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[Allen Corneau]

I have a project in progress that's going for the typical "Nashville" sound, and while my clients are happy with the results we've gotten, it got me to wondering...

What attributes would you consider classic to the Nashville sound?

Is there specific gear you would consider "highly effective" in getting that sound?

What other tricks/tips can you offer to achieve the Nashville sound?

Yeah, yeah, I know a lot of it is the mix, but still...

Let's hear it!

PS: out of all the mastering forums around I figured I post this here since Brad is the closest to Nashville as far as forum moderators go.

[Middleman]

The first question I would ask is which Nashville Sound?

-Traditional prior to Elvis
-Patsy Kline
-Hank Snow era
-Johnny Cash era
-Loretta Lynn
-Buck Owens era
-Eagles invade Nashville
-Garth Brooks era
-Mutt Lange/Shaina Twain era and the aftermath
-Brooks and Dunn
-Alison Krauss
-Lady Antebellum
-Brad Paisley
-Taylor Swift

There are a lot of Nashville Sounds and it is constantly evolving more toward a pop experience sonically. If you perhaps provide the names of a couple artists they feel the are similar too or admire, that might help. 

[Allen Corneau]

The first question I would ask is which Nashville Sound?

 

The project I'm working on is going for the late 90's early '00's sound (Shania Twain?) which I would characterize as: bright, glassy highs; light in the low-mids; very controlled/reduced dynamics; almost a flat light-grey sound.

I'm just guessing but I would think an SSL-style compressor and Avalon EQ would be good choices to get there.

However, my situation is really just a starting point for the discussion. I'd like to hear what other folks have to say.

[bblackwood]

The project I'm working on is going for the late 90's early '00's sound (Shania Twain?) which I would characterize as: bright, glassy highs; light in the low-mids; very controlled/reduced dynamics;

That's almost exactly as I would have described it. Nashville sounds like GML to me.

[SafeandSoundMastering]

I understand the Avalon 737 mic channel is resident in many studios in Nashville.
Thats one small thing I heard anyway.

If I was recording I would be thinking 414's for the glassy sound.

Other than that it must surely be the musicians and the recordings.

I would not know where to start to be honest, Brads worked on some country, forgive my
complete lack of cultural sensitivity to this genre, I am a London bod afterall.

I imagine a class A solid state eq might be good for glass(IBIS?) or possible a good ITB eq with that character (oh damn... no... they are all the same that won't work, lol)

I am interested in the post though !
 

[GYMusic]

"What attributes would you consider classic to the Nashville sound?"

That is has no comparison what so ever to the "Bakersfield Sound".

[Bob Olhsson]

That's almost exactly as I would have described it. Nashville sounds like GML to me.

I understand a GML on the 2-buss of an SSL was a pretty common setup. Everything was digital too during the Jimmy Bowen era, Mitsubishi and DASH. Apogee AD-500s or 1000s also seem to be in every older control room.

I haven't seen any Avalons. The biggest thing is, of course, who was out in front of the mikes.

[Jerry Tubb]

Super-Loud & Auto-Tuned to the Max.

That said, it's all over the map really, hard to generalize.

JT

[Waltz Mastering]

I've had someone send me some tracks by Faith Hill to use as a reference before.  Nice stuff..mastered by Doug Sax

Carrie Underwood might be another person of interest to check out for more of modern sound.  Vocals seem very present.

I don't know if there is a Nashville sound that you could attribute to the mastering process...pretty wide ranging... well balanced with a tilt on the high end?

[John Moran]

Gnashvile sound? Big Country.
as a generic description, the vox is front and center with everything else scooped to make space around it.
aesthetically, it's shiny & glossy with big drums.
kinda hard to make that happen in mastering if it's not already in the mix.
if it's in the mix, just polish it up and go, keep the dynamics intact, don't crush.
Glen could chime in, he's done a little bit of it....

[bblackwood]

*temporary bump while thread porting from old forums happens*