[David Maroul]

These recordings are pure gold. I forgot how much I love hearing you talk about audio, Dana. The topics of discussion, questions, answers, suggestions were all great. Even learned about a tool, RX, that I already have but have never used. Immediately stopped the video and hooked it up and was blown away. Always something new to learn. Thanks a million to everyone and especially you Dana for being so generous with your knowledge. Happy Holidays!

• This reply was modified 6 days, 19 hours ago by  David Maroul.

[David Maroul]

Love This!

[David Maroul]

Hey Jesse, I love this final mix and everything about this track. I dig how it has it’s own vibe and personality. It sounds familiar and yet unique at the same time (like the very best of great tracks do). Really great. The mix itself works in all aspects to my ears. Very nice. Cool vid as well.

[David Maroul]

I just finished watching the zoom call replay. If you haven’t watched it I highly encourage you to do so. So much great information. Seriously.

Dana, I’m glad you broke it down in a comment but I want to add (though I feel like I’m typically not much of a group person) I felt unusually comfortable & at home watching all of you interact like a family. So real & authentic, with everyone sharing freely and knowledgeably. Really fun to watch and learn from.

I am honored and humbled to share this space with all of you.

Thanks for this hour of wonderful content. 🙏

Charissa, Happy Mothers Day~

@dana

@Dalliance

@JLEW

@-PT

@CMN

@smoothygroove

👽

[David Maroul]

🙏 You’re the badass Dana! Loved this assessment. I wish I had your (and Kevin’s) ears and the ability to translate what I am hearing (or want to hear) into my own recordings.

If you have the opportunity it would be amazing to hear a breakdown of “The Less I Know The Better” &/or “It Might Be Time” in regards to more detailed technical application in achieving these mind-blowing Kevin Parker sounds.

I really lack the proper vocabulary but I feel like there is a kind of vacuum (dry & crisp) sounding effect combined with a pumping that draws me in sonically. Then obviously contrasted with his ambient & spacy vocals. To me, it translates physically in his grooves & etherically in the soundscape. 👽

Love your playlist and hearing about your method for recreating certain period vibes.

Many thanks brother! You rock!

• This reply was modified 7 months, 3 weeks ago by  David Maroul.

[David Maroul]

Love the sounds & vibe. Def captured my ear wanting to hear more. Expressive is a word that comes to mind.

[David Maroul]

Dig this! Sounds great first listen. Very catchy. Nice!

[David Maroul]

Really Nice! On Point. Enjoyed the listen. ~ All the best!

[David Maroul]

Paul, Usually live board mixes don’t sound nearly this good for all the obvious reasons. Love what you recorded and enhanced here with Ozone ( I use an earlier version of Ozone for mastering my own music. I like the tonal balance feature as it keeps me in the ballpark across the entire freq, spectrum since I lack a flat mixing environment) Dig the track as well! Fun times!

[David Maroul]

😆 Thanks Stuart! I will def try to make it to the next one.

[David Maroul]

Thanks Dana, for all this great information. It’s awesome we have someone in the thick of it who can answer these types for questions first hand from personal experience. I truly appreciate you and all you contribute here. 🙏

[David Maroul]

Awesome! thanks Dana. I wasn’t aware of much of what you shared. Especially diff audio quality for the free & paid tiers and I do tend to focus on Spotify (& use the free Spotify app on my desktop since it doesn’t restrict you on skips etc. like on mobile). I too turn the normalization off (primarily because I want to hear the level that the artist actually uploaded) but I was not aware of a further diminished audio for my freeloader status 😅. Makes sense though.

I think I’ve read Tidal has high audio quality for one of their paid tiers as well.

I am going to pick up Streamliner now.

Do artists/ labels/ mastering engineers create different versions for different platforms?

I know vinyl requires its’s own master because of (low end) freq limitations on the actual physical vinyl.

Curious about the level of detail when it comes to different streaming platforms?

Thanks again, Dana!

[David Maroul]

👂👂👂

[David Maroul]

Hey Dana, great info, as always! I am about to go down a rabbit hole here (and take you with me, sorry lol).

My question is: How important is the quality of the recording you are referencing?

Spotify is a great example. I know from my own experience a noticeable (to me) difference between my final 24 bit 44.1 khz master and what I hear once it streams on Spotify.

I have read some people compare Spotify’s upload compression to a 320kbps mp3 but I don’t think this is completely accurate.

I personally notice some minor freq variations and a loss of some transients.

Obviously none of these are deal breakers but I am sure I am not the only one who finds it a bit disheartening to hear the mix you’ve worked so hard on “not” be replicated the way you want others to hear it. lol

Anyway, I guess my thought is, if I am not referencing another artist’s 24bit (or higher) master, how close, especially eq-wise, can I hope to get to what they uploaded to Spotify, (or before compressed into a mp3 format, in that case).

I think overall a general reference quality is especially useful for dynamics, mix placement etc. but Ozone, which I use has a reference feature where you can insert a reference track for Ozone to compare to. I am thinking that optimally you need access to a high quality reference for Ozone to make a proper comparison.

Am I crazy? 🤣

[David Maroul]

Paul, yes the dynamic EQ is awesome for exactly the reason you mention (I was going to say like a multi-band compressor on steroids but then I became curious about the differences & found this article https://www.izotope.com/en/learn/how-to-use-dynamic-eq-in-mastering.html (if you see the Access Denied graphic below, disregard and copy paste link into your browser, I guess Izotope doesn’t want people linking their articles from blogs?) )

I had the earliest Ozone when it came out and it was like Alice In Wonderland going down the rabbit hole lol, so much intricate control over settings that it was dangerous. I would spend a whole day experimenting and adjusting thinking it was great & then when i stepped away for a time realizing it sounded terrible… rabbit hole 101.

I have Ozone 9 now. Ozone has been a game changer for the mixer who wants to be able to master as well! Perfect for this new world of self produced streaming releases at an obtainable price. All the best! DM

izotope.com

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