anybody know some RZA tricks and teqs?

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jimmyglance

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yo, just wondering if anybody could share of the RZA's tricks for getting that grimmy yet present sound...thanks
 
RZA

I would like to know something about his techniqe too...
Just watched Jarmusch`s "Ghost dog" movie that RZA did soundtrack for,it`s inspired by ancient japan,samurai & ****(you know RZA is krazy about that).I`m waiting for Tarantino`s Kill Bill,he`s doing a soundtrack for it too...
 
i think his sound is a perfect mix of synth leads, grimey breaks and good samples.

heres what i noticed: he uses drum machines/samplers for drums and triggering samples.......for bass he uses both the drum machine and synths. he also uses sythns for leads.
 
Check out PSP Wintage Warmer.


Prolly some good usage of hardware/software mastering and finishing tools that gives you the good mix (except for the good mix itself)
 
I think he uses vinyl samples and just ****s with em... I saw his setup on cribs a long time ago and he had some ****ty old sampler/keyboard (dont know which), I bet thats where his grimey **** comes from.

I was a little surprised that he doesnt have a full blown studio at his crib, but obviously its enough.

By the present sound you probably mean that the sound is compressed... he probably compresses his sounds then puts a reverb/flanger or some other stretch effect on it... so you get that short attack with the longer less strong strech sound.

hope that helps a little...
 
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the key to early WU tang **** isn't the sound obviously he uses alot of analog synths n he makes his loops off records not gm sounds .... The key is in the placement ..... theres alot droning loops so when a melody drops it has alot more Umphh ....
 
reason why most cats here cant reproduce rza's stuff, is cuz hes using old antique things you all wouldnt consider. not the newest fruity loops.
 
Why would you wan't to reproduce RZA in the first place ?

I'm not really into his preaching 'look i'm here to tell you all what 's wrong with the world and what you are doing wrong and how you ****ed up with this and that' or 'hey i made some major ****ups in my lfie, now i have to be real and look i'm so cool' kind of thing. Some sort of postmodernistic problem with identity or something. Granted it's understandable.

Other than that, I think his production is about the same level as many others, nothing special or outstanding about it. Ghost dog was a cool movie with a neat soundtrack to it, but it's nothing to be amazed about.
More a matter of hard work, having the right samples fit the right spots, and use good eq and mixing tecniques.
Which is just what he did, and good also.

There are a lot that uses the same mixing and eq techniques tho.
 
For all that dont know rza is a devoted user of EMU-ensoniq product. back in the day RZa use the ASR-10 sampling keyboard to get those dirty grimming drums laced and filter with vinyl sampling from music from the 40 and 60 r&b era. he currently uses the MP7 which is the emu sampling /workstation. ;) peace
 
Ablord said:
For all that dont know rza is a devoted user of EMU-ensoniq product. back in the day RZa use the ASR-10 sampling keyboard to get those dirty grimming drums laced and filter with vinyl sampling from music from the 40 and 60 r&b era. he currently uses the MP7 which is the emu sampling /workstation. ;) peace
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He endorses the MP7, but I don't know how much he actually uses it. But in the past, he used a lot of Ensoniq and Emu pieces, to include the ASR-10. He used a Novation Bass Station for the second Wu album. He also used analog filters and compressors. But just as important as what he used, is how he used it. The most important part of the Rza sound is the production, or lack of production at times. Low-Fi production techniques, low bit rate samples, vintage keys, dusty records, and ingenuity & creativity gives you the original Rza sound.
 
Ikemurda said:

The most important part of the Rza sound is the production, or lack of production at times. Low-Fi production techniques, low bit rate samples, vintage keys, dusty records, and ingenuity & creativity gives you the original Rza sound.
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Ike Murda , I think you have to give money(Rza) his props, b/c now you have everyone trying to copy his style . i.e kanya West , heat makers etc. Wheter he set out to do this in the beginning or had no choose do to resources and equipment. He was the first hip hop producers to introduces/grind this technique .And he still incorporates these techniques in his work ytd .He is da originator ( no offense Blade)hehe!!:p Da originator of the gritty drums tracks and the hi fi vocal's filter phrase samples!! just my .02 cents... peace ;)
 
Ablord said:
Ike Murda , I think you have to give money(Rza) his props, b/c now you have everyone trying to copy his style . i.e kanya West , heat makers etc. Wheter he set out to do this in the beginning or had no choose do to resources and equipment. He was the first hip hop producers to introduces/grind this technique .And he still incorporates these techniques in his work ytd .He is da originator ( no offense Blade)hehe!!:p Da originator of the gritty drums tracks and the hi fi vocal's filter phrase samples!! just my .02 cents... peace ;)
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You misunderstand me. Rza is one of the greatest, in my book. It wasn't a put down by saying he uses lack of production. The grittiness comes from that lack of ultra-production sheen. I still use a lot of those techniques, although in an updated way. I bought an EPS 16+ and then an ASR-10 because that is what Rza used. Back in '94 Rza was runnin ****e, and I looked to his style and Preme for direction. So Rza gets most high props from me. Kanye, Just, Heat Makers, and myself, we're all 2nd generation copies of the musical genius behind the Wu.
 
He showed what he used when the wu was on mtv cribs, but I forgot what it was. I'm pretty sure they'll have a repeat of it..
 
I think I saw the ASR-10 (like Ikemurda said) keyboard on cribs...
 
Yea Cribs showed his lil home setup, said somethin about some Analog Sans Sampler? Thats what it sounded like comin outta his mouf, not really sure, but he said that gives you some 'gritty, dirty drums', but it aint like thats the only way to make dirty drums, toss some distortion on there, analog can also make **** sound ugly, just play wiff it, if you wanna be RZA part 2, go ahead, but if anyone wants to hear a RZA type tracc theyll listen to RZA! Gotta do yo own thang, it aint like RZA copied someone....ya feel a dude! Holla! Im just doin my thang I dont care if I sell one tape (I will though, nationwide product comin this year, late 03) 1
 
ATMentertainment said:
Yea Cribs showed his lil home setup, said somethin about some Analog Sans Sampler? Thats what it sounded like comin outta his mouf, not really sure, but he said that gives you some 'gritty, dirty drums',
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Actually, what he was saying was "analog Sans Amp." He was talking about the Sans Amp PSA-1 (it is a single rack space tube guitar pre-amp/amplifier simulator.)

In that MTV Cribs, he also had in his setup (keep in mind, this was only his little bedroom workstation he was showing you) 2 ADAT's, the Sans Amp was sitting on top of the ADAT's. To the left of the ADAT's he had a BRC Syncronizer Remote Control for the ADAT's. He had a turntable and mixer. He also had an MPC. I am not sure, off hand, what the keyboard was that he had there. And there was also a little mixing board for monitoring purposes.
 
yeah its kinda hard to undestand what he's saying sometimes.......oh and yes he use the MP-7.......its used in the 2nd bobby digital album............another thing that i did notice about rza is recently he has be experimenting with live instrumentation.........like on the iron flag song "pinky ring" he switched back and forth from drum machine to live drums.
 
Id say just shop for a good keyboard, ask people, read a little, consider what others use, but in the end, just make a choice on what you want and can afford and work with it! who cares what rza uses or the neptunes use....thats them, you gotta focus on makin you a name
 
its the mind not the machine , all the ill old rza wu tang is all samples , from the drums to the melodies. i am sure he relied greatly on the sp1200 and other samplers . but if u wanna sound like him back then its all about the records. if i was to buy gear right know it would be a mpc 4000 that can do it all , if u are focused and have that ear. just me a mpc 2000xl and some records and i can get down on most styles. the 4000 is where the keys come into play so that machine is the everything machine
 
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