A Day To Remember Archives - Unstoppable Recording Machine

Hack your vocal harmonies with Izotope Nectar

Is it magic?? Kinda!

Vocal harmonies are an incredibly powerful way to add size, dynamics and power to any song (even in genres that are primarily screams and growls).

HACK YOUR VOCAL HARMONIES w/ Izotope Nectar plugin
Vocal harmonies are an incredibly powerful way to add size, dynamics and power to any song. In this video, Nick explains the basics of what harmonies are (in music theory terms) and how to write vocal harmonies using the raw multi-tracks for “Right Back At It Again” by A Day To Remember and the Izotope Nectar plugin.

In this video, Nick explains the basics of what harmonies are (in music theory terms) and how to write vocal harmonies using the raw multi-tracks for “Right Back At It Again” by A Day To Remember and the Izotope Nectar plugin.

Click here to get instant access to the ADTR tracks + and Andrew Wade’s mixing session!

Nail The Mix is our online mixing school that gives you REAL multi-tracks from REAL bands, plus a mixing class from the producer who recorded it. Past guests include Periphery, Gojira, Meshuggah, Machine Head, A Day To Remember and Bring Me The Horizon. Join now for instant access!

Unboxing A Day To Remember raw multi-tracks

Take notes on this arrangement!

Eyal Levi takes you on a guided tour of the raw multi-tracks for “Right Back At It Again” by A Day To Remember, as seen on Nail The Mix in 2017.

A Day To Remember “Right Back At It Again” raw multi-tracks [UNBOXING]

Eyal Levi takes you on a guided tour of the raw multi-tracks for “Right Back At It Again,” by pop-punk legends A Day To Remember. The song was originally recorded by Andrew Wade and mixed by Ken Andrews from their 2013 album “Common Courtesy.”

Here’s a few things to note as you watch the unboxing:

Lots and lots of layers of vocals, as you’d expect from a Jeremy McKinnon and Andrew Wade production. There’s a LOT of interesting details about the vocal arrangement in this song, and you’d be smart to pay close attention to them.
Several layers of effects/post-production for the bridge (marching band, beatboxing, etc). Take notes on this part!
Guitars are provided both amped and DI – Bass is provided amped and as MIDI, if you want to use a virtual instrument in addition to/instead of the performed track (for example, to use as a sub-bass track)

Want more? Click here to get instant access to these multi-tracks and Andrew Wade’s full mix session!

Andrew Wade mixes A Day To Remember lead vocals

Here’s something many of you won’t want to hear: vocals are EVERYTHING.

Like many of you, I started out as a guitarist and just wanted to record my own songs at home. So I get it– tweaking guitar tones until the sun comes up is fun. I could spend all day trying out new IRs and notching out a few dB to find that perfect balance of clarity and grit.

But the fact of that matter is that 99% of people really don’t notice or care about guitar tone, or anything else other than the vocals.

This is largely due to biology- our brains are programmed to fixate on other humans’ voices. Think about it: have you ever once heard someone who wasn’t a guitarist or producer comment on any tone in a mix? (OK, aside from the St Anger snare) Probably not- but what they DO comment on are the lyrics, the melody and the singer’s voice.

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t care about other parts of the mix, because you most certainly should. Everything matters, and people will subconsciously notice all the elements in your mix. My point is simply that people CONSCIOUSLY pay attention to vocals and therefore you’ve got to focus an inordinate amount of your attention on them.

Andrew Wade mixing A DAY TO REMEMBER lead vocals

True fact: Vocals matter more than ANYTHING ELSE! Watch how Andrew Wade approaches vocal arrangement and mixing using the raw multi-tracks for “Right Back At It Again” by A Day To Remember.

If you need to level up your vocal game, I’d highly suggest you pay attention to Andrew Wade (The Ghost Inside, The Word Alive, Neck Deep), who’s one of the best in the business when it comes to vocal production, from arrangement to tracking to mixing. Check out this clip from his Nail The Mix Session where he mixes the lead vocals on “Right Back At It Again” by A Day To Remember and take careful notes.

A few things to consider:

The raws are reallllllly good in terms of source tones, editing and performance. You won’t always have control over this part, but when you do, always push yourself and the vocalist to get it right at the source (check out this excellent article for some tips).
There are a LOT of subtle layers in the arrangement that you probably won’t consciously hear if you’re just listening in the car or whatever, but they add a ton of depth and dynamics to the song (like the “ah ahh” harmonies). Challenge yourself to polish your arrangements to this level and I think you’ll be very happy with the results.
There’s really nothing crazy going on here in terms of processing. Most of the magic here comes from the arrangement and performances. Get those right and you’re most of the way there.

Are you focusing your time and energy on what 99% of listeners care about the most?? Are you pushing your vocal production as far as you can? If not, there’s no better time to start than right now 🙂

Nail The Mix is our online mixing school that gives you REAL multi-tracks from REAL bands, plus a mixing class from the producer who recorded it. Past guests include Periphery, Gojira, Chelsea Grin, A Day To Remember, Machine Head and State Champs. Join now for instant access!

Andrew Wade’s hack for re-amping without re-amping

Expect the unexpected

A producer is far more than a mixer, songwriter or engineer. You’re also a psychologist, creative consultant and most of all a resourceful problem-solver.

While every session is different, the one thing you can always count on is that you’re going to get some curveballs – and you’ll only be as successful as your ability to deal with those when they come across the plate. We’ve seen just about everything: bands who come to the studio expecting to record an album but with only a handful of songs written,drummers who throw a fit when you ask them to play to a click, guitarists who write in Guitar Pro and have never actually played their songs, and way more things that we can’t talk about here.

Is this stuff frustrating, annoying and a distraction from doing what you are all there to do (make music)? Yes, yes and hell yes– but it’s part of the job so you need to learn how to roll with the punches without ever showing a hint of fear or weakness. You’ve got to be the master of the situation.

As one simple but common example, let’s say the band decides they don’t like the guitar tone. No problem, right? Just re-amp. Except they didn’t give you a DI… problem! What do you do??

Andrew Wade’s trick for “re-amping” without a DI ( ft A DAY TO REMEMBER )

So you need to make a new guitar tone but didn’t get a DI… wut do? Here’s a little trick via Andrew Wade using tracks from “Right Back At It Again” by A Day To Remember.

In this clip from his Nail The Mix session, Andrew Wade shows what “resourceful” really means and why it separates the men from the boys– here’s a mindblowing little hack he uses to create a new guitar tone without having a DI (using the session from “Right Back At It Again” by A Day To Remember).

File this one away in your bag of tricks and remember that your job as a producer is to always find a way over, around or through whatever obstacles are between you and an amazing recording!

Nail The Mix is our online mixing school that gives you REAL multi-tracks from REAL bands, plus a mixing class from the producer who recorded it. Past guests include Periphery, Gojira, Chelsea Grin, A Day To Remember, Machine Head and State Champs. Join now for instant access!