Andrew Wade 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 NECK DEEP raw multi-tracks

Now that’s what I call pop-punk!

Eyal Levi takes you on a guided tour of the raw multi-tracks for “Can’t Kick Up The Roots” by Neck Deep. It was originally recorded and mixed by Andrew Wade and was featured on Nail The Mix in May 2016.

Neck Deep “Can’t Kick Up The Roots” raw multi-tracks [UNBOXING]

Eyal Levi takes you on a guided tour of the raw multi-tracks for “Can’t Kick Up The Roots” by Neck Deep. It was originally recorded and mixed by Andrew Wade and appears on their 2015 album “Life’s Not Out To Get You.”

This is a beautiful pop punk session with lots of great details to absorb, especially Andrew’s trademark arrangement elements like claps, stomps, and vocal layers.

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

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’s legendary DREAM GATE for drums!

The PERFECT gate?! It just might be…

Drums are every mixer’s worst enemy and best friend – they’re the foundation of the mix, but can also be incredibly difficult to work with because it’s really like mixing a dozen or more instruments in one, with each piece of the kit and each mic presenting its own challenges.

The key is to have total and absolute control over every single note of your drum tracks to bring out the best of a great performance, or address problem parts of a performance that isn’t so great.

Here’s how our friend Andrew Wade does it in this gamechanging clip from his recent Nail The Mix session where he walks you through his “dream gate:”

Mixing metal drums: Andrew Wade’s legendary “DREAM GATE”!

Learn Andrew Wade’s trademark process for drum editing that will turn almost any drum track into the raw materials for a great drum mix! This method is done in Pro Tools using a combination of Beat Detective, AudioSuite to normalize each hit, and editing the velocities to be consistent, using the multi-track session for “Three 6” by Attila.

Boom! There you go – Andrew’s top secret, ridiculously powerful process for turning almost any set of drum tracks into the raw materials for a great mix. You’re welcome 🙂

If you’re dying for more of Andrew’s knowledge bombs, you’re in luck! You can get instant access to these multi-tracks AND the full, 6+ hour living mixing session right here.

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!