How did they do that

So, I am a live sound guy. I think I have been in a studio 3 times in 30+ years.

I would like to ask those of you who have more studio time, how did they do the worble in this song?

m.youtube.com...

originally posted by: theatreboy
how did they do the worble in this song?

m.youtube.com...

It sounds like a slight delay that is repeated about 4 or 5 times. Like an echo that repeats itself in a cave a few times.

Edited to add a little more info:
The attack on the delay sounds like it's turned down so it's not so prominent when it repeats. Live sound guy here, too, who's done a lot of studio work as well.

the easiest way to mess with sound is to record direct, then bounce in place to an audio file. The you can add delays and filters galore to get weird sounds, whatever you can conjure up. I'd say delay/reverbs and some mod filter. Possibly a low pass filter as well. The amount of effects and presets nowadays is mind blowing. This one could also be Kontakt instrument pack. I have a ton of them and thousands of presets you can adjust any of the options and parameters on.

a reply to: theatreboy

a reply to: theatreboy

Being a guitar player, it sounds to me like they ran the backing track thru a guitar tremolo pedal or similar studio effect.

Former radio and sound reinforcement guy here w/ lots of engineering experience in the studio also. Personally, I think the biggest effect you're hearing in this song is changing compression (up and down) at the same time with some varying of the track speed of the score (not enough to change the time, but enough to notice the effect). I also think the lyric cadence has been adjusted after the fact also, but synchronized differently with the score so there's a barely perceptible offset. Not sure I care for these effects, personally; I think it distracts the listener, but it's definitely different.

That's my take anyway.

We used to do all sorts of tricks with audio when in the studio doing commercial ad copy. It's pretty amazing how you can grab a listener's attention out of a near-sleep state by just monkeying with the audio a little bit. Timing and cadence is a big one.

originally posted by: inflaymes69
The amount of effects and presets nowadays is mind blowing.

You are so right! It still amazes me how so many effects and sounds are available, and not expensive to attain like in the old days.

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
It's pretty amazing how you can grab a listener's attention out of a near-sleep state by just monkeying with the audio a little bit.

That is a great point. Remember when Miss Toni Fisher came out with her song "The Big Hurt" in 1959? The phasing effect they used on that record made it a million seller because of it's unique sound.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Damn, I did radio engineering for years while getting on my FOH legs.

Now I TD and do a lot besides FOH.

One of the things I fell in love with almost right away...is the psychology of audio. The control you have over a crowd is insane.

I can clear a room, pack a room, make you cry, etc. All from my mix and house music mix.

As to that effect, I am using pro tools and a lot of MIDI to record my first ever album. Music I am composer for. I want try to duplicate that effect in one of my pieces.

Thank you all for your knowledge and input.

🤣

originally posted by: underpass61
Being a guitar player, it sounds to me like they ran the backing track thru a guitar tremolo pedal or similar studio effect.

You mean like they did on the Tommy James song "Crimson And Clover?"



That was a cool effect!

a reply to: theatreboy

Done properly, it might be great. Again, I'm not a big fan of the effect in the song from your OP, but I can see uses for similar effects on certain types of music. With a rap type song, manipulating the under-score is (in my opinion) a cheezy way to draw attention and cheapens the overall end product, but "style" is personal, so I get it. On a more complex piece, effects like this might be very complimentary. The effects in the song of the OP are expressly designed to grab your attention, regardless of the musical value of the song itself, and this is the issue I have with tricks like this.

For the record, I have equal disdain for similar effect used in advertising even though I know how to do them well. It's all about playing tricks on the mind. Most people have no idea the power of the subconscious mind, especially when it comes to things like what the mind 'expects' to hear versus what it actually hears.

edit - As an example, a person will listen to something with an irregular cadence far longer than one with an expected cadence. The reason is, the mind is trying to rationalize what it expects to hear...and the individual will listen longer simply to resolve this dilemma. That, or wait for the cadence to stabilize to conform with the timing their brain expects. In advertising, they will use an irregular cadence to hold the listener, and then stabilize the cadence near the end (to resolve the mental conflict) and to drive home the marketing point. This, in my opinion, is highly manipulative, but it is also a very effective psychological technique.

originally posted by: Station27

originally posted by: underpass61
Being a guitar player, it sounds to me like they ran the backing track thru a guitar tremolo pedal or similar studio effect.

You mean like they did on the Tommy James song "Crimson And Clover?"

That was a cool effect!

Yes that song was a favorite when I was a kid!
A modern classic that uses the same effect would be this one -

Sounds like a analog tape emulator plug in with a adjustable speed wow & flutter effect with various delay, modulation and reverb effects on top of it. There’s so many plug in’s nowadays that can probably achieve that effect but my guess is a tape emulator w/W&F effect. I have a few tape and tube imulators plug in’s from legendary mixing boards, don’t think they have a W&F effect though but they do make them w/that effect. I believe my tape echo has a adjustable speed that could probably simulate that. Haven’t played with them in years so don’t remember all the features they had.

I'm a guitarist composer of over 40 years, so I have it all and can usually pinpoint what's going on. I'm in the process of doing my own guitar instrumental album at the moment using a lot of these cool effects and audio deconstructing to build tension and risers in the music.

a reply to: theatreboy