cheddatom

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1419180985' post='2637311'] Problem is, it's obvious which file is which and I want to avoid any possible placebo effect - so I'm going to burn each file to a CD and get the current mrs discreet to play them to me randomly thorugh my Linn system. Will report back with my findings. [/quote] Good idea! I should have thought sooner... could have converted the mp3 back to WAV and done A and B for a proper test. Nevermind!

Discreet - No comment on 320kbps mp3 vs WAV?

It was in response to this... [quote name='notable9' timestamp='1418939726' post='2635131'] It takes a lot of money to record music properly.....I dont hear it today anymore, not even in live TV. As I said before it all sounds to me anyway grey...mushy. Horrible! [/quote] I'm too young to know about vinyl, although I should know the answer from my degree :-/

Nice one!

but the bass drum is the most important part! It's driving the song! but yeh, my main point was that you don't need to spend a load of money, or time travel back to the 80s, to get a good sound.

can't we put this in a sticky somewhere? I'd also like a copy... [email protected]

If they're not making eye contact, I just leave. I'm not hanging around at a gig where the performers can't be bothered to stare me straight in the eye. It's the main reason I never bothered to see Stevie Wonder

[quote name='notable9' timestamp='1418939726' post='2635131'] ...It takes a lot of money to record music properly.....I dont hear it today anymore, not even in live TV. As I said before it all sounds to me anyway grey...mushy. Horrible! [/quote] I hope you're wrong! This is a recording I did of bassfunk's band The Jukes https://soundcloud.com/rifffactoryrecordings-1/the-jukes-superstition Ignoring the fact that soundcloud has compressed it and ruined the top end with mp3ish artifacts, I think the mix on this is perfect. Feel free to explain why, if you think this falls short of what you could acheive with more money. Incidentally, the musicians were all in the live room with guitar amps turned up, loads of bleed on the drum mics etc.

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1418921140' post='2634915'] Discreet I hope you're open minded about this! [/quote] OK, here it is: [font=arial, sans-serif][size=1]rifffactory.co.uk/golden_brown.mp3[/size][/font] [font=arial, sans-serif][size=1]rifffactory.co.uk/golden_brown.wav[/size][/font] [size=4][font=arial, sans-serif]This was just a quick thing I did the other day for my own amusement (and a performance video) so no judgement on the mix or playing please![/font][/size] [font=arial, sans-serif]EDIT: I don't know what BC's software is doing to my post, I'm just pasting URLs into here, so in case it doesn't work I'll write it with words[/font] [font=arial, sans-serif]rifffactory DOT co DOT uk SLASH golden_brown.mp3[/font] [font=arial, sans-serif]rifffactory DOT co DOT uk SLASH golden_brown.wav[/font]

[quote name='tinyd' timestamp='1418920766' post='2634898'] It's probably too much hassle, but what would be really interesting is if you don't tell people which is which, then ask them to vote somehow. Of course, people will be able to guess by the file size so it might be impossible to do.... [/quote] It's impossible to do a blind test over the internet Discreet I hope you're open minded about this!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1418919967' post='2634883'] OK - mp3s are 'lossy' which means not all the audio information is present. The difference is obvious to me not because there's anything special about my ears, but because I've got a decent hi-fi system. Anyone could hear the difference on my system - it's obvious. CDs have not been compressed like mp3s are. That's just a fact. [/quote] You are correct, it is a fact, mp3s can be described as lossy, because they have less information is present when compared with another, larger format like CD I'm in the studio tonight. I'll do two exports from Cubase. One 44KHz 16bit WAV, and one 320Kbps mp3. I'll put them on my server for you (or anyone) to download. I'm confident in my ears and systems, and I can't tell the difference, so I'll be very interested to see what you think

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1418917125' post='2634832'] ...An mp3 at 320kbps is nowhere near CD quality... [/quote] Technically, no, but if your mp3 was well encoded, you really shouldn't be able to tell the difference at all, and if the difference is really obvious to you, you should donate your ears to scientific research

nice one 5imon

Huge Hands - you're right, I love the "feel" you get from recording a band all together in the same room. I love to do this in my studio, and would love to do it with my rock band, but the bastards aren't around enough so it has to be done separately to a click. You definitely lose something. Call it "vibe" or whatever

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1418900775' post='2634578'] Digitising music inherently introduces noise as music volume is quantised (or rounded to the nearest 'step')... [/quote] If you're talking about mp3 compression, fair enough, but if you're talking about CD quality, I disagree entirely.

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1418896735' post='2634505'] ... Also when I last looked digital technologies were capable of substantially better audio resolution than vinyl... [/quote] This is a fact that many people can't accept. Mainly because, as you say, vinyl "feels" nice, it has an appealing character

Next time I see a music stand I'm going to do a 360 and moon walk away

Digital compression to reduce file size is nothing to do with dynamic compression Digital formats have the potential for at least as much dynamic range as vinyl Mp3s don't have to sound bad Having said all that, I was going to link to soundcloud to prove my point, but the extra compression they do when you upload a track really kills it. You can hear all manner of artifacts in the high frequencies.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1418837548' post='2633938'] ...I'd never use it live, as it makes the sound very indistinct and woolly, when you're generally trying to achieve the opposite... [/quote] Well, not always. I played in an instrumental band for a while, and for certain sections I was creating soundscapes using all manner of effects [quote name='Old_Ben' timestamp='1418838320' post='2633950'] ...and to help a solo cut through the mix... [/quote] IME, reverb helps instruments "sit" in a mix, rather than "cut". If something is cutting through the mix, but sounds like it's right next to your ear, then add reverb to help it "sit"

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1418823136' post='2633683'] I don't like either on bass. I'm constantly surprised by just how many people on here seem to use them. [/quote] It depends what you're doing. If you're playing punk or straight rock it's never going to work!

I wish I'd never sold my first bass. Hang it on the wall or something

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1418822694' post='2633675'] It's a [i]folk [/i]gig! You're supposed to be rustic and anti-technology and back-to-the-earth and all that crap! I'm surprised they don't want you to carve your notes into a tree branch and lug it on stage with you. [/quote] They're not that primitive... having said that, for a band that wants to seem professional, we've only just started using set lists after 15 months gigging on the hoof.

I had one in a mix the other day. I could hear it with every channel playing, but it wasn't there on any of the individual channels. Clearly it was something made up from the sum of the parts. I had to replace that section on every channel with an identical section from later in the song (only half a second at the most) as it annoyed me so much

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1418817198' post='2633582'] It's a bit different if you're doing instrument changes. Also, a folk gig is generally more laid back (if you don't mind me saying so...) [/quote] I don't care, I just turn up, play the drums, take the money, and spend it at the bar on the actual subject, I used to use notes I'd made for this band, but I'd done it on my phone. I was banned from using my phone as the audience apparently thought I was texting while on stage, so I had to substitute it for a creased up bit of paper. It seemed strange to me that a tatty bit of paper seemed more professional than a sleek black gadget!

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1418816364' post='2633565'] It's not a one size fits all thing. [/quote] like music stands? In my folk band there'll often be an instrument swap - guitar for mandolin or whatever. If the front man didn't fill this 20 seconds or so with his "banter" it'd look pretty unprofessional!