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In Reply to: VERY interesting posted by Eric LeRouge on October 6, 2003 at 04:29:33:
Hi Eric,You wrote:
"I suspect the progress made in DSD projects (and maybe the more attention given by all parties) will trickle down and we will have some much better CD versions, and this is good news for everyone."Sure...just as long as you don't expect them to sound as good as their hi-res sources ;-)
"How much control do you guys have over the final product, though?"I do what the producer/artist/label asks me to do and for the format that they request.
Some clients have very specific ideas of what they want, others leave it up to me and most are in between those two.
"I remember the article posted on this board a few months ago where a producer explained that almost all CDs got "boosted" at the last minute by 1 dB so that the sound would blast on most people's equipment."
The CD loudness wars have been going on for a few years now...As a mastering engineer, I can say "No, I won't mash the life out of that music" and watch the gig go down the street to someone who not only will be happy to do it, but won't give that ex-client of mine a hard time about their aesthetic choices, either...
Therefore, the client always gets what they ask for ;-)
I don't agree that there is a "last minute boost of 1 dB" added to CD's, as a general statement. The general trend is to make a CD as loud as possible and yet still sound 'good' to the client - if the client cares (most do). Of course, 'Good' is defined however one feels like at the moment.
There are no 'rules' as it were...the aesthetic of the day is *LOUD* and lots of people want their CD to be 'competitive' with the next guy's/girl's.
Making a great-sounding, LOUD rock album is an art itself and something that I really enjoy...just as much as making a string quartet album sound as 'real' as possible.
The old story is that your CD needs to be loud to be noticed by radio programme directors (or some variation on this theme). "If it ain't loud then your commercial radio career won't even get started."
However, this idea has largely been de-bunked and there is an excellent chapter in Bob Katz' book "Mastering Audio, the Art & Science" (Focal Press) called "Radio Ready - The Truth"
I *highly* recommend this book. However, for some, it may ruin the notion that mastering is some kind of 'black magic'...
"Maybe that is what happened with DSOTM, and a few others, so that the CD layer would sound "big"."Sure, they were just level matching with the latest pop stuff ;-)
"However, I don't discard the conspiracy theory entirely at this point (makes life more interesting :)"
Oh no, not you too... ;-> Sometimes this forum reminds me of the movie "Day of the Triffids"
Best Regards,
Graemme
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Follow Ups
- Re: VERY interesting - graemme 00:03:22 10/07/03 (0)
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