[BC] Could our concept of audio be all wrong?

[Chuck Lakaytis]

No too many years ago, a rather well know Cajun music group was touring 
Southeast Alaska.  Their sound guy took ill and I was drafted for a 
concert in Ketchikan.  I was absolutely astounded how much treble boost 
ALL the musicians wanted on the monitor speakers.  In the second set I 
even managed to smoke the stand monitor for the  percussionist. (Hey the 
audience thought it was an effect).

I think the musicians want it loud because they are essentially deaf for 
mid and high frequencies by their early twenties.  I spoke with an 
audiologist friend about this.  He said that rock and country musicians 
and their audiences listen to audio levels that would bring a hefty OSHA 
fine if the same levels were produced in a workplace such as a factory!

JIM GRAHAM wrote:
> It mentions the artist asking the mastering engineer to make it loud.  And that's what I don't understand.  It has SO much limiting, etc., that we don't HEAR the vocalist and we don't HEAR the instruments and we don't HEAR the percussion.  We HEAR ear-ringing noise!  It's like taking your steak, potato, bread, drink, salad, everything and throwing it into a food processor then trying to eat it.  Yuk!
>
> Jim Graham
>
> jgprods at bellsouth.net
>
> My recording friends are incredibly frustrated. 
>
>
>   

-- 
Chuck Lakaytis
Director of Engineering
Alaska Public Broadcasting, Inc.
Anchorage, Ak 99501
office   907-277-6300
fax      907-277-6350
cell     907-301-4339