[suba3333]

I come across quite a few tracks which have a a fair bit of background noise, like old LPs used to have them. Most of this is probably not noticeable when listening through speakers but it is pretty obvious through earphones. It seems to me that record producers want to give their recordings a somewhat more authentic/old fashioned feel? I find it quite annoying. Anyone who knows more about this?

 

[GlendaleViper]

It's audio clipping and it's awful. It happens when you push the levels of your recording into the red and it's a widespread problem.

Someone will be able to give a more complete answer than that.

 

[suba3333]

I am not talking about clipping....it's more of a crackling/hissing noise like we had before the CD era...if you know what I mean

I know that for some genres it is quite common to have scratching noises, etc and that's ok but for other recordings it is annoying, if intended, or just incompetent sound engineering.

 

[trains are bad]

Sometimes it's added deliberately....for example Portishead has some tracks that obviously have crackle added for 'effect' though I don't think it's a very nice effect. I keep thinking I have to clean my records and then I realize I'm listening to a CD.

 

[lipidicman]

Portishead did not have 'crackle added for 'effect''. They put their samples onto vinyl and used scratching to create their sound.

 

[trains are bad]

Listen to 'Teardrop'. Unless it's my CD, there is a crackly background obviously added for effect. I don't dispute that they perhaps put the sound on vinyl, threw it in a sandbox, and then played it back and recorded it, but they did 'add the crackle for effect'. That's the only reasonable explanation for how it got there.

It's the aural analog of 'old-film-looking' effects that are digitally added to video to add an aire of age. Which are also questionable as to tastefullness.

 

[jilgiljongiljing]

Quote:

They put their samples onto vinyl and used scratching to create their sound.

I think that would constitute as adding crackle for "effect" don't you think?

 

[lipidicman]

Yes, but the crackle is a side effect of using vinyl. The reason for using vinyl was to develop an entirely new technique

Some great info here: portishead | western eyes

Oh and Teardrop was a Massive Attack (another Bristol band) tune

 

[skellington]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lipidicman /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, but the crackle is a side effect of using vinyl. The reason for using vinyl was to develop an entirely new technique Some great info here: portishead | western eyes

That's an interesting story!
I had always thought that the 'hookers and gin' part was a sample from an old record.