Lush ambiente background effect in SoS +Clocks.

[jimmyz]

Who is it (and how!) that creates the really ambient sounds that feature in certain songs (most noticeably in Clocks and Speed of Sound).

Is this a studio trick? Im really interested to find out how they achieved such an effects, they really do add to the songs. Especially when the guitar/piano drops out leaving just bass and drums in the verses.

 

Thanks

[kimberlina]

i think its a synth of some sort? :/

[jimmyz]

Yes, but that sadly doesnt narrow it down so much!

 

i think its an infinite reverbing sound. The way it changes note/chord along the way, you know?

[alvaromorales23]

its synth... a warm pad or something like that... but how do they do live? they play over a pre-record track?

[jimmyz]

Live its a backing track.

 

What also puzzles me is how whoever controls the backing track manages to get it in time with the band. Live, they may play at a slightly slow or faster speed, thus throwing the backing piece out of time. Strange.

[alvaromorales23]

yeah i think the same... how they get on time? for example on maida vale in politik will gets the four click to start just when the strings grown up and chris star just when the pads come in in clocks.... maybe the ear monitor help them :/

[Professor Peedston]

Yep, it's all about the in-ear monitors. For a song where the band plays along to a prerecorded track, the drummer will hear a count-off in his earpiece, as well as a metronome for the rest of the song so he doesn't get out of sync with the backing track. This is why drummers for bands that play with a lot of backing tracks like M83 or the Flaming Lips usually wear headphones. I guess Chris hears the count off for "Clocks" too.

 

As for the synth sound, I guess it's probably a warm pad or synth string pad with a slow release (so the sound lingers a little after the keys are released) and a slow attack (so it sort of fades in quickly when you hit the keys). My synth has a couple presets that sound pretty close to it, and you can fool around with the attack and release and decay to find something if you're looking for it yourself.

[Eagle131]

I think you guys think too much :p

 

I think it's simply that heavy reverb/echo effect they place on more than half their songs. I think I read that Jonny has a twin reverb pedal? Is there such thing? or did i read wrong? Cause if there is, I want to get my hands on one of them.

[alvin.ping]

Eagle, Jonny uses a Fender Twin Reverb guitar amp; it's not a pedal.

 

Prof. Peedston is correct, it's a warm pad/synth with slow attack, combined with both a slow release, reverb, and most likely some form of stereo delay (for added spaciousness and longer decay). I can recreate it almost perfectly on my keyboard.

 

That, and Jonny does enjoy fat reverb on his guitar. A combination of both. :cool: