I thought Quiet Was The New Loud? I can't keep up. >From: synchro1 >Reply-To: audities@smoe.org >To: audities >Subject: no surprise >Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2007 07:51:23 -0700 (GMT-07:00) > >http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007250708,00.html > >Official, rock music is too loud > >By THOMAS WHITAKER >June 04, 2007 > >MUSIC chiefs were blasted last night for using computer wizardry to make >new albums louder than ever. > >Bosses are artificially enhancing sound levels as they believe the noisier >a record is, the more copies it will sell. > >But music lovers say some tracks are now so distorted they can make >listeners feel nauseous. > >And Britain’s leading studio engineers have launched a campaign to make >records range in levels to avoid one loud blur. > >Among records blasted by engineers is the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ >Californication which some branded “unlistenable”. An online petition >has even been launched to have it “remastered”. > >Other albums slated by studio experts are works by Oasis, the Arctic >Monkeys and Lily Allen. > >Peter Mew, senior mastering engineer at London’s Abbey Road Studios — >where The Beatles made many of their hits — said: “Record companies are >competing in an arms race to make their album the loudest. The quieter >parts are becoming louder and the loudest parts are just becoming a buzz. >This could be the reason CD sales are in a slump.” > >Geoff Emerick, an engineer on the Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s album, said: >“A lot of what is released today is basically a scrunched up mess. > >“Whole layers of sound are missing. It’s because record companies >don’t trust listeners to decide themselves if they want to turn the >volume up.” > >Singing legend Bob Dylan, 66, said: “Modern records are atrocious. >There’s no definition of anything — just static.” > >Val Weedon of the UK Noise Association called for a ceasefire in the >“loudness war”. > >And one record boss admitted: “New techniques are causing our listeners >fatigue.” > >t.whitaker@the-sun.co.uk > >