'Loveless'

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logancircle
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'Loveless'

Post by logancircle » Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:30 am

What's up with this record mastering-wise? What I mean is, there are obviously-crushed sounds that are great (appropriate to material) and some that just feel wrong (not just unnatural). So, when a friend begins learning what compression sounds like, you kinda have to over-do it to illustrate clearly. That's when I pull out 'Loveless' as a study tool. Overcompression as an effect is what the kids call it. And yes, there are LOTS of different sounds associated with compressors, and each compressor's parameters change sound differently, but I'm talking generally. Anyone know about how this rec'd (methinks it more and more a masterpiece of sorts, not completely clear yet) was mastered or where the crushing happened?
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Post by kayagum » Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:02 am

There was a TapeOp magazine interview with Kevin Shields.... go to http://tapeop.com to find the back-issue.

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Post by logancircle » Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:06 am

kayagum wrote:There was a TapeOp magazine interview with Kevin Shields.... go to http://tapeop.com to find the back-issue.
I was wondering what you all think. Thx tho, I remember that issue, but I didn't really start reading the mag till 1999. Rats!
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Post by chris harris » Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:27 am

I think that the crushing happened more at the volume control of guitar amps than at mastering.

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Post by logancircle » Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:33 am

Well the most overcompressed elements (to me) are the drums and bass. And definitely the vox. And keyboards. Yeah, the guitars are crazy, but that's not really what I'm talking about.
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Post by MoreSpaceEcho » Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:05 am

i don't think it's mastering compression at all, that's like the quietest record ever. i think it was all done in the mix, and very intentionally.

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Post by chris harris » Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:11 am

I guess I need to pull it out and listen to it again... I always thought that the drums and vocals sounded more masked than compressed.

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Post by logancircle » Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:13 am

I know they/he did a lot of that. I thought I remember Mr. Shields being quite the perfectionist, so I assumed he was at the helm for mastering as well. And overcompressed does not equal loud in this case. I guess my question is why is Loveless so quiet-squished?
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Post by kayagum » Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:38 pm

This is a record that was meant to be blasted at full volume- it sounds pretty wrong at normal listening volumes.

It almost sounds better when it's pretty quiet vs. normal levels - takes on a different ambience.

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Post by MoreSpaceEcho » Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:24 pm

subatomic pieces wrote:I guess I need to pull it out and listen to it again... I always thought that the drums and vocals sounded more masked than compressed.
that's my impression too, they're just not that loud in the mix cause it's basically all guitars on most of the songs. there's deffo a ton of compression on the guitars on the second or third song, i forget which it is but it's really obvious (and cool).

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Post by logancircle » Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:47 pm

Full-volume, eh? Sounds kinda awesome/dangerous. Loveless is released in '91. In '93 comes Slowdive's Souvlaki, which (right or wrong) I kinda view as the little brother/sister to Loveless. I've heard that Brian Eno, aside from playing keyboards on a couple tracks, put global effects on the record, like a little flanger on a lot of songs. I don't think Souvlaki experienced the same mixing fate in that it's not a fuzzy friendly pink block of noise, but a more open and even rock record. As far as shoegaze goes I mean. I'm off on a tangent now, goddammit.
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Post by AnalogousGumdropDecoder » Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:28 pm

Step 1: Place record on turntable
Step 2: Turn volume all the way up
Step 3: Take drugs
Step 4: Drop deap
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Post by kayagum » Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:39 pm

I should add that this record probably makes my desert island collection. You can listen to it over and over again, and find something different every time.

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Post by kayagum » Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:40 pm

logancircle wrote:Full-volume, eh? Sounds kinda awesome/dangerous.
Do it... do it...

(At least on headphones)

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Post by logancircle » Thu Apr 24, 2008 6:44 am

Okay, okay, I'll fucking crank it up and take a breathy walk through the Librium Field.
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