Excessive loudness in music, driven by the loudness war, can result in distortion, loss of impact, and listener fatigue.
Brick-walled songs lack dynamics, diminishing the impact of instruments and vocals, and sparking discussions about the need for balanced dynamics in music.
Deep dives
The Impact of Digital Technology on Loudness
With the advent of digital technology, mastering engineers were able to make songs much louder. This led to an increase in loudness competition among artists and a decline in dynamic range. However, excessive loudness can result in distortion and loss of impact and depth. The loudness war began, with artists pushing songs to their limits. But pushing songs beyond the limit causes clipping and the formation of white noise, which can lead to listener fatigue. Brick-walled music, where the dynamics are heavily compressed, became common in the 90s. This affected various genres, including rock, hip-hop, and pop.
The Negative Effects of Hyper Compression
Hyper compression, driven by the desire for louder music, has detrimental effects on music quality. Brick-walled songs lack dynamics, making every sound almost the same volume. This compression can diminish the impact of instruments and vocals, resulting in a flat and squashed sound. Examples of poorly mastered albums include Red Hot Chili Peppers' 'Californication' and Metallica's 'Death Magnetic'. Clipping and distortion are common in these albums due to excessive compression. The negative impact of hyper compression on music quality has caused a backlash among listeners and sparked discussions about the need for more balanced dynamics.
Finding a Loudness Sweet Spot
There is a growing recognition that music doesn't need to be excessively loud to be impactful. Some artists and mastering engineers have embraced a more dynamic approach, focusing on finding the loudness sweet spot where songs are loud enough without sacrificing musicality. Examples of songs that strike this balance include 'Uptown Funk' by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, 'Get Lucky' by Daft Punk, and 'God's Plan' by Drake. In the streaming era, the loudness competition has diminished, as streaming services automatically normalize song volumes. This allows for a return to dynamics and a focus on making music sound as good as it can be.
Hope for Balanced Dynamics
While the loudness war has had a significant impact on music, there are signs of hope. The resurgence of vinyl has reminded artists and mastering engineers of the importance of considering how their music will sound on the medium. Vinyl's inherent limitations, including a hard volume limit, encourage maintaining dynamics. Some artists have started making multiple versions of their tracks, with more dynamic versions for streaming platforms and more compressed ones for CD and digital releases. Remastering has also provided opportunities to improve the dynamics of older albums, preserving the original sound while enhancing the quality. Overall, there is a growing understanding that dynamics play a vital role in the emotional impact and sonic experience of music.
In part 2 of the story of mastering, we explore the consequences of the Loudness War and call out some of the worst offenders. We’ll also hear about the artists and mastering engineers who have been fighting back, and learn how modern listening habits might finally put an end to this sonic arms race.
