This video explores in the production techniques used in the song Like Lightning by Lexene as co-producers Alexa and Robert share their insight into the production process through interviews, recording session footage, and Pro-Tools mix breakdowns.
Check out Lexene’s music channel for more in sight into the songwriting and collaboration side of the production.
This Like Lightning studio footage was filmed in Winter 2021 at Auratone Productions in Kelowna, BC.
In this session we are joined by some seasoned players to help us ‘lay the beds’.
Our rhythm section features: Dave Chobot on Electric Bass, Aaron Anderson on the Drums, and Gary Cable, owner of Auratone Productions, on the Keyboard.
The Bass and Drums were recorded ‘Live off the Floor’ with Aaron playing drums in the Theatre, and Dave tracking Bass in the control room.
Gary helped out providing some melodic cues on a midi keyboard.
Drum Notes:
A majority of the drum sound came from the great (and well tuned) Sonar ProLite kit.
The drum mic setup was pretty standard, we used a sE live drum mic set with Shure KSM 32s as spaced pair overheads.
We also included 2 sets of room mics (mono Coles 4078 / stereo Advanced Audio CM414).
Aaron brought his sub kit which provided a majority of the ‘oomph’ for this kick drum driven song. (The other kick mic we used as a kick in was from the live sE drum mic kit.)
Something notable about the drum part is that there are no snares!
The chorus features a Pop Soca type groove with an open snare drum.
Bass Tone:
I really love the bass tone on Like Lightning. which came from Dave’s fitting performance combined with a great recording setup.
We used 2 different DIs for this bass tone. (mainly just for choices, I ended up blending them in the mix)
Dave plugged into the Radial HDI unit, which has a few control for presence, color, as well as an opto style compressor.
Then we ran the thru send to a Neve 1073 LB. The combined result gave me a lot of choices to sculpt a rich and contoured bass tone.
I ended up filtering the high end from the Radial HDI track to let the Neve shine thru and provide the character for this Bass tone.
Guitar Layering:
Later on I recorded myself playing Acoustic guitar, 12 string acoustic, and Hawaiian slide guitar.
The slide guitar was recorded DI, where as both acoustic guitars were recorded in stereo with a spaced pair of Advanced Audio CM414s.
The acoustic 6 string provides the majority of the rhythmic movement for a lot of the song.
With such a repetitive part, it can be tricky to keep a consistent performance throughout.
But doing so makes editing like comping, time alignment, and looping to go much smoother!
The 12 string doubles much of the 6 string part to add a lush texture to develop parts of the arrangement.
I added some saturation and reverb to the slide and used it as a lead instrument to fill in gaps in the vocal.
Sometimes I’m going for a Nashville slide part, others I’m just doing whale sounds.
Listen to Like Lightning by Lexene
A maelstrom of love and heartache that recognizes not all romances are meant to last. Like Lightning delivers lush layered acoustic strings surrounded by harmonized vocals that recall bittersweet memories of a tumultuous relationship.
Like Lightning Produced by Back Burner Studios
