Tuesday, March 13, 2007

If I don't tell you, who will?



Every text book on studio/home recording pushes the same line. You compress your recordings to get a bigger sound and to even out the spikes in the vocals, the bass, etc.
OK, if you are creating product for the mass media, eg television, radio, you give them product as required by them, they are more likely to use it..

But, artistically, come on, now! In real life all but the most controlled singers surge and spike, as do bass players and other instrumentalists. There is a real alternative when you are recording, and YOU are FREE to make your own JUDGEMENT on whether to compress, limit, et al.
The text book way can be a very good way of doing things, but it is NOT the only way, and the sky won't fall and even the thought police won't drag you away screaming if you do it any other way. They just give you a complex if you don't follow their prescribed methods.

In fact, most expert advice on recording has swung to being minimalist with EQing.
De-essing and pop filtering compensate for the deficiencies of our supposedly top notch super gear.
Compression sort of does, but not if you can get a clean, noiseless signal without it.
If I discovered the lost tribe of where-ever and wanted a true recording of their war dances, love songs, funeral dirges, or what-ever, uncompressed would probably be a lot more accurate.