Andrew Scheps: why heaviness changes over time and modern metal's sonic space problem

What is it about?

Andrew Scheps brings a unique mainstream perspective to metal production, having worked with massive artists across genres including Metallica, Black Sabbath, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. His view of heaviness is refreshingly honest: it's not a fixed quality but changes based on perception and context. Songs that once sounded incredibly heavy can lose their impact as listeners become accustomed to them or as even heavier productions emerge, making heaviness a moving target rather than an absolute standard. Scheps traces distortion's importance back to classical music, where composers wrote specific bowing instructions for string instruments to create "heavy" sounds, showing that the pursuit of sonic weight has deep historical roots. However, he identifies a unique challenge in contemporary metal production: severely limited sonic space. Unlike rock music where kick drums and bass guitars carry massive weight, modern metal requires scaling these elements down to make room for heavily distorted guitars, which now carry the bulk of sonic weight. He emphasises palm-muted guitar picking as crucial for heaviness and argues that slower tempos work better because they allow greater emphasis on the bottom end. Interestingly, his usual distortion-heavy mixing approach actually created problems with "In Solitude," forcing him to adapt his techniques and highlighting the unique demands of mixing metal versus other genres.

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Photo by James Kovin on Unsplash

Photo by James Kovin on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Scheps' mainstream crossover experience provides unprecedented perspective on metal production from someone who regularly works across multiple genres, offering insights into what makes metal production uniquely challenging compared to other popular music forms. His concept of heaviness as dynamically changing rather than fixed challenges static definitions and provides framework for understanding how musical aesthetics evolve over time and cultural context. This perspective is particularly valuable as it explains why certain production approaches become outdated and why the metal community constantly seeks new ways to achieve impact. His historical analysis connecting contemporary metal distortion to classical music traditions provides sophisticated theoretical grounding that elevates production discussions beyond purely technical considerations. The timing is significant as his adaptation challenges during the "In Solitude" project illuminate broader issues facing producers who work across genres - the highly specialised nature of contemporary metal production requires different skill sets and approaches than general music production. His insights about sonic space limitations in modern metal address critical issues that younger producers often struggle with, providing expert guidance for managing the genre's unique mixing constraints. The chapter documents how even world-class producers must adapt their established techniques when encountering metal's specific demands, offering reassurance and practical guidance for less experienced engineers facing similar challenges.