LOL,

I was just going to say that hair-care product adverts always have a 'science' bit because they know that BS baffles brains.

Never mind the SM57 has been the snare drum mic of choice in pretty much every studio worldwide for the last 40 years we have to do this;

What we noticed and confirmed on a sprectragraph was that the old '57 seemed very controlled and had very little low end. It seemed to have a built in roll off and it was about 1" from the top head so the proximity effect seemed well balanced.

...for it have the stamp of McQ credibility so we can all rest assured that we wont suffer from flaky scalps.  Pity it doesn't have the right-angled form factor as standard though McQ concludes...

Jonbouy


LOL,

I was just going to say that hair-care product adverts always have a 'science' bit because they know that BS baffles brains.

Ya, it's enough to cough up a Har Bal Hairball. 

When I first started frequenting these boards I had the utmost respect for him and found many of his posts helpful.

I'm starting to wonder if I imagined that bit, I never bothered to check out any music if there was anything of note to appear ever.

It's so hard because I'm working from memory and I'm first to admit that I'm no audio expert now let alone then. I did know how to operate Sonar though - I'd been using it for 5 or 6 years before I joined the forum and self taught myself most of it so I've no worries posting about what I do know.

Whereas with 'audio in general' I was a clueless beginner then (and not that much further up the scale now) so when a post is written by what is by the nature of the beast a complete stranger who seems to have plenty of knowledge I'm impressed. That's what I remember but of course memory can play tricks, perhaps it was all cut & pasted from another site.

Stranger things have happened. Close up magic is one of my other hobbies/money making schemes and on a magic site I moderate on that was a prevalent happening. Someone trying to make out they were more knowledgeable than they were, for whatever reason, cutting and pasting or quoting from books/videos/other websites. In those type of niche areas though it's easier to spot.

Let's not forget there's nothing wrong with being a beginner though, everyone was there once but to some it's some sort of affront to their ego. Of course anyone who knows they're stuff can usually spot the 'Walter Mitty's' when they meet in 'the real world' but on a faceless forum it's much harder. If that is indeed the case, I really don't know - I don't wish him any harm but I really don't care much either. I have a tipping point for dealing with people, and I'm afraid that particular cart tipped a while ago.......

Let's not forget there's nothing wrong with being a beginner though, everyone was there once but to some it's some sort of affront to their ego.

Absolutely agree, there was a guy asking for genuine help here that got slapped down by this joker just yesterday though.

I'm angry about it all just now, mostly at my own stupidity, but that will pass.

It's not the first time I've mugged myself for giving someone the benefit of the doubt and a dare say it wont be the last, but nobody as yet has managed the same thing twice.

Bummer.

Yes it's a continual learning process, even the most experienced, most geekist professional can have a bad day and make mistakes. 

It's always best to have an open mind (and a sense of humour) on these forums and try not to take things so dang literally or personal. 


IMO in regards to maximizing often it's the source materials (tracks) and style of music that also needs to be questioned. 

Often the fix is in the instrumental arrangements, tracks (source material) I suppose it's like putting the horse before the cart. 

Often I need to go back and clean up something, cut (filter) or completely remove a track. The style of music I do borders on complexity, layered, intricate, but I'm a sucker for challengers. Maybe next time I'll keep it more simple and take the less is best approach. 

As for how much to maximize? I think that's a personal preference and in the hands of the experienced user I'm sure they'll do fine, just as long as you don't blow a fuse and blackout the entire neighborhood. How much hardware have you got wired up?... 500+, {ahem} do you have a fire extinguisher? 

Now that I've got the free radicals happily bouncing around from that point on I guess -3 is a good starting point, kinda like a point of reference for me and I suppose -3 must be my lucky number?.. I dunno?.. a little more, a little less (as it also depends on what hardware/software is in use and on what sort of material and for what purpose).... whatever gets you rocking, jazzed, pinked or la' ga' ga'

you should supersize it.

Despite trolling issues ... This seems a spot-on topic ... for me:  Here's why:

I struggle with maximizing verse versus chorus and vice versa.  (--Hahahahah ... no pun intended)

Seriously, think about it.  If you/I (else the ME) maximize(s) everything ... even for the car-stereo-hip-hop-skating-dance-floor.

... after overall song-maximization ...

... the verse may inadvertantly 'sound' louder than the chorus, especially the non-critical vocals ... despite *appropriate* RMS values and waveforms.  Its a tough call for you, me, and/or the ME ... and embarrassing song corruption may become perceived by you/I the composer.

Methinks several ears (golden and not-so-golden) should be the judge.

Also consider the target environment ... if a quiet living-room, church, or theater ... I'd definitely keep the widest-dynamics of a mix for those places.

... if a car stereo ... listening on the car stereo (not just the ARC'd studio) ... seems necessary ... as maximization is quite popular for road-listening and/or 'staying awake' ... and/or while jogging with cans, etc.

In all cases ... I'd probably try to increase the perceived loudness of the chorus hook and middle-8-hook ... since these hooks make or break (my) songs.

Philip

I think Jeff has covered it quite well already.  Maintaining relative levels between loud and soft passages isn't difficult if they are planned for.

It's the very term 'Maximise' here that indicates the trolling factor provided by the OP.

You only have to look at the remaindered detritus on the front page of this particular forum to notice that any valid and considered discussion isn't coming from this particular OP just now.

I'd suggest a new thread if you wanted to discuss it with any earnestness.

That's just my opinion though, maximisation just doesn't seem to me the correct term for what you are alluding to.  Normalization may be a better one here, where the highest peak reaches a ceiling and everything else follows it's 'normal' relative level in relation to that loudest peak.

Mike just thinks we are going to smash everything to an equal RMS level because we are not as smart as him and he has insights into this that we don't. 

That's all I can conclude from the OP.

He'll have no way of knowing what those 'normal' differences in level are now though because he's already stated that he's been riding the faders while tracking so there won't be any normal differences between loud and soft left.  Which is really ironic given the title.

Jonbouy


Philip

I think Jeff has covered it quite well already.  Maintaining relative levels between loud and soft passages isn't difficult if they are planned for.

It's the very term 'Maximise' here that indicates the trolling factor provided by the OP.

You only have to look at the remaindered detritus on the front page of this particular forum to notice that any valid and considered discussion isn't coming from this particular OP just now.

I'd suggest a new thread if you wanted to discuss it with any earnestness.

That's just my opinion though, maximisation just doesn't seem to me the correct term for what you are alluding to.  Normalization may be a better one here, where the highest peak reaches a ceiling and everything else follows it's 'normal' relative level in relation to that loudest peak.

Mike just thinks we are going to smash everything to an equal RMS level because we are not as smart as him and he has insights into this that we don't. 

That's all I can conclude from the OP.

He'll have no way of knowing what those 'normal' differences in level are now though because he's already stated that he's been riding the faders while tracking so there won't be any normal differences between loud and soft left.  Which is really ironic given the title.

Very well ... due to popular consensus of trolling and/or excess loopiness ... by 2 or more of you dedicated musicians (for which I duly sympathize) ... I'll disregard this thread (and certain others) until the trolling issues wane signficantly.

Music always sounds better loud, right? Therefore, you should always start every song with at least 8 bars of barely-audible filler, preferably with some mumbled lyrics or unidentifiable sound effects. This will trick the listener into turning up his stereo. Then you hit them with all you've got.