06-07-2012, 09:07 AM
(04-07-2012, 11:57 PM)ThePhonk Wrote: I understand now that the core idea is to make sounds heard not by turning them up, but by shaping their voice so that they complement their neighboring voices, all yielding the right amount of sonic space to each other, and when all give a little, all win big... something like that, right?
Yes, sir!
Quote:If so, however, I am still puzzled by the idea that this leads to less processing, or that it is easier to implement with a quieter master bus. On the contrary, I would assume that a 'hard limit' on the bus at 0 dB (if you let that scare you) is more effective than a self-imposed (and easily renegotiable) -12 dB limit.
What I can imagine, though, is that the very artificiality of the -12 dB serves as a constant reminder of your resolve to keep levels from creeping up. But so would a clothespin clipped to your nose, or any other thing that you would normally consider a tad bit artificial. Whatever works, of course.
I guess you are right with that last sentence.
Anyway, when trying to bring something up in a dense mix results in overprocessing (using compression and compression and compression...) your (read "my") sounds start to get a bit flat and fatigueing. I think we can agree on that. What that limit on the master bus does is quite simple: Instead of making tracks louder (using processing) turning other tracks down or using EQ to unmask the track in question results effectively in less processing on that given track. So where I used a ton of compression I now use a tiny bit (if needed at all).Now coming to speeding things up, as I mentioned that before. When you do not have to concentrate on finding processor settings that actually make your sound cut through and, as well, don't have to do that on several tracks, I reach settings that I feel comfortable with much quicker. As the chapters in Mike's book is entitled: Compressing/Equalizing for a reason.
Quote:I recently stumbled over this: http://www.pensadosplace.tv/2012/06/14/i...#more-1052. I often feel as confused as he appears to be in some moments, yet I surely don't do what he is... erm... hearing. But I think he conveys quite clearly that a voice's effect / contribution / interaction in context is what counts, and not so much its separation.
It seems to me that that perspective could also help to keep levels in check. What do you think?
Marc
Absolutely. Now the problem is only learning to hear what works and not what you think what you should hear as working...
By the way, is it just me or is Dave Pensado's pronunciation even to native speakers hard to understand?