Is it too loud? I SAID, IS IT TOO LOUD?!
1Thought this article would be of interest to folk who have an opinion on quiet and loud (or just plain shit sound quality) in them CD things...
Is it too loud? I SAID, IS IT TOO LOUD?!
3"brick wall" mastering is getting out of control. A lot of new albums I listen to, I can only get though a few tracks without getting fatigued and move on to something else. Usually an old album. A perfect example is "Stadium Arcadium" by the chili peppers. It even peaks digitally AFTER mastering.
Just put most new albums into soundforge and look at the waveform. Most of them are nearly solid black thick bars cut at the top and bottom. No dynamics whatsoever.
I've been recording a female singer/songwriter recently and she's made me realise the importance of dynamics in a mix. I try not to get above -6db.
The main thought I have is do people know how to use a volume control? If it's not loud enough. Simply turn it up.
Whether you like them or not, the new Iron Maiden album was mastered low. Probably in a response to this current trend.
Just put most new albums into soundforge and look at the waveform. Most of them are nearly solid black thick bars cut at the top and bottom. No dynamics whatsoever.
I've been recording a female singer/songwriter recently and she's made me realise the importance of dynamics in a mix. I try not to get above -6db.
The main thought I have is do people know how to use a volume control? If it's not loud enough. Simply turn it up.
Whether you like them or not, the new Iron Maiden album was mastered low. Probably in a response to this current trend.
Is it too loud? I SAID, IS IT TOO LOUD?!
5Although I have seen it before, cheers for posting and refreshing my memory.
Last edited by z00york_Archive on Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:28 am, edited 2 times in total.
Is it too loud? I SAID, IS IT TOO LOUD?!
6On a silly side note. Aphex Twin put a face on one of his tracks that can only be seen by spectral analysis:
Some geek found it. Apparently Aphex made the image in metasynth. Astounding.
Some geek found it. Apparently Aphex made the image in metasynth. Astounding.
Is it too loud? I SAID, IS IT TOO LOUD?!
8As I recall it also has a fair amount to do with people trying to make their recordings louder so they would stand out on radio broadcasts. Thus creating a benchmark in which other people followed.
What the fuck @ Aphex Twin, how did he do that :/
What the fuck @ Aphex Twin, how did he do that :/
Is it too loud? I SAID, IS IT TOO LOUD?!
9i agree that stadium arcadiums sound is as shit as its songs but frankly i find action park to be way to fucking quiet. liar is fine.
a sense of history
Is it too loud? I SAID, IS IT TOO LOUD?!
10z00york wrote:As I recall it also has a fair amount to do with people trying to make their recordings louder so they would stand out on radio broadcasts. Thus creating a benchmark in which other people followed.
What the fuck @ Aphex Twin, how did he do that :/
So many pop radio stations compress/EQ their output that compressing for radio must surely be an almost redundant exercise?
BBC radio two (for example) has either multi-band compressors, or a combination of compressors and EQing (I have no idea) that makes everything sound as if hi-hats, rather than vocals are the main focus of pop music, at least in my car which is the only time I would even consider listening to radio two...