The HAARP Machine Megathread

[JoeyW]

So what you're btelling me is that I can write really cool fast technical riffs without being cool and fast?

I don't think that's the consesous at all, because if that's the case have fun butchering your set live.

 

[Prydogga]

Bulb and Nolly, you're on the same label as THM right? Where's the camaraderie?

 

[bulb]

Well, to be fair that's how a lot of leads are recorded nowadays to acheive a certain type of clarity that human's can't really do. It makes it sound better so why not right? You can really tell that a lot of The Haarp Machine's material is punched like crazy (ecspecially the solo in Pleiadian Keys). I personally think that this kind of music sounds great when every note is on the grid perfectly. If that solo isn't punched then I'm sure Al Mu'min is an android.

Born Of Osiris is a good example of this. As far as I know, for the Discovery Jason Richardson tracked the solos and then punched every note individually and blended the two together.

When I tracked the demos, Jason was doing his leads in 1 or 2 takes, but that's not to say that there isn't a lot of punching in on modern music because there is! For example, Make Total Destroy wasn't recorded in one take on any instrument, there are edits and punches and whatnot as per usual. But when doing my playthrough, I wanted people to hear what my Strandberg actually sounds like, so I played it through an amp in one take, filmed that/used the audio from that and not the audio from the album, sure it's not perfect but neither am I, and that's okay.

Again, the argument is not for those tricks in the studio, but in fact using the halfspeed/one note at a time album audio over a video supposedly showcasing a guitar's tone and playing, but subsequently denying that fact and claiming that it is live.

 

[bulb]

Bulb and Nolly, you're on the same label as THM right? Where's the camaraderie?

Hey we can all be friends, I'm just pointing something out that was just a little more than interesting to me haha. It's a consipiracy I tells ya!

 

[anomynous]

So The Haarp Machine is the new Dragonforce?

 

[JoeyW]

When I tracked the demos, Jason was doing his leads in 1 or 2 takes, but that's not to say that there isn't a lot of punching in on modern music because there is! For example, Make Total Destroy wasn't recorded in one take on any instrument, there are edits and punches and whatnot as per usual. But when doing my playthrough, I wanted people to hear what my Strandberg actually sounds like, so I played it through an amp in one take and filmed that/used the audio from that, sure it's not perfect but neither am I, and that's okay.

Again, the argument is not for those tricks in the studio, but in fact using the halfspeed/one note at a time album audio over a video supposedly showcasing a guitar's tone and playing, but subsequently denying that fact and claiming that it is live.

Oh man, that's sweet! I had just been hearing from a few producer friends that they layer the full take with the punches but I guess you'd know better then anybody haha. I'd be really interested to hear Al actually play (one take with an amp, like your video). I'm sure he's a gnarly player but maybe he gets nervous in the studio?

 

[WhiteWalls]

To me a "playthrough" does not make much sense if I can't hear the actual playing in it. That's only my opinion of course, but I find playthrough useful also to understand how a certain player plays a song, and that is very hard to do if I can't hear how it's played without edits.

They can do it however they want, the part that bugs me is when they advertise it as a LIVE performance, like this one (let's play "spot the difference"!)

 

[bulb]

To me a "playthrough" does not make much sense if I can't hear the actual playing in it. That's only my opinion of course, but I find playthrough useful also to understand how a certain player plays a song, and that is very hard to do if I can't hear how it's played without edits.

They can do it however they want, the part that bugs me is when they advertise it as a LIVE performance...

Of course, if you come clean about it there is no issue, it is lying that gets to me personally, the deleting of comments calling them out etc.

Though there are plenty of live playthroughs where you can hear everything, if you track it to a daw and film it at the same time, you can get studio clarity and truly hear the instrument and the player, and FWIW I think my playthrough came out pretty clear despite the fact that it was just camera audio with the original track underneath.

 

[Rook]

^Makes the new album title kinda ironic, dunnit?

 

[Housty00]

I assume we're talking about the Escapist Notion playthrough video. I mean, never once is it mentioned that he is showcasing that particular guitar ( Fernandes, or whatever it is) So that's kind of irrelevant to me. But, if we're talking about the Strandberg video, that kinda upsets me he's basing all his songs on a sham of not really being able to play them. They've played gigs before, so what is even the point of it? Being as how recording half time and speeding up has a very particular sound, and if he likes that sound, then hey, who are we to judge? I would do it to.

But, I'm probably just incoherently rambling, and don't understand what is being discussed, so proceed with your thread, gents!

 

[-Nolly-]

There's a lot more to all of this. I'm sure you'll all hear about it soon enough

 

[bulb]

Truth.
Also, Housty00, the strandberg video was the one I was referring to specifically. And my understanding is that live he is the only guitarist, so the other side is a prerecorded track (most likely the album track) so as long as the drummer plays well (their old drummer Craig is incredible, and their new drummer is Alex Rudinger who needs no introduction) you could technically slop it up and still sound pretty tight overall haha!

 

[anomynous]

Sounds to me that this is all one big conspiracy theory.

 

[Xarn]

I assume we're talking about the Escapist Notion playthrough video. I mean, never once is it mentioned that he is showcasing that particular guitar ( Fernandes, or whatever it is) So that's kind of irrelevant to me. But, if we're talking about the Strandberg video, that kinda upsets me he's basing all his songs on a sham of not really being able to play them. They've played gigs before, so what is even the point of it? Being as how recording half time and speeding up has a very particular sound, and if he likes that sound, then hey, who are we to judge? I would do it to.

But, I'm probably just incoherently rambling, and don't understand what is being discussed, so proceed with your thread, gents!

I don't think anyone doubts that he can play the stuff. But as already pointed out it is pretty ridiculous to not actually play it live in a video demonstrating a particular guitar. Personally I want an honest presentation of what that guitar would sound like, not supertight/overproduced riffing. Although in the end, I guess that same supertight/overproduced riffing is what actually sells guitars, not an honest "sloppy" recording. Can't blame the dude though, maybe he's just a perfectionist and prefers the sound. Seems to get them a decent deal and a load of fans so who can really blame him.

 

[JosephAOI]

Sounds to me that this is all one big conspiracy theory.

Like The HAARP Machine

 

[-JR-]

So are the chances of seeing Periphery and The HAARP Machine tour together now diminished?

 

[bulb]

I'd say that is a pretty big conclusion to jump to from a statement saying that you shouldn't Milli Vanilli your supposed guitar tone tests haha.

 

[Sunyata]

There's a lot more to all of this. I'm sure you'll all hear about it soon enough

Can we hear it from you? Can soon enough be now? Pleaseeee????

 

[Lorcan Ward]

 

[sakeido]

I really don't care

if Pledian Keys is any indication, compositionally they are way ahead of anybody else on their label. if they use tricks to play the songs no biggy. you can't fake songwriting like that