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MarkGifford-1

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  1. Agreed. I don't think there will be a significant push towards higher quality until major labels decide to market the hell out of it as a way of differentiating their product. Also, I think the average person just cares about fitting as much music as possible on their mp3 player. I think when hard drive capacities enable everyone's libraries to be stored lossless, there will likely be a bigger push for higher quality. Right now, I just don't think the average person cares, since they likely wouldn't hear the difference anyway. Here's a test which proves pretty conclusively that no one can tell the difference between CD and SACD or DVD-A: http://mixonline.com/recording/mixing/audio_emperors_new_sampling/
  2. But let's face it, if all the guys you just mentioned had just 'left it to a professional' instead of getting their feet wet years ago, you wouldn't have mentioned them today. Not that I expect I'll be one of them, just making a point. Everyone starts with nothing. When those guys learned, there was no "home recording." I'm pretty sure that they all apprenticed w/other guys - learning the ropes in a pro studio, from pros, and mastering pro product. They didn't start out working in a home studio. The paradigm has shifted considerably since then, so having to learn to do it yourself, usually under pretty adverse conditions, is an option that wasn't there before. MG
  3. This is precisely why I can understand BBS's stance. We don't want to be complacent and let just any recording go by... But then again, we don't want to be too unforgiving or harsh, at least I'd hope. That can be equally destructive past a certain point. B2B expanded on this. Exactly. You have a first-time poster, w/an obvious troll. BBS was just getting his "Simon Cowell" on. No problem in that - he's my favorite judge on AI, because he gives the mostly delusional contestants a SMALL taste of what it will be like, if they decide to pursue a career in the music business. MG
  4. if you really want to mprove the sound quality of CD. Increase Bit depth and the bit rate. Both would go along way. Go back upthread and read the results of the test I posted... CDs sound just fine. Bad engineering doesn't. MG
  5. I'm gonna repeat it like a mantra from now on:- Math does not give you better time domain resolution. Only a higher sample rate can do that. Point us to an ABX test that proves that anyone can reliably tell the difference. Not "me and my buddy sitting in a room" but a solid test, like the one I linked to. The funny part about that test was that they were using prosumer converters in the HHB. And folks STILL couldn't tell the difference. This reminds me of the audiophile gear arguments - everyone arguing their oints w/o a shred of definitive, scientific evidence of any audible difference. MG
  6. This is the first remotely scientific study I've seen: http://mixonline.com/recording/mixing/audio_emperors_new_sampling/ A sample: The experiment was wonderfully simple: The authors set up a double-blind comparison system in which one position played high-end SACDs and DVD-As through state-of-the-art preamps, power amps and speakers. At the other position, the output from the SACD player was first passed through the AD/DA converters of an HHB CD recorder and then through the same signal chain. The levels of the two sides were matched to within 0.1 dB, with the amplifier doing the matching in series with the CD recorder so no one could claim that it degraded the SACD signal. The test subjects used an
  7. Fender Pro Jr is also a possibility. I prefer low wattage amps so I can get some decent breakup at non-deafening volumes. +1 on the Pro Jr. Records like a dream.
  8. In one of this spring's Mix, the Insider Audio column is about a ABX study that two well-respected audio guys did. The findings: None, of the dozens of people tested, in hundreds of trials, on several different systems, could tell the difference between standard CD and SACD or DVD-A formats. They used a wide variety of people, from music students to pro engineers. They used a variety of systems, but all were very good and tightly controlled. They tested their hearing at 15K and up, but those with the best HF hearing did significantly worse in the test. The other interesting finding was that all the sources that were originally on higher res sources were thought to sound better, at either sampling rate. This was attributed to the fact that more care was put into the production, seeing as it was going to a higher res final project. MG PS - This test was done in Boston, Fletcher. You probably know the guys that either did it, or participated in it.
  9. My project studio is called "Howling Hose," after my buddy's pet Akita. MG
  10. And for an econ lesson. You said in your latest post that the guy charging $20/hr is charging way below the worth of his services. Worth is determined by the market. It is clear that those charging more than $20/hr have been charging more than their worth due to a non-competitive market. Now that people are able to do this stuff in their basement the hourly charges are leveling out and reaching equilibrium. You have a point. However, when you take a serious look at the numbers, the "new" hourly rate isn't viable, as far as being able to make a living doing engineering, for the most part. So, to my original point, in the long run, this guy is screwing himself, because after a few years he'll have to pay his own way, and the hourly rate he helped set will not allow him to do that. He will have to find another career to pay the bills, and record on the side, as a hobby. Bands will suffer, because when they want to step up to the next level, there will be no place to go, to do it. Believe me, anyone who's ever worked in a good mid-level room w/a competent engineer will NEVER wish they were back in their buddy's basement w/his M-Box. I don't know how much clearer I can make it... MG
  11. well said. He's not doing bad at all for his age.. he could either work at a grocery for store for 10$/hr or do what he loves for 8 hours a day and get paid $20/hr for it. Eventually once he starts investing more into his gear and builds a better portfolio, I'm sure he'll have no problem increasing his rate to $30.00. By doing this he'll beat out the competition by far and make a pretty good living. And this may work for a while, at least untl his parents get tired of having their house used as a studio. At that point, he'll need to do one of two things: 1. Open his own place. I wouldn't recommend this to my worst enemy, in this economic climate. 2. Affiliate w/an existing studio. This is the way to go, but they have to get paid, too. Either way, his rates will have to at least double, and his net pay will remain the same, or lower. Right now, his business model is skewed, because of a few things: 1. His parents are subsidizing his business, by providing a location and a place to live and probably even food. This is pretty major, as real estate is one of the bigger expenses involved in running a studio. The studio I worked at for many years paid $700/mo., just for electricity. 2. Equipment costs/maintenance. When he buys more gear, he has two choices - raise his rates and potentially risk driving away a large percentage of his work which will reduce his net income, or keep his prices set low and reduce his net income, because he spent money on gear. Suppose he has a weekend booked and something breaks? If it costs $300 to fix or replace - he's working for free. 3. I'm pretty sure he's not paying income tax, or any of the things that he'll need to pay for when he goes legit. When he hits 21, he'll need to get his own health insurance, which is several hundred/month. And w/o liability insurance, he's just one stupid musician away from ruination, if someone trips and falls at his parents' basement. My main point is that at the heart of it, the numbers just don't add up anymore...
  12. Oh and one more thing. It cracks me up that you talk about the kid going to a real studio and losing clients. Then why wouldn't he keep doing it in his basement? That doesn't make any sense. You said 'what is gonna happen when he goes to a real studio and can't make any money?'. He's gonna go back to his {censored}ing basement. Eventually, he'll need to leave his parents' house and make a living. Can he run a viable business on $20/hr.? Not likely, if you figure even the basics like taxes, insurance (health and liability) and utilities. He will be stuck - he can keep his rates the same and slowly go broke, or he can raise his rates and lose most of his clients to the next guy with an 003 in his basement. This is of his own doing, and neither one is exactly a "career path" to being an audio engineer. If you can't understand this, you need some Econ 101. MG
  13. I spent 4 hours and gave them good mixes and charged $100 They are coming back in November for more. And others are calling and asking about prices. I guess I might get busy. There are alot of farm boy rockers in this area. Is this what you do for a living?
  14. Whoa. Mark Gifford is one mad dude. That comment was completely irrelevant to the discussion in this thread. Mark, obviously you don't have the engineering talent, business skills, networking skills, etc. to make it as an audio engineer. I feel for you. It is unfortunate that a 21 year old living in his basement has more potential clients than you. Thanks for making that clear with the jealousy you so clearly expressed in your post. Maybe you were just born with {censored}ty ears. Put the blame on your mom for that, not the industry. Actually come to think of it, I'll bet the reason you aren't making a living in the recording business, when many others are, is because you are unlucky. I forgot about that luck thing. Or maybe it is because you spend more time posting about how {censored}ty the industry is on a message board than actually trying to run a better business. Totally relevant to the conversation, IMHO. Not jealous at all - the kid's doing good work. Unfortunately, he's also doing it almost for free, which is tanking the market. What do you think the bands he records for $20/hr. are going to do when he affiliates w/a real studio and has to start charging $50+/hr., because he has expenses, now? Sayonara, sucker. This isn't just my opinion - talk to almost anyone and ask them how business is. Or check the latest Mix and see what "A-list" room has just shut down... The market is changing, and the old paradigm isn't working anymore. It's time for a new one. I'll be the first to agree that a LOT of money was wasted back in the day. Just read Mixerman's Diaries, for an example of everything that was wrong with the old system. However, the fact that on the bottom, kids are doing work for free that's "good enough," and at the top, label budgets are shrinking by a magnitude doesn't bode well for making a living engineering... Like I said, if you're the cream of the crop, you'll be fine, just like in any field. Unfortunately, there's only a few of them, and the rest, who just want to do work they love and make a living wage, will be out of luck. MG PS - You're obviously new, so I'll overloook the ad hominem attack this time. As far as being angry, you may want to look in the mirror - that was one aggressive post, dude.
  15. ...Doesn't charge for mixing and mastering ...21 and lives with his parents ...something most people won't notice I'll throw a hand grenade here: You realize it's guys like this who have made it almost impossible to have a viable career as an audio engineer, don't you? Hopefully all of you are just interested in recording as a hobby, let alone spending thosuands to study it at a recording school... Try living in a major music center and keeping a roof over your head and food on the table for the $15-20 hr. you'll top out at, IF you can get work at all. There's always going to be a handful of "A-listers" who make good money, but you'd be SHOCKED at what the "A-minus" and below engineers are willing to work for, nowadays. Guys w/Gold and Platinum records on their walls... Interested in everyone's thoughts on this. MG
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