Skip to main content

Let us talk about macrodynamics

Hi!
Lots of things have been discussed concerning compression, limiting, ducking, expanding, which are terms asociated normally to microdynamics.
So let us discuss a topic that pop music nowadays lacks tremendously: macrodynamics...

For example, gain rides...
Classical stuff and so we already know of the nice and sometimes really wild dynamic range/content.

But how do you guys take care of the single song overall groove? choruses +0.5 dB louder, intros with less efx, crescendos and so?

I imagine most are already tired of the squeezed to death "finalizing styled " 2dB dynamic range stuff going at radio Wavesdaily and at our audio systems.

NOw, about ME's jobs: how often and in which way do you guys handle with macrodynamics correction and surgery? do you generally pick notes from the clients or do ya evaluate the content and feel that some minor surgery would give more impact to let us a say, a specific bridge or chorus..?

Let us see the nice inputs of yours..

Nice week

Comments

Ethan Winer Sat, 08/09/2003 - 08:49

Alécio,

Great topic.

The way I handle level and other automation is about as simple and fast as possible: I use Sonar and draw the changes as envelopes. It takes just a few seconds to change volume, pan, reverb, or whetever, and by zooming in it's really easy to raise or lower even a single note when needed. In fact, I rarely use compression anymore because it's so much easier to just fix the volume on the few places that need it. Using automation envelopes is not only more accurate than using a compressor, it also avoids compression artifacts.

--Ethan