Blog post 'THE LOUDNESS WAR, A Quiet Battle'
THE LOUDNESS WAR, A Quiet Battle
- Published: 215 days ago
- Comments: 0
- Reads: 86
***PLEASE NOTE BEFORE YOU READ***
1. This blog is specifically about things currently happening during the audio mastering proccess in professional studios. It is not ment to address or be critical of the manipulation of audio in any fashion within the music itself.
2. I do not intent to sound "elitist" or imply that only certain people have the right to make music. Please know that music is a subjective art and should include anyone and everyone who wants to express themselves in this medium.
As both a musician and audio engineer I find myself in the unique position of being caught in the “no-mans-land” of a battle within the music industry. This silent, “behind the scenes”, battle pitting artists and producers against audio engineers and audiophiles, ironically, is fought over things not subtle or silent at all. Rather, it is a war of “apparent loudness” . . . the “LOUDNESS WAR!!!”. Sadly, there is a very specific casualty of this conflict, the music itself or more specifically the audio quality of the music.
It should come as no surprise that, along with the first integrations of digital computer based recording technologies from the mid-eighties to the virtual wholesale migration to current digital technologies, it has become much more feasible (financially at least) for an ever increasing multitude of bands / artists to try their hand at record production. In my opinion, presently, I do not recall a time in the history of modern music where there are so many acts promoting themselves to a world audience. One only has to look at statistical numbers to confirm this belief. For instance, if you look at the MySpace.com statistics for acts listed under my genre (Alternative) you will see that there are, as of this writing, 607,218 registered music artists in the genre. That’s just for MySpace alone. So, one might imagine what it’s like for an artist to try and find a way to become noticed and heard when that artist or band is one of 600,000+ acts dukeing it out for the attention of potential new listeners and fans over the network.
One of the strategies record producers and artists alike
have used increasingly to “stand out” over the last two decades is to “maximize” the apparent loudness on their song(s) during the mastering session. This means mastering at higher and higher levels in order to “out-blast” the next guys record. The philosophy is as old as time . . . the one that squawks the loudest gets heard. Unfortunately, the technique of “pumping up” the volume during the audio mastering process is more complicated than just turning a knob or sliding a fader. Digital audio files and equipment, like all things in life, have limits. When those limits are exceeded, like all things, a breakdown occurs. This is different from the intentional overdriving or distorting of an audio signal. This breakdown is what’s known as the clipping of a signal, when a piece of audio is gained up past the ability of a preamp or digital converter to process the audio. I could post a file of pure digital clipping here but I won’t. Believe me, it’s the most horrible sound you’ve ever heard in your life. In fact, under the right conditions, it can actually break things like your hearing or your speakers voice coils.
Various electronics and software have been developed in order to “maximize” an audio signal’s “apparent loudness”. But the side effects of extreme “maximizing”, in my opinion (and in the opinion of many other audio professionals), totally destroys the ability for the music to be dynamic . . . and having dynamics in music is one of the major ways (along with harmony, phrasing, etc.) that people sense the depth and power of a song. Think about what it would be like if every time you had a conversation with someone the person you were talking to answered back by screaming at the top of their lungs. Even if they expressed common emotions, you would never know if that person was happy, sad, angry or mellow . . . it would all come at you as loud as possible. The person’s intonations, including the softest, normally used to express these different emotions are now over “maximized” to the breaking point. The fact is, even the most heavy of heavy metal bands still use and need the benefit of dynamics in order to make their song(s) seem powerful.
Below is a fine audio/video demonstration by audio engineer Matt Mayfield that shows, in ways better than I can explain, the destructive effects on the quality of audio in music the loudness war has caused.
So here is the challenge I find myself in. As an artist, I of course, want to be noticed and heard. It’s tempting to keep mastering my songs louder and louder to “rise above the din” as it were. But, as an audio engineer, I can completely hear the breakdown of the audio signal as things get louder, more compressed, more “maximized” and I feel the music suffers greatly for it. In truth, all anyone has to do (myself included) to hear a song louder or feel the music more is simply turn the iPod, car stereo or boom-box volume knob up. There is no need for artists or producers to feel the pressure to over maximize their audio files during mastering. If you are an artist or producer concerned with the idea that if things aren’t “cranked” during mastering it won’t play well on radio, don’t be. The fact, again, is (unless you’ve mastered something at a ridiculously low level like –20db or something) having the most “apparent loudness” does not matter. All radio stations use leveling equipment to average the program material to be broadcast at about the same volume. Adversely, if you’ve “cranked” your audio up to or beyond the absolute limit in mastering, the radio stations processors will just re-compress an already over compressed or “maximized” signal and you will find your song(s) sounding lifeless and noisy over the air.
I realize this is a slightly complicated and somewhat esoteric subject but it’s time for you, the reader, to let me know how you feel. So come on, all artists, producers, engineers and music fans . . . what are your opinions? Let me know your thoughts and feelings on the subject.
1. This blog is specifically about things currently happening during the audio mastering proccess in professional studios. It is not ment to address or be critical of the manipulation of audio in any fashion within the music itself.
2. I do not intent to sound "elitist" or imply that only certain people have the right to make music. Please know that music is a subjective art and should include anyone and everyone who wants to express themselves in this medium.
As both a musician and audio engineer I find myself in the unique position of being caught in the “no-mans-land” of a battle within the music industry. This silent, “behind the scenes”, battle pitting artists and producers against audio engineers and audiophiles, ironically, is fought over things not subtle or silent at all. Rather, it is a war of “apparent loudness” . . . the “LOUDNESS WAR!!!”. Sadly, there is a very specific casualty of this conflict, the music itself or more specifically the audio quality of the music.
It should come as no surprise that, along with the first integrations of digital computer based recording technologies from the mid-eighties to the virtual wholesale migration to current digital technologies, it has become much more feasible (financially at least) for an ever increasing multitude of bands / artists to try their hand at record production. In my opinion, presently, I do not recall a time in the history of modern music where there are so many acts promoting themselves to a world audience. One only has to look at statistical numbers to confirm this belief. For instance, if you look at the MySpace.com statistics for acts listed under my genre (Alternative) you will see that there are, as of this writing, 607,218 registered music artists in the genre. That’s just for MySpace alone. So, one might imagine what it’s like for an artist to try and find a way to become noticed and heard when that artist or band is one of 600,000+ acts dukeing it out for the attention of potential new listeners and fans over the network.
One of the strategies record producers and artists alike
have used increasingly to “stand out” over the last two decades is to “maximize” the apparent loudness on their song(s) during the mastering session. This means mastering at higher and higher levels in order to “out-blast” the next guys record. The philosophy is as old as time . . . the one that squawks the loudest gets heard. Unfortunately, the technique of “pumping up” the volume during the audio mastering process is more complicated than just turning a knob or sliding a fader. Digital audio files and equipment, like all things in life, have limits. When those limits are exceeded, like all things, a breakdown occurs. This is different from the intentional overdriving or distorting of an audio signal. This breakdown is what’s known as the clipping of a signal, when a piece of audio is gained up past the ability of a preamp or digital converter to process the audio. I could post a file of pure digital clipping here but I won’t. Believe me, it’s the most horrible sound you’ve ever heard in your life. In fact, under the right conditions, it can actually break things like your hearing or your speakers voice coils.
Various electronics and software have been developed in order to “maximize” an audio signal’s “apparent loudness”. But the side effects of extreme “maximizing”, in my opinion (and in the opinion of many other audio professionals), totally destroys the ability for the music to be dynamic . . . and having dynamics in music is one of the major ways (along with harmony, phrasing, etc.) that people sense the depth and power of a song. Think about what it would be like if every time you had a conversation with someone the person you were talking to answered back by screaming at the top of their lungs. Even if they expressed common emotions, you would never know if that person was happy, sad, angry or mellow . . . it would all come at you as loud as possible. The person’s intonations, including the softest, normally used to express these different emotions are now over “maximized” to the breaking point. The fact is, even the most heavy of heavy metal bands still use and need the benefit of dynamics in order to make their song(s) seem powerful.
Below is a fine audio/video demonstration by audio engineer Matt Mayfield that shows, in ways better than I can explain, the destructive effects on the quality of audio in music the loudness war has caused.
So here is the challenge I find myself in. As an artist, I of course, want to be noticed and heard. It’s tempting to keep mastering my songs louder and louder to “rise above the din” as it were. But, as an audio engineer, I can completely hear the breakdown of the audio signal as things get louder, more compressed, more “maximized” and I feel the music suffers greatly for it. In truth, all anyone has to do (myself included) to hear a song louder or feel the music more is simply turn the iPod, car stereo or boom-box volume knob up. There is no need for artists or producers to feel the pressure to over maximize their audio files during mastering. If you are an artist or producer concerned with the idea that if things aren’t “cranked” during mastering it won’t play well on radio, don’t be. The fact, again, is (unless you’ve mastered something at a ridiculously low level like –20db or something) having the most “apparent loudness” does not matter. All radio stations use leveling equipment to average the program material to be broadcast at about the same volume. Adversely, if you’ve “cranked” your audio up to or beyond the absolute limit in mastering, the radio stations processors will just re-compress an already over compressed or “maximized” signal and you will find your song(s) sounding lifeless and noisy over the air.
I realize this is a slightly complicated and somewhat esoteric subject but it’s time for you, the reader, to let me know how you feel. So come on, all artists, producers, engineers and music fans . . . what are your opinions? Let me know your thoughts and feelings on the subject.
-
- Trigs
- 3