The "How did LP make that sound" Thread - Research

So on "Runaway," Joe does some cuts on the album version during the bridge, in sync with Mike when he repeats "gonna run away" during the riff portions.

At 25:23 on this video there's a sample that seems to work:


And for reference, this video has the isolated track for Joe's part at 2:02:


I just started playing with any sound on Tasty Gas Station Breaks from the Orient that sounded somewhat similar, adding pitch shifting, filters, distortion. And this particular one actually sounded very close after some manipulation. Upon further investigation, I realized that if you pitch that sample up by 35%, it damn well near hits the same pitch, and with some distortion, it really starts to sound similar.

I did some quick takes on it - my crossfader has just about had it though (I'm using the controller upside down because the side my dominant hand uses won't communicate properly). It's rough around the edges but demonstrates the idea, and I thought a demo could be good for once:


I'm saving for new gear so this won't be an issue going forward...

35% stuck out to me and gave this theory more credence because it's the exact percentage change from 33 1/3 RPM to 45 RPM. So now I wonder: could it be possible that he just flipped his deck over to the 45 RPM setting to pitch it up during the recording sessions? So many questions.

 

Can anyone confirm if that distant sound in the first chorus of The Emptiness Machine at 0:45 is an Emily voice sample? Seems too good of a tease not to be.

 

Always though it was, although can't confirm. But assuming it is, I love the almost haunting nature of that tease - like, "there is someone else than Mike taking part in this". One of my favorite bits in the song.

 

Thanks! That's good enough for me.

It's kind of a gotcha moment, because I'm sure most people didn't even register it the first time listening.

 

I was looking into this because it interested me. I inverted the stereo tracks against each other, which is kind of a cheap trick way to get anything that's mixed further down or not matching 100% center to come out. I do think it could be Emily listening to that part like that. With some of the other frequencies cancelling each other out, I hear like an "OHHHHHHHH-ohhhhhh" that sounds a lot like her.

Additionally, it seems Emily actually comes in even earlier than that. Starting with "just like you always do" in the first verse. Doing this thing also brought out several backing vocals in the first verse by her. It's really covered up by Mike's vocals and echoes in the full mix, but it's there.

And I also found the intro choral part toward the end of the song...not sure if that's been pointed out already.

I did a quick upload here if you want to listen: NOT THIS ONE see my later post lol

 

Maybe I should be using headphones because the singing is more pronounced but I can't hear any backing vocals here.

 

I was just checking to see if anyone was listening to what I posted

I uploaded the wrong file sorry lol. This one should be correct: https://vocaroo.com/1l8fyleN4Tqp

There's better ways to filter the vocals, but this was a quick 2-minute operation I could do at work

 

Well shit. There she is.

I also forgot how pronounced that vocoder effect was at the live debut. I kinda liked it.

 

Damn, the subtle harmony line that Mike is doing at 2:13 is fascinating, never heard that before

 

Take this and reverse it, I promise you'll be in for a surprise .

(James Bond - From Russia With Love - 1963 - Tania Meets Klebb)

Spoiler: Spoiler alert

Not sure if it has been mentioned before, but the Faint intro sample is from 0:32 reversed, chopped and bit-crushed I think.

 

Whoa. Hold up. What??

I admit, I was going to dismiss this initially. But this does sound fairly convincing. I took the sample (side note: your link isn't available for me, not sure about others in the US; I used this one), and just added an equal pitch and speed adjustment by 12.246% (from the B in the source to the C# in "Faint")...and this sounds...very much like "Faint" to my ears.

https://vocaroo.com/1aNTfVJwPbQY

Even that last part sounds very similar to the extra strings bits on the intro of that "Faint" demo on the Lost Demos disc we got with the Meteora anniversary in 2023. I think it's quite possible it could be this particular piece chopped up, effected, and looped.

Interesting!

EDIT: so apparently this was on Reddit a while back, which I quit using. Still a crazy find, and whoever found it has a really good ear.

EDIT 2: I chopped and edited the sample a bit, then added the live stems (which also helped me figure how some of it got chopped) and chorus stabs, and also edited recreated the opening breakbeat. Result here fits together quite well imo. Just a little off in the effects department.