Devin Townsend’s Orchestral Metal Mix: Finding Space & Impact

Devin Townsend. The name alone conjures up images of epic soundscapes, walls of guitars, and a creative vision that’s, frankly, out there – in the best way possible. Hevy Devy isn’t just known for his mind-bending music but also for his unique approach to bringing those complex arrangements to life in the mix. Forget cookie-cutter rules; Devin often throws the conventional playbook out the window, and as he demonstrated in a recent session, his methods work. We got a peek into his brain, and let’s just say it’s a fascinating place for any producer looking to carve out their own sonic path.

Want to see Devin apply these concepts himself? You can dive deep into his full mixing session over at Nail The Mix with Devin Townsend.

The “Breaking the Fourth Wall” Philosophy: Looping for Subtlety

Ever get that feeling in a dense mix where one little thing just pokes out too much? A compressor breathing too heavily, an EQ frequency that screams “I’m EQ’d!”, or a guitar part that yanks your attention away from the bigger picture? Devin tackles this head-on with a simple yet effective technique: looping.

When faced with a complicated section, he’ll loop it relentlessly. The goal? To identify anything “breaking the fourth wall,” as he puts it. It’s all about spotting those elements that feel artificial or distracting. Once identified, the aim isn’t necessarily to eliminate them but to massage them into the mix with more subtlety. This is especially crucial in busy passages where you want the overall impact, not a spotlight on one slightly-off component.

Dynamic Automation: Adding Punch and Control

Static mixes are a thing of the past, especially in dynamic music like Devin’s. He’s a big proponent of using automation to bring his arrangements to life and ensure every part serves its purpose, exactly when it needs to.

Accentuating Kicks and Snares with Precision

Take kick drums, for example. If there’s a specific double kick pattern, like a “boom BOOM,” that needs to really hit home, Devin will dive into automation. Using his DAW’s “touch mode” (or your preferred automation mode), he’ll manually push the level of those specific hits, giving them the accent they need to cut through and provide that visceral impact.

This isn’t just about kicks. He applies the same thinking to snare samples, dynamically bringing their levels down where they might be too overpowering or boosting them when they need to drive a section. Got a kick that needs more oomph on a particular beat? He’s not afraid to automate a boost in the sub frequencies for just that hit, ensuring it lands with maximum weight.

Taming Elements as the Mix Evolves

Dynamics also mean knowing when to pull things back. As a song builds and more layers are introduced – think massive orchestral arrangements and countless vocal harmonies – elements that were prominent earlier might need to take a step back. This kind of dynamic control, while achieved here through level automation, touches on principles similar to how one might use compression to shape the envelope of sounds.

The “GP” Layer: Devin Townsend’s Secret Weapon for Depth

Here’s a classic Devy move: the “GP” guitar. For years, since his Ocean Machine days, Devin has utilized an old Roland GP-100 multi-effects unit to create an idiosyncratic guitar layer that’s become a signature part of his sound.

This isn’t your main rhythm chug. The GP layer has a very different frequency range compared to the main heavy guitars. Devin describes it as adding a “weird misty thing on the top,” providing a unique kind of depth that’s hard to achieve otherwise.

A cool trick he employs is leveraging the GP’s frequency content. Because this guitar layer often has a lot of energy in the 3kHz to 6kHz range, he can actually duck this specific area in his main, heavier guitar tracks. This creates a perfect little pocket for the GP layer to sit in, adding its unique texture without fighting the primary guitar tones. For more on carving out these kinds of frequency pockets, check out our EQ strategies for modern metal.

Interestingly, the GP layer’s prominence often changes throughout a song. It might be more audible in sparser sections where it can really shine and take up space. But as the track swells with orchestral elements and other sonic mayhem, its role might become more textural, almost “moot” in terms of individual audibility, yet still contributing to the overall density.

An Orchestral Approach to EQ and Frequency Slotting

Given the complexity of his music, it’s no surprise Devin thinks orchestrally when it comes to EQ. It’s all about ensuring every instrument has its place and contributes to the whole.

Big Picture First, Details Later

Devin often starts with basic, broad EQ settings to get an overview of the sonic landscape. However, as the mix comes together, if a consistent sound starts “breaking the fourth wall” and poking out undesirably, he knows that the problematic frequency needs to be addressed more globally, not just on an isolated track.

Surgical EQ for Clarity

Sometimes, a more surgical approach is needed. He demonstrated this by identifying a troublesome frequency around 1.5kHz. Using a narrow Q (bandwidth) on his EQ, he precisely cut that frequency. This, in turn, revealed a bit too much low-end, which he then adjusted. It’s this iterative process of listening, identifying, and adjusting that leads to a clear and balanced mix.

This meticulousness extends to elements like cymbals too. If there’s any “goofiness” or harshness, especially when they interact with orchestral layers, he’ll dynamically dip those problematic cymbal frequencies in specific sections to maintain clarity. Mastering these metal EQ techniques is crucial.

Snare Selection for Maximum Impact

When it comes to those epic climaxes in his music, Devin knows the snare drum needs to deliver. He’s particular about his snare sounds, especially for these high-energy moments.

He mentioned using an “Armory Snare” sample (likely a specific sample he favors from a library or his own collection) that he finds “super fucking cool” for musical peaks. For those big, powerful endings, he’ll often raise the level of this chosen snare, letting it really crack through and elevate the energy of the track. It’s a testament to how sample selection and dynamic treatment can make or break a powerful moment.

Devin’s Core Mixing Philosophy: It’s All Orchestration

If there’s one overarching theme to Devin Townsend’s mixing, it’s that he approaches it like orchestration. For him, the mix process serves a very practical purpose: realizing his complex arrangements.

It’s all based on frequencies and relative levels. Every sound needs its own space, its own “spot” in the sonic puzzle. Compression, in his world, is often more about gluing things together on the master bus, ensuring the mix doesn’t sound disjointed, rather than aggressive individual track squeezing. Drums should sound “rock,” absolutely, but with a level of fastidiousness that ensures they serve the song.

His workflow often involves:

1. Big Moves First: Addressing the low end and overall balance.
2. Smaller Details: Refining individual elements.
3. The Mono Check: Listening in mono for an extended period (like a day!). If you can’t hear everything clearly in mono, then it’s time to get surgical with frequencies to carve out space.

The Unsung Hero: Arrangement

Devin, along with many top-tier producers, will tell you: it’s all in the arrangement. It might sound like a cliché, but it’s profoundly true. A well-thought-out arrangement means that elements naturally have space to be heard. The EQ moves, compression, and automation then serve to enhance what’s already working, rather than trying to fix fundamental clashes.

Devin even shared that in the past, applying common mixing techniques designed to make other music sound “badass” often compromised his intricate arrangements. This highlights the importance of tailoring your mix approach to the music itself, not just following a set of prescribed rules.

Bringing Devin’s Vision to Your Mixes

Devin Townsend’s methods are a masterclass in creative problem-solving and musicality-driven mixing. From dynamic automation that breathes life into performances to the strategic use of unique textural layers like his GP guitar, and an overarching orchestral approach to frequency and space, there’s a ton here you can adapt for your own productions.

Want to see Devin Townsend himself break down an entire mix, explaining every decision, every plugin, every out-of-the-box idea? You’re in luck. Nail The Mix gives you exactly that opportunity. With Devin Townsend’s NTM session, you get the raw multitracks from one of his songs and watch him mix it from scratch.

It’s one thing to read about these concepts; it’s another to see them applied in real-time by the artist himself. If you’re serious about taking your metal productions to the next level, exploring unconventional techniques, and truly unlocking your sound beyond presets, then diving into sessions with producers like Devin Townsend is invaluable. Check out NailTheMix.com to see how you can learn from the best in the business every single month.