| Revision as of 15:48, 16 March 2006 edit81.187.26.198 (talk) Removed unneccessary apostrophe← Previous edit | Revision as of 06:03, 23 March 2006 edit undoKuuenbu (talk | contribs)47 edits Added references to limiting and analog-style distortion in mastering, boycotting of significantly offending CDs and a couple phrasing modifications.Next edit → | ||
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| {{mergeto|Audio mastering}} | {{mergeto|Audio mastering}} | ||
| The phrase '''loudness war''' refers to the practice of recording music at progressively higher and higher levels, to create CDs that are as loud as possible. Louder CDs sound louder when played with the same equipment at the same settings. One reason for this practice is that when comparing two CDs, the louder one will sound better on first impression. Higher levels can result in better sounding recordings on low quality reproduction systems, such as web audio formats, AM radio, mono television and telephones, but since most of the material affected is delivered via CD audio, it is largely seen as detrimental to overall quality, given that one of the initial benefits of a CD was its enhanced dynamic range. | The phrase '''loudness war''' (or '''loudness race''') refers to the practice of recording music at progressively higher and higher levels, to create CDs that are as loud as possible or louder than CDs from competing artists or recording labels. Louder CDs sound louder when played with the same equipment at the same settings. One reason for this practice is that when comparing two CDs, the louder one will sound better on first impression. Higher levels can result in better sounding recordings on low quality reproduction systems, such as web audio formats, AM radio, mono television and telephones, but since most of the material affected is delivered via CD audio, it is largely seen as detrimental to overall quality, given that one of the initial benefits of a CD was its enhanced dynamic range. | ||
| To educated ears this practice is unnecessary, since if listeners want to listen to loud music, they can simply turn up the volume on their playback equipment. If a CD is broadcast by a radio station, the station will have its own equipment that flattens everything it broadcasts to |
To educated ears this practice is unnecessary, since if listeners want to listen to loud music, they can simply turn up the volume on their playback equipment. If a CD is broadcast by a radio station, the station will have its own equipment that flattens everything it broadcasts to far more closely matching levels of absolute amplitude, regardless of the original recording's loudness. , | ||
| This practice often results in a form of distortion known as ]. The loudness wars have reached a point at which most pop CDs, and many classical and jazz CDs, have large amounts of digital clipping, making them harsh and fatiguing to listen to, especially, ironically, on high quality equipment. | This practice often results in a form of distortion known as ]. The loudness wars have reached a point at which most pop CDs, and many classical and jazz CDs, have large amounts of digital clipping, making them harsh and fatiguing to listen to, especially, ironically, on high quality equipment. On the CDs where clipping does not occur—or does not occur as frequently as would when simple digital amplification is involved—a process known as limiting is used. While the resulting distortion is lessened from the final product this way, it unfortunately has the side effect of significantly reducing ] response, most often heard as lessened drum impact and, when taken to severe levels, can hamper the natural dynamics of other instruments within the mix and reduce sonic clarity. Both methods can be relatively transparent in moderate cases; however with the levels that are commonly demanded as of now this is seldom a possibility. | ||
| Further, current compression |
Further, current compression equipment allows engineers to create a recording that has a nearly uniform dynamic level. When that level is set very close to the maximum allowed by the CD format, this creates nearly non-stop distortion throughout the disk. | ||
| This situation has been widely condemned. Some have petitioned their favorite groups to rerelease some CDs with less distortion. Others have even said that recording engineers who knowingly push their recording equipment past clipping should be blacklisted and not allowed to "victimize artists or music lovers." | This situation has been widely condemned. Some have petitioned their favorite groups to rerelease some CDs with less distortion. Others have even said that recording engineers who knowingly push their recording equipment past clipping should be blacklisted and not allowed to "victimize artists or music lovers." Many have suggested boycotting recordings that they feel showcase the phenomenon to the point of significantly lessened satisfaction with the product (often to the point of lessened, or even nonexistent, listening as opposed to otherwise) to communicate the existence of disdain for the practice to the offending parties, though it is often stated that such an attempt would be interpreted by the music industry as wanton ]. | ||
| It should be made clear that this distortion is different from other kinds of distortion such as overdrive or feedback (see ]), which is created by electronic musical instruments, not by the recording process, and which can be an intentional and integral part of the performance (see ]). Digital clipping is created by recording engineers, not by musicians. | It should be made clear that this distortion is different from other kinds of distortion such as overdrive or feedback (see ]), which is created by electronic musical instruments, not by the recording process, and which can be an intentional and integral part of the performance (see ]). Digital clipping is created by recording engineers, not by musicians, though musicians have been accused of requesting the sorts of loudness that encourages this phenomenon. Ironically, sometimes ]-style distortion is used in the mastering process to achieve similar results, either through analog tape saturation prior to digital transfer or computer software used to emulate the process; this is notably more common in ] recordings than ] ones. | ||
| Another consequence of the loudness war is that even if there is no distortion, every song on a CD, and every moment within each song, will have the same dynamic (i.e., loudness) level, with no rise or fall or any sense of dynamic shaping. The music has been flattened against the ceiling, so to speak. Pop music in general has not been interested in the expressive possibilities of crescendos, diminuendos, sudden loudness or quietness, or any of the other dynamic devices available to musicians, but the loudness war has eliminated even the possibility of dynamic expressiveness in recorded pop music. | Another consequence of the loudness war is that even if there is no distortion, every song on a CD, and every moment within each song, will have the same dynamic (i.e., loudness) level, with no rise or fall or any sense of dynamic shaping. The music has been flattened against the ceiling, so to speak. Pop music in general has not been interested in the expressive possibilities of crescendos, diminuendos, sudden loudness or quietness, or any of the other dynamic devices available to musicians, but the loudness war has eliminated even the possibility of dynamic expressiveness in recorded pop music. | ||
Revision as of 06:03, 23 March 2006
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged into Audio mastering. (Discuss) |
The phrase loudness war (or loudness race) refers to the practice of recording music at progressively higher and higher levels, to create CDs that are as loud as possible or louder than CDs from competing artists or recording labels. Louder CDs sound louder when played with the same equipment at the same settings. One reason for this practice is that when comparing two CDs, the louder one will sound better on first impression. Higher levels can result in better sounding recordings on low quality reproduction systems, such as web audio formats, AM radio, mono television and telephones, but since most of the material affected is delivered via CD audio, it is largely seen as detrimental to overall quality, given that one of the initial benefits of a CD was its enhanced dynamic range.
To educated ears this practice is unnecessary, since if listeners want to listen to loud music, they can simply turn up the volume on their playback equipment. If a CD is broadcast by a radio station, the station will have its own equipment that flattens everything it broadcasts to far more closely matching levels of absolute amplitude, regardless of the original recording's loudness. ,
This practice often results in a form of distortion known as clipping. The loudness wars have reached a point at which most pop CDs, and many classical and jazz CDs, have large amounts of digital clipping, making them harsh and fatiguing to listen to, especially, ironically, on high quality equipment. On the CDs where clipping does not occur—or does not occur as frequently as would when simple digital amplification is involved—a process known as limiting is used. While the resulting distortion is lessened from the final product this way, it unfortunately has the side effect of significantly reducing transient response, most often heard as lessened drum impact and, when taken to severe levels, can hamper the natural dynamics of other instruments within the mix and reduce sonic clarity. Both methods can be relatively transparent in moderate cases; however with the levels that are commonly demanded as of now this is seldom a possibility.
Further, current compression equipment allows engineers to create a recording that has a nearly uniform dynamic level. When that level is set very close to the maximum allowed by the CD format, this creates nearly non-stop distortion throughout the disk.
This situation has been widely condemned. Some have petitioned their favorite groups to rerelease some CDs with less distortion. Others have even said that recording engineers who knowingly push their recording equipment past clipping should be blacklisted and not allowed to "victimize artists or music lovers." Many have suggested boycotting recordings that they feel showcase the phenomenon to the point of significantly lessened satisfaction with the product (often to the point of lessened, or even nonexistent, listening as opposed to otherwise) to communicate the existence of disdain for the practice to the offending parties, though it is often stated that such an attempt would be interpreted by the music industry as wanton piracy.
It should be made clear that this distortion is different from other kinds of distortion such as overdrive or feedback (see Overdrive (music)), which is created by electronic musical instruments, not by the recording process, and which can be an intentional and integral part of the performance (see Jimi Hendrix). Digital clipping is created by recording engineers, not by musicians, though musicians have been accused of requesting the sorts of loudness that encourages this phenomenon. Ironically, sometimes analog-style distortion is used in the mastering process to achieve similar results, either through analog tape saturation prior to digital transfer or computer software used to emulate the process; this is notably more common in European recordings than North American ones.
Another consequence of the loudness war is that even if there is no distortion, every song on a CD, and every moment within each song, will have the same dynamic (i.e., loudness) level, with no rise or fall or any sense of dynamic shaping. The music has been flattened against the ceiling, so to speak. Pop music in general has not been interested in the expressive possibilities of crescendos, diminuendos, sudden loudness or quietness, or any of the other dynamic devices available to musicians, but the loudness war has eliminated even the possibility of dynamic expressiveness in recorded pop music.