What do you mean by 'dynamic'?
- Thread starter lordtech
- Start date
ahjteam
Anssi Tenhunen
Specifically volume changes (as in, when people say "preserve the dynamics in a mix," they mean not brickwalling it so it's all the same level, but rather leaving some parts softer and some louder)
::XeS::
Member
Take a bass playing as example. If you play bass, the level of the playing is not the same,expecially with finger playing, because bass is a really dynamic instruments..it's very touch-sensitive.
If you use a compressor (a piece of gear that reduce the dynamics), what you hear when you're playing the bass, is a more consistent sound because all the peaks (that pass the threshold level) on your playing are attenuated by the compressor.
Said that, there is a good dynamics reduction (bass and vocals for example) and a bad dynamic reduction (for example too much compression in your master).
If you have your mix that peaks at -15dB rms and you wanna put it at -5dB rms in the final master level , you have to use a Limiter (compressor as well) that will reduce too much the dynamics.....all the louder parts/instruments in you mix will be reduced and the final sound will be terrible because:
1. All your mixing work will be ruined.
2. You'll get a shitty squashed sound.
If you use a compressor (a piece of gear that reduce the dynamics), what you hear when you're playing the bass, is a more consistent sound because all the peaks (that pass the threshold level) on your playing are attenuated by the compressor.
Said that, there is a good dynamics reduction (bass and vocals for example) and a bad dynamic reduction (for example too much compression in your master).
If you have your mix that peaks at -15dB rms and you wanna put it at -5dB rms in the final master level , you have to use a Limiter (compressor as well) that will reduce too much the dynamics.....all the louder parts/instruments in you mix will be reduced and the final sound will be terrible because:
1. All your mixing work will be ruined.
2. You'll get a shitty squashed sound.
I think it's worth mentioning that 'dynamic' means changing over time - it doesn't just mean changes in volume.
For instance, with a clean guitar if you hit the strings lightly you get a different sound than you do if you smack them as hard as you can. If you record a piece with both of those styles and then compress it, you can even out the volume perfectly but it will still feel dynamic because of the difference in sound. That principle applies to lots of things - with distorted guitars there's an obvious dynamic difference between alternate picking and playing all down strokes that comes from sound more than volume.
Referring to your comment about mastering, keeping the dynamics even doesn't make things sound louder - if anything it makes them need to be louder overall because of the lack of dynamics. If you make the verses slightly quieter than the chorus, the impact of the chorus will be far greater and means the overall volume doesn't need to be pushed so much - that's pretty much the principle behind Nirvana's entire career.
Steve
For instance, with a clean guitar if you hit the strings lightly you get a different sound than you do if you smack them as hard as you can. If you record a piece with both of those styles and then compress it, you can even out the volume perfectly but it will still feel dynamic because of the difference in sound. That principle applies to lots of things - with distorted guitars there's an obvious dynamic difference between alternate picking and playing all down strokes that comes from sound more than volume.
Referring to your comment about mastering, keeping the dynamics even doesn't make things sound louder - if anything it makes them need to be louder overall because of the lack of dynamics. If you make the verses slightly quieter than the chorus, the impact of the chorus will be far greater and means the overall volume doesn't need to be pushed so much - that's pretty much the principle behind Nirvana's entire career.
Steve
Jevil
Pro Evolution Fucker
Look at the picture.
Above RAINBOW's Lady Of The Lake. (Dynamic, virgin peaks)
Below METALLICA's Cyanide. (No dynamics, sodomized peaks)
Above RAINBOW's Lady Of The Lake. (Dynamic, virgin peaks)
Below METALLICA's Cyanide. (No dynamics, sodomized peaks)
