The Loudness War (overcompression in music)

[ph00tbag]

I would say I misspoke. Rather, if you are of the opinion that overcompressed music is "well-produced," then I'm not particularly interested in appealing to you. That's not intended to sound mean, I just don't have any interest in conforming to that kind of sound just because some other people think it sounds good. I think you're starting from the assumption that I really care about fame. Making music in a way that sounds good to me is more important to me.

[the4thImpulse]

I would say I misspoke. Rather, if you are of the opinion that overcompressed music is "well-produced," then I'm not particularly interested in appealing to you.

Fair enough, its always the producers choice in the end. And what I meant was I go through a lot of overcompressed music that is not to find the few gems that benift from it (or are just sweet songs for other reasons)

I think you're starting from the assumption that I really care about fame. Making music in a way that sounds good to me is more important to me.

I tried not to sound like that and it bothers that that's how you read it so I will try to myself explain better.

You should always produce music you enjoy, that shouldn't need to be said but too many people sell out in EDM. Now if you don't wish to get your music to the same db level as other producers then that's your choice but my thinking is why not get it to that level, without compressing it to hell, and let the mainstream dj enjoy it too. A lot of it comes down to the mix before hand and a deep understand into sound and compression. I'm not saying I have the answer for you but I have heard songs that largely hold dynamics and still play out up there with the big names, not the loudest but they still hold their own.

In other words make music for yourself first but I see a missed opportunity with your methodology and only wished to maybe open your eyes to other possibilities. I only mean well and that may be hard reading text on an internet forum.

[vladnuke]

Just get the kick to peak at 0db.
Get the middle loudness stuff to be -2db
Then fill with pads. Now it's all bricked, but also has dynamics.
Then all the DJ's will love you, and you have a kewl track.
Also don't forget to cut out unneccary frequencies to make it less muddy and to use proper mastering protocol:
Step 1. Drop the master volume.
Step 2. Export the track
Step 3. Load it in a new project file.
Step 4. Compress until 0db

And that's how EDMstria was made.

Or, idk, you could just drop maximus. You could also just take the kicks out of the song completly. Your choice.

[KillerAmp]

Over-compression, i am against. But when you CHOOSE not to use too many dynamics but are still able to make them present in the track, then get the track to be the same mastering standards the4thimpulse was talking about, i like that, and honestly EDM isn't about the dynamics as much as it's about the "Dance" aspect (Hence the D in EDM). I read the deadmau5 example earlier, and i agree with Joel, and i can see it present in his tracks, he doesn't over-compress to hell, but you can still HEAR his music and his dynamics are present (much more-so than the like Skrillex and Nero) but are not ranging from -inf db to 0 db.
As long as you don't get some muddy sounds in the end of the mastering, and as long as you can hear everything the way it was meant to be heard. at the end of the day, im happy.

[FLAOFEI]

Makeing music loud for the sake of being the loudest is imo silly. Thats what we have volume knobs (and built in equalisers) for.
I make my music sound the way I want it to, and if that means clipping, distortion and sounding muddy then so be it. Thats what I want to make, and thats what I want to hear.

When I listen to music I want to hear what ever the artist envisioned, weather its quiet, dynamic or loud or whatever.