Mixing and production

[Leem]

So in this lockdown situation I've been tweaking, moving stuff around, and basically listening to a lot of different music.

I have come to the following conclusion. 

Most music engineers and producers have shit for brains and mix music in a toilet and listen through a pair of speakers they found in a skip.

I can listen to a piece of music that is sublime, and the very next track sounds like I've swapped my gear for something I bought in Tandy in 1973

 

[Tony_J]

Indeed so. In my collection that mostly applies to stuff that was recorded before the 90s. 

Probably the best produced modern material I have is by Yello and Capercaillie. 

 

[MF 1000]

Just listened to the 'alleged' digital remastered version of Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here ....not as 'clean' sounding and the infamous cough/sniff not as distinct ......remastered eh .....

 

[MF 1000]

Indeed so. In my collection that mostly applies to stuff that was recorded before the 90s. 

Probably the best produced modern material I have is by Yello and Capercaillie. 

Most Paul Simon albums are superbly engineered 

 

[Leem]

Most Paul Simon albums are superbly engineered 

I'm not stir crazy enough to listen to Paul Simon yet.

You could be right though

 

[MF 1000]

Graceland is a classic even for non Paul Simon fans 

 

[Leem]

Graceland is a classic even for non Paul Simon fans 

I have it, just not really a fan. 

 

[Tony_J]

Lee Ritenour's stuff is superbly engineered as well - particularly on "six string theory" - with lots and lots of low bass for testing out those 15" subs Keith 

 

[MF 1000]

Might not work on my 18" subs then  :rofl:

 

[uzzy]

So in this lockdown situation I've been tweaking, moving stuff around, and basically listening to a lot of different music.

I have come to the following conclusion. 

Most music engineers and producers have shit for brains and mix music in a toilet and listen through a pair of speakers they found in a skip.

I can listen to a piece of music that is sublime, and the very next track sounds like I've swapped my gear for something I bought in Tandy in 1973

The difference between a bad, good,  a great, and a stunning rendition, of a musical piece is all down to the skill of the recording engineers, the producer and with LP the engineer who actually cuts the record.

The problem you encountered where one track sounds great and the next sounds like it was recorded in a toilet could be that the artist wanted it to sound like it was recorded in a toilet - or  it could be the producer and engineers took a nap and the artist did the mix ...

I am a fan of Dave Matthews Band and it is interesting (if not frustrating as well ) that his first three albums where Steve Littlywhite produced are stunning - and sad that with the album  "Every day" it is not Steve Lillywhite and although the material is stronger (my favourite track of his The Space Between" is on this album) I feel frustrated that the production is not as good .. 

So it is something we have to live with - just think of it as moving to a different venue where the sound quality is not good but you wanted to listen to the band anyway

 

[trick cyclist]

I Googled this very thing a couple of weeks ago, then lined up my cd versions of the supposed best produced modern albums. There were no real surprises in any of the several web pages that came up, with most of them appearing to contain similar albums. However, for my money, I thought there were some glaring omissions.

Sent from my SM-A505FN using Tapatalk

 

[Tony_J]

Might not work on my 18" subs then  :rofl:

Sorry - slip of the key Keith

 

[Warszawa]

listen through a pair of speakers they found in a skip.

You jest, but these days mastering engineers often do listen to their work on an iphone or bluetooth speaker because that's what the majority of consumers will be using.

 

[tIANcI]

Look at Adele’s Adele 21 album ... sounds horrible despite having good songs there. The Adele 25 is better mastered but could be better sounding. I wonder what Adele was thinking when she heard her debut album?

 

[moo-fi]

The difference between tracks is often due to them being recorded and mixed in completely different venues and/or studios. 

A mastering engineer can only do so much, particularly if it was recorded in someone's bedroom and all the level's far too hot. 

All studio's run a variety of speakers to ensure that a mix which sounds great on the main monitors also works on what the average man on the street uses. We even have a range of beats headphones along with some full range JVC's for exactly this reason. 

 

[uzzy]

The difference between tracks is often due to them being recorded and mixed in completely different venues and/or studios. 

A mastering engineer can only do so much, particularly if it was recorded in someone's bedroom and all the level's far too hot. 

All studio's run a variety of speakers to ensure that a mix which sounds great on the main monitors also works on what the average man on the street uses. We even have a range of beats headphones along with some full range JVC's for exactly this reason. 

Aye but Steve Wilson recorded his early Porcupine Tree stuff at home (DIY) and when he made money went back and remastered them adding real drums instead of the electronic ones on the originals .. but he is special and is now used by many to remaster their albums ...   However, as you say the quality of the recordings on the actual tapes used is the limiting factor.

 

[moo-fi]

Another stand out recording is the 'Texas campfire tapes' by Michelle Shocked. These were recorded on a Sony Pro Walkman, but these are the exceptions rather than the rule, I have to work with a lot of home brew recordings and there quality varies greatly. 

 

[DomT]

And of course mix engineers and producers have different tastes and opinions just like hifi people. Gary Numan hated Bill Nelson’s mix of his Warriors albums and did the mix over again; and he later admitted that Bill was ahead of his time. And even the same genre eg House music is was produced quite differently in the U.K. vs US. So it’s not a surprise that there is variance. But don’t many hifi enthusiasts want systems that distinguish between the choices that artists make?

 

[insider9]

. I wonder what Adele was thinking when she heard her debut album?

I'm listening to Adele's debut album. 19 is a decent recording.  I'd be happy if my debut sounded as well as that... by the way it didn't unless were counting my unreleased solo debut