oo music just cannot survive even 1 dB of additional dynamic, a difference in volume between two tracks, compression. The first time I really heard the damage will make the softer one sounding less powerful... but was on the ASIA “Anthology” CD. I own all original once you level out the soft and loud tracks, you’ll hear CD’s and just thought it was something wrong with that there is “life” in the “unfucked” track that makes my CD walk man, or my stereo, later on I understood for a lot more pleasurable listening! what had been done. I still cannot hear that one, and have ripped the original CD’s and the difference is Ok, I have a band and one of the first things that huge on such bombastic music where every hertz is I said when we’re recording was: “No compression, packed at all times :) What we play is what we’ll hear” (Of course, no la- bel involved whatsoever). How do you feel when I think that music can have many definitions and bands or labels ask you to do something that you characteristics. Perhaps the best term that is ap- know will end up in a big pile of sh!t? Have you ever plied to our interview is “dynamic”. Taking a point refuse to record/produce/mix a band? of comparison, classical music should be the pur- Compression is a must. Not while recording, but for est and most beautiful form of making and playing making a kick ass mix you need compression. Tons music. And when we hear a piece, we hear some- of it. It actually creates a wider dynamic (to our ears) thing like, “allegro”, “andantino”, “fortissimo”, “pi- if you play around with the attack and release times. anissimo”, more intense or less intense. In short: The problem is that you need to kill all those added Dynamic. This should be present in ALL music. In dynamics while making the master, these days. Sucks your opinion, what is it that makes people listen to ass. There’s been a few masterings that I felt I couldn’t music in a totally unnatural way? do anything with since the material was already mixed The fault lies with the record company execs and “nor- so loud everything was distorting etc. But so far, I have mal people” that just doesn’t understand that levelling been able to rescue all the mix jobs. out all music to have the same loudness by adding volume to the soft (rather than the opposite) doesn’t Still the example of my band that can be extrapo- work without severe consequences. But then again, lated to thousands of bands out there, trying to do most don’t care. they listen to music in shitty in-ears something with their music. If we present you with on 128 kbps anyway. some material for you to mix for further presenta- tion to a label and say: “We want to be the loudest I’ve been reading carefully a very interesting article possible”. We do as we told or any time in the pro- on the website www.metal-fi.com - “The Dan Swanö cess you try to prove that this is not the right way to Challenge” (I encourage our readers to read it) as do things? well as some interviews. Something that most likely I am mixing an album at the moment, and that is very our readers (and guys with bands ...) have not real- loud but still it sounds fucking great and punchy be- ized is: when we enter a studio who’s responsible to cause I adapt the mix to work at louder levels of limit- Well, I must admit that this is one of the most complicat- choose (or not) the “loudness” or “dynamic”? From ing, and does whatever it takes for the mix to sound the what I understand, the label has the last word on the same before and after limiting. To receive a mix that ed but at the same time challenging interviews I’ve ever matter. Is the band merely a puppet or the result of a sounds great, but the drums are on the verge to be too done. I hope to be ble to make it interesting and that all our dialogue between the band / producer / mixer? “unpunchy” and then have to squeeze another 7dB of I am not saying that all labels are like this, but there’s volume out of it, that won’t work out. You need to get readers become elucidated on this matter. Dan “The Man” definitely a fear of having the new album by artist X the material to work at -6 dB DR5 and it should sound Swanö will tell us a little about what is the “Loudness War” sounding “weak” compared to some brick walled as close as possible to the mix without any limiting. stuff. That is for sure. The main problem is the way Usually it means adding tons of smack to the drums, Dan, it’s a pleasure to interview you, for the impor- such, shuffle play or random, introduced people to we listen to music today. In the old times, you put on that will be “eaten” by the limiter, so the outcome is tant person that you’re in Metal but, above all, for the difference in volume between various CD’s and a record, adjusted you Hi-Fi set to a good level...and just as punch as before limiting. This will never sound your (our) fight in this battle. music styles, and they we’re annoyed by that... but rocked out. When you made a mixtape you always as good as the “unfucked” but at a quick listen, it will rather than making the louder music more silent checked the volume before you recorded that other be pretty alike, since the amount of punch is there... … to open hostilities, nothing better than “The (which can be done without fucking things up soni- track, so the mix tape would have a nice balance, and but when you kill the dynamics other shit happens... Man” to explain to us what is this scourge plaguing cally) they made the quiter stuff louder using software you wouldn’t need to reach for the volume knob at all. it’s a bit like having a 40m2 living room, then have to music today. Dan, what is it the “Loudness War”? that mercilessly raped the fine-tuned original, make But once everything was files and you had 150.000 il- move all the stuff into a 20 m2 room...all the stuff will Hard to explain, but it’s a process where a perfectly them harder to listen to. All just to “even out” the bal- legally downloaded MP3’s on your PC, and no smart be there, but it just won’t feel the same because the fine mix will have to suffer going through a process ance between various styles and mixes. Although it way of levelling them all out...this became a “problem” space that made the room work before is gone.... that only makes sound worse, in order to stand up may work on a theoretical level. Just apply limiting to for the “normal consumer” Some stuff was for the ear- to music that can take a good pounding (like rap make all the music have the same result when being ly days of CD and some was the latest coolest, totally In the process of giving ourselves known to the la- and other crap..) Since the introduction of iPods and measured with a meter... but the problem is that some brick walled hit single and since our hearing is very bels we “only” have one version on CD – with good 2 3 dynamics, I think. Do you think that’s a good idea classical so much. But it seems a lot of people who’s in pushed the levels up with a limiter, but I turned the scene, Lars Ulrich, had this to say concerning the that we – “the small bands” – present the labels with charge seem to believe that “make it loud” is an option out gain from the limiter down with as much volume “Loudness War” and the piece of sh!t that was the two versions for they to choose? One “loud” and the without consequences. Just like “make it red, rather as I was adding to it, and always compared to the “vi- sound/production/mix of “Death Magnetic”: other “fully dynamic”? This would be a good way to than green” but in this case, making something like nyl mix” and had a bus of extra transients from the “Listen, there’s nothing up with the audio quality. It’s fight this problem or would simply postpone it? Metallicas Black album -5 dB RMS DR4 would alter drums that I added to the limited version, and tried 2008, and that’s how we make records. [Producer] The problem is that each production is always com- the mix A LOT and those punchy drums would sound to emulate the punch from the vinyl mix as much as Rick Rubin’s whole thing is to try and get it to sound pared to other productions. Once there is a loud CD as if played with mallets! I could. lively, to get it to sound loud, to get it to sound excit- that sound great and punchy (Usually with triggered ing, to get it to jump out of the speakers. Of course, drums or drum machine) there is “proof” that it can In your quest to prove the music industry (and lis- Something that I admire very much is that vinyl I’ve heard that there are a few people complaining.