Comments on: Audio Editing Tip: Use Compression & EQ

By: Sound Design: Step 3- The Edit | Sound Underground

Sound Design: Step 3- The Edit | Sound Underground — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:20:25 +0000

[...] of a standard video editing system. Keith Freund’s reviews the basics to setting up a Pro Tools session in perpetration for recording a voice [...]

By: Keith

Keith — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 07:59:53 +0000

@Maxwerm- It’s true, avoiding these mistakes isn’t going to cost you any record sales. My Dark Twisted Fantasy is a good example. Sloppy edits all over it. I wouldn’t say it ruins the album for me, but it feels a little less magical, a little less classic when these parts come up. Even more so when confirmed by the knowledge that Kanye had to rush the album. It’s like a boom mic in a movie shot. It takes you out of the moment.

I’m all for imperfections and personality–I just can’t think of a time where a digital edit made a song better for me as a listener. Noticeable edits in Pro Tools are different than tape edits, performance mistakes, or other glitches. I’ve never thought to myself “hey, I like how that vocal cuts off abruptly at the end of that phrase from that Justin Timberlake song” (partly a function of the style of music too) nor has anyone ever said something like this to me. But then again maybe in 30 years I’ll be getting nostalgic for editors who like to cut exactly to the barline. Until then.

By: Maxwerm

Maxwerm — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 07:49:42 +0000

What about diners that serve breakfast all day?
It’s not a black and white world. And I find it a little more than ironic that you’re talking about stifling creativity while telling people they must “always” do this and “never” do that. Nothing stifles creativity like . . . well, absolutes.
And this bit:
“-The guitar part hasn’t started yet, but the noise of the guitarist putting his hand on the strings makes it onto the recording.
- The drummer has stopped playing but he moves and his throne squeaks faintly.
- While editing vocal takes together, you’ve made an edit in the middle of a breath without realizing.”

Hilarious. Do you know how many multi-platinum albums contain these artifacts you’re referring to? Dozens. Including albums that are in the top five best sellers of all time.
Editing is important, there’s no denying, but don’t get so carried away that you sand off all of the rough edges – you will end up with an album that has no personality. We are as defined by our shortcomings as we are our strengths. Turn up the mistakes and own them.