When will the madness end?

[Bass Master "K"]

This has been bugging me the last year and today is the day I can't take it anymore!

What the hell is the deal with the current record industry compressing the crap and squishing every listenable ounce of life out of all the new records, making them high end sizzletracks that sound like piss? I'm driving in my pickup today, listening to the local hard rock station on a Kenwood with Alpine speakers, so it's not like the equiptment is bad, (and it's not the first time I noticed this just the first time I really gave it thought) and it seemed like all I could hear is the freaking cymbals, the high end of the guitar, and sizzling crap for the rest of it. I turned the bass up to mellow it a bit but it still sounded like hell. After about three songs, I can't take it anymore. I flip to the classic rock station and some Zep is playing and GOD DID IT SOUND GOOD. I noticed my body instantly relaxing and my ears were in heaven. Long gone was the tinny cymbals, and low and behold I could hear the guitar and the vocals crystal clear. It sounded pure and sweet. I flip back to the other station...crap....back to classic....bliss. And it's not like I didn't like the band playing on the radio, I own their CD.

Why do records have to be "loud"? Isn't that what the volume knob is for? I don't need someone to do it for me. When will this end? Will the trend ever reverse? Will engineers ever stand up and say enough is enough? Will someone stop the madness!!??
Is this just me? I'm almost sorry I have gotten into recording because now I listen for this stuff so carefully when I record that now I can't not listen for it in other music I hear. I'm starting to think ignorance was bliss.

I don't know, maybe I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed, but now I'm worried everytime I get in and listen I'm going to freaking hate it. Maybe I need to invest in a 15 band equalizer and set the shape in the reverse of the usual smile to try to counteract their "ear terrorism", my new "contemporary" phrase for what they are doing to todays music. But even an equalizer can't counteract all that compression





"Ear Terrorism" and "Sizzletracks" are now trademarked by Bass Master "K"

[grinder]

Are you talking about the way it was recorded or do you mean the radio station is running it through a compressor?I've noticed a local classic rock station that sounds shitty.It always sounds like the mids are boosted and the bass is cut.

[Kryogh]

The more a radio station copress their waves, the further they can be audible!

uh..."further"..is it a good word? What the opposite of "near"?

once again, sorry for the bad english

[Aaron Cheney]

Read THIS !!!

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com

[Kryogh]

good one. thx for the link dude, I read it all

[maestro_dmc]

Preachin' to the choir, bra.

SOMEBODY SAY AMEN!!!!!!!!!

SOMEBODY SAY AMEN!!!!!!!!!

SOMEBODY SAY AMEN!!!!!!!!!

[Jagular]

Amen!!!

I don't have that trained of an ear. I noticed the newer CD's over the last few years just started sounding like crap. Very tiring on the ears to listen to.

[moley]

Ear Terrorism. I like that term

[mrface2112]

i hear ya. welcome to yet another sign of the homogenization of modrin music.

i was thoroughly disappointed in Vapor Trails myself. What a great album.....what shitty engineering/mastering.

if you want to check out a recent cd that doesn't suffer from that (and is also fantastically mixed), check out Peter Gabriel's "Up". AMAZING sound on that one.


(and tchad blake didn't do too bad a job mixing it, either)



wade

[Bass Master "K"]

Thanks for listening to the rant.

It just seems to me that someone would tell the radio stations. "Look, when we recorded this we compressed it and raised the levels to such a degree that it sounds like crap, but it's LOUD crap that will make our tracks stand out (Nevermind the fact that if everyone does it, it won't make the tracks stand out, but will make music recorded the right way sound too quiet) so don't use any compressors or EQ'ing when you put it out over the radiowaves."

It's too bad it has come to this. Bugs the hell out of me now....

[skim]

Hey the last U2 album "All That You Can't..." is really loud, in comparison to their older albums.

I thought that the general consensus on this forum was that this album is an engineering masterpiece. After having read the article, I find on this album a lot of the complaints the author was ranting about (floor noise, clipping, thuds, plain too loud).

Indeed. I'm a huge U2 fan, and surprisingly this album does tire out my ears. Eye-opening article for a layman like me.

[Aaron Cheney]

I haven't heard Santana's new one yet, but "Supernatural" is so bad I can't even make it through in one listen. It's like slamming a brick against your head.

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com

[4-Man Takedown]

Metallica's new album not only sucks, but also sounds like crap too. Not to mention there is not one guitar solo, it's like they're not even trying.

[Bstage]

Originally posted by Aaron Cheney
I haven't heard Santana's new one yet, but "Supernatural" is so bad I can't even make it through in one listen. It's like slamming a brick against your head.

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com

Now I know your a technical minded person.... Since that album sold millions I doubt he will be going back to his old mix techniques. If they buy you will provide... Its sick but true.