[LAU] mastering dilemma

[Fons Adriaensen]

On Thu, Sep 05, 2013 at 01:07:47PM -0500, Brent Busby wrote:

> 1)  To use spectrum analyzers and careful listening to try to
> understand the "tone" that the commercial mastering world has
> apparently agreed on, and
> 
> 2)  To figure out why I would want that.  On most decent speakers,
> it seems to sound thin and lack authority.  It's terrible having to
> cater to the lowest common denominator.

If someone's paying you to do some mixing/mastering job, and that's
all there is to it, just do as the customer wants and get your money.

OTOH, if you do have some artistic responsability, I see no reason
why you should follow the mainstream (*) or want to do that.

I agree that almost all pop music today sounds anemic. Male singers
sound as if their b***s are in a vise, a combination of EQ that
almost removes the fundamental and auto'talent'. Females sound as
if ********* CENSORED **********.

And it's not limited to pop. At least half of the classical releases
today are being peppered up in ways that has nothing at all to do
with a natural live sound.

Ciao,

(*)
"Do you know what's on the bottom of the mainstream ?"
"Mediocrity !"

(From 'Death in Venice', T. Mann / L. Visconti)

-- 
FA

A world of exhaustive, reliable metadata would be an utopia.
It's also a pipe-dream, founded on self-delusion, nerd hubris
and hysterically inflated market opportunities. (Cory Doctorow)