. Speaking only on the effects used, there is no way those efx came out of the vs 880 or the SP303, there just aint.
The thing he glosses over : "I just toss it into PT and do some stuff" or however madlib said it, THERE that is the spot where the "secret" to his work comes in. That is where the work gets put in. This is where he busts out the stuff he dont and wont tell nobody about.

Its almost just like the "wall of sound" by spectre. The stuff sounds ho hum when its being recorded, but when he gets into the eq, mixing and mastering that is where the technique shines. So spectre coud say "yep I do all my music on a SU10 and it wouldnt be a lie if he used it to do all the samples, but the real "freaking" of the samples comes after its been laid down.

s kinda hard for me to explain without coming off like "I know something special" about how he does it, I dont mean to imply that I do, just that I KNOW that it aint as simple as he lets on.

By elmacaco Tue Sep 09, 2003 1:10 am
I'm not sure it's him that does the pro tooling....

But I see your point.

By Dynamis Tue Sep 09, 2003 5:01 pm
Dr.Foo wrote:
elmacaco wrote:I just thought of something, Madlib never hid the technique he used to get the quas voice, he told it straight out, in every interview that anyone asked. I don't think he's hiding anything.

Foo, what effect and sound are you talking about that make you believe that he's got a secret weapon?


Im not talking about the quas. voice, tis pretty easy to see he just sped the tape up. What I am talking about is his beats. Speaking only on the effects used, there is no way those efx came out of the vs 880 or the SP303, there just aint.
The thing he glosses over : "I just toss it into PT and do some stuff" or however madlib said it, THERE that is the spot where the "secret" to his work comes in. That is where the work gets put in. This is where he busts out the stuff he dont and wont tell nobody about.

Its almost just like the "wall of sound" by spectre. The stuff sounds ho hum when its being recorded, but when he gets into the eq, mixing and mastering that is where the technique shines. So spectre coud say "yep I do all my music on a SU10 and it wouldnt be a lie if he used it to do all the samples, but the real "freaking" of the samples comes after its been laid down.

s kinda hard for me to explain without coming off like "I know something special" about how he does it, I dont mean to imply that I do, just that I KNOW that it aint as simple as he lets on.


In the video interview, they clearly say that they 'SEND OFF' the finished tracks to be mastered ($50hr studio with Protools), so this isnt him using protools... Madlib actually also stated he doesnt use a PC at all. Obviously good mastering will help any track sound better, but I dont believe its some kinda 'secret formula'.

By elmacaco Tue Sep 09, 2003 5:17 pm
I agree, and I am curious what "the madlib sound" is besides good.

I hear more careful sampling than some kind of sheen or quality.
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By Dr.Foo Tue Sep 09, 2003 6:55 pm
I am sure its a combination of both, but the article was mad heavy on the technique he uses, for example he says he triggers his samples live. Ok, sure. fine. I buy that, I still refuse to buy the "way" he gets his tracks to end up are 100% mastering, there HAS to be a step or several steps that he omits so fools wont bite his style. Madlib has a pretty unique style, and I dont hear many cats with a similar one, but Im sure that if peeps knew how, everyone and they momma would copy his style.

Its just basic logic. Your sound dont sound like an SP303, (I know, I checked) ok, so there must be something (other then mastering here) that he uses to get that sound, like shadow uses those crazy tiny chops to do crazy stuff.

I got a style, I dont want someone else to take food from my mouth by having everyone making my style of beats (a la what happened to badboy after 95 when EVERYONE out east figured out how they get thier sound (by that I mean Ddot and amen ra's sound, not puffy sampling "between the sheets" again). How you make beats is a pretty secret thing, its like nascar. everyone is on the same gear, so how you flip it is how the driver handles it AND how the car gets tweaked within the rules (aka the limitations of the gear). Its part madlib himself, and part "freaking the gear" somehow he aint telling. its like nascar, Jeff Gordon is a top notch driver (like madlib is a tops producer) but do jeff gordon crack the hood and show off the mods they made to his oil pan to get him 5 more HP? heck no. Otherwise fools would bite him!

thats (sort of) what I am saying, he aint letting nobody "look under the hood"

maybe we should all just ask madlib.

PS SF bay area heads, Rasco in Rasputins Berkeley live today.