Aphex Twin Aphex Twin's mixing process/tools

[Lane Visitor]

Any one know anything about what he's used/his setup on any of his releases? Pretty surprised there's not already a thread on this... The Aphex Twin's studio pics don't really amount to much...

 

For example:

 

Surfing on Sine Waves..

 

"hmm I think i read he used 3 in tape.. ssl board... lexicon verb.. ua compressor.. etc..."

 

Milkman:

 

"hmmm Sounds like a Moog Voyager going into heavily driven tube pre's"

 

analords:

 

"definitely sylenth, ableton and waves bundle..." (just kidding)

 

 

Speculation also welcome... I'm assuming this will prob overlap into production a bit which is totally fine :D

[Rubin Farr]

I think he uses computers.

[Lane Visitor]

I think he uses computers.

 

[Guest RadarJammer]

whatever the damn hell he wants to, like a real man.

[Joyrex]

Richard James Does NOT Release Music... He Allows It To ESCAPE!

[Guest]

He used this guitar on windowlicker:

 

[Rubin Farr]

No Tracks For You!

 

[Lane Visitor]

so shocked that we didn't already have a thread on this.. where are all you fellow watmm gearsluts, computer nerds, synth freaks and audiophiles when in comes to afx and his engineering/mixing???

 

....

 

 

do i have to go over to gearslutz dot com for this? do i? do it?

[Chris Toffer]

If you read through his posts in the analogue heaven archive as 'panflet' you get an idea of what he was using to make analord. It's quite interesting to read.. he knows a shit load about old gear

 

http://search.retrosynth.com/ah/ search panflet

[Ragnar]

a shitload of lowpass filters and spaceverb

[joshuatxuk]

so shocked that we didn't already have a thread on this.. where are all you fellow watmm gearsluts, computer nerds, synth freaks and audiophiles when in comes to afx and his engineering/mixing???

 

....

 

do i have to go over to gearslutz dot com for this? do i? do it?

 

I actually can see how it seems that way - I've read a plethora of posts and long threads about his gear and methods, but buried within longer threads, often from years ago. Search WATMM via google and you might have some luck finding those. So much of his music has been de-mystified to me from reading here for years: there have been topics about specific sounds from one song or one piece of gear. Hell, There was one topic specifically about the drum machine loop from "PWSTeal.Ldpinch.D" and whether or not it sampled or used the same gear as the Chemical Brothers did for "It Doesn't Matter."

 

You know, I'd personally love to see a collaborative thread where confirmed and speculative gear and methods of RDJ are posted. It'd be more worthwhile than most of the recent topics threads in this subforum, maybe broken down by release. I remember some of the best threads here were simple topics simply discussing a few EPs or one album in detail. Snark aside, this topic has potential.

[psn]

Go for it!

[Lane Visitor]

 

so shocked that we didn't already have a thread on this.. where are all you fellow watmm gearsluts, computer nerds, synth freaks and audiophiles when in comes to afx and his engineering/mixing???

 

....

 

do i have to go over to gearslutz dot com for this? do i? do it?

 

I actually can see how it seems that way - I've read a plethora of posts and long threads about his gear and methods, but buried within longer threads, often from years ago. Search WATMM via google and you might have some luck finding those. So much of his music has been de-mystified to me from reading here for years: there have been topics about specific sounds from one song or one piece of gear. Hell, There was one topic specifically about the drum machine loop from "PWSTeal.Ldpinch.D" and whether or not it sampled or used the same gear as the Chemical Brothers did for "It Doesn't Matter."

 

You know, I'd personally love to see a collaborative thread where confirmed and speculative gear and methods of RDJ are posted. It'd be more worthwhile than most of the recent topics threads in this subforum, maybe broken down by release. I remember some of the best threads here were simple topics simply discussing a few EPs or one album in detail. Snark aside, this topic has potential.

 

 

agreed, tx..

 

I feel the same way.. I think it would be very worthwhile. I would also hope though, that if we were to open the door to that, we could discuss his mixing/engineering just as much as production. I feel like sometimes us watmmers can get obsessed with talking about afx's actual synths/modulars he used. im definitely also interested in that.. like is this a 606 or is that an sh101 going through a vintage ring mod.. that stuff really interests me.. but im also curious about what the music/tracks are also running through... gear/boards etc.. whether tape compression effect was used... what kind of reverb afx used in this or that song.. etc. So maybe like a production and mixing technique discussion on afx releases?

 

maybe it could be a whole sub forum? not sure if that's a little over the top... prob best for it to be just a giant mega thread-- or as you pointed out, a series of threads broken down by release.. that's a great idea.

 

thoughts anyone? joyrex?

[DerWaschbar]

Richard James Does NOT Release Music... He Allows It To ESCAPE!

The eunuch jerking a phantom cock is a great analogy for these subforums.

[ZoeB]

Why not broaden it to also discuss composing and producing techniques? As Jexus says, it's not about the synthesiser, but about what someone can do with a synthesiser... At the end of the day, what do you think influenced his music more, using a Casio sampler instead of an Akai one, or being friends with Luke Vibert? Using a TR-606, or coming at music from an outsider's perspective? Getting a GX-1, or being utterly obsessed with making music, even when most of it won't be released, out of choice?

[Lane Visitor]

Why not broaden it to also discuss composing and producing techniques? As Jexus says, it's not about the synthesiser, but about what someone can do with a synthesiser... At the end of the day, what do you think influenced his music more, using a Casio sampler instead of an Akai one, or being friends with Luke Vibert? Using a TR-606, or coming at music from an outsider's perspective? Getting a GX-1, or being utterly obsessed with making music, even when most of it won't be released, out of choice?

 

Agreed, Zoe! Composing and producing techniques as well as mixing, engineering, sound design, etc.. the whole afx enchilada (:

[Ragnar]

surprised nobody mentioned the aphex aural exciter durr hurr

[Adieu]

If you read through his posts in the analogue heaven archive as 'panflet' you get an idea of what he was using to make analord. It's quite interesting to read.. he knows a shit load about old gear

 

http://search.retrosynth.com/ah/ search panflet

 

What is significant about this panflet fellow? Is he just very knowledgeable?

[Chris Toffer]

 

If you read through his posts in the analogue heaven archive as 'panflet' you get an idea of what he was using to make analord. It's quite interesting to read.. he knows a shit load about old gear

 

http://search.retrosynth.com/ah/ search panflet

 

What is significant about this panflet fellow? Is he just very knowledgeable?

 

 

He is a very competent musician

[marf]

 

 

If you read through his posts in the analogue heaven archive as 'panflet' you get an idea of what he was using to make analord. It's quite interesting to read.. he knows a shit load about old gear

 

http://search.retrosynth.com/ah/ search panflet

 

What is significant about this panflet fellow? Is he just very knowledgeable?

 

 

He is a very competent musician

 

 

flowline is his second handle on that forum.. search flowline in the from box

[Adieu]

I actually just searched "Aphex Twin" and found a good deal of information as well as an interesting and somewhat informal interview.

[Ragnar]

I thik he uses a three 0 3

[Lane Visitor]

hmmm, okay, i guess ill jump start this topic then..

 

so, analogue bubblebath 1, track 1:

 

i hear an 808.. i think.. ha. and thats all i know, those other synths, no idea.. sounds like it's all going through tape, with a lotta saturation.

 

fuck. welp. not sure if its possible to know how he makes stuff or if id even wanna know how he made it...

 

maybe the mystery makes it a little more exciting

[Adieu]

hmmm, okay, i guess ill jump start this topic then..

 

so, analogue bubblebath 1, track 1:

 

i hear an 808.. i think.. ha. and thats all i know, those other synths, no idea.. sounds like it's all going through tape, with a lotta saturation.

 

fuck. welp. not sure if its possible to know how he makes stuff or if id even wanna know how he made it...

 

maybe the mystery makes it a little more exciting

 

 

I would hazard a guess that he doesn't even remember how he made it. Remember when he said he tried to recreate Digeridoo and he couldn't do it? Probably because back then he was wiring shit up and jamming out, and wasn't a pro yet.

[Lane Visitor]

 

hmmm, okay, i guess ill jump start this topic then..

 

so, analogue bubblebath 1, track 1:

 

i hear an 808.. i think.. ha. and thats all i know, those other synths, no idea.. sounds like it's all going through tape, with a lotta saturation.

 

fuck. welp. not sure if its possible to know how he makes stuff or if id even wanna know how he made it...

 

maybe the mystery makes it a little more exciting

 

 

I would hazard a guess that he doesn't even remember how he made it. Remember when he said he tried to recreate Digeridoo and he couldn't do it? Probably because back then he was wiring shit up and jamming out, and wasn't a pro yet.

 

 

wow, interesting.. i've never heard that interview.. so some of his techniques were even a mystery to him. that's actually fucking awesome. pure experimentation. no way of retracing. some magical shit right there.