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Topic: Brian "Big Bass" Gardner (Read 3985 times) previous topic - next topic
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Brian "Big Bass" Gardner

Today I bought "It's All In Your Head", the new album from Eve 6. While listening to it on the way home, I noticed two things:

1. I really like the songs on this album, except for track 6.

2. Severe clipping, crossing into outright distortion (the kind you hear when you turn the volume up much higher than what your sound system can handle).

I encoded the album with mppenc 1.14 beta (--quality 5 --xlevel) and applied replaygain (--autodB *.mpc).

The results are below:

Code: [Select]
C:\WINDOWS\DESKTOP\Eve 6 - It's All In Your Head>replaygain --listdB *.mpc
Replaygain 0.84     (C) 2001-2002 Klemm/Robinson/Sawyer

  Level-  |       (Peak+)|
Adjustment|  Peak (Adjst)|  Filename
----------+--------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-11.17 dB | +1.39 (-9.78)| 01 - Eve 6 - Without You Here.mpc
-10.44 dB | +2.32 (-8.12)| 02 - Eve 6 - Think Twice.mpc
-10.61 dB | +0.89 (-9.72)| 03 - Eve 6 - At Least We're Dreaming.mpc
 -9.66 dB | +0.92 (-8.74)| 04 - Eve 6 - Still Here Waiting.mpc
-10.42 dB | +0.96 (-9.46)| 05 - Eve 6 - Good Lives.mpc
-10.48 dB | +1.39 (-9.09)| 07 - Eve 6 - Bring The Night On.mpc
-10.05 dB | +1.27 (-8.78)| 08 - Eve 6 - Friend Of Mine.mpc
 -9.55 dB | +1.14 (-8.41)| 09 - Eve 6 - Girlfriend.mpc
 -9.70 dB | +1.71 (-7.99)| 10 - Eve 6 - Not Gonna Be Alone Tonight.mpc
-10.73 dB | +2.40 (-8.33)| 11 - Eve 6 - Hokis.mpc
 -9.25 dB | +1.26 (-7.99)| 12 - Eve 6 - Arch Drive Goodbye.mpc
-10.45 dB | +2.40 (-8.05)|
----------+--------------+-----------------------------------------------------
          | +2.40 (-7.99)| --- maximum (title based) ---
          | +2.40 (-8.05)| --- maximum (album based) ---


I immediately thought of albums in my collection that were mastered by Brian Gardner, one who is known for sacrificing dynamic range in the mastering process. I checked the CD booklet, and sure enough, "Mastered by Brian 'Big Bass' Gardner at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA."

I have never heard an album that sounded this bad in my life, except for "Mary Star of the Sea" by Zwan. I originally thought that track 7 was particularly bad, but after a second listen they all sound equally horrible. This has gone beyond crippling dynamic range and has taken "garbage" to a whole new level. If this album was recorded on a boombox microphone and mastered by someone else, I would take my chances with that. I would not be nearly as frustrated by this if I did not enjoy the songwriting on this album so much.

If the RIAA made this album available on peer-to-peer networks, it would be an excellent deterrent to illegal file sharing. "It's not the encoder's fault, it's supposed to sound that way."

In summary: This man has gone insane and must be stopped. It is only a matter of time before he gets his hands on something classical.

Brian "Big Bass" Gardner

Reply #1 –
Quote
This man has gone insane and must be stopped. It is only a matter of time before he gets his hands on something classical.


Holy crap that's some nasty clipping!
Hide the Herbert Von Karajan!

Brian "Big Bass" Gardner

Reply #2 –
Was just listening to the Dave Brubeck Quartet studio of Take Five and thinking how much more enjoyable it was to listen to compared with many recent recordings I've played. Oh, the paradox of technology...

Brian "Big Bass" Gardner

Reply #3 –
ROTFL  Check this interview made with him.

Quote
Speaking of placing things in the right spot, what compressors do you use?

Well, we've modified most things; they're not stock. But we have Dominators, and an SSL-style limiter, which was handmade by Beno in our shop. Really, I use limiting very little. I don't like to do it. As opposed to what you might think by hearing some of the things I've done! I really don't like to take away attack ? I just love that punch. But that SSL is a good one when I do limit. And I bought a Waves L2 when I was over in Germany last year ? an Israeli electronic piece of gear. Once in a while, I'll fire that thing in and it works wonders.

You just have to know by feel what to put in when. Some limiters will deceive you and you won't hear them suck, but they will still be holding back desirable transients. You always have to A/B to the original, and make sure you're improving it.

Do you have an overall philosophy for the work that you do?

Let's see...that would be: Compress till it sucks, then back off ¼ dB. [Laughs.] I'm not necessarily a technical person; I go by my ears.


OMG!! I use L2 in software and like it too. I hope I won't become like him soon. 

Also check "Has Digital Equipment Enhanced Mastering?" part here. That one is taken from his site. You can find his email address there if you feel like dropping a line.
The object of mankind lies in its highest individuals.
One must have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.

Brian "Big Bass" Gardner

Reply #4 –
Quote
Really, I use limiting very little. I don't like to do it.

Sure he does use little limiting, because then the track wouldn't clip

Quote
As opposed to what you might think by hearing some of the things I've done

Yeah, the things you did sound flawless. That's my opinion.
(Not considering distortion, of course  )

Quote
I really don't like to take away attack

Surely clipped tracks have all attacks properly reproduced. Yeah, right.

/EDIT\
Quote
Digital is good and it's getting better, but some things just sound superior in analog.

Yes, analog sounds better when it's overdriven...
\EDIT/

Is it his only CD mastered this way?
ruxvilti'a

Brian "Big Bass" Gardner

Reply #5 –
Quote
Is it his only CD mastered this way?


I guess not. Check my post about his "general philosophy". OMG! The tracks are .25dB away from utter sucking! And even he could hear it sucks then... If you could read the entire interview, you'll see many other lovely quotes like this:

Quote
You're talking about losing dynamic range.

Of course. But a lot of today's music is enhanced by taking some of those things out ? punching it up and giving it less dynamics. That's the nature of much of the music that's popular ? it's just more intense.


Bash him all you want. Haven't seen anyone in the history of HA that deserves it more.
The object of mankind lies in its highest individuals.
One must have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.

Brian "Big Bass" Gardner

Reply #6 –
Quote
We listen to blanks and hear the difference.

Blanks?

CD blanks. We'll throw away thousands of them if they're not right. We get samples from manufacturers and make tests and A/B. We listen very carefully before we pick the lot that we're going to buy.


Oh damn, I wonder what is the difference they've heard...

Quote
I've never been afraid to break the rules — in fact, I enjoy breaking the rules.

What kind of rules?

[Laughs.] Well, level, for instance.

Surely he did.  But the rules have been set by people knowing what they do,
not some hearing impaired volume fanatics.
ruxvilti'a

Brian "Big Bass" Gardner

Reply #7 –
He mastered the new Jane's Addiction album too, Strays, but I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet.  Been attacking it with a sharpie before I feed it to EAC.