Flood or desert?

[Cus]

I've been listening to today's music in comparison to yesterday's. One significant difference is the wetness. Wetness meaning reverb. Not necessarily a bunch of effects, but reverb. Reverb on different instruments and vocals has been diminished so much as of late that it brings about an alternate feel to music today. A perfect example is "And I'm Telling You" by Jennifer Hudson and Jennifer Holiday. The later version sounds completely dry compared to the original. And that in itself brings on a huge difference. It was the one thing I was able to notice first.
"Dry" music has become notorious lately which has a feel on its own. I personally prefer the earlier feel of the right amount of "verb" on sounds and vox. If done properly mix wise, you can flood the "verb" and it won't feel too bad. I wanted to know how you guys felt.....

[thedrumknockerz]

I feel the same way only because there's no room given to each instrument including the voice in the mixes nowadays. It's all set to the middle. Reason/Record kinda gives us old school new producers the edge when it comes to that because the sounds and samples are recorded in a room with the natural reverb and then it gives all types of configs to mix each sound with. There's no excuse besides cats being lazy or even plain not having access to the outboard gear; and, the person in charge of picking the music being satisfied with just the track like it is. Music making/recording is not how it used to be where you've got everyone in the room into the process. Therefore we tend to lose some of the integrity and intensive ears. The heads are like, "If it bumps, it bumps." straight cheeze.

[Marol]

I think alot of this is due the "tastes" changing for the mixing engineer and overall the public. People want upfront and loud, and reverb pulls thing back. So reduce the reverb, and it pushes the vocal up in the mix. Just listen to the vocals on any Jason Mraz song or any mainstream hip hop track. Upfront and reverb-reduced. Now go listen to the "La Di Da Di" or "Can I Live". Reverb, it all about what the artist wants to convey to the listening public.


-1-

[thedrumknockerz]

Well, listen to Shook Ones Pt. 2 and there's reverb and space all in that track, and it BUMPS!!! But, that could be due to the need for making the drums sound bigger than they actually were, then making the electric keys and horns and stabs fill up the space they were intended to.

[dkelloway]

Well, listen to Shook Ones Pt. 2 and there's reverb and space all in that track, and it BUMPS!!! But, that could be due to the need for making the drums sound bigger than they actually were, then making the electric keys and horns and stabs fill up the space they were intended to.

yeah there's a massive amount of reverb on the snare. Just speed up the track and you'll realize just how much there is.

[Cus]

I did a couple of sessions wit havoc. As yall know, he truncates his snares so much that he starts to clip the end off. (His personal signature) then the heavy verb to make it resonate almost giving the illusion of additional meat on the snare. I didn't care for it initially, then realized the genius in it later....

[dkelloway]

I did a couple of sessions wit havoc. As yall know, he truncates his snares so much that he starts to clip the end off. (His personal signature) then the heavy verb to make it resonate almost giving the illusion of additional meat on the snare. I didn't care for it initially, then realized the genius in it later....

that's dope...that's how he gets his drums to be so tight!

[d.C.]

I did a couple of sessions wit havoc. As yall know, he truncates his snares so much that he starts to clip the end off. (His personal signature) then the heavy verb to make it resonate almost giving the illusion of additional meat on the snare. I didn't care for it initially, then realized the genius in it later....

that's an interesting technique, never thought of doing anything like that. guess i know what i'll be playing with when i get to the studio...

[Sa'id]

I did a couple of sessions wit havoc. As yall know, he truncates his snares so much that he starts to clip the end off. (His personal signature) then the heavy verb to make it resonate almost giving the illusion of additional meat on the snare. I didn't care for it initially, then realized the genius in it later....

There you go: signature sounds can be created by the most simplest modifications! Great post, Cus...

—Sa'id

[Jegie]

in my personal opinion i think that vocals should have some amount of reverb on them, and try to blend them in the with the instrumental, i see vocals as another instrument that should mesh well with the rest of the instruments, when the vocals are sitting on top of the beat it just doesn't sound right to me, like they are an afterthought thats just there.

[anomaly]

My 2 cents...

It probably comes down what sound or setting your going after.Doing ambient type structures requires those type of effects on the other hand the era we live now,with everything "HIDEF" requires that crisp clean sound to it.