these thin squashed hip hop mixes need to go

[Silver Sonya]

Bob Power's Tribe Called Quest mixes were ingenious.

- c

[Marshall Oliver]

Originally Posted by Silver Sonya

Bob Power's Tribe Called Quest mixes were ingenious.

- c

+1 and half!!!

I love his stuff!

[Silver Sonya]

Originally Posted by mp3

Damn and I was all pumped to put my degree to use... Haha

Among other things, your degree has given you non-awareness of Insane Clown Posse, for which --- I think I can speak for the entire GS community here --- we all envy you profoundly.

- c

[Storyville]

Originally Posted by mp3

Damn and I was all pumped to put my degree to use... Haha

If it's any consolation - that was a great explanation!

Not all mixes these days are thin - I've been using "I Got A Feeling" by BEP (what you are about to say, don't bother) as a reference today. There is tons of low end in that track.

It always puts me in a rough spot mix wise - how bright, how mid-rangy, how bassy? I never really know because it totally depends on where people are coming from. So I use references - which are usually based more on the quality of the music than the sonic quality. I get references songs that are COMPLETELY different than the song in question, fairly often. But in short, if my mix is thin - it's because the reference material was thin (or big top big bottom is another way of looking at it).

[Trell Blaze]

Originally Posted by Silver Sonya

It was a joke, referring to this.

- c

"I seen a caterpillar turn into a butter fly..."

Seriously? He said that? lmao....

[mp3]

Originally Posted by Silver Sonya

Among other things, your degree has given you non-awareness of Insane Clown Posse, for which --- I think I can speak for the entire GS community here --- we all envy you profoundly.

- c

Haha! I'm blessed to not have heard any of their music, seen plenty of pics though.

Originally Posted by Storyville

If it's any consolation - that was a great explanation!

Thanks, I'm surprised I still even remember any of that shit...

Anyway, I still to this day bump ATLiens, Aquemini, and Still Standing. The mixes on those albums was nothing short of genius.

[GroovnD313]

There's something you all miss every time. You're quick to jump on mixers "mixes" but...

Those of you here that don't mix for labels for a living don't realize that we are providing a service. The young label A&R's, executives, producers (aka beatmakers) and management are 90% responsible for the squashed super loud crispy sound. It's our job to get the mix approved and get paid. If it were up to the mixers and it was a straight shot like it was "back in the day" there would be much more life and dynamics in everyones mix. So keep that in mind. There's much more to this then meets the eye.

[Marshall Oliver]

Originally Posted by GroovnD313

There's something you all miss every time. You're quick to jump on mixers "mixes" but...

Those of you here that don't mix for labels for a living don't realize that we are providing a service. The young label A&R's, executives, producers (aka beatmakers) and management are 90% responsible for the squashed super loud crispy sound. It's our job to get the mix approved and get paid. If it were up to the mixers and it was a straight shot like it was "back in the day" there would be much more life and dynamics in everyones mix. So keep that in mind. There's much more to this then meets the eye.

That is a valid point, sir....

-1-

[Logical Mind]

Originally Posted by Silver Sonya

Bob Power's Tribe Called Quest mixes were ingenious.

- c

Damn skippy

[Storyville]

Originally Posted by GroovnD313

There's something you all miss every time. You're quick to jump on mixers "mixes" but...

Those of you here that don't mix for labels for a living don't realize that we are providing a service. The young label A&R's, executives, producers (aka beatmakers) and management are 90% responsible for the squashed super loud crispy sound. It's our job to get the mix approved and get paid. If it were up to the mixers and it was a straight shot like it was "back in the day" there would be much more life and dynamics in everyones mix. So keep that in mind. There's much more to this then meets the eye.

It comes from a number of directions though. I think it also comes from the competition factor. A lot of mixers and masterers will push their levels to give their mix/master the appearance of "better."

A&Rs, and Clients usually just want it to sound like whatever music they like - regardless of how that music is processed. Afterall, they already like it - so what's wrong?

The side by side comparisons contribute. Louder sounds better to a non-critical ear. Which is most listeners.

I know I personally tend to ask for levels to be push a little hotter than conservative values. Believe me, I'm still yards away from the current trend - but I'm not exactly trying to be gentle. But most of the music I do is not gentle music.

So it comes from all sides.

[hereticskeptic]

Originally Posted by ozzborn

I think storyville has a very good point.

when i listen to drake, best i ever had on the radio, it pops thru the speakers, when i listen in the studio, there is very little bottom end.

rick ross albums sound very good to me.

I went to a local studio last night to hear the Focal Twins, and this is precisely what I noticed. Tracks that have massive bass anywhere outside of the studio, had average-at-best bass response in the studio. I started to think the Twins were as bass-shy as many report, but now that I think about it, the mastering-level monitors I also heard the same material on (which go down to 7hz) were also lacking the bass that I'm hearing in the car, on headphones, etc. It seems that mixes/masters may indeed be intentionally bass-light, in order to compensate for the fact that modern consumer playback systems add CRAZY bass.

Now, I'm thinking the best way to resolve this is to simply have two sets of monitors: one for accuracy/mixing, and one for playback/checking for consumer playback sound. I screwed up by not taking any old-school albums to check on the studio's system, as I'm more familiar with a few albums I've been banging intensely as of late (Evidence's "Cats & Dogs", Roc Marci's "Marcberg", among others). I'll definitely be taking another trip to said studio, with some proper 90's ish to reference.

[hereticskeptic]

Originally Posted by Silver Sonya

It was a joke, referring to this.

- c

HAHAHAHAHA!!! You guys are killing me! I hadn't heard this nonsense yet. MUCH appreciated. Early morning laughs are superb.

[tonemaker]

It's the Loudness War killing (in a bad way) modern mixes and too much conformity (people using the same weak sounds as each other). If people would learn how to use the tools properly/better it wouldn't matter at all whether it was ITB or not. But really I think this has more to do with good mixes/good tunes not getting enough attention. It's not really about all modern stuff sucking.

There's still good material coming out now just like back then. But there's more BS to wade through now, and the major labels have perfected the "art" of putting out garbage nonsense. So you have to hunt for the good stuff.

[tablo]

I think it's the mixes with no headroom for kick drum and bass. The song "Trouble on My Mind" has plenty headroom for the kick drum. Then it was smashed to -8dB RMS and "bangs".

[MIDIchlorian]

Originally Posted by beat you down

i put on some current stuff... my subwoofer is at rest.
i put on some 90's hip hop... my subwoofer is working his ass off.

can we have that back?
please?

I keep preaching to um bro. We as producers need to bring the 90s flavor back.

[KT1]

If you dont want your audio squashed to shi% stop asking the mastering engineer or mixing engineer to match the volume vs that last Jay-z or Ross joint. All of these are damn loud. You will always loose something.

Strange thing is when i listen to a mix play list. Older joint and whatnot i generally and totally not consciously end up turning down the new stuff to match the volume of the older stuff.

Make the change. If you are being driven by management to make it as loud as possible then you need to rethink the process and do your best to avoid tracking to hot etc. The last thing you want is bad distortion being brought right into the listeners face with extreme limiting. That harshness is just mind bending painful to me.

I hate the L2. I think it does exactly that - HARSH in your face limiting. That's my opinion of course