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Hi, I'm just coming towards the end of a degree in Music Production, and have been sending out tracks to various labels (style - UK breaks). From this we've got a track coming out on one of them soon, but some of the main labels within this scene have come back with comments such as 'the production is too clean'.

I've strived to get as clean a production as possible for the last five years, but what does this mean? Do they mean 'dirty' up the sounds with distortion, or do they mean that the production sounds too digital and cold? Or something I haven't thought of?

Advice gratefully received...

Comments

KurtFoster Sat, 03/01/2003 - 13:50

Sheesh! What the "eff" is it all coming too??? To clean? @#&*$#%!! What a bunch of morons. Take the tracks and run them through a cassette recorder at +3 dB and then send them back. What a bunch of IDIOTS! Please post your stuff on NWR and the Audio Projects forums. I want to hear this and see what the hell they are talking about. If it's what you are saying, I suggest we start a petition and contact these clowns and find out why they have their collective heads up their butts! I'm serious. We have been discussing this at length here and if this is what's going on we should all write them letters and emails and call them on the phone to chew them out. That’s what’s wrong with the music biz these days! Fats
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realdynamix Sat, 03/01/2003 - 14:10

Originally posted by Kieron Setspeed:
but some of the main labels within this scene have come back with comments such as 'the production is too clean'.

:) Take heart, it won't be a problem giving them what they want. I have my base in history of lowest distortion, smoothest response and all that. I did not realize until, rather late, that those quality's "harmonic distortion" etc. were desirable quality's to add into some digital sound recordings, hence the boom in tube equipment.

Common practices these days are to take that sharp crystal clear digital signal, and process it through analog gear to "warm it up" or distort it a little. But, this distortion is not the bad kind, rather an enhancement. I want to hear it as well, I do not mind clean at all.
Keep trying and best of luck,

--Rick