Iron Maiden Recording Techniques in the Studio

nuno_c

A hollow universe in space
Let's talk about recording methods used by the band in the studio!

To start off this topic, did Maiden ever use a click track in the studio? Any song? Any album?
 
I don't think they've ever used a click track, if you've seen the Making of DOD feature on the Death on the Road DVD, Janick mentions the use of a click by other bands and Nicko says something along the lines of "Click track, what's that?"
Listening to the more recent albums would suggest no, due to how lose everything feels.

Speaking from a producer's POV, I strongly dislike click tracks and only ever use one if the band/drummer requests the use, for me it takes away the natural feeling from the songs
 
The part after the solos in "Chains of Misery" (when the singing resumes) is the proof they don't use a click track. Floating rhythm is also present throughout the new album.
 
And does the band literally record their albums since BNW live in the studio?

I'm really curious about their WHOLE approach in the studio since the early days btw, so we can all discuss everything about Maiden's recording process, but their post-reunion recording techniques really interest me since they seem to have a really natrual approach to it
 
I seem to remember an interview where they talked about how they didn't need a click track because Nicko is a human metronome, and that his greatest skill as a drummer is that he keeps time like a machine.

Which sounds cruel, but is actually a gigantic complement.
 
I seem to remember an interview where they talked about how they didn't need a click track because Nicko is a human metronome, and that his greatest skill as a drummer is that he keeps time like a machine.

Which sounds cruel, but is actually a gigantic complement.
And before Nicko did they ever use a click?
 
I seem to remember an interview where they talked about how they didn't need a click track because Nicko is a human metronome, and that his greatest skill as a drummer is that he keeps time like a machine.

I wonder how they explain the sometimes gigantic increase in tempo then... "The Wicker Man" is a fine example, listen to the difference between when it is first played and the tempo it speeds up to when the rest of the band comes in. I guess it's Steve who's pushing the tempo, which is very unusual for a bassplayer. It sounds awkward, but it's their signature thing. Have no trouble with their habit of not sticking to the same tempo when they enter a new section, but some of their speeding-up-during-a-section does sound off.

Their Shirley-produced efforts definitely have the basic tracks laid down 'live' in the studio and then overdubbed, which could mean just bass and drums playing and then overdubbing the rest later but as far as I've gathered from interviews they actually play all 6 at the same time. Which also raises the question - are everyone actually putting down tracks also? How much is used in the final mix? Is Bruce singing with them? (From The Final Frontier Studio Diaries by Kevin Shirley I gathered all vocals were recorded in LA or something.) Could be different from song to song, so unless they show us/tell us, we'll never know.

How Birch did it, I don't know - but I got the impression that everyone playing at the same time in the studio was something new for them when they recorded Brave New World.
 
After just recently watching the Death on the Road and AMOLAD making-of features, here's how it seems like they do it:

The band plays everything live and everything is recorded. They do this multiple times until they get a general "feel" that they all like. That usually means that whatever take has that "feel" will make up the majority of the track for the drums and bass. Then, they might do some overdubs to fill in gaps (mostly on bass). Kevin Shirley will then mix together a master guitar track for each guitarist based on all of the takes since each guitar is no doubt going into a separate recording track. Thus, the tracks for each individual musician are compiled tracks of multiple live performances. In essence, this is still live, but we're all kidding ourselves if we think that each musician is playing ever song straight through at the same time. Maybe this has happened a couple times, but from what I can gather (and from doing this myself in the recording studio), this is the most efficient way to get the best performances while still maintaining that raw sound.

Same goes for Bruce. He will do anywhere between 5-10 takes and then Shirley will mix together the best bits from all of them into the final "performance." Some of these may or may not be recorded while the band is physically playing.
 
Same goes for Bruce. He will do anywhere between 5-10 takes and then Shirley will mix together the best bits from all of them into the final "performance." Some of these may or may not be recorded while the band is physically playing.

Yes, certainly, but it's easier to compile vocals that's recorded on top of an already laid down master track - to compile guitar from different takes is another thing entirely if they haven't been recorded to the exact same tempo. What does he do, make a metronome track based on the drums and then quantify the guitars after that? Wouldn't work well, unless it's a staccato riff with very clear borders in the graphic wave for the software to latch on to.

Guitars can't be compiled that easily, if someone makes a mistake it would be much smarter to just have him overdub himself.
 
Yes, certainly, but it's easier to compile vocals that's recorded on top of an already laid down master track - to compile guitar from different takes is another thing entirely if they haven't been recorded to the exact same tempo. What does he do, make a metronome track based on the drums and then quantify the guitars after that? Wouldn't work well, unless it's a staccato riff with very clear borders in the graphic wave for the software to latch on to.

Guitars can't be compiled that easily, if someone makes a mistake it would be much smarter to just have him overdub himself.

Yeah, that's probably true, but you can shift little timing things and make them sound perfect. I've done it all the time. If the guy I work with can do it, I'm sure Kevin Shirley can do it. But it's probably more so that he takes one performance and then overdubs any shifty parts. Plus, we all know the guitar solos are mostly overdubbed, so you're probably right.
 
In one of the tour videos I remember Dave Murray was really stoked with how they recorded one of their more live albums as described here. It sounded like The guitarists were sometimes in the same room with their amps hooked up remotely so they could actually talk and get feedback from other members and when the guitars play together they could be in the same room and feed of of the other player when working in harmonies. So it seems like a pretty interactive thing with plenty of mixing but a lot of the work is quite spontaneous and offers quite a bit of freedom. Some tracks on they jam all day and completed a single track by the end of that day when it's all mixed.

The videos were on youtube but I didn't save them to a watchlist, unfortunately.
 
How Birch did it, I don't know - but I got the impression that everyone playing at the same time in the studio was something new for them when they recorded Brave New World.
SSOASS they played together, because they laid down Moonchild in one take.
 
D: What did producer Kevin Shirley bring to the album?

BD: The album was recorded completely live, which was the first time we've ever done it. Kevin made that possible, or suggested it. We went, "We'd love to, but it's technically very difficult." [But] he really facilitated it. He's a talented engineer, [and] got the sounds together for it. He actually has a whole set of equipment that he brings with him into the studio, which enables each individual member of the band to get exactly their own mix. We have our own little eight-channel mixer by the side of each guy. It just turns what is normally a nightmare into a little dream machine.

He also selected a great studio for us in Paris called William Tell, which enabled us to realize the idea of doing it live. [It had] a huge sounding drum room, [and] loads of glass so we could all get eye contact with each other while we were playing. At the same time, I could do my vocals completely live and just be separated from all the racket. We knew we were going to be doing it live, so we rehearsed all the songs up, having come off the back of the tour. We wrote the songs before going on tour; left them, not unfinished, but unrehearsed, certainly; and then came back to them after the tour with this whole touring head [mindset]; and then we rehearsed them as if we were gonna go and do a gig; and then we did a gig basically for each song, but in the studio.

http://maidenfans.com/index.php?ACT=module&name=rwarticles&show=59
 
If one Maiden drummer ever was a metronome, I'd say that was Clive, not Nicko. However much I love Nicko's playing, his time keeping hasn't been that great, especially noticable in the current century. Hardly noticable on studio work but I thought I noticed an acceleration on WTRRD.
 
If one Maiden drummer ever was a metronome, I'd say that was Clive, not Nicko. However much I love Nicko's playing, his time keeping hasn't been that great, especially noticable in the current century. Hardly noticable on studio work but I thought I noticed an acceleration on WTRRD.

I guess you'd have a hard time finding a part that doesn't speed up on the whole record... Or the four that came before it. "The Red and the Black" stood out as especially awkard for me personally.
 
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