Alan Parsons on compression - from the man himself...

[rockstar_not]

OK,

So this turned into a bash Alan Parsons thread.

There isn't a single person on this thread that wouldn't kill to have the following appear on their CD insert:

Produced and Engineered by Alan Parsons - yes, THAT Alan Parsons

-Scott

[nuffink]

You looked it up.
And you got the literal meaning.

Actually, hating religious antiquity is a hobby, so I already knew the literal translation. Is there another?

Yeah. Over this side of the pond it means a shamelessly arse licking biography. Either as a book or an article.
A.K.A A puff.

[SJ_Digriz]

Without a doubt AP means a hardware, outboard compressor. Probably an LA-2A, my guess. While it might be in there to affect tone a bit, there is no doubt though, that the compressor is also being used to even out the levels of the bass player's signal. It's unavoidable.
-Scott

Yeah, I don't disagree with that at all. I'm just saying they did it on the front end on purpose, not as a track/leveler during mixing/mastering.

But it was done on bass because it allows the bass a heavier sound without massive peaks like a stompbox or driven amp would. So yes, used for leveling, but in a different sense of the process.

[nuffink]

Just a minority report. Or is this a strictly for hagiography thread?

hmm...wtf does this have to do with hagiography? Do you think Alan Parsons is being touted as a Saint here? I'm almost afraid to ask what you think a well engineered/produced album is?

You looked it up.

And you got the literal meaning.

Word of the Day for Sunday April 10, 2005

hagiography

your memory lasts eleven days? - I'm stunned!

No, but yours clearly does.

[Z3R0T0N1N]

Indeed. I always feel bad about not being stuck in the 1970's.

Since that's when all the good music and when people actually cared what the stuff sounded like, I can feel your pain.

good one.
seriously, though. there was some great stuff done then, but there was also a lot of stinking heaps of refuse that people mistakenly called music.
Look, there is Fantastic stuff recorded all the time. Just because the top forty charts are full of the shit that float to the top, doesn't mean that no good music gets made. More good music gets made now than did during the seventies, if only because of the exponentially larger base of people makeing music now. Even if two thirds of it sucks, there would still mathematically have to then be more good music being made now.
I feel your pain, i do. I am not so young anymore, and a good half of all my cd's were made before 1995. I am constantly appalled at what is passing for music on the airwaves. When I go the record store, I find myself buying music from the 80's half the time, or seventies. But there are still tons of bands that care about what they do, and tons of bands and musicians that are putting out stunning works of sonic art.
OK, rant mode off... heh

[SJ_Digriz]

OK,

So this turned into a bash Alan Parsons thread.

There isn't a single person on this thread that wouldn't kill to have the following appear on their CD insert:

Produced and Engineered by Alan Parsons - yes, THAT Alan Parsons

-Scott

hehehehe, no doubt..for one thing that would mean the stuff I record wouldn't sound like total shit whenever I try to master it.

[munchkin]

Alan Parsons, a-ha! Great comic character.

[SJ_Digriz]

Indeed. I always feel bad about not being stuck in the 1970's.

Since that's when all the good music and when people actually cared what the stuff sounded like, I can feel your pain.

good one.
seriously, though. there was some great stuff done then, but there was also a lot of stinking heaps of refuse that people mistakenly called music.
Look, there is Fantastic stuff recorded all the time. Just because the top forty charts are full of the shit that float to the top, doesn't mean that no good music gets made. More good music gets made now than did during the seventies, if only because of the exponentially larger base of people makeing music now. Even if two thirds of it sucks, there would still mathematically have to then be more good music being made now.
I feel your pain, i do. I am not so young anymore, and a good half of all my cd's were made before 1995. I am constantly appalled at what is passing for music on the airwaves. When I go the record store, I find myself buying music from the 80's half the time, or seventies. But there are still tons of bands that care about what they do, and tons of bands and musicians that are putting out stunning works of sonic art.
OK, rant mode off... heh

Again, I don't disagree at all. But, it is damn near impossible to find one with dynamic content. I actually think there are more "prodigy" musicians now than ever before. There are just AMAZING players all over the place. But the process and processing these guys go through to get their stuff out ruins it about 99.999% of the time.

I will argue that statistically there is not necessarily MORE of a chance to have better bands just because there are MORE of them. That concept is fools gold.

[Z3R0T0N1N]

what do you listen to?
man, there is a whole f**king WORLD of great rock music being made that is the antithesis of what you are speaking of. Seriously! Don't judge all the music of the day by what you hear on American television and radio, you will get a very lopsided and inaccurate view.
Of course I can tell that you are truly a music fan, so I don't have to tell you that. I just think that maybe you are overlooking some things.
cheera.

[Z3R0T0N1N]

PS:
www.epitonic.com

this site has more great music than you could listen to in a year. Many great styles and genres, both cutting edge indie, as well as popular and well established music. This is not even to mention all the amazing electronic music out there that is as rich in creativity, and those all important 'dynamics' as anything that has ever been produced.

@rockstar: one dissenting voice does not a 'bashing' make.

[SJ_Digriz]

On the modern side I am currently listening to Porupine Tree (already posted a thread about that). Liquid Tension Experiment and Pat Metheny Group among other jazz and ensemble stuff.

But take PT for example. I like it as rock and roll but it is compressed to shit. If its prog I've heard most of it if it makes any kind of blip on the touring radar, obviously not all since there are just too many one off bands out there.

I don't even own a radio other than the tuner in the car which I don't believe has been on for years if ever. I get suggestions on who to listen to from many places including this board.

[Z3R0T0N1N]

yeah, that American thing was perhaps unfair. I didn't mean to imply that you didn't know where to find good music. I guess we have just heard differnt stuff.
I live in Canada, and there are so many great bands here.
Incidentally, what do you think of The Arcade Fire? That's an example of some good dynamic recording. Their stuff sounds very alive to me.
Who produces Radiohead? I know they are popular and everything, but I long ago grew out of the successful = crap mindset. I find thier records to be just superb in the production department. There is compression, to be sure, but it seems more used 'as an effect' as someone remarked earlier that it should be, and there is a lot of movement in the production. Definitely some of my favourite modern music.

[McLilith]

Dare I toss out the following words, and let the dogs fight over them?

I think Fleetwood Mac's album Tusk was a great recording.




That should start an interesting twist in the conversation...


McLilith

[SJ_Digriz]

yeah, that American thing was perhaps unfair. I didn't mean to imply that you didn't know where to find good music. I guess we have just heard differnt stuff.
I live in Canada, and there are so many great bands here.
Incidentally, what do you think of The Arcade Fire? That's an example of some good dynamic recording. Their stuff sounds very alive to me.
Who produces Radiohead? I know they are popular and everything, but I long ago grew out of the successful = crap mindset. I find thier records to be just superb in the production department. There is compression, to be sure, but it seems more used 'as an effect' as someone remarked earlier that it should be, and there is a lot of movement in the production. Definitely some of my favourite modern music.

Well, I'm ify on the Arcade Fire. Things like that and Flaming Lips I just can't get into. Same with Radio Head, although I will admit that the production from a couple of the radiohead CDs was really good.

Obviously I don't think there are NO exceptions. It is just excedingly rare. Even bands that find it for one album lose it the next.

Oh, don't worry about offending me. I don't take any of this too serious. Music is just like discussing Religion or Politics, only way more important.

[SJ_Digriz]

I think Fleetwood Mac's album Tusk was a great recording.

That should start an interesting twist in the conversation...

hehehe, when Stevie was still HOOOOT