History Of Compression

[BadOrange]

Can anyone point me to some literature or reputable sources concerning this topic. I am reaserching the Loudness Ward phenomena but i am really trying to get some concrete information demonstrating how the industry focus has always been on creating better recordings which often was associated with hotter recordings. I am trying to show that this concept of getting a louder signal has been in the works since people like Edison and Berliner.

I am interested in information regarding some of the first recordings which featured compression on tracking and then on mixes. Also interested in information on the first recordings using multiband compression.

Thank you for any help you may be able to provide

[danika]

DYNAMIC RANGE | pleasurize music!

This isn't a history, but it does have an interesting video with screen shots of waveforms dating back to 1983.

[MarkRB]

Search things like "signal to noise ratio", presuming you have Google where you come from.

There is a pretty comprehensive Wiki on the subject here: Dynamic range compression - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia with plenty of informative links from there.

Loudness was not the original purpose of compression, but the need to "fit" recordings into the limited bandwidth available on the recording formats of the time.

[BadOrange]

thank you for the reply

I do understand the concepts but it is for a journal and i really need some concrete evidence to support what i intend to say. The problem with all those websites concerning loudness wars is that they are aimed at the average person and aren't quite credible. They also tend to focus on the problem crated by the digital age but i am trying to investigate the trends of loudness prior to this. there is a definite trend of loudness from the recordings made in the 30s to the mid 70s.

[BadOrange]

Originally Posted by MarkRB

Search things like "signal to noise ratio", presuming you have Google where you come from.

There is a pretty comprehensive Wiki on the subject here: Dynamic range compression - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia with plenty of informative links from there.

Loudness was not the original purpose of compression, but the need to "fit" recordings into the limited bandwidth available on the recording formats of the time.

the problem is that the information gives no real context to provide meaning in what i'm trying to do. I already knowwhat compression is and what mb compression is. I need more than compression started in 19XX. I need examples to support that this was actually happening. I am going to have to source everything i say which is why i have to be extremely thorough.

[MarkRB]

This:

CHARM: Columbia Graphophone Company: Recording Expeditions Instructions

..is pretty relevant, I guess.

[flatfinger]

Dynamics Processors - Appendix


Rane has some cool stuff in the liabrary

[nickynicknick]

Originally Posted by BadOrange

the problem is that the information gives no real context to provide meaning in what i'm trying to do. I already knowwhat compression is and what mb compression is. I need more than compression started in 19XX. I need examples to support that this was actually happening. I am going to have to source everything i say which is why i have to be extremely thorough.

I think you are making a good point...no real advice here...just agreement that mixers and masterers have been trying to maximize loudness in mixes for decades...frankly it just sounds better...problem is we've hit the place where everyone can make it as loud as the last guy...you know maybe that's a good thing...'cause it'll start being about appropriate loudness from here on out....maybe

Nick

[Kimakaz]

Here's What I Mean By Mastering

An interesting discussion with the 2 Bobs (Ohlsson and Denis) from Motown regarding the fact that their records sounded louder than others at the time.

Very much linked to you questions, on a historic point of view of "Loudness".

[thethrillfactor]

Herb Powers interviews:
Herbie Powers Tribute @ Disco-Disco.com

History: Herb Powers - Interview

Herb P. if anybody in the late 70's & early 80's was as responsible as anyone for pushing the max level you can get on vinyl. He became famous for it. His vinyl masters would bump louder in the clubs more than anyone at the time and in that period the dance music influence reached to all popular styles of music(even rock & jazz). Everyone wanted their songs to play loud & sound good in the clubs and on radio. The engineers that could pull it off became legends(ie Bob Clearmountain).

[Greg Reierson]

Find a recording of the "Compression" talk at last year's SF AES. Neve, Massenburg and others talk about the creation and evolution of compressors.


GR

[Bob Olhsson]

I'm pretty sure "hot" 45s trace back to Bell Sound in New York where lots of Indi pop labels (including Motown) had their mastering done during the late '50s and early '60s.

In the mid '60s Joe Atkinson at Atlantic and Bob Dennis, Larry Miles and myself at Motown were probably cutting the hottest 45s in the industry.

In our case it was a real challenge because we wanted a lot more bass and somewhat less lead vocal in our "sound" than Atlantic. We drove Randy Kling at RCA in Chicago nuts matching our hot levels for the final production pressings. Fortunately RCA had equipped Bob Dennis with their skip test records so he had a pretty good handle on what we could get away with. After Bob Dennis left, Joe Atkinson came to us from Atlantic Records and helped us adapt Bob's system for singles to albums.

[Chaellus]

Originally Posted by BadOrange

the problem is that the information gives no real context to provide meaning in what i'm trying to do. I already knowwhat compression is and what mb compression is. I need more than compression started in 19XX. I need examples to support that this was actually happening. I am going to have to source everything i say which is why i have to be extremely thorough.

welll i know for certain some of the earliest outboard types of compressers started rearing there head in the late 30' early forties i believe...its always been thought that it has been around since late 20's. Doug William has some articles i belive of such document things dealing with early compressors of the sort...ask him..hes on my friend list...under the name EMR

[BadOrange]

Originally Posted by Greg Reierson

Find a recording of the "Compression" talk at last year's SF AES. Neve, Massenburg and others talk about the creation and evolution of compressors.


GR

I saw that

the chair was such a ******. What was with his hair. Thanks for your replies and your time! : Especially Mr Olhsson.

[Franco]

Somewhere I read that compression in audio started in the film industry, like many things, I don't remember where I read (it could have been a documentary I watched too, who knows, hopefully someone else can be more thorough).

[lucey]

Originally Posted by BadOrange

Can anyone point me to some literature or reputable sources concerning this topic. I am reaserching the Loudness Ward phenomena but i am really trying to get some concrete information demonstrating how the industry focus has always been on creating better recordings which often was associated with hotter recordings. I am trying to show that this concept of getting a louder signal has been in the works since people like Edison and Berliner.

You'll need to go back further than that!

On the one hand, 'louder is better' is the animal nature subjectivity that even the trained ear has to struggle with. On the other hand, the fear of not competing with the biggest, fasted, strongest, and in this case loudest is as old as life itself. The loudness war is really a study of human fear and the evolution of technology. When the old brain (fear, domination) wins, it tells the new brain (aesthetics, cooperation) that it's okay, because it's won!

The old brain is in control more often than we like to admit. And if we have it under control, our audience may not, so to serve them we need to work with their weaknesses. This is the line in the sand. Older technology made a line that couldn't be crossed, new technology makes ultimate freedom. Freedom it turns out, it's a lot to manage.

As far as the history of compression, it started with the ear, then evolved to the 4 walls of a building.

[73*]

Hopefully upon completion of this article, you'll be posting a link or something... I would love to read it.