Neutral Milk Hotel Overdrive/Distortion/Fuzz sound

[lumberjackzach]

Anyone know of a pedal that can copy the fuzzy/overdrive sounds that NMH uses?

 

I know on the recording for In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, almost all of the distortion comes from overdriving the recording console. The only dirt pedal was used on a banjo for one of the songs.

 

Anyone have any suggestions?

[Donald Draper]

I'm sure I saw a picture with a green muff in, I'll try and dig it up

[royal crxsh johnson]

its definitely muff.

 

 

the fuzztones are huge, monstrous, and completely lost in the mix

 

fwiw mangum played a hollowbody gibson as well.

[V]

Yeah, Aeroplane seems to be actual tape distortion/compression. Actually, it may seem like an odd choice, but the Markbass Distorsore seems to actually do a pretty decent job of that sound (on both guitar and bass parts). It's got a built in compressor that you can slam with its built in pre-gain control and it also has a post-compressor tube drive control. I'll have to make a clip or something because i haven't seen any clips online of the Distorsore on guitar.

 

I'd say the most important part of that sound, however, is that you use an acoustic/electric guitar.

[lumberjackzach]

 

Yeah, Aeroplane seems to be actual tape distortion/compression. Actually, it may seem like an odd choice, but the Markbass Distorsore seems to actually do a pretty decent job of that sound (on both guitar and bass parts). It's got a built in compressor that you can slam with its built in pre-gain control and it also has a post-compressor tube drive control. I'll have to make a clip or something because i haven't seen any clips online of the Distorsore on guitar. I'd say the most important part of that sound, however, is that you use an acoustic/electric guitar.

 

 

This sounds interesting.

 

And yes it is tape distortion. I read the 33 1/3 book about ITAOTS and it mentioned it several times.

[devi]

 

Yeah, Aeroplane seems to be actual tape distortion/compression..

 

 

This.

[foodeaters]

I'm trying to listen to a Distorsore demo now...4 minutes of talking so far.....And now he records it through a {censored}ty camera mic....

 

Tape works, but it's a hassle. I've found a few rack effects boxes that can get that sound, but they are $$$$$$$$$$

[V]

 

I'm trying to listen to a Distorsore demo now...4 minutes of talking so far.....And now he records it through a {censored}ty camera mic.... Tape works, but it's a hassle. I've found a few rack effects boxes that can get that sound, but they are $$$$$$$$$$

 

 

Yeah the distorsore demo blows, imo.

[manchester]

take an acoustic, face your amp, turn on muff, there ya go.

 

but in all seriousness i would say russian muff or maybe rat?

[six acre lake]

Jeff Magnum details his use of a four track cassette machine as his overdrive sound in an early issue of Tape Op. He runs his acoustic direct into the 4 track and just slams the input. The {censored}ty *preamps* on the fourtrack distort like crazy and you dont need the tape. He just ran in then directly out. Google that {censored}. It true.

[chris_d]

Acoustic guitar + Pickup + Rat can do something quite a bit like it. A friend of mine used to rock that setup to great effect.

[chris_d]

Jeff Magnum details his use of a four track cassette machine as his overdrive sound in an early issue of Tape Op. He runs his acoustic direct into the 4 track and just slams the input. The shitty *preamps* on the fourtrack distort like crazy and you dont need the tape. He just ran in then directly out. Google that shit. It true.

 

And this would not be too difficult to work either. Something ghetto like a $20 Tascam Porta 2 and a true bypass loop to turn it "on" and "off" might do the trick.

[six acre lake]

And this would not be too difficult to work either. Something ghetto like a $20 Tascam Porta 2 and a true bypass loop to turn it "on" and "off" might do the trick.

 

Exactly.

[foodeaters]

You're right. When I think of the neutral milk hotel sound I think of the whole mix, not just the guitar sound.

 

If you haven't heard the Tall Dwarfs check 'em out:

 

[d4rk0]

i love this forum...

[Danielwlbn]

anyone know hoy to get The Damned's 'New Rose' Guitar tone (i mean, that lofi, crunchy, fuzzy, saturated, overdriven, perfect tone)?

[Alinghi]

I can 100% confirm that it's a Russian (Green Sovtek) Muff pushing a silver face Twin.