Audio Terms not in the Glossary - good or bad?
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Posted on Apr 06, 2011 02:12 pm
Indellable
Music Afficionado
Member Since: Aug 12, 2008
I've learned A LOT on this site over the years but never attended any formal schooling on audio enginnering, etc. I'd imagine many on here are the same. Now that I can grasp a lot more of the concepts, I've started going back to read some of the articles/tips on here – great stuff. However, I'm not always sure what some of the terms mean and if they are good or bad. Maybe these terms are more commonly used in formal settings like a classroom or internship? For example, from www.homerecordingconnecti...story&id=41 when regarding EQ:
Flabby - ? assume this is bad
Honky - ? assume this is bad
Cardboard-? I have no idea
Boominess – I could see this one going either way
Presence – assume this is good?
Fullness – assume this is good?
My next goal is to tackle "Phase” – I remember seeing some good threads on here but any insight you have to the above terms would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Quincysanhttp://www.unitedmusicians.infoContributor
Since: Nov 11, 2007
Apr 06, 2011 03:37 pm No such thing as bad sound! Some combination of EQ's on instruments can be inappropriate in a mix...but one man's cardboard is another man's kick drum attack. It's all about context. I read an article once that said to dump 220 Hz because it is a notoriously mud frequency. Dumping the frequency (-4 to -6 dB) on bass guitar dramatically improved 3/5 songs in the project I was working on. The 4th song actually needed 220 HZ for the bass tone because the mid frequencies were so full that there just wasn't enough room in the mix for a bass sound without 220 Hz more prominent in the mix. I reduced the bass guitar attack that was more prominent in the other 3 songs (+3 dB @ 1.6 Khz) and boosted both 110 Hz (+3) and 220 Hz(+2). Problem solved. The 5th song was just terribly performed. Nothing's gunna save that turd.
The terms that audio professionals use to describe frequencies kind of piss me off. As a DIY self-educated sort of fellow, it just makes things seem more difficult than is logical. Much like I refuse to order a "Grande" coffee at Starbucks, I reject those terms. It's a 16 Oz of coffee. You can call 16 Oz whatever you want...but the only way to really create a universal understanding of the coffee size is to say 16 Oz. Same as audio, I do my best to sweep a narrow band EQ over the frequency spectrum and take notes as to which frequencies are strongest and when.
I'm with you on Presence and fullness...WTF? Flabby? Wut? All relevant descriptions to the people who work with or under the author of that post, but not to me. It's a 16 oz cup of coffee dammit!
Apr 06, 2011 04:09 pm Yeah, I take umbrage with that post too...there damn sure is bad sound, you'd agree if you lived with the girl I lived with for a couple years before getting married...
Quincysanhttp://www.unitedmusicians.infoContributor
Since: Nov 11, 2007
Apr 06, 2011 07:39 pm hah! In music though, I think all sound is potentially great in context, even your ex-girlfriends Fran Drescher laugh.
Apr 06, 2011 09:28 pm Most of these terms are just descriptive to a critical listeners point of view.
Flubby, usually refers to bass tones that do not dissipate quickly. They tend to hang around. Making the low end lose.
Honky, is sometimes in the 2khz - 3.15khz range. Meaning that these offending frequencies are higher in SPL then the rest of the high end band.
Cardboard - Well........ Strike a piece of cardboard with a stick....... Does it have nice sounding high and low end? No. So, if you have a kick drum sound, and someone says it sounds like cardboard....... You might want to give it a little more low and high's to balance out the sound.
Boominess, Refers to the low end being stronger then the mids and highs. Normally between 80hz - 160hzs.
Presence, is the overall clarity of the high end. If you have very clean high end, and it makes the instrument or voice stand out. It is said to have good presence.
Fullness, Generally is the overall sound. Good strong lows mids and highs in perfect balance with one another is said to have a fullness of sound.
IndellableMusic AfficionadoMember
Since: Aug 12, 2008
Apr 06, 2011 10:56 pm Understood - thanks so much. Just wanted to be able to speak the same language if needed.
Quincysanhttp://www.unitedmusicians.infoContributor
Since: Nov 11, 2007
Apr 07, 2011 03:06 pm As much as I hate it...it is handy to know what flubby and honky refer to specifically from a professional critical listeners POV. Just irk's my DIY mindset. If the description of the audio isn't self evident; I'm pissed! There are so many other DIY guys out there using these terms "incorrectly" that their meaning is compromised in my opinion (at least when the source of information may or may not be a wacko). Had a guy tell me to make a song "more blue" last week. Bit my tongue on that one, fortunately.
cruxTypo SzarMember
Since: Jul 04, 2002
Apr 07, 2011 10:01 pm more blue? roll off ur high end to 3khz, that always makes me feel blue...
Apr 10, 2011 11:37 pm I had the same thing with Dr. John. He told me that the monitor was to Yellow. Could I make it more Purple.
??????
I took it to mean that It was too bright. And could I make it a lot warmer. So, I dumped the high end, and boosted a little 250hz, That seemed to make him happy.
Quincysanhttp://www.unitedmusicians.infoContributor
Since: Nov 11, 2007
Apr 13, 2011 07:42 pm I guess if it's Dr. John you can assume he's saying something with meaning. For my guy, I just kept tracking and told him it would get fixed in the mix. I know that's a death toll for 'real' tracking problems...but eh...didn't seem worth noting to me.
This same guy had previously mentioned something about being pulled into another dimension while playing his electric guitar; so if he made any sudden jerking motions I wasn't to freak out because he was just pulling himself back into this realm. Of course...I do not give a flying flip if he does the tango while he tracks guitar, so I acknowledged his request while laughing. I quickly learned that this inter-dimensional thing was actually very serious and I was not to chuckle at it.
People are weird.
BTW- I was 2 and a half months and over $400 invested into this WMG band and the inter-dimensional being quit the band about a week before I was ready to send it off to MM. Pissed. I was supposed to get some important ears on that one, and invested accordingly :(
