What's a fear-based move?

That's a great question. What would you say comes to mind as possible answers?

Answering a question with a question?

Should be obvious that is what just happened. Why are you asking a question of the obvious?

Your question was obviously not obvious, else you would not have asked and I would not have asked you for input.

I'm interested in your view. It's not an easy thing to give you 40 years of experience in a one liner knowing nothing of you.

Or maybe you're being a smart ass, I have no idea. Thus my question.

Personally I think for some users a forum is just there to easily help them soaking up knowledge and experiences of others, not for real discussion or interaction. Especially not in a Q&A with a superstar engineer. They just want easy answers helping them to construct their own work philosophy around...


But I'll take it...:
Fear based moves might be the obvious question about "Am I loud enough"?
Or:
will the Drummer loves the snare sound?
Or:
what is this ugly looking freq on my analyser?
Or:
did I really add enough procesing to this track to justify my needs?
Or:
will Brian L. may like my work?

Thanks for being so clear on the fact that MQAed albums never went back to you for quality check or authentication.

Still, the MQA version lists you as the Mastering Engineer on Tidal (which is my source).

I guess this raises the question what is legally OK and/or good business practice regarding using and altering other people’s work. Is MQA’s business practice ethical when they alter «the art», pretending (using the ME’s name on the credits) it’s been authenticated by the mastering engineer

Just reading the «credits» of the album, ignorant audiophiles could be led to believe that Brian Lucey is supporting MQA. We know, that’s absurd and as far away from truth you could come.

Do you see my point?

Oh yea

I'm agreeing with you

It's unethical, they lie, it's a bad deal for everyone with any integrity.

If MQA was so great we would all hear it, and there would be no controversy.

"Am I loud enough" ... is a practical concern. The choice to go MEGA loud is up to the client. In me experience even when people say "don't make it too loud" what they really mean is "I want it loud just not flat and ****ty sounding".

The rest are A+ ideas.

Love the heckle. But I reckon a fear based move is one you need to find a reason for by going cerebral. As in, you have to dig out something that could pass for a problem with your mind. As opposed to one that comes to you on feel, so you sort it without thinking much and done.

The way I understand Brian is that he tries to be very aware of that tipping point where the flow of moves that come from feels/being antenna/whatever you want to call it, but non cerebral flowing slows down and at some point it becomes that you actively 'look for problems'. Based on the fear that your feels might have missed something. When in fact, if it actually feels great, it probably is. If your feels are developed/experienced enough, that is.

Makes utter sense to me as it goes. I wish I would see more people think like this about studio behaviour in general. It would mean more exciting records.

EDIT: But then it's no surprise, as the societies we live in program people to live entirely fear based lives, so....

Thanks Brian for the time, that all made a ton of sense. I especially relate to your process about "first-listen" revealing alot of what you need to do.

Definitely think you and Rick could make something special.

I would assume a "fear-based move" would be making an adjustment more based on metering/specs, than what your ear is telling you?

Well fear-based move could be also, no move

Subscribing to the 'Bored with the Norm Questions' ... I'd like to post a different kind of question. or two ....

1. Mastering strategy: During the Mastering process, do [you] A/B compare to the original Mix of the track you received, or to a similar 'Reference' track.
There is an important distinction I'm interested in others thoughts about this.

Keeping in mind that Everyone is NOT always working on projects from top Mix Engineers, Producer, Performers. [as much as many of us might prefer],
But also working a projects from those striving to make a way into the music world. Though 'their' engineering skills might be adequate ... the musical intent
may have 'Mastering' as the final tweaking to help take to the next level [at least play nicer on a variety of systems].

I wonder what the A/B comparison criteria focuses on. Listening to the 'Master' compared to other tracks in similar style .... OR, A/B comparing to the Original
track, listening if the 'mastering tweaks' are indeed an improvement ?

Question/thoughts #2 :

Out of the 'norm question' realm ...
Thinking in terms of the 'Visual Imagery' of a Mix submitted for Mastering, and viewing a specific aspect. That is the Vertical placement in a Mix.

Looking specifically at a Lead Vocal ... and it's position in the vertical plane of the sound field. [please bare with, as I try to word an explanation].

Although there can be several factors involved [song Key, melody, voice range and timbre] ... there are tracks I hear that I can see the vocal directly at
eye level in the Mix ... coming straight forward [not in your face [forward] or recessed [back]], but visually straight on line to the listener ... other tracks might
have the vocalist entering from slightly below ... or above this virtual 'center point'.

It is well within the parameters of equalization to alter the vertical 'positioning' ... so when it comes to Mastering, is there a direct decision being made when you
shape the Master to [possible] having to 'move' a vocals vertical height/position ?

This is difficult for me to express exactly ... and mostly a curiosity of thoughts from Mastering Engineers on what the visual impression a Song is presented.

thanks for any thoughtful responses .....

It could. But I reckon statistically a fear based move would much more likely be one you just shouldn't have made, but did.

They are calling the Pacific Microsonics converters "HDCD" as that was an encoding process it was used for in the late 90s.

I don't use that HDCD process, only the AD at 44.1 Currently own 3 x M1 and 2 x M2. Just in case.

Hi Brian,

Vert cool thread...thanks for sharing your insights. I appreciate the no bullsh*t approach.

I read a number of of replies where you talked about making bold artistic and musical decisions within the style or genre.

Do you ever work on music that doesn’t fit into genre norms? How does one make decisions when the artist doesn’t quite fit into a specific genre?

I work in all styles. Not sure what you mean by norms. Everything is unique and yet everything has patterns or lanes of expectation that we work with and play off of.

The currency is connection, that means something familiar and something new in a balance that suits the artist.

My thoughts are:

1. What is this song, record, artist intending to be.
2. What needs to happen to make it connect, pleasing those unique intentions and my interpretation of what connects people to any music.

Yes we compare to the mix, and sometimes they send a hot ref or a mastered track from another artist.

Listening for levels, eq, vocals, low end, high end, compression, harmonic distortions, etc. Mostly looking at taking the project to greater levels of musicality and connection with a listener, overcoming objections, and making sure the groove, feel, clarity are all enhanced in line with the artist and style.

Vocal levels, yes very important and in mastering we can fine tune things if needed. I don't do the imagery you do, I like to say that a vocal needs to be "loud enough to ignore"

Meaning it's not hard to hear and it's not so loud I can't listen to the music and ignore it. Most people listen thorough top line melody to the rest, some listen to music not the vocal, some listen in many other ways ... we want to please as many people as possible.

Is this fear-based move ?

Music is about connection and elevation.

The more connection the better.

Hey Brian, this thread is fantastic. You have said many times you are a 44.1 guy; how often are you asked for higher sample rates, and what is your workflow for delivering? Are you SRC prior to the analog chain in those situations?

Side note: I've dreamed of an Elysia Alpha ever since your incredibly detailed, incredibly awesome videos from almost ten years ago now.

Thanks you, hope it's inspiring. I'm not liking the newer Alpha tone PS, not the same as it was. Most people don't need a super clean comp with all those bells and whistles. Many great tools out there to get from A to Z

I process for the sound of my converter at 44.1 and thus deliver 44.1 ... if forced to do otherwise I'll upsample. Almost never happens however.

24 bit is what they really need, and most are satisfied and trust me on that.

Those asking for 96k are simply doing what they're told is proper, I get it, tough terrain to navigate, and FEAR of MISSING OUT enters quickly.

Thanks man!

Your description of your chain as a singular "instrument" is something that really resonates with me as well. Super inspiring, Brian.

Great !

This is about connection and elevation of others, it's not a math and science project we are doing, although of course it's all math and science at root.

Hi Brian,

Do you never use a steep LOW pass filter? i.e. cutting out everything from say 18 or 19 or 20k?

Thank you in advance.

Or higher

Always

Hi Brian,

Do you never use a multiband comp? If you do, do you have an example of how you tend to use it?

Do you never use saturation plugins?

Do you never use parallel compression?

Thank you in advance.

U do it digitally or with the focusrite?

Never
Very, very, very rarely use the HEDD for more than 1,1,0
Never

depends, just have to listen

Hi Mr Lucey,

I've been reading your gem thread from the very start to post #255 and i will go through the whole thing with a great pleasure. I love your philosophy and feel connected to everything you genuinely share.

And so i've got one (lol)

What's your favorite earplugs brand..type.. (to wear outside the studio and protect/rest your hearing) and how do you use them.. are you using throwable ones..?
did you ever suffer from any kind of trouble wearing them or because of them like eczema or else and if yes, how did you cure that annoyance..

Thanks for everything

Thank you, happy you are entertained and I hope inspired

I used to do custom plugs but they would shrink, or my ears were subtly changing size, or I would lose them! ... at $200 a pop. Now I do my own molds, it's $20 and you can do it yourself in 10 minutes.

No skin issues around the ears, thank goodness. That sounds terrible, good luck ! ... moisturize, moisturize, moisturize