That Mutt Lange Sound

[ghosty999]

I've always been a shameless fan of the late 80s digital over produced cheese, the one producer that stands out for me was Mutt Lange. The Def Leppard Hysteria era seemed to blend the old school rock n roll song writing with digital pop production techniques of the era.

The one thing I've always wanted to re-create was the huge vocal sound he has on the gang harmonies. I know he did alot of them himself as he was a good singer himself so alot of the tonality was down to his voice... and ALOT of layering.

The one let down was the guitar tone, sometimes that Rockman sound works and other times it lacks depth. I remember hearing he made Phill track each individually then stack them up!

Also his use of drum machine and synth bass always stood out to me as an interesting way of bringing the pop element into rock/heavy metal.

Alot of the Def Leppard drum sound was down to triggers due to an obvious lack of limbs.

This sound seemed to die out in the 90s, seemed to have a short year lifespan before being wiped out.

Anyone got any studio stories or info on the recording process?

 

[D-Nastee11]

I'm interested as well. One of my favorite producers.

 

[controlled_voltage]

after high and dry hysteria was a fucking abomination to my young metal honed ears

 

[thisguy]

I've always been a shameless fan of the late 80s digital over produced cheese, the one producer that stands out for me was Mutt Lange. The Def Leppard Hysteria era seemed to blend the old school rock n roll song writing with digital pop production techniques of the era.

The one thing I've always wanted to re-create was the huge vocal sound he has on the gang harmonies. I know he did alot of them himself as he was a good singer himself so alot of the tonality was down to his voice... and ALOT of layering.

The one let down was the guitar tone, sometimes that Rockman sound works and other times it lacks depth. I remember hearing he made Phill track each individually then stack them up!

Also his use of drum machine and synth bass always stood out to me as an interesting way of bringing the pop element into rock/heavy metal.

Alot of the Def Leppard drum sound was down to triggers due to an obvious lack of limbs.

This sound seemed to die out in the 90s, seemed to have a short year lifespan before being wiped out.

Anyone got any studio stories or info on the recording process?

Lange had already brought the drum machine in on Pyromania.

 

[Mailman1971]

I dont know Ghosty......you make some AWESOME GOOD video recordings.
Seems like your nailing it now.

 

[SLOgriff]

Who's that second band in the video above? Sounds just like Def Leppard with different guys. Isn't that Craig Chaquiso on guitar?

 

[Mailman1971]

That's Jefferson Airplane / Strarship.
"We built this city"
'Sarah"
"Nothing gonna stop us now"

Lot of radio play back then. Good pop stuff.

 

[mystixboi]

I believe that it's modtly Phil and mutt on those tracks.

The trick is to create layers of vocals. When recording, for each vocal line record three takes.so if you have one Melody and three harmony lines, that's 12 tracks total. For each line and one check left, one check right, and leave one in the middle. Try different variations of pending until you get the huge local sound that you're looking for.

I tried to do that my recordings as well. I'm not the best singer but here's an example. If you get to the chorus, you can hear the different layers of vocals going on
https://bandzoogle.com/tracks/42814/251 ... 16621.html

 

[HilltopExplosion]

I believe that it's modtly Phil and mutt on those tracks.

The trick is to create layers of vocals. When recording, for each vocal line record three takes.so if you have one Melody and three harmony lines, that's 12 tracks total. For each line and one check left, one check right, and leave one in the middle. Try different variations of pending until you get the huge local sound that you're looking for.

I tried to do that my recordings as well. I'm not the best singer but here's an example. If you get to the chorus, you can hear the different layers of vocals going on
https://bandzoogle.com/tracks/42814/251 ... 16621.html

Cool tune dude! Rippin solo.. fits nice..

I've always been a shameless fan of the late 80s digital over produced cheese, the one producer that stands out for me was Mutt Lange. The Def Leppard Hysteria era seemed to blend the old school rock n roll song writing with digital pop production techniques of the era.

The one thing I've always wanted to re-create was the huge vocal sound he has on the gang harmonies. I know he did alot of them himself as he was a good singer himself so alot of the tonality was down to his voice... and ALOT of layering.

The one let down was the guitar tone, sometimes that Rockman sound works and other times it lacks depth. I remember hearing he made Phill track each individually then stack them up!

Also his use of drum machine and synth bass always stood out to me as an interesting way of bringing the pop element into rock/heavy metal.

Alot of the Def Leppard drum sound was down to triggers due to an obvious lack of limbs.

This sound seemed to die out in the 90s, seemed to have a short year lifespan before being wiped out.

Anyone got any studio stories or info on the recording process?

It sounds like a lot of using input channels as returns with reverb/delay.. out of 1 channel into delay, out of delay into cannel two, out of channel 2 to reverb, out of reverb to channel 3.. that kind of stuff. I'm gonna try to figure it out. SOMEBODY here knows I bet!

 

[Dave L]

Mike Shipley once said that the reason you can´t sound like that is because you don´t phrase your singing like that, but there´s also a ton of EQ going on. For example, on the Adrenalize album they ran the DI guitar tracks - probably mostly real amps thru a Palmer at that point - through several EQs and channel strips in a row, taking out frequencies and putting them back in and so on and so forth. I´d imagine much the same was done on the vocals, cutting out some depth and cranking those airy highs. You also need to get a compressor working just right to glue together all those tracks.

 

[ghosty999]

I've read Mike Shipley say "Just scoop the mids out and you can fit in hundreds of bv tracks." Plus rumors of whisper tracks being used.

His record sales are between 180million and 200 million so it's a winning formula it seems haha.

"
Breath out alot while singing the parts. Do 10-12 dubs per part, keep the phrasing tight

Then bounce all the Bk Vox to a stereo track.

Now roll off everthing below 1kHz.

Boost alot at 12-16kHz. Oxford EQ works best.

Then compress the hell out of it.

It should sound like constant SSSsss

Now blend that back in with the original."

 

[Red_Label]

after high and dry hysteria was a fucking abomination to my young metal honed ears

Exactly what I was going to post!

When I want awesome, rich, fat, juicy tones and gritty rock & roll... I reach for High & Dry, and Pyromania to a lesser extent.

Yes, the production and songwriting on Hysteria was very "interesting" and I do like it for what it is. But as a guitar player... the cheesy Rockman tones of the Hysteria era was a total shark-jump after the iconic 80s rock albums that came before.

 

[Red_Label]

I've read Mike Shipley say "Just scoop the mids out and you can fit in hundreds of bv tracks." Plus rumors of whisper tracks being used.

His record sales are between 180million and 200 million so it's a winning formula it seems haha.

"
Breath out alot while singing the parts. Do 10-12 dubs per part, keep the phrasing tight

Then bounce all the Bk Vox to a stereo track.

Now roll off everthing below 1kHz.

Boost alot at 12-16kHz. Oxford EQ works best.

Then compress the hell out of it.

It should sound like constant SSSsss

Now blend that back in with the original."

That summarizes Hysteria for me. May be great for big vocals... but it ruins organic guitar tone.

I totally respect that Mutt was going for something completely different on Hysteria, and acknowledge that he nailed it. And I used to wear my Hysteria cassette out when it first came out. But when I reach for a classic Leppard album now... I rarely ever reach for that one. The only tune off of that one that I still find to be rewarding to listen to is "Gods of War". Bitchin' tune that one is.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Jesus, sounds so complicated to me! I think i will just stick with doubling chorus parts for effect... all the running back through eq and verb etc sounds too confusing and too much to keep track of. I do like the sound though.. I will say however that the Lange sound seems to follow him everywhere he goes with vocal choruses usually involving a WOOOO or YEAAHHHHH or anything to that effect. From Nickleback to whatever else he has worked on it is always there..

 

[Red_Label]

Jesus, sounds so complicated to me! I think i will just stick with doubling chorus parts for effect... all the running back through eq and verb etc sounds too confusing and too much to keep track of. I do like the sound though.. I will say however that the Lange sound seems to follow him everywhere he goes with vocal choruses usually involving a WOOOO or YEAAHHHHH or anything to that effect. From Nickleback to whatever else he has worked on it is always there..

Mutt and Leppard lived in the studio for over a year (if I recall correctly), completely over-producing that album. It was like the ultimate cliche rock star instance of over-doing it in the studio.

I preferred the less over-produced "Operation Mindcrime" album from Queensryche, from that same era. It was highly produced, but still sounded like a rock band in the studio and not 500 people singing and playing [albeit very tightly] at the same time.

 

[Bronco]

Jesus, sounds so complicated to me! I think i will just stick with doubling chorus parts for effect... all the running back through eq and verb etc sounds too confusing and too much to keep track of. I do like the sound though.. I will say however that the Lange sound seems to follow him everywhere he goes with vocal choruses usually involving a WOOOO or YEAAHHHHH or anything to that effect. From Nickleback to whatever else he has worked on it is always there..

Absolutely...he ruined Bryan Adams too...by the early 90s, Def Leppard and BA were virtually interchangeable.

 

[Dave L]

I think Hysteria actually took eighteen months to record. But say what you will, they accomplished what they set out to do!

I remember a story about David Coverdale being next door, recording for the 1987 album. Joe had some sort of breakdown when he realized that David cut that whole track in an hour.

 

[Red_Label]

Hysteria really should have been credited to "The Mutt Lange Band Featuring Select Tracks From Def Leppard Members".

 

[ghosty999]

I think Hysteria actually took eighteen months to record. But say what you will, they accomplished what they set out to do!

I remember a story about David Coverdale being next door, recording for the 1987 album. Joe had some sort of breakdown when he realized that David cut that whole track in an hour.

hahaha I'm not surprised! Supposedly Mutt was relentless, would drive the Def Leppard lads mad with having to re-do re-do re-do, then scrap it and start again.

Mutt was ahead of the times though, he was technically sequencing in the age of tape which is pretty cool.

They made a pop metal masterpiece that metal and pop fans could enjoy which doubled their market. And still make fat stacks of cash even today when Joe's face looks like its melting and Phil's body has enough oil on it to interest an Arab

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

They made a pop metal masterpiece that metal and pop fans could enjoy which doubled their market. And still make fat stacks of cash even today when Joe's face looks like its melting and Phil's body has enough oil on it to interest an Arab

Had a good laugh at this one.. does Phil ever put on a shirt??