c/d - That tinny digital protools production sound in vogue these days

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The new Donnas song triggered a thought... Anyone else aware of how mainstream production -- whether it be rock, pop, or hip-hop -- has a certain protools, tinny, super clean, digital production sound these days? On most songs, each instrument is super processed and clearly occupies its own "space" without any bleed at all. I know that digital recording has been around for quite a while, but in terms of production technique it seems like there's a certain "style" that's specifically arisen in the past year. (Am I alone?)

I just can't help but wonder if all this stuff is gonna sound as dated in 10-20 years as '80s music does today. Meaning over-reliance on new technology -> sounding like crap when that technology is no longer new. At the same time, I'm not sure I dislike it, just become more aware.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 16:36 (twenty-three years ago)

Yes I think I know what you mean - I quite like it. It will sound dated but I don't know if that'll mean it will "sound like crap". 80s production style is just a set of sounds - once you get over the 80s-flashbacks you'll either like that set of sounds or not (personally I do, whereas 90s shuffly loops really piss me off). The qn implies that some production styles are timeless, which I don't agree with.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 16:43 (twenty-three years ago)

I just can't help but wonder if all this stuff is gonna sound as dated in 10-20 years as '80s music does today.

Absolutely inevitable. This will always be true. The available technology has always given each era a particular sound. It will 'sound like crap' in the immediate aftermath but (also inevitably) regain its appeal over time

― David (David), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 16:47 (twenty-three years ago)

anyone who isn't a total ProTools dummy can manage to create realism and spatial depth. it's the general understanding of production/mixing that is at fault here.

people need to know how to use "room mics" and "mid-distance mics". of course this doesn't help the headphoner who makes music late at night in a tiny apartment -- stuff directly injected into protools will always sound computery.

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 16:54 (twenty-three years ago)

The production on that Electric Soft Parade album did my head in after about three listens, and that was protools. So Dud.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 16:57 (twenty-three years ago)

I take the view that producers/engineers know about all that but are at the moment choosing not to use them -- in favor of tight, ultra clean tracks with 0 bleed which can be processed in Protools.

re: above... I guess by "sounds like crap" I meant to imply "sounds dated." You could definitely make the argument that dated music doesn't neccesarily sound like crap.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 16:57 (twenty-three years ago)

I take the view that producers/engineers know about all that but are at the moment choosing not to use them -- in favor of tight, ultra clean tracks with 0 bleed which can be processed in Protools.

was in reference to fields of salmon

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 16:58 (twenty-three years ago)

The production on that Electric Soft Parade album did my head in after about three listens, and that was protools. So Dud.

not to mention the disgustingly unoriginal songwriting and derivative mock symphonic pathos.

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 17:05 (twenty-three years ago)

not to mention the disgustingly unoriginal songwriting and derivative mock symphonic pathos.

Yeah, I'd go with that, too.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 17:06 (twenty-three years ago)

I take the view that producers/engineers know about all that but are at the moment choosing not to use them -- in favor of tight, ultra clean tracks with 0 bleed which can be processed in Protools.

it's also WAY easier. my buddy works in a studio and one day the neptunes were in doing some mixing. picture a multi-million dollar studio and the neptunes are only running four line-outs from their AKAI into the console. and nothing else.

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 17:16 (twenty-three years ago)

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