Published 12/1/09
SOS reader researches the commercial effect of extreme dynamics-processing
His 77-page dissertation details the recent catalysts for discussion on over-compression, such as the reaction to the release of Metallica’s Death Magnetic album in 2008, and goes on to display the research in graphical form; there are over 300 charts!
Back in November, we had an email from SOS reader Dave Viney, a post-graduate student from London College of Music, who was keen to tell us about some research he was carrying out for a report called ‘The Obsession With Compression’.
As you might guess from the title of Dave’s report, he was looking into the correlation between compression (the dynamics-processing type) and commercial success in popular music, which has been widely discussed in recent months and years in the music press and the wider media.
Since Dave was first in touch with SOS, he’s polled 36 producers and engineers from around the world (with a little help from the UK’s MPG and APRS), set up listening panels, analysed music sales records, and taken detailed measurements of the loudness of commercial material using a meter borrowed from DK Technologies.
His 77-page dissertation details the recent catalysts for discussion on over-compression, such as the reaction to the release of Metallica’s Death Magnetic album in 2008, and goes on to display the research in graphical form; there are over 300 charts!
Summarising the report, Dave comments, “there is no evidence of any significant correlation between actual loudness (and thus overall compression) and commercial success. Furthermore, assessments suggest that less-compressed material is more pleasant-sounding”. He concludes, “the obsession with compression tends to limit commercial success!”.
Having completed his report, Dave is hoping to establish himself as a part-time researcher for the music business. He can be contacted at dave-viney@btconnect.com.
