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Producer 1 – Trent Reznor - http://www.allmusic.com/artist/trent-reznor-mn0000017580/credits
Trent Reznor is recognized as the frontman, lead singer of the multi-platinum selling, Grammy award-winning, Nine Inch Nails. He is also a production wunderkind for numerous other platinum bands and artists, best known act being Marilyn Manson, How to destroy Angels and Queens of the stone age as well as movie soundtracks,
Working methods of the producers
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Where do they traditionally work? (Recording studio, home studio etc.)
In 1992, after looking at 15 houses in one day, Trent signed the lease on the infamous 'Charles Manson' Tate house to record 'The Downward Spiral' before being informed of its bloody history. When he album was completed, the owner of the house moved forward with his plans for demolition, but not before Trent requested, and received
permission, to keep the front door.
In April of 1995, Trent moved his rapidly blossoming record label and production empire into a massive 17,000 square foot, 85+ year old funeral home in the uptown area of New Orleans. Known as Nothing Studios and began to fill it with room after equipment-stacked room featuring numerous guitars, keyboards, amplifiers, miles of cable, effects, and racks-upon-racks of equipment
At one point Trent had employed a full-time person to shop for two of everything, from every major music store, in every major city.
along with his much loved home studio and his own personal favoured equipment
IMAC 20" 2.0GHz G5 - Logic Pro 8 / Ableton 5
MOTU 828 MK2 - audio interface
ROLAND FANTOM XR - synth/ sampler
MAM MB33 (303) - analogue bass synth
TC ELECTRONICS C300 - duel stereo gate compressor
JOE MEEK MQ3 - signal channel pre amp ,EQ ,compression
BEHRINGER COMPOSER PRO
EVENT TR8'S - speakers
YAMAHA MG16/6fx - mixing desk
AKAI S3000XL & S2000 - 16bit stereo digital sampler Mackie D8Bs, double 8Bit - digital mixing desk
He has produced a number of songs for Jane's Addiction in his home studio in Beverly Hills.
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How do they achieve results? (Technical skills, interpersonal skills)
I would say he has an unorthodox approach to achieving the results he is after and sometimes working with other people you may run in to a few problems along the road Trent Reznor produced Manson’s 1994 debut album ‘Portrait of an American Family’ and released it on his own Nothing Records label, before co-producing ‘Smells Like Children’ and for a 3rd time to create a boiling, mockingly satanic mess of guitars, synthesizers, and ridiculously "scary" vocals. Though the sonic details make antichrist superstar hugely successful and a intriguing listen,
the production of that album seems little hazy, The process was reputedly a long and difficult one, highlighted by experiments involving week long sleep deprivation, near-constant drug use, as well as self-harm, during an interview with Kerrang, Manson indicating that "he would regularly insert sewing needles underneath his own fingernails, to break his pain thresh hold as he had already messed up his emotional barrier"
During this time, antagonism between band members was high, with most of this directed toward founding member Daisy Berkowitz's thoughts to the sound Manson and Trent wanted to create (Trent smashed his newly refurbished guitar off an amp then left the room laughing "just to fuck with him" and as he played it back in the control room, it was the exact sound they where looking for
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Producer 2 – Sonny Moore ( Skrillex )
is possibly Electronic music's hardest working artist/producer, with a relentless touring schedule and a speaker-bursting editing and production technique.
"I love Ableton Live but I use a ton of other plug-ins and soft synths along with it."
"If you saw how I work, I think it's definitely quite unconventional just because it's all self-taught"
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Working methods of the producers
works and lives on tour so most of his work is achieved with a MacBook Pro running Ableton Live with two little KRK monitors and a Focusrite Saffire Pro 14 interface. I've got a little two-octave Alesis controller, and a guitar. Skrillex relays heavily on plug-ins and soft synths with the occasional vocal sample recorded by himself with an SM58
"I started with Fruity Loops back in the day, then Reason and then I learnt Pro Tools but I kind of hated it so I got Ableton Live, which is just so incredibly intuitive."
His two personal favourites are NIs massive and FM8. Skrillex monster bass sounds come from FM8. He also really likes Sylenth, Mytone2 gladiator
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How do they achieve results? (Technical skills, interpersonal skills)
Native Instruments has harnessed the power of FM synthesis. The strengths of digital are manifest in FM8’s powerful audio engine which generates breath-taking, brilliantly dynamic FM sound in pristine quality. With its emphasis on ease-of-use, the FM8 brings a high degree of simplicity to the otherwise intricate process of FM synthesis, delivering unsurpassed depth, brilliance, and dynamism. FM8 embodies the bright, lively sound of FM synthesis. Load patches from classic FM hardware units or use over 1200 presents, including the full library from former product 'Transient Attacks'. Innovative features raise FM based synthesis to new levels.
MASSIVE is a sonic monster – the ultimate synth for basses and leads. The analogy concept belies the contemporary, cutting-edge sound it generates. The high-end engine delivers pure quality, lending an undeniable virtue and character to even the most saturated of sounds. The interface is clearly laid out and easy to use, ensuring you will have MASSIVE generating earth-shuddering sounds from the very first note.
Trash 2
Distort. Mangle. Transform.
Take mangling your audio to the next level. Combine the power of multi-band, dual-stage distortions and advanced post-filtering for immediate sonic transformation. Give your low end some thump, get a warm crunch on the midrange, and let your high end soar. Trash any track: not just guitars and basses, but drums, synths, pads, vocals, brass, woodwinds, and more.
Part 1.2 - Analysis of two musical styles
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What are the musical differences and/or similarities of the two chosen genres?
the main diffrence between Trent Reznor and Skrillex is the genre of music they produces Trents style being a industreal rock/metal. where as Skrillex style is more electronic , dubstep with the occasional sample from other genre but never changing from EDM vibe.
although separated by genre there are some similarities. both work with others in collaborations but mainly produce them self's, both love working on Ableton live and enjoy creating their own unique sound through plug-ins and other means
Trent Reznor - Hardware
Skrillex - Software
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Who is the target audience
the target audience with these both producers is very varied since trents ( nine inch nails) has been around since 1982, years before sonny was born but with his unique style leading to the dark, industrial unmainstream music can not be to everyone's taste but i think reaching the 90's generation so between 18 to 40 year olds . Skrillex target range can include anyone between 8 and 30+ but it really is all down to preference
but Reznor's other production work has led to the big screen, producing, writing and composing the music you hear in films like the girl with the dragon tattoo , limitless , the hangover 1+2 along with a lot of good horror movies and for games like Quake, Doom 1 and 3 , Call of Duty Black ops 1+2 and just cause, he is even involved in music for TV, he is literally everywhere, even his unique visual skills of producing music video can be seen in everything especially TV opening scenes like Lucifer , elementary , American horror story, CSI ,
records for downloads and streams are hard to put a precise number on as these two producers give a lot off there stuff away for free over many different platforms - soundcloud, (Trent Reznor being a pioneer in this development) Quoting " this ones on me" ,
although sonny dose it for feed back on his new upcoming tracks a he tinkers with a new sample pack or plug-in he's required " to give fans the in depth experience in to my music"
Part 2
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Apply production techniques to my own multitrack recording
Nine inch nails Vs Skrillex
My aim of this project is to remix a Nine inch nails song in the style of Skrillex using ableton Daw, plugins, and some sample i will replicate using techniques from both producers
Equipment list
laptop that runs ableton
Keys/MIDI controller ( Korg ? )
I have sourced a number of plug-ins used by skrillex
I have sourced a track by NIN ( capital G , the hand that feeds , only , perfect drug)
Use my Bass Guitar ? ( speaker pickup)
Vocal sample ( Beany through Distortion and fuzz) AKG C414 , 58 beta
Find out How to simulate Trents pedals - metasonic TM-6 vacuum tube, TM-2 Butt plug ,