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New TFM Era: Sound Engineering Over Melodies

Topic started by Pras (@ 66.185.84.76) on Sun Apr 13 17:10:38 EDT 2003.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

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Responses:

• From: outsider (@ 206.20.111.97) on: Sun Apr 13 19:37:42 EDT 2003
  
  Come on Pras, what sort of post is this? OK, let me try:
  
  How much does the audio engineering 'slickness' affect whether you like the song or not? Is it an important part of enjoying music, or making it a hit? Does TFM music today rely too much on the 'gee whiz' flashiness, but not enough upon the writing abilities of the MDs?
  
  
• From: OISG (@ 193.188.97.152) on: Mon Apr 14 00:44:57 EDT 2003
  
  If MDs who could lose out to sound engineers for 10 years in a row ,I wonder what sort of melodies we were getting before from this self-proclaimed "melody musicians".
  
  Either the concept of melody has undergone a sea change or we were consuming things which were not really melodies!
  
  
• From: pranav (@ 202.142.68.94) on: Mon Apr 14 02:09:32 EDT 2003
  
  Nonesense OISG, Sound Engineering has spoiled everything. Melody, Singers voice. Some times, Singers voice is made like Machine VOice.
  
  
• From: ambleen (@ 61.8.210.74) on: Mon Apr 14 03:55:10 EDT 2003
  
  "If MDs who could lose out to sound engineers for 10 years in a row ,I wonder what sort of melodies we were getting before from this self-proclaimed "melody musicians". "
  
  Ans: Its the same sort of melodies that got you glued before the last ten years.
  
  
• From: Mumbai Ramki (@ 203.197.24.195) on: Mon Apr 14 04:30:53 EDT 2003
  
  Hello friends ,
  
  before having a fight over AR and IR ,don't u guys think it is necessary to understand what is SOund Engineerng ???
  
  Can somebody explain in detail about Sound ENgineering ???Please do not post messages just for satisfying ur own EGOS ....
  
  If u like a particular MD and u are mad about that ,it is perfectly welcome ..But why do u expect that some XYZ should also have the same view .....
  
  
  But one more point ..
  
  OISG ,
  
  commericial success does not mean anything....KS Ravikumar is more successfull than Maniratnam ,but that does not mean that Maniratnam is inferior to KS Ravikumar!!!! ....i am not trying to compare any music director with anyone ....But commercial success alone does not mean anything ....
  
  
  1.Just filling the songs with some strange sounds alone does not do any help ....It will offers some excitement in the short period ..but to last time ,the music has to come from heart ....
  Only musiccians who are traine din music and hwo love music can give such music ..Take for instance saint Thiygaraaja ,his songs are still popular or BEthoveen ,his symphonies are still popular ....
  
  But can we say about the songs which are produced now ..??They may look good now ,but i feel they will not last looong ....
  
  
  
  
  
  
• From: ambleen (@ 61.8.210.74) on: Mon Apr 14 04:54:34 EDT 2003
  
  MY POINT EXACTLY.
  
  
• From: CG (@ 64.231.67.206) on: Mon Apr 14 07:35:40 EDT 2003
  
  Well said Mumbai Ramki.Props.
  
  
• From: k (@ 192.138.150.249) on: Mon Apr 14 13:37:24 EDT 2003
  
  Sound engineering - we listen to stereo sound with CD. Stereo means 'same as' (something else) like in stereotype. But technically, stereo sound is made up of two tracks (left, right speakers). Contrast this with mono where there in only one track. Sound engineering, deals, with distributing (panning) the sound of various instruments and voices between the left and right tracks. If done equally, the sound appears to come from the centre. Also, the various instruments, needed to be recorded at different volume levels. There is one more basic affect that is part of sound engineering. This is called 'reverb' (multiple small echos). This gives the sense of space. Some instruments will sound as they are close to you, others way behind.
  These are the basics of sound engineering. But in reality things get very complicated. People like IR, record all instruments and voices together in one or two (voice later) sitting. ARR does everything in pieces. This is because of the modern equipment he started using. For eg, he can layout a bass/rhythm track and record the voice. Later he will keep adding tracks of various instruments, over and over for a richer sound. Modern sound engineering software allows the pitch of the voice to be altered. A single song can be sung in pieces and pasted together. I heard recently Sukwinder Singh's pronounciation of certain words in telugu or tamil were 'punched' in by a version from a native singer. Because of all these technology, it looks like singers do not have to be that good. Different voices are being used to provide 'different sound/texture'.
  Coming back to the topic, MDs differ in their approach to highlighting the voice vs instruments and their approach may vary from song to song. For a rhythm song, the voice takes a back seat and the instruments are highlighted.meaning..the percussion/drums will sound closer to you (less reverb) and the voice behind it. Also, 'delays' can be added to vocal track to give the echo effect. Voices can also be 'doubled'.
  Sometimes all this technology gets the attention of the MD more than the musical content..maybe this is what the topic owner was trying to bring out..
  
  
• From: OISG (@ 193.188.97.152) on: Tue Apr 15 01:15:07 EDT 2003
  
  That was enlightening K.
  
  But generally this topic is used to malign Rehman,his singers etc.Technology makes decent music sound good,good sound better.Earlier the mono recordings were the only option available to MDs.
  
  When I worked in Africa the Chief Financial officer was complaining about extensive usage of MS-Excel by me and always use to remeber his calculator days and ask me what my contribution was,if Excel takes care of computing. (His idea of MIS is a daily cash balance at 5.30 pm)
  
  Precisely this is what hapeening in TFM today.When IR improved technology (read manual to calculator) people and mags went overboard and IR was branded the new-age musician.Now better techonolgy is available and AVAILABLE TO ALL AND NOT JUST FOR REHMAN.This is a more challenging period with anyone with Yamaha PSR or a Casio MA can pass of as a MD.If intelligent sound engineering can add value to my song ,then why not?
  
  

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