Dead Wax St. Vincent's Sound Explained - with Cian Riordan
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Aug 4, 2025 Cian Riordan, a talented mixer, producer, and engineer known for his work on St. Vincent's albums, shares insights into the world of sound production. He discusses the intricate process behind crafting specific songs, emphasizing collaboration and improvisation. Cian also dives into the emotional impact of modular synth tracks and innovative recording techniques. Listeners will learn about the art of achieving perfect drum sounds through strategic mic placement and the strong creative synergy that fuels his artistic journey.
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St. Vincent's Modular Loop Creation
- St. Vincent created the album starting with modular synth loops alone in her studio late at night.
- They built songs by selecting parts from these loops and experimenting with dynamics and loud moments in mixing.
Dynamic Volume for Impact
- Leaving volume low initially builds tension and headroom for explosive moments later.
- Huge volume jumps (6-10 dB) add impact, defying streaming normalization concerns.
Use Vintage Effects for Texture
- Experiment with vintage effects like AMS RMX-16, H3000, and Eventide for textured reverbs.
- Set up aux channels with multiple effects to quickly switch and audition sounds during tracking.