That is exactly what Arun and some of us are trying to say ! This is not the first time that ARR is using multi layers of orchestration. Take a Dil Se or Taal or WOHE. Why arent these soundtracks loud? I am sure these had more layers in them than Blue.
Take the Dil Se song, and compare it with Aaj Dil Gustaka hai.* Sound Wise*. Please tell me if the audio clarity with each instrument distinctly audible is possible with aaj dil gustaka hai. Again sound quality wise.If yes, then i have issues with my ears. On Sun, Sep 13, 2009 at 8:07 PM, Prasad Varma <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Anand, > > You have hit the nail on the head when it comes to multi layering. I did > refer to specific sections of the soundtrack that had fewer layers that > sounded crystal clear in my earlier mail to highlight this point. I think > there are a few members who do not like the 'busy' flavor of the album which > is perfectly justified. > > Also for my untrained ear, it feels that AR moved away from the "Treble > rich" digital sound of the 90s towards a more warm, bass friendly > "analogish" sound in the 2000s. For example you do not hear the "sound" of > En Swaasa Katrea or Kabhi Na Kabhi any more. There have been several posts > on this forum lamenting that AR does not make music like he used to before. > > Now, a decade is a long time when it comes to technology, AR overhauled his > studio equipment too and more importantly he always strives to innovate. > Plus his programmers have been changing and they do contribute to the sound. > Sometimes these changes may be to our personal preference aand sometimes > they are not. I personally was not fully appreciative of his sound in the > early 2000s including Yuva and right up to Rang De Basanti especially with > his Rhythm section. It all changed for me with the vibrant and youthful > guitar strumming of Kabhi Kabhi Aditi. > > From the promos of Blue, one gets an impression that they are positioning > this film as a sophisticated and slick thriller. I think Blue spent a lot of > time in "Post production" if one can borrow that phrase and the umpteen > vocoder effects and distorted guitar sounds point in that direction. There > are very few sections of the soundtrack (Yaar Mila Tha) that are not heavily > made up and tweaked. > > Given the fact that this is AR's first release post academy awards and from > his own rare liner notes about expectations, I'd find it extremely hard to > imagine that AR would let shoddy and inferior recordings pass muster. If the > sound is not likable that is another story... :-) :-) > > PV > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* Anand Bharathan <[email protected]> > *To:* [email protected] > *Sent:* Sunday, September 13, 2009 8:09:25 AM > *Subject:* RE: [arr] Re: 'Blue' Sound/Audio Quality - "Dissapointed" > > > > Arun, I don’t post much but could not help here after noticing a slight > unpleasantness in the tone of your mail. You are sounding as if ARR is > doomed in the future if he does not take care of this sound aspect. I > personally feel ARR is completely aware of what he and his team of sound > engineers are doing because we know him to be that kind of person – a > perfectionist to the core. And I think he has enormous clout with the > production companies that all he has to do is just talk with them if he > feels they are messing up with his music. I agree about the loudness (could > be because of these so called loudness wars) and a lot of times where the > orchestration is not clear but probably that is due to the massive amount of > layering and the instrumentation he does than to do with any shortcomings on > the part of his team or the mastering company. It is probably a nightmare > for his sound engineers to highlight each and every instrument and the > complex layering that he does in his music. > > > > I do agree with your observation about Dostana and Bacchna being clearer > but that is probably due to the absence of any complex layering that you > would find in a ARR song. Now given a choice between a straight forward > album of other music MDs (which does not grow with every listening) or a > slightly muddled up ARR album (as a result of his creativity), I would > personally go for the latter because there is so much to discover in our > boss’s music. Just my take. Am no technical expert like some of the others > here. > > > > With every album and time, ARR is only seeming to go from strength to > strength turning even his detractors into fans, so I feel (my personal > opinion) this doomsday scenario is not warranted. > > > > thanks > > > > > > > > *From:* arrahmanfans@ yahoogroups. com [mailto:arrahmanfan > [email protected]] > *On Behalf Of *Arun KB Ganesh > > *Sent:* 13 September, 2009 12:50 AM > *To:* arrahmanfans@ yahoogroups. com > *Subject:* Re: [arr] Re: 'Blue' Sound/Audio Quality - "Dissapointed" > > > > > > *Note *- Dear ARR, If you are reading this - This mail is not intended to > hurt you or your team. Nor is this any kind of advice.. it is a plea from a > member of this group since 2000, I have reasons to say all these bluntly - I > really wish you take note. You are the best judge when it comes to sound and > to decide on the next steps if you see a problem. I am highlighting these so > that these problems can be corrected, before it is too late. Sorry if I > sound odd ! > > > > > > Sorry Chord, this discussion is back to Square 1. With all due respect > - You are contradicting yourself when you acknowledge of '*maybe *a highly > processed electronic sounds, esp vocals', is bothering me. If a highly > processed vocals is making a song sound hissy, whats so pleasant in hearing > it? In other words, what you said may be true - only if ARR's sound > engineers are re-inventing themselves when working with him, trying out new > stuff on vocals which I think is not the case. > > > > I also disagree with you that AR's contemporaries are way of ahead of him > in terms of sound quality. I listen to various CDs of different composers, > and I find AR's albums to be as competent in terms of sound quality as > theirs. > > > I had mentioned this point on another mail thread - About the sound > quality of other MDs - give 'Dostana' and 'Bachna Ae Haseeno' a listen, > compare the sound quality - they sound *tight* (if I call it in a studio > language). > > > > I will still stand by my statement that as of today, ARR albums sound > quality is not on par with other MDs .. to be precise, it all started with > Rang De Basanti. Oh, by the way ... : > > RDB was not released by T-Series... It had a loudness issue > > Delhi-6 was by T-Series - it didnt have a loudness issue > > so how can loudness in BLUE be a problem from the music company's end? I > feel it is not. > > > > As a musician & singer myself, I really really trust my ears when it comes > to sound quality. > > > > > > On Sat, Sep 12, 2009 at 6:25 PM, ichord <purev...@yahoo. > com<[email protected]>> > wrote: > > > > There are sound issues in this album at times due to loudness, which I > concede, but that does not make the overall sound quality mediocre. And > being able to discern complex layering of music tracks clearly is very > relevant to the discussion of sound. What may be bothering you is the highly > processed electronic sounds in this album, esp, in the vocals, which I can > understand. > > Trust me, I understand the difference between sound and music and a > discussion of one is relevant to the discussion of another, because without > good sound quality, I and many others would not be able to enjoy the > distinct and complex musical layers that he has gifted in this crafty album. > > I also disagree with you that AR's contemporaries are way of ahead of him > in terms of sound quality. I listen to various CDs of different composers, > and I find AR's albums to be as competent in terms of sound quality as > theirs. > > Mean no disrespect to your opinions and hope we can continue to discuss and > maybe even disagree without being disagreeable. > > > --- In arrahmanfans@ yahoogroups. com <arrahmanfans%40yahoogroups.com>, > Arun KB Ganesh <ergu...@...> wrote: > > > > > Surprising - A discussion about the sound quality of this album, turned > into > > a music review ??? Guess some people don't seem to understand the > difference > > between the 2 ?! > > The music may have intricate layering & complicate complex chord > > progressions etc etc ... , whatever be the case, the final sound quality > of > > this album is *mediocre*. What matters is what the end-user gets to hear > .. > > It may be the music company or it may be the studio master at fault - > > whoever it may be, things HAS to be set right at some point. If not now, > it > > may be too late. > > > > ARR revolutionised sound of Indian music, but as of today, others are way > > ahead of him in terms of *"SOUND QUALITY" (Mind you, I am NOT talking > about > > the music. ARR stands way ahead of others with respect to music & the > sounds > > used (again, not the sound quality). * > > > > I am willing to explain it again, if people dont understand. > > > > > On Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 10:22 PM, Arun KB Ganesh <ergu...@...> wrote: > > > > > *Clarification : ** > > > * > > > *After all the effort ARR has put in to create these songs, he (more > than > > > all of us put together) certainly would not want the sound quality to > be > > > mediocre. As a person who adores the person and his music, I felt it > was my > > > duty to post my thoughts in the group - if ARR reads this, I would be > really > > > glad.. so that he can look into the problems and fix the shortcomings. > > > * > > > **My intention was not to hurt ARR or his team by the below email. I > never > > > said the songs are not good, nor the sounds used in the song - I am in > no > > > way eligible to comment on that. Since I am so much used to an *ARR > sound*for years, I could certainly feel the difference here. I was only > feeling > > > bad about the 'sound quality' the album "Blue" has. > > > > > > Like Gomz pointed out, it is true each song in this album has a > different > > > sound quality. Could be because each song are assigned to different > > > programmers & engineers. That being said, in the past too, there have > been > > > various programmers & engineers who have worked on his songs - but the > end > > > result used to be tremendous. > > > > > > I don't know why the difference now. > > > > > > > > > > On Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 1:49 PM, Arun KB Ganesh <ergu...@...> wrote: > > > > > >> One of the reasons for me to appreciate AR's music *was* the superb > > >> quality his songs had - i am referring to the 'sound' quality. > > >> Off late, I have felt that his songs were lacking the clarity it had. > One > > >> of the most beautiful songs in a major album this year had an error, > which > > >> was pointed out in this forum & was acknowledged by his team too (not > in > > >> this forum). I am not sure if it is the Sound Engineers or the > programmers. > > >> > > >> The 'sound' of Blue in the *CD* is, in fact, pathetic. It more sounds > > >> like a studio version (work in progress) - unclear vocals, boomy > sounds for > > >> chiggy wiggy (which is muffling the instrument before Sonu starts > singing). > > >> The vocals are extremely bad.... > > >> > > >> Not sure if it is a problem in the final mix/mastering or a problem @ > > >> T-Series. > > >> > > >> I am disturbed because of this trend, and more worried coz things are > not > > >> being set right. With every album, I have hoped the sound would be > 'better'. > > >> but it has never been. > > >> Is ARR not looking into the final product? I dont think so, 'coz the > > >> beauty of the sound is compromised on. > > >> > > >> And I am not in for a debate here. > > >> > > >> > > >> > > > > > > > > > > >
