[nuraman00]

6.  Nine Inch Nails - Ruiner.  It wasn't until I listened to this with all 3 headphones that I realized how difficult the vocals at -4:26 remaining sounded, on all 3.  I didn't like the bass solo as much during the -2:00 on the PSB.
 
7.  A Perfect Circle - Orestes.  I liked the sound on the Bowers and SoundMagic.  It wasn't as special on the PSB.
 
8.  A Perfect Circle - Brena.  It wasn't as special on the PSB.  The SoundMagic might have been the most fun with this.
 
9.  Smashing Pumpkins - Adore.  On the PSB, the beat sounded a little too dry.  All 3 headphones brought more life into this song.  This song definitely doesn't sound as good on the radio.  I liked the sound the best on the SoundMagic and Bowers.
 
10.  Pearl Jam - Black.  This sounded great on the SoundMagic and Bowers.  On the PSB, this started out fun but became less so after a few minutes.
 
11.  Foo Fighters - Everlong.  This sounded good on the SoundMagic and Bowers.  On the PSB, the vocals sounded a little far away.
 
12.  Godsmack - Whatever.  This sounded great on all 3.  I changed the cable on the PSB from the one with the iPhone volume control, to the plain cable.  I thought the plain cable sounded better.
 
13.  Korn - Freak On A Leash.  Sounded great on all 3.  The "something takes a part of me" right before the gibberish had good vocal detail on all 3.
 
14.  Metallica - Of Wolf And Man.  Sounded great on all 3.
 
15.  Metallica - One.  Sounded great on all 3.
 
16.  Deftones - Digital Bath.  Sounded great on all 3.
 
 
Summary so far:
 
SoundMagic HP 150:  Very comfortable, sounds great.  Only two tracks that I didn't like it as much (Metallica - Until It Sleeps; Soundgarden - Limo Wreck).
 
PSB M4U 1:  Don't like the plastic, makes me nervous.  After changing the cable, sounds a lot better.  A few songs make the vocals seem too distant.
 
Bowers and Wilkins P7:  Every song so far sounds great, no trouble spots detected.
 
 
ProtegeManiac or others, can you suggest 1-2 songs with higher frequency sounds?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
ProtegeManiac or others, can you suggest 1-2 songs with higher frequency sounds?

 
Not from the list of artists you initially posted - almost all of those have male vocalists and a lot of them have dark, heavy guitar riffs. Well, save for when you listen for how distinct Paz' voice is in the latter part of Judith.
 
Here's a few from my own library though:
 
Hellcats
Warrior Princess - classic 80s-style heavy metal girl band, so lots of screaming guitar solos but of course the rhythm needs to remain audible (along with other instruments); first single/uploaded version with the first vocalist who had a higher vocal tone sounded "cuter," but she also looked the part - blonde, shorter, and younger-looking than the taller, more bad-ass replacements - a somewhat "sick" contrast like the gun-toting Little Red Riding Hood in Darkstalkers with an arsenal in her picnic basket; from a technical standpoint though the later vocalists were a lot better (the third one is on the English album released a few months ago)

Nightwish 
Wishmaster - The entire album is a good test for treble; vocals need to sound "airy" (personal preference: how this sounds on light diaphragms like electrostats and ribbon tweeters - airy, extended, effortless, smooth/no sharp edges/no sibilance); lots of percussion on Wishmaster (the title track), while Fantasmic is an epic piece that tests a wide frequency range as well as separation between all the instruments playing; the whole album but especially these two tracks also are good for testing PRAT (more on how the guitars have a "groove" along with the percussion); also my favorite Nightwish album
 
10th Man Down - Also a good test for treble, given Tarja's powerful vocal performance; also a good PRAT test as above
 
The Poet and the Pendulum - Approaching the 4:30min mark tit slows down with a double bass in the background, initially with a background vocal then blending with Anette (not sure if that's her voice also in a different style/pitch), past the 6min mark a whispered monologue; full orchestra in the background in some of the parts, so you have all these instruments that have to sound generally correct (some orchestra instruments can sound too dark on some headphones); parts where orchestra is softer need to be soft and vocals clear, when the orchestra ramps up the vocals need to stay clear and the orchestra uncluttered (some sounds also pan from one side to the other); first part of 8th minute you have low guitar riffs - bass must not get overbearing, guitars must remain articulate enough to follow if you're trying to learn the riffs; towards the end of the 8th minute Anette comes back on after Marco and again there must be good separation between her voice, the other vocal track, the orchestra, and the guitar (you must not strain to hear them separately, otherwise it means you're trying to focus on one too much and not hear the others); gradual fade out towards the end must maintain the softness and smoothness of her voice (not sibilant but in some parts you would hear there's a hint of straining when she shifts keys, like when you drive a stick and your left leg isn't coordinating 101% with whatever hand you're working the stick with), also key instrument must be subtle - this passage almost like vocal jazz without a sax in some respects 
(This is how you test when one headphone does much better in metal while another does much better with jazz - the best one to own if you have a more varied collection is one that does both well; FYI I think the HD600 does well on both and Grados I prefer for smaller jazz emsembles than symphonic metal as the soundstage is a bit cluttered, but the rawness of the sound is great for vocal-centric music)
 
I Want My Tears Back - I just felt like putting it down because the bag pipes make this such a fun track; despite what the title seems to imply and lyrics say (if you just read them on their own) it actually feels light, more like someone with a realization about growing up than what we normally think of a song with "tears" in its title would be
 
 
Epica
The Phantom Agony - Entire album is a test for neutrality, with low freq guitar riffs and aggresive bass strumming (not plucking) that can get too loose on bassier systems, contrast with Simone's wide main vocal range which is in the mezzo to lower alto range along with effortless key switches;* main vocals are clearer tonally on studio recording, but live album has a clearer, better defined image on some speakers; also the back up choir on better headphones/speakers you don't just hear the sum of the voices, but at least one distinct tone (or two) plus the sum of all the voices

*not so on the live TV recording, We Will Take You With Us - which is like the Dutch equivalent of Live from Abbey Road (in Europe this sort of music isn't far off the mainstream)
 
The Divine Conspiracy and Design Your Universe - the more epic compositions have choirs/back up vocals (some of them are still Simone singing in the same style as a choir, or singing along with one) and orchestras that are more Hans Zimmer-ish with heavier guitars; vocals in DYU seems to show the lingering effects of her staph infection prior to recording the album (vocals are less powerful, style overall is less nimble with less frequent/drastic key shifts); systems with strong response on both ends and relatively weak midrange will have the main vocals more lost in the mix than the first two albums 
 
 
Jane Monheit
All tracks, but primarily Honeysuckle Rose, In the Still of the Night, and Taking a Chance on Love - generally a test on subtlety and restraint; double bass can't be overbearing, but need to be articulate and "groovy;" vocals need to be warm but maintain high frequency extension (on some systems you get a nasal tone, like she has a cold, but may still have sibilance)

 

[nuraman00]

Not from the list of artists you initially posted - almost all of those have male vocalists and a lot of them have dark, heavy guitar riffs. Well, save for when you listen for how distinct Paz' voice is in the latter part of Judith.

Is that Paz' voice from -0:49 to -0:40 remaining?
 
I also felt that the PSBs had the best drum attack at the beginning of the song.

 

[nuraman00]

 

The Poet and the Pendulum - Approaching the 4:30min mark tit slows down with a double bass in the background, initially with a background vocal then blending with Anette (not sure if that's her voice also in a different style/pitch), past the 6min mark a whispered monologue; full orchestra in the background in some of the parts, so you have all these instruments that have to sound generally correct (some orchestra instruments can sound too dark on some headphones); parts where orchestra is softer need to be soft and vocals clear, when the orchestra ramps up the vocals need to stay clear and the orchestra uncluttered (some sounds also pan from one side to the other); first part of 8th minute you have low guitar riffs - bass must not get overbearing, guitars must remain articulate enough to follow if you're trying to learn the riffs; towards the end of the 8th minute Anette comes back on after Marco and again there must be good separation between her voice, the other vocal track, the orchestra, and the guitar (you must not strain to hear them separately, otherwise it means you're trying to focus on one too much and not hear the others); gradual fade out towards the end must maintain the softness and smoothness of her voice (not sibilant but in some parts you would hear there's a hint of straining when she shifts keys, like when you drive a stick and your left leg isn't coordinating 101% with whatever hand you're working the stick with), also key instrument must be subtle - this passage almost like vocal jazz without a sax in some respects 
(This is how you test when one headphone does much better in metal while another does much better with jazz - the best one to own if you have a more varied collection is one that does both well; FYI I think the HD600 does well on both and Grados I prefer for smaller jazz emsembles than symphonic metal as the soundstage is a bit cluttered, but the rawness of the sound is great for vocal-centric music)

 
I listened to this track on YouTube.
 
I didn't hear the double bass or background vocals at 4:30, on any of the headphones.  So, I didn't hear another vocal eventually blending with Anette, because I didn't hear the background vocals in the first place.  Are you sure this was the right time mark?
 
I heard the other parts you highlighted (6 min; beginning and end of 8th min; vocal face out).  Don't think I had much of a preference between the headphones. this track was a lot to take in, especially for my first times hearing it.
 
Thanks though, at least gave me things to think about.

 

[nuraman00]

Nightwish - Wishmaster.
 
Similar to the previous Nightwish track, this was a lot to take in (a lot going on).
 
I think I have a slight preference to the PSBs on both Nightwish tracks.  Can't say much more than that, both because I'm not listening to the best quality, and because I'm still new to these tracks.
 
These suggestions though have me thinking beyond my initial list though for what else I have.
 
Going to try something from one of the 3 Heart albums I have (Dreamboat Annie; Little Queen; Dog and Butterfly).

 

[nuraman00]

Also, I listened to Soundgarden's "Limo Wreck" again with the Bowers and SoundMagic.  I do think the Bowers high sounds linger just a bit more, such as at the 0:55 mark into the track.
 
I didn't hear much difference on Soundgarden's "The Day I Tried To Live", though, surprisingly.  Perhaps the PSBs had a slight edge on these, but was happy with all 3.

 

[nuraman00]

Heart - Mistral Wind:  All sounded good, no preference.
 
Temple Of The Dog - Call Me A Dog:  All sounded good, slight preference to PSBs for vocals.
 
Do you think the Black Crowes (first 4 albums), Lynyrd Skynyrd (first 4 albums), or Stevie Ray Vaughan (first two albums) could have anything for higher frequencies?  Or something with more of an orchestra arrangement, like the Nightwish songs you posted?
 
I like how you told me specific parts to listen for, so I'm hoping one of the other artists or albums I suggest will have something else that you can think of.
 
 
What about something off of Alice In Chains Jar Of Flies album?
 
Something from Pink Floyd's The Wall?
 
If not those, then I think we're starting to get to lower quality audio in my library, such as a 192kbps Les Miserables "Castle On A Cloud", or a 160kbps Madonna "Secret".
 
I don't feel like I did a good job with coming up with a firm conclusion or ranking for higher frequencies, after today's listening session.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

   
I listened to this track on YouTube.
 
I didn't hear the double bass or background vocals at 4:30, on any of the headphones.  So, I didn't hear another vocal eventually blending with Anette, because I didn't hear the background vocals in the first place.  Are you sure this was the right time mark?
 
I heard the other parts you highlighted (6 min; beginning and end of 8th min; vocal face out).  Don't think I had much of a preference between the headphones. this track was a lot to take in, especially for my first times hearing it.
 
Thanks though, at least gave me things to think about.

 
Rough time marks, but generally correct. I don't know much about YouTube quality but I have FLAC rips from the CDs; at the very least listen to the track a few more times at seaprate intervals, since familiarity (or lack thereof) is also a factor aside from playback system and file quality. Among the ones I own the voices aren't distinct enough on the following: MEE M6P, stock Galaxy S3 IEM, AKG K66. Separation is very clear on the HD600 and ASG-1. That, despite the HD600 having a reputation for being "veiled," while the ASG-1 has a deep valley centered at 5.6khz. Then if one listens to a sine sweep, there's barely anything audible below max volume setting past 12khz (while I can hear loud and clear on the HD600 until about 16khz, then it starts to fade out, but doesn't go silent until around 24khz - all on normal listening volume).
 

  Nightwish - Wishmaster.
 
Similar to the previous Nightwish track, this was a lot to take in (a lot going on).
 
I think I have a slight preference to the PSBs on both Nightwish tracks.  Can't say much more than that, both because I'm not listening to the best quality, and because I'm still new to these tracks.
 
These suggestions though have me thinking beyond my initial list though for what else I have.

 
In terms of dynamics and tonality, stuff like PSB, Grado headphones, and Focal speakers particularly in car audio set-ups (the home audio speakers don't have the same problem with the windshield reinforcing the treble due to reflections; then the original Spirit One was too rolled off in the treble, perhaps as a compromise so it won't sound harsh and fatiguing) make some Nightwish tracks sound better but the problem with Grados for example is that they tend to present a very confused sound image. It's like it's throwing everything at you instead of positioning each instrument. Think of how in a Kung Fu fight one guy will keep punching in very quick succession, or a seemingly endless stabbing/thrusting sword attack at varying vectors (imagine more of how those look in anime than in real life), but instead of looking at it from a 3rd person POV you're on the receiving end of those blows.
 

  Is that Paz' voice from -0:49 to -0:40 remaining?
 
I also felt that the PSBs had the best drum attack at the beginning of the song.

 
Yep, when she joins in and two of them are backing up Keenan at "did it all for yoooooooooooooooooou" somewhere in the middle of the "you," all the way until Keenan shifts key "oooouuuu, ohhhh" then the outro kicks in.

 

[nuraman00]

23. Nightwish - Wishmaster (flac) - All sounded good, slight preference to PSB.
 
24. Nightwish - FantasMic (flac) - Slight preference to PSB.
 
After that, have to listen very carefully but PRAT from -4:17 to -4:00, especially from -4:10 to -4:05 is a little better on Bowers than SoundMagic.
 
 
25. Nightwish - The Poet And The Pendulum (flac), 4:00 - 5:10 - Still couldn't hear the background vocal at 4:30.
 
I did hear breaths though at 4:27, 4:35. High notes at 4:51, 4:55, 5:03 to 5:05 sound best on PSB, then Bowers. Plain on SoundMagic.
 
 
26. Alice In Chains - Swing On This - Slight preference to PSB, but all great.
 
27. Cake - Frank Sinatra - Slight preference to PSB, but all great.
 
28. Pink Floyd - Waiting For The Worms - All were great but the last 0:06 is slightly better on Bowers than SoundMagic.

 

[nuraman00]

Final summary:
 
SoundMagic:  Out of the 25 tracks, only had a slight preference to Bowers on 5, and PSB on 9 (some overlapping with Bowers).  I had to listen very carefully though.
 
Other than that, very enjoyable.  Very comfortable, I'd give it a 10/10 on comfort.
 
Not as good at higher attacks or vocals as the other two, but have to listen carefully.
 
PSB:  After changing the cable, really liked the sound.  Best at high attacks and vocals.
 
Don't like the plastic headband though, and comfort is least preferable.
 
There were 7 tracks that I didn't like the PSB as much, but that was before changing the cable.  I think if I re-listened to those, I'd like the PSB as much.
 
Bowers and Wilkins:  Not as good at higher attacks or vocals PSB, but has slightly better range than SoundMagic.  And is still comfortable, I'd give it a 9.
 
Didn't have a preference between headphones on 9 tracks.
 
 
 
 
Any one of these would be enjoyable.
 
Decision:
 
Going with the Bowers and Wilkins, but would have been happy with the sound quality of the SoundMagic.
 
If the PSB had changed their design, it would be close, might have picked them.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
25. Nightwish - The Poet And The Pendulum (flac), 4:00 - 5:10 - Still couldn't hear the background vocal at 4:30.
 
I did hear breaths though at 4:27, 4:35. High notes at 4:51, 4:55, 5:03 to 5:05 sound best on PSB, then Bowers. Plain on SoundMagic.

 

I just realized why we have a confusion this - I was giving the rough time points for the movements or sections (kind of like with classical music), not the specific points where there are the details I was talking about would be. That whole movement entitled Pt.3 - The Pacific spans from 4:30 to roughly 6:30. I'll just go through the whole song in detail. 

 

Pt. 1 - White lands of Empathica​

​

The end.​

​

​

The songwriter's dead.​

​

The blade fell upon him​

​

Taking him to the white lands​

​

of empathica,​

​

of innocence​

​

Empathica​

​

Innocence​

 

Not much to say about this part - all this is just a female voice in high pitch with some whispers by a boy's voice in the start

 

 

-------------​

​

 

Pt. 2 - Home​

​

The dreamer and the wine​

​

Poet without a rhyme​

​

A widow writer torn apart by chains of Hell​

​

​

One last perfect verse​

​

It's still the same old song​

​

Oh Christ, how I hate what I have become​

​

​

Take me home​

​

​

Chorus

​

Get away, run away, fly away​

​

Lead me astray to dreamer's hideaway​

​

I cannot cry 'cause the shoulder cries more​

​

I cannot die, I, a whore for this cold world​

​

Forgive me,​

​

I have but two faces​

​

One for the world,​

​

One for God,​

​

save me​

​

I cannot cry 'cause the shoulder cries more​

​

I cannot die, I, a whore for this cold world​

​

​

My home was there and then, those meadows of heaven​

​

Adventure-filled days​

​

One with every smiling face​

​

​

Please, no more words​

​

Thoughts from a severed head​

​

No more praise,​

​

Tell me once my heart goes right​

​

​

Take me home​

​

​

[Chorus]​

​

 ​

 

Anette is the primary vocals here, but in some lines and most of the latter part (underlined) there is a second vocal track of her voice. That gets lost in the mix in some systems as there is not much contrast in pitch and range (however the timing and melody are not identical). The Chorus also has at least two vocal tracks, or sounds like it (Anette's voice seems to have some echo); plus the choir singing like a Greek chorus echoing and extending the last word "more."

 

 

--------------------

 

Pt. 3 - The Pacific​

​

Sparkle, my scenery​

​

With turquoise waterfall​

​

With beauty underneath​

​

The ever free​

​

​

Tuck me in beneath the blue​

​

Beneath the pain,​

​

Beneath the rain​

​

Goodnight kiss for a child in time​

​

Swaying blade my lullaby​

​

​

On the shore we sat and hoped​

​

Under the same pale moon​

​

Whose guiding light chose you,​

​

Chose you all​

​

 ​

"I'm afraid, I'm so afraid.​

​

being raped, again and again, and again.​

​

I know I will die alone, ​

but loved.​

​

​

You live long enough to hear the sounds of guns,​

​

Long enough to find yourself screaming every night,​

​

Live long enough to see your friends betray you.​

​

​

For years I've been strapped unto this altar.​

​

Now I only have three minutes and counting.​

​

I just wish the tide would catch me first and give me​

​

a death I always longed for."​

 

This section starts out with the higher pitched "background" vocals (I'm not sure if it's also Anette singing in a higher pitch) singing the first two stanzas; Anette takes over as the main vocals in the third, with the background vocals continuing to sing the same lines (the underlined parts) - higher pitch must still be detailed and nuanceed. After that the brass kicks in, the adlib starts, then the whole orchestra and band kicks in to building up energy through the intro for the next movement.

 

----------

 

Pt. 4 - Dark Passion Play​

​

2nd robber to the right of Christ​

​

Cut in half - infanticide​

​

The world will rejoice today​

​

As the crows feast on the rotting poet​

​

​

Everyone must bury their own​

​

No pack to bury the heart of stone​

​

Now he`s home in hell, serves him well​

​

Slain by the bell, tolling for his farewell​

​

​

The morning dawned upon his altar​

​

Remains of the dark passion play​

​

Performed by his friends without shame​

​

Spitting on his grave as they came​

​

 ​

Chorus​

​

​

Save me​

​

 

This section is less complex. Marco starts out with the two stanzas with the choir melodically going "aaaaaaaaaaa," then Anette takes over; on the last line (again underlined) there are two vocal tracks of her voice - that easily gets lost in some headphones/IEMs/speakers (there are similar lines in Pt 2 - Home) as there is not much contrast to the pitch/range she uses. Chorus is done as before.

 

-------------

 

[Part 5: Mother And Father]

Be still, my son
You`re home
Oh when did you become so cold?
The blade will keep on descending
All you need is to feel my love

Search for beauty, find your shore
Try to save them all, bleed no more
You have such oceans within
In the end, I will always love you

The beginning.​

 
This section is more of a ballad - Anette sings but in some parts (underlined) there are background vocals. In the first stanza the second vocal track is again close to her pitch (I think it's her), but again the melody and timing are not identical. In the second stanza it's again the higher pitched vocals, but dropping off towards the end of each line.

 

[nuraman00]

 

 
25. Nightwish - The Poet And The Pendulum (flac), 4:00 - 5:10 - Still couldn't hear the background vocal at 4:30.
 
I did hear breaths though at 4:27, 4:35. High notes at 4:51, 4:55, 5:03 to 5:05 sound best on PSB, then Bowers. Plain on SoundMagic.

 

I just realized why we have a confusion this - I was giving the rough time points for the movements or sections (kind of like with classical music), not the specific points where there are the details I was talking about would be. That whole movement entitled Pt.3 - The Pacific spans from 4:30 to roughly 6:30. I'll just go through the whole song in detail. 

 

Pt. 1 - White lands of Empathica​

​

The end.​

​

​

The songwriter's dead.​

​

The blade fell upon him​

​

Taking him to the white lands​

​

of empathica,​

​

of innocence​

​

Empathica​

​

Innocence​

 

Not much to say about this part - all this is just a female voice in high pitch with some whispers by a boy's voice in the start

 

 

-------------​

​

 

Pt. 2 - Home​

​

The dreamer and the wine​

​

Poet without a rhyme​

​

A widow writer torn apart by chains of Hell​

​

​

One last perfect verse​

​

It's still the same old song​

​

Oh Christ, how I hate what I have become​

​

​

Take me home​

​

​

Chorus

​

Get away, run away, fly away​

​

Lead me astray to dreamer's hideaway​

​

I cannot cry 'cause the shoulder cries more​

​

I cannot die, I, a whore for this cold world​

​

Forgive me,​

​

I have but two faces​

​

One for the world,​

​

One for God,​

​

save me​

​

I cannot cry 'cause the shoulder cries more​

​

I cannot die, I, a whore for this cold world​

​

​

My home was there and then, those meadows of heaven​

​

Adventure-filled days​

​

One with every smiling face​

​

​

Please, no more words​

​

Thoughts from a severed head​

​

No more praise,​

​

Tell me once my heart goes right​

​

​

Take me home​

​

​

[Chorus]​

​

 ​

 

Anette is the primary vocals here, but in some lines and most of the latter part (underlined) there is a second vocal track of her voice. That gets lost in the mix in some systems as there is not much contrast in pitch and range (however the timing and melody are not identical). The Chorus also has at least two vocal tracks, or sounds like it (Anette's voice seems to have some echo); plus the choir singing like a Greek chorus echoing and extending the last word "more."

 

 

--------------------

 

Pt. 3 - The Pacific​

​

Sparkle, my scenery​

​

With turquoise waterfall​

​

With beauty underneath​

​

The ever free​

​

​

Tuck me in beneath the blue​

​

Beneath the pain,​

​

Beneath the rain​

​

Goodnight kiss for a child in time​

​

Swaying blade my lullaby​

​

​

On the shore we sat and hoped​

​

Under the same pale moon​

​

Whose guiding light chose you,​

​

Chose you all​

​

 ​

"I'm afraid, I'm so afraid.​

​

being raped, again and again, and again.​

​

I know I will die alone, ​

but loved.​

​

​

You live long enough to hear the sounds of guns,​

​

Long enough to find yourself screaming every night,​

​

Live long enough to see your friends betray you.​

​

​

For years I've been strapped unto this altar.​

​

Now I only have three minutes and counting.​

​

I just wish the tide would catch me first and give me​

​

a death I always longed for."​

 

This section starts out with the higher pitched "background" vocals (I'm not sure if it's also Anette singing in a higher pitch) singing the first two stanzas; Anette takes over as the main vocals in the third, with the background vocals continuing to sing the same lines (the underlined parts) - higher pitch must still be detailed and nuanceed. After that the brass kicks in, the adlib starts, then the whole orchestra and band kicks in to building up energy through the intro for the next movement.

 

----------

 

Pt. 4 - Dark Passion Play​

​

2nd robber to the right of Christ​

​

Cut in half - infanticide​

​

The world will rejoice today​

​

As the crows feast on the rotting poet​

​

​

Everyone must bury their own​

​

No pack to bury the heart of stone​

​

Now he`s home in hell, serves him well​

​

Slain by the bell, tolling for his farewell​

​

​

The morning dawned upon his altar​

​

Remains of the dark passion play​

​

Performed by his friends without shame​

​

Spitting on his grave as they came​

​

 ​

Chorus​

​

​

Save me​

​

 

This section is less complex. Marco starts out with the two stanzas with the choir melodically going "aaaaaaaaaaa," then Anette takes over; on the last line (again underlined) there are two vocal tracks of her voice - that easily gets lost in some headphones/IEMs/speakers (there are similar lines in Pt 2 - Home) as there is not much contrast to the pitch/range she uses. Chorus is done as before.

 

-------------

 

[Part 5: Mother And Father]

Be still, my son
You`re home
Oh when did you become so cold?
The blade will keep on descending
All you need is to feel my love

Search for beauty, find your shore
Try to save them all, bleed no more
You have such oceans within
In the end, I will always love you

The beginning.​

 
This section is more of a ballad - Anette sings but in some parts (underlined) there are background vocals. In the first stanza the second vocal track is again close to her pitch (I think it's her), but again the melody and timing are not identical. In the second stanza it's again the higher pitched vocals, but dropping off towards the end of each line.

 
Hi @ProtegeManiac,
 
Here's a late response from 2014, almost 2 years to the day.  I had returned the headphones I didn't keep just before you made this post, so I wouldn't have been able to compare this track across all 3, with the way you had broken down the vocals.
 
However, this had been on my mind since then, that I still wanted to go through the song and listen, now that you had provided a full breakdown.  Thanks for doing this, and clearing up the confusion about me misunderstanding what to listen for, and taking 4:30 too literally.
 
This was a great breakdown of what to listen for, with the vocals.
 
As of now, I'm about to start comparing 2 computer speakers (later today).  So, I thought this would be a good time to re-visit this track.  But I'm listening with the Bowers & Wilkins headphones to start with, because that's how I listened to this track originally.
 
(On a side note, I'm going to try and see Nightwish the next time they are performing town.  You've made me interested in them.)
 
For the end of Part 4, I can tell there's multiple voice tracks, because it sounds different.  However, because there's little contrast, it's difficult to discern each voice track.
 
Parts 3 and 5 are the easiest to tell the vocals apart, because the timing is different.
 
For Part 2, I can also hear the multiple voice tracks.  There isn't much contrast, but it's still easier to discern them than Part 4, and tell there's multiple voice tracks.
 
Your breakdown has also made me appreciate how careful they were with the vocals, as when to have one track, or multiple.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
As of now, I'm about to start comparing 2 computer speakers (later today).  So, I thought this would be a good time to re-visit this track.  But I'm listening with the Bowers & Wilkins headphones to start with, because that's how I listened to this track originally.
 
(On a side note, I'm going to try and see Nightwish the next time they are performing town.  You've made me interested in them.)
 
For the end of Part 4, I can tell there's multiple voice tracks, because it sounds different.  However, because there's little contrast, it's difficult to discern each voice track.
 
Parts 3 and 5 are the easiest to tell the vocals apart, because the timing is different.
 
For Part 2, I can also hear the multiple voice tracks.  There isn't much contrast, but it's still easier to discern them than Part 4, and tell there's multiple voice tracks.
 
Your breakdown has also made me appreciate how careful they were with the vocals, as when to have one track, or multiple.

 
 
Here's one more you can try, although the recording isn't really perfect, the thing is you'd have a multi-layered track to listen to - all the usual suspects in a modern band but you have a choir and quartet with those.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuKZKTM5dH4

 

[nuraman00]

 

 
As of now, I'm about to start comparing 2 computer speakers (later today).  So, I thought this would be a good time to re-visit this track.  But I'm listening with the Bowers & Wilkins headphones to start with, because that's how I listened to this track originally.
 
(On a side note, I'm going to try and see Nightwish the next time they are performing town.  You've made me interested in them.)
 
For the end of Part 4, I can tell there's multiple voice tracks, because it sounds different.  However, because there's little contrast, it's difficult to discern each voice track.
 
Parts 3 and 5 are the easiest to tell the vocals apart, because the timing is different.
 
For Part 2, I can also hear the multiple voice tracks.  There isn't much contrast, but it's still easier to discern them than Part 4, and tell there's multiple voice tracks.
 
Your breakdown has also made me appreciate how careful they were with the vocals, as when to have one track, or multiple.

 
 
Here's one more you can try, although the recording isn't really perfect, the thing is you'd have a multi-layered track to listen to - all the usual suspects in a modern band but you have a choir and quartet with those.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuKZKTM5dH4

 
Thank you.  That's a 1 hour, 9 minute video.  Is there a portion you can please point out?

 

[Trance88]

From what I've heard, Toto's "Rosanna" is an industry wide reference track for recording and stage setups. I figure it would be a good reference track for headphones as well.