Post
by Nick Sevilla » Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:18 am
HI,
Nothing wrong with liking overcompression.
Context is the key here. The reason you read here and in other forums about being careful etc, etc, etc, is that in the wrong context, ie the wrong type of music style, the wrong song, etc, then overcompression is truly a Mary Shelley horror novel.
For example, I was once called in to mix an album of very different music styles for a singer. Her producer, although famous and knowledgeable, had hired a very inexperienced engineer to handle the recording process, all in an effort to save money during production.
This engineer had only limited experience recording, and it was mostly "hip hop" which is a traditionally overcompressed vocal sound. He had never ever experienced the range of styles as with this album. And this is a common thing with artists who are starting out, as they find both their voice and their audience.
In a couple of songs his recording style had worked well, for those songs were urban hip hop style, so the vocal treatment was appropriate. HOWEVER, when it came to jazz standards and pop, which were the bulk of the album, this same style of overcompressed vocal, was completely wrong for those styles.
Now for the fun part, and why most of us with experience keep telling newer engineers to be careful :
1.- The vocals had been recorded with the compression like this for the entire album, and there were NO flat recordings of the singers voice to be found. In other words, this was all there was to be.
2.- The singer had been tortured over many months to produce these vocals, and refused to sing a single note more. It was simply out of the question.
3.- The producer, while experienced, had completely not known that "that sound" was THE sound committed to. there was a lack of communication between him and the engineer about this, to the detriment of this project.
4.- The engineer who did this simply had no idea that this sort of heavy handed compression is not used on other music styles. REALLY?!? Had he never heard other music styles, or paid attention at his "recording school"?
To end this lovely story, the album never saw the light of day. The singer was brought to tears when she was told that her lovely jazz song would have to have THAT SOUND on her vocals, because of a rookie engineering mistake.
I did not mix it, and who knows what happened.
So, in the interest of expediency : ALWAYS record a flat vocal take, just in case you are not sure the vocal treatment is the best one, OR if another engineer may be called in to do the mix.
Cheers
Howling at the neighbors. Hoping they have more mic cables.