"Popular Music Sound"

  • Thread starter Thread starter Michael Jones
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Michael Jones

Michael Jones

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If you listen to "popular music today, do you notice an over exaggeration of frequencies in the mid highs to highs? Almost like a low-level, low volume hiss going on? Some people might refer to it as airy-ness? How is that done, because I sure want to avoid it! It's SO annoying! Why do they do that? Someone tell them to stop it!
 
to be honest, I don't really get what you're talking about.
 
Im not sure either.. I don't hear this hissing frequency in popular music....
 
I think this is where the aliens have planted their subliminal mind control messages. I was afraid that this would happen.:)

OR

It could be that your EQ is off on your stero. Frankly, I haven't noticed this. Could you give some examples?
 
I thought I was the only one who didnt understand what he was talking about.

Is it the noise from lo-fi samples?
 
Well, I try not to listen to popular music too much, but the airwaves are of course flooded with it.
It's VERY subtle, it's almost like "pink noise" only its been shifted an octave higher. Like, listen to ANYTHING by NSYNC, or Gwen Stephanie, then, conversely, listen to something like Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" and you'll definately notice a lack of it in the latter.
It almost seems like....I don't want to use the words "less warm", but maybe... "too crisp"?
I asked my wife about it (she listens to pop music, but she's not a 12yr old girl!) and she said, "Oh yeah, definately! That's the sound!"
Anyway, I hate it!
 
i have no idea what youre talking about...

and it's No Doubt, not Gwen Steffani...
I actually have alot of respect for that band. They are totally original and always changing. They might seem like just another pop band but they've been around since 1985. Watch the BTM on them...they're actually alot more credible than...Speared Brittany, etc..
 
WEBCYAN said:
i have no idea what youre talking about...

and it's No Doubt, not Gwen Steffani...
I actually have alot of respect for that band. They are totally original and always changing. They might seem like just another pop band but they've been around since 1985. Watch the BTM on them...they're actually alot more credible than...Speared Brittany, etc..
Click to expand...
Hey, I'm not trying to pigeon hole No Doubt it was just an example.
It may be vocal plates, I dunno.
 
I hear it...Kind of

People, I have found, are very sensitive on this site.

I know what your talking about. Its a strange kind of undesribable kind of thing. Even on the No Doubt stuff, I like them to but its there. I think a lot of todays popular music is just really super skwashed and weird sounding anyway.
 
Pink noise??

I REALLY don't know what you're talking about
 
One possibility is that if your listening to radio some pop stations seem to compress and eq more than others. That way the dudes in their hatchbacks can get more thump at the stop light.

I lived in Mexico for awhile and the stations there did some real weird processing to the music. It almost sounded like they put an exciter on everything.
 
What you might be hearing is the room sound of the reverb being brought up in the mix when it gets squashed....Gives it that whishy, room sound sort of.....

I have noticed that.....Is that what you might be talking about..?
 
TexRoadkill said:
...It almost sounded like they put an exciter on everything.
Click to expand...
OK, Now thats starting to make sense! Thats sort of what I hear.
 
it's created by very carefully using EQ. somepeople like it, some people dont. depends on the track. i know what you're on about though. i myself have used this airyness on a few vocal tracks.

also, the plate reverbs can have some effect on this.
 
I know what Pink Noise is

I just don't understand how you here it on the radio :confused:
 
Its called a crisp and etailed high end...only really heard on vocals. Its on everything from creed to destinys child. Its the late 90s digital sound. Its supposed make you say " wow, those mics are such hi quality" or "wow, Im listening to a million dollar production." Anyway, I myself like a detailed high end with a nice amount of air, but I can understand why bonnie rait fans wouldnt be into it.
 
Well, I'm not a Bonnie Raitt fan, it was just an example.
Most of the people I am a fan of, are long dead and burried!
 
yep........

Michael,

I know exactly what you are talking about!!! And I hate it as well. An engineer friend of mine played a Creed album for me on a real nice stereo and I was horrified! He calls it Hi-Fidelity. I don't know:rolleyes:

I guess I listen to a lot of indie rock and guys like the above mentioned call THAT Lo-Fi. Stuff like Spoon, Death Cab For Cutie, Beulah, etc. I don't think of it as lo-fi. I'm not a big fan of over processed paint by the numbers commercial music because when i hear a lot of it, I think "No band sounds like that." I mean maybe it's me but when I hear drums on all these MTV darlings' records....I just don't hear DRUMS, ya know? And I don't mean drum machines...I'm talking drums...rock bands....argh!

Just wanted to step up in your honor, man:cool:

And for what it's worth, my girlfriend isn't a "sound person" but she hears and hates it as well.


heylow
Rock Jedi/Indie Snob
www.heylowsoundsystem.net
 
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