that 70s mix "mojo"

[Roswell Diner]

I make electronic music, but don't listen to other electronic music cos the majority of it is unimaginative.
I listen to a lot of genres of music, but listen to a lot of rock, and particularly love the production values of the 70s, because whatever happened in the 70s there was a real earthiness and warmth.
The 60s were kinda "shrill", the 70s had this ...i dunno...this "mojo" goin' on, and then the 80s happened with its thin FM sound everywhere.

Don't get me wrong. I was a teen in the 80s and loved it, and I have fond nostalgia for the music, but the production was brittle, with a range that seemed dominated by the highs and upper mids.

The production in the 70s just seemed so solid, and I'd love to find out why ?
Very few electronic artists have their own sound, and just seem to copy each other. Boards of Canada would be a very notable exception.

The main reason I bought Mixbus is to try to get that "mojo" that was so prevalent in 70s music from artists like The steve miller band, Prince, Fleetwood Mac , Manfred Mann, Bowie, etc.... and apply those production values to electronic music and make something with genuine character, warmth, solidity, earthiness, and....I keep coming back to it.....mojo.

Thoughts, advice, tips.....all welcome.

If anyone's curious, this is my music - https://carbinax.bandcamp.com/

[jonetsu]

This is basically the reason I use Mixbus32C. To add some of that quality to mostly electronic creations. Of which some are in the signature below. Still learning, though. Quite often it sounds very good right after importing tracks into Mixbus, w/o further ado. Of course there's a mix to be done, but the bare start is very good.

Aside, it's neat to see so many new people trying/getting Mixbus.

Cheers.

[V.G.]

This is basically the reason I use Mixbus32C. To add some of that quality to mostly electronic creations. Of which some are in the signature below. Still learning, though. Quite often it sounds very good right after importing tracks into Mixbus, w/o further ado. Of course there's a mix to be done, but the bare start is very good.

Aside, it's neat to see so many new people trying/getting Mixbus.

Cheers.

This is the main task, so that the mix that sounds good at the beginning will not be spoiled by subsequent treatments.

[Roswell Diner]

Very difficult to describe, but the mojo is most noticeable on kick, snare, and lead guitars. There was no tendency to go mental when EQing the high end, and yet there was such a nice punchy character to everything. Maybe it was the desks they used in the 70s. Maybe ...I dunno.....anyone here know what I'm on about ??

[V.G.]

Very difficult to describe, but the mojo is most noticeable on kick, snare, and lead guitars. There was no tendency to go mental when EQing the high end, and yet there was such a nice punchy character to everything. Maybe it was the desks they used in the 70s. Maybe ...I dunno.....anyone here know what I'm on about ??

Of course! qualitatively recorded sources, not spoiled by mixing. Dozens of unnecessary treatments.

[English Guy]

I think a lot went wrong when bands switched from mic recordings to lots of direct recorded synths. The recordings seemed deader and more sterile.

[JamieLang]

Are you actually talking about the two records Prince made in the 70s? Not many people are when they mention his name. Theyre not very unique. 1980’s Dirty Mind is really where “the Prince sound” started to show.

Want the “mojo”....while i know you think youre talking about sonics, record your synths without midi sequencing. Ideally without a click track. Prince never used the Synclavier (precursour to midi sequencers)....or the drum machines he put on the map’s sequencers. He armed tape tracks and played them. Its funny how this idea gets....brushed off now, but if you want a figure to repeat for 4min, you need to play the figure for 4min. If you do that, theres no need for “humanizing”, becuase its human.

Also going to point out, prince never mixed....anything. I say that becuase the tech people use now encourages punting EVERY decision until mixdown. He wouldnt stand for that...one of the reasons for no midi was the timing, but also, it added a step—getting it rendered to the 2” —and maitaining the sync....it was all just a waste of time in his view. The sound and performance couldnt BE seperated in his view.

Just try it. Make a quick 1min “jam” all audio tracks. Recorded linearly.