Saturation/distortion [rant]
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2023 11:08 am
Perhaps it's my coming from a magnetic tape background. Yes, I'm that old.
Back in the goodle days, when we knew what a single edged razor blade was for, we longed for the holy grail - infinite head room, no wow and flutter, flat 20 - 20 kHz, zero noise and last but not least - zero THD. If only.
So when I hear a digital mix engineer use saturation plugins for that special sauce, it just sounds to me like...well...distortion. Like bad. Not good. Just distorted. Can't you hear that distortion??? What is wrong with you?
What's wrong with ME? Are my ears a throwback to Jurassic times? Why can't I hear the glorious ecstacy that a saturation plugin imparts. "Oh, it needs a little grit." "Saturation is what glues the mix together." "It's what gives analog recordings that special sound." Why can't I hear the magic. I'm doomed.
I've tried those plugins - a lot - a little - just a tiny bit - just a teeny weeny bit. Yuk. Sure, for some instruments distortion is part of the sound, right? But on the master buss? No. On acoustic instruments? Please, no. On vocals? Good god, my ears are bleeding. Make it stop. Oh, please, make it stop! What have we become?
Your thoughts?
Back in the goodle days, when we knew what a single edged razor blade was for, we longed for the holy grail - infinite head room, no wow and flutter, flat 20 - 20 kHz, zero noise and last but not least - zero THD. If only.
So when I hear a digital mix engineer use saturation plugins for that special sauce, it just sounds to me like...well...distortion. Like bad. Not good. Just distorted. Can't you hear that distortion??? What is wrong with you?
What's wrong with ME? Are my ears a throwback to Jurassic times? Why can't I hear the glorious ecstacy that a saturation plugin imparts. "Oh, it needs a little grit." "Saturation is what glues the mix together." "It's what gives analog recordings that special sound." Why can't I hear the magic. I'm doomed.
I've tried those plugins - a lot - a little - just a tiny bit - just a teeny weeny bit. Yuk. Sure, for some instruments distortion is part of the sound, right? But on the master buss? No. On acoustic instruments? Please, no. On vocals? Good god, my ears are bleeding. Make it stop. Oh, please, make it stop! What have we become?
Your thoughts?