Dynamic Range

[steve maglio]

hi i am very new here but i have been recording both my own music and many clients for a long time. i used to belong to the ampex list because until a year or so ago i used mm1200's to track and a 440 to mix. years ago i had an api 2061, now i have some of its guts and decent outboard gear. however, my last record i tracked to tape and the rest on PT with brian mctear and john klett. and i mixed a record last summer using PT. (PT hd3/prism converters/purple console/the usual suspects for comp-eq). i was wondering if this group would be interested in discussing a thread i also posed to the ampex group: if digital affords us so much more dynamic range why on earth are we so disinclined to use it? i think the modern compress to death mentality begins with the fact the few people listen to music on good systems and therefore either don't miss the lost nuance and dynamics or just the modern asthetic completely prioritizes volume and radio competitiveness over everything else. this summer i put my theory to the test and myself on the line when i mixed syd straw's new record which is a very intimate record with a lot of range - some songs are completely acoustic with bass clarinet/acoustic guitars/uke and some are full blown rockers. i employed compression almost always as sound shaper and not to crush the dynamic range - frankly i used almost none, mostly vocal (none on kick/snare! - a little on bass). i have never done this before but after a few heavyweights explained the math of resolution at given levels to me (i am quite sure i was a major pain in the ass with my relentless questions) i wasn't afraid to use the full dynamic range of my digital system. all processing was outside the box through my console but i did use a fair amount of pt volume automation. i was very very lucky that the tracks sounded great but i was curious what this group thinks of making an attempt to bring back the enjoyment of a band's abilities to use dynamics and i think also push for people to throw out the boom boxes and buy decent stereo's again!

stephen francis x maglio

ps put on carol king's tapestry or an original pressing of zep I - it is very telling dynamics-wise.

[raal]

Originally Posted by steve maglio

i was very very lucky that the tracks sounded great but i was curious what this group thinks of making an attempt to bring back the enjoyment of a band's abilities to use dynamics and i think also push for people to throw out the boom boxes and buy decent stereo's again!

stephen francis x maglio

ps put on carol king's tapestry or an original pressing of zep I - it is very telling dynamics-wise.

i'll be the 1st (i'm sure not the last) to say i hope those days come back again. i don't know about buying decent stereos, but i do believe at some point some well recorded artist will make waves and just maybe will get some people to start listening again... ipods included.