Terrapin Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 I really don't want to be "Negative Nancy" or a "Debbie Downer" regarding CA, but I'm afraid after numerous listenings to the actual CD, in several different environments, I'm finding it very hard to hear Geddy's vocals. Indeed, the whole CD appears to be far too compressed to my ears. A real shame as in my opinion, Neil has written some of his best lyrics for quite a while and Geddy has sung them with an exuberance and melodic quality that is at some points, spine tingling. Unfortunately, due to the production/mastering it is very difficult just to sit back, relax and simply enjoy these qualities, as it just turns into an over compressed listening experience. Perhaps its just the digital age, or maybe my age (45) but the this beautifully written and performed suite has been compromised by the almost "phoned in" production. Yes, it's brickwalled. I've inserted tracks into both Logic and Pro tools here in my studio and they are peaking - big time. Again, maybe its just me. Perhaps this is the way we are supposed to listen to music these days - par for the course? Either way, I love the songs - hate the production Just my opinion. Regards, T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
presto123 Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 QUOTE (Terrapin @ Jun 5 2012, 05:18 PM) I really don't want to be "Negative Nancy" or a "Debbie Downer" regarding CA, but I'm afraid after numerous listenings to the actual CD, in several different environments, I'm finding it very hard to hear Geddy's vocals. Indeed, the whole CD appears to be far too compressed to my ears. A real shame as in my opinion, Neil has written some of his best lyrics for quite a while and Geddy has sung them with an exuberance and melodic quality that is at some points, spine tingling. Unfortunately, due to the production/mastering it is very difficult just to sit back, relax and simply enjoy these qualities, as it just turns into an over compressed listening experience. Perhaps its just the digital age, or maybe my age (45) but the this beautifully written and performed suite has been compromised by the almost "phoned in" production. Yes, it's brickwalled. I've inserted tracks into both Logic and Pro tools here in my studio and they are peaking - big time. Again, maybe its just me. Perhaps this is the way we are supposed to listen to music these days - par for the course? Either way, I love the songs - hate the production Just my opinion. Regards, T Are you listening to the downloaded version? If so you shouldn't even make a comment on production. No way you can tell from that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilb1972 Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossedSignals Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 QUOTE (Terrapin @ Jun 5 2012, 03:18 PM)I really don't want to be "Negative Nancy" or a "Debbie Downer" regarding CA, but I'm afraid after numerous listenings to the actual CD, in several different environments, I'm finding it very hard to hear Geddy's vocals. Indeed, the whole CD appears to be far too compressed to my ears. .... Unfortunately, due to the production/mastering it is very difficult just to sit back, relax and simply enjoy these qualities, as it just turns into an over compressed listening experience. .... Yes, it's brickwalled. I've inserted tracks into both Logic and Pro tools here in my studio and they are peaking - big time. I think some of the compression you're hearing is just the low-bitrate mp3s most of us have heard. Unless you somehow have an advance copy of the actual full-quality CD? A lot of the compression was surely introduced intentionally in the production process. Heavy compression is a mastering staple in nearly all styles of music these days, rock included. Brickwalling doesn't bother me at all in theory. Sometimes brickwalled production sounds bad, but sometimes it sounds great. It sounds fine here to me.... nothing too extreme when compared with other contemporary rock music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeaveMyThingAlone Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 (edited) The question is what you think of Headlong Flight because that will be exactly what the whole album sounds like and I think HF sounds fantastic and very different from this crappy MP3 downloaded version we have now Edited June 5, 2012 by LeaveMyThingAlone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Lerxst Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 QUOTE (Terrapin @ Jun 5 2012, 11:18 PM) after numerous listenings to the actual CD Most replies so far seem to have missed this vital piece of the post. Personally, I am finding the vocals to be loud enough, but on the lower level of acceptable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lerxster Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 QUOTE (wilb1972 @ Jun 5 2012, 05:21 PM) I agree with the boob grab. OP needs to clarify what his audio source was. Surely he can't be complaining about the leaked copy. Shirley? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HemispheresserehpsimeH Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 Didn't he say in his original post that it was the actual CD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeaveMyThingAlone Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 Nevermind, I re-read your post and you are listening to the actual CD. Bummer that you don't like the production. I think it sounds awesome...not perfect like Moving Pictures but kind of Counterparts-esque Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielmclark Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 QUOTE (Terrapin @ Jun 5 2012, 04:18 PM) I really don't want to be "Negative Nancy" or a "Debbie Downer" regarding CA, but I'm afraid after numerous listenings to the actual CD, in several different environments, I'm finding it very hard to hear Geddy's vocals. Indeed, the whole CD appears to be far too compressed to my ears. A real shame as in my opinion, Neil has written some of his best lyrics for quite a while and Geddy has sung them with an exuberance and melodic quality that is at some points, spine tingling. Unfortunately, due to the production/mastering it is very difficult just to sit back, relax and simply enjoy these qualities, as it just turns into an over compressed listening experience. Perhaps its just the digital age, or maybe my age (45) but the this beautifully written and performed suite has been compromised by the almost "phoned in" production. Yes, it's brickwalled. I've inserted tracks into both Logic and Pro tools here in my studio and they are peaking - big time. Again, maybe its just me. Perhaps this is the way we are supposed to listen to music these days - par for the course? Either way, I love the songs - hate the production Just my opinion. Regards, T Well, I was wondering how long it would take someone to bitch about the waveform and the compression. A day. It took a single day. Congratulations. The album sounds great. The music is awesome. The vocals are not too far down in the mix. If you're an audiophile that isn't happy unless everything is 100% perfect, well... that's you. That's not 99.9% of the rest of us. I swear, "over compressed" is the most overblown thing I've ever heard about modern music. Honestly, it's beginning to sound like the kind of thing people say when they want to appear smart about audio production or they're just looking for something to be contrary about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarKo Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 QUOTE (Terrapin @ Jun 5 2012, 10:18 PM)I really don't want to be "Negative Nancy" or a "Debbie Downer" regarding CA, but I'm afraid after numerous listenings to the actual CD, in several different environments, I'm finding it very hard to hear Geddy's vocals. Indeed, the whole CD appears to be far too compressed to my ears. A real shame as in my opinion, Neil has written some of his best lyrics for quite a while and Geddy has sung them with an exuberance and melodic quality that is at some points, spine tingling. Unfortunately, due to the production/mastering it is very difficult just to sit back, relax and simply enjoy these qualities, as it just turns into an over compressed listening experience. Perhaps its just the digital age, or maybe my age (45) but the this beautifully written and performed suite has been compromised by the almost "phoned in" production. Yes, it's brickwalled. I've inserted tracks into both Logic and Pro tools here in my studio and they are peaking - big time. Again, maybe its just me. Perhaps this is the way we are supposed to listen to music these days - par for the course? Either way, I love the songs - hate the production Just my opinion. Regards, T I'm still waiting for the CD so I can't really comment yet but in general I tend to agree with your point. There are certain sections where I just can't hear what's going on, and as a musician I really want to hear every note. You shouldn't fill the entire sound spectrum just because it's there. Seems to be a trend... Then again some of it sounds great... I find myself at times yearning for a more simple spread out sound like Permanent Waves, but then I wonder if it's just me. I'm no expert on the finer points of recording but it'll be interesting to hear what people think of the mix and mastering after the CD hits the letterboxes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snaked Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 99% of people who use the "over-compressed" argument wouldn't be able to identify compression on a recording if you paid them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix87 Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 Clockwork angels sounds perfect to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossedSignals Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 QUOTE (Snaked @ Jun 5 2012, 03:43 PM) 99% of people who use the "over-compressed" argument wouldn't be able to identify compression on a recording if you paid them. I agree.... "over-compressed" has become an over-used buzzword. It's true that heavy compression is commonplace these days, but a lot of people throw the term around without any kind of qualification of their meaning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickfree Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 And here we go.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossedSignals Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 QUOTE (quickfree @ Jun 5 2012, 03:45 PM) And here we go.. I bet this thread gets to 10 pages, at least. Place your bets now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jomboni Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 I agree the vocals are too low in the mix, but I think it's for a reason. I hate to say it but the main thing I dislike about the album is how much he is obviously straining at points. If he can't hit notes in the studio it's not gonna happen live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielmclark Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 QUOTE (Snaked @ Jun 5 2012, 04:43 PM) 99% of people who use the "over-compressed" argument wouldn't be able to identify compression on a recording if you paid them. Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushgoober Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 This actually was my biggest fear after hearing the mp3, that the mix would still be a little too muddy on the actual CD. I'll have to check it out for myself once June 12th gets here already. Is it June 12th yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushgoober Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 QUOTE (CrossedSignals @ Jun 5 2012, 03:46 PM) QUOTE (quickfree @ Jun 5 2012, 03:45 PM) And here we go.. I bet this thread gets to 10 pages, at least. Place your bets now. 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Finn Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 I don't know if the over compression is the problem. I think Alex uses too much distortion and there may be too much overdubbing. Well and sometimes I really don't hear what Geddy sings. I really miss the drum mixing they used in 70s and early 80s. I liked how the drums were loud and crystal clear. Now you don't hear them that clearly. But I'm still waiting the Fanpack to arrive and these are only minor complaints. The album sounds mostly great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutman Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 As much as I love the songs on Presto. I hated the production side. It better not sound like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrapin Posted June 5, 2012 Author Share Posted June 5, 2012 QUOTE (Sir Lerxst @ Jun 5 2012, 10:35 PM) QUOTE (Terrapin @ Jun 5 2012, 11:18 PM) after numerous listenings to the actual CD Most replies so far seem to have missed this vital piece of the post. Personally, I am finding the vocals to be loud enough, but on the lower level of acceptable. This Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gedneil Alpeart Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 The sound is dense in parts, but even with my crappy mp3s, I can still crank this baby up loud without distorting.....much much much better than VT's sound and much less complex and layered than SA. However, some of Neil's toms are too low in the mix, esp on Caravan and just after the intense middle interlude of Wreckers, but at other places, much more crisp and audible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeaveMyThingAlone Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 Presto was their 2nd worst recording ever. I hate the way that one sounds because there are some great songs on there. The album has no balls Clockwork Angels is nowhere near Presto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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