Last week I mixed an EP album of six songs for a local group and I made some observations that you may find interesting. The recordings were simple and sparse and only had a few tracks to mix. I doubled the number for the purpose of spatial richness(panned left and right with different FX).
The recording was done in a single room (not a studio) and the mics used were SM57s and SM58s. Not a single condenser mic was to be seen. This is just because it was what they had.
The sound was crisp and clear and had no limitations beyond the actual performers themselves. I was able to make it sound like it was done in a professional studio with multiple FX, and mixed and mastered to the proper level.
So what is the point? The ability to record great sounding tracks is only limited by the ability of the players and the engineers. The most basic technology is sufficient to make great sounds.
It is common to hear bad music, poorly conceived, poorly arranged, poorly rendered, and poorly mastered at the very top of the current top 40 charts.
Recently I was at a hotel which played the current top 40 without commercial interruption and I listened carefully because I never choose to listen to this type of music unless I am forced to.
When I was paid to do it, I did it, but that is no longer the case, and so I do not do that on purpose.
The quality of the songs went from bad to horrible, The recordings were either poorly recorded or overly sweetened, almost all the singers benefited from Autotune, or needed it.
I felt sad that the American public is fed this rubbish as if there is no other music available. No wonder they don't know what is good.
Perhaps I will pick a modern 'hit' and take it apart so you can be aware of the flaws that are so commonplace in today's popular music. Stay tuned.
The recording was done in a single room (not a studio) and the mics used were SM57s and SM58s. Not a single condenser mic was to be seen. This is just because it was what they had.
The sound was crisp and clear and had no limitations beyond the actual performers themselves. I was able to make it sound like it was done in a professional studio with multiple FX, and mixed and mastered to the proper level.
So what is the point? The ability to record great sounding tracks is only limited by the ability of the players and the engineers. The most basic technology is sufficient to make great sounds.
It is common to hear bad music, poorly conceived, poorly arranged, poorly rendered, and poorly mastered at the very top of the current top 40 charts.
Recently I was at a hotel which played the current top 40 without commercial interruption and I listened carefully because I never choose to listen to this type of music unless I am forced to.
When I was paid to do it, I did it, but that is no longer the case, and so I do not do that on purpose.
The quality of the songs went from bad to horrible, The recordings were either poorly recorded or overly sweetened, almost all the singers benefited from Autotune, or needed it.
I felt sad that the American public is fed this rubbish as if there is no other music available. No wonder they don't know what is good.
Perhaps I will pick a modern 'hit' and take it apart so you can be aware of the flaws that are so commonplace in today's popular music. Stay tuned.
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