Chapter 1648 1648 Album Mastering

"Hugo, let's go to the car test, do you want to join us?" Pedro walked towards the door and shouted to Hugo who was lying on the sofa.

But he was only halfway through when he was pulled by Neil next to him. Pedro looked at Neil in a puzzled way, and Neil whispered, "He didn't rest all night last night." News of the album has started to buzz, but the band has been busy rehearsing for the concert.

The band's practice last night lasted until three o'clock, but after the rest of the partners went back, Hugo stayed in the practice room. When Neil came over at seven in the morning, Hugo still hadn't slept. After practicing for more than two hours just now, Hugo was still tired after the break. He lay on the sofa and closed his eyes, but fell asleep immediately.

Pedro couldn't help but glance at Hugo, and then whispered, "But last time we went to listen to the master tape test, Hugo didn't pass, and if we miss the car test today, Hugo will definitely be unhappy. ."

It is now 1996. Although the level of album recording has been very high, it still has a huge dependence on the environment, and the recording quality is very easily disturbed by the environment. They all think they're crazy. Therefore, when an album is recorded, it needs to be tested. This test consists of two parts.

One is the mastering test in the studio, which is to use professional audio equipment to play, to pick on the recording effect, and feel the high-quality and high-level experience; the other is the car test, which is to use low-quality and low-level audio to test listening. Effect, car audio is the most typical "bad" audio, look at the listening effect in harsh environments.

The album "Rainstorm" is divided into two parts, the studio part and the outdoor part, because there are so many uncertainties, so this also makes the importance of the master test and the car test skyrocket.

Not long ago, Hugo missed the mastering test because of a promotional event, and later it was an intensive concert rehearsal, so Hugo has not heard the recording effect of the entire album of "Rainstorm" until now. Today's car test, Hugo doesn't want to miss it.

Neil knew that Pedro was right. Hugo had worked so hard on this album, and the band members knew better than anyone. It could be said that it was a milestone album to the death of glory. However, Neil also knew about Hugo's recent exhaustion. The 100,000-person concert had already put Hugo under pressure, and Cameron was still in a cold war with Hugo... So Neil didn't know what to do for a while.

After hesitation, a figure walked directly past Pedro, and the deep voice came from his ear, "Hugo is not as fragile as you think..." Then he saw Fu Jin's back walking forward , Fu Jin walked to the sofa, kicked the sofa hard, Hugo was awakened immediately, a carp sat up straight, then turned his head blankly and looked around, rubbed his eyes forcefully, and said in a muffled voice, "When is it?"

Fu Jin simply replied, "Car test time."

Hugo immediately stood up and stretched, "Go!" When he walked to the door, he saw Neil and Pedro standing at the door, and asked in surprise, "What are you doing blocking here?" Then passed between the two of them, "Alfonso, wait for me... Are you driving today? Who are you planning to drive?" Hugo and Alfonso gradually walked away.

Fujin came over, looked at Neil and Pedro who were standing at the door and didn't recover, patted the two on the shoulders, and without saying a word, passed through the two of them and walked out. After a while, the two of them chased after them.

To test the acoustics, the band did not drive the members' own cars today, but drove out of Alex's old battered pickup truck. Alfonso drove, the biggest Fokin sat in the passenger seat, and the other three sat in the back seat. The pickup truck drove out slowly. In order to test the sound effect, Alfonso drove towards the lively area. And go.

There was a familiar melody in the car, and Hugo listened carefully, but he was mostly feeling the listening effect of the master tape. As expected, there was no problem with the A side recorded in the studio. Although there was a lot of noise in the car audio, it still did not affect the whole sound. The quality of the album. But I haven't started listening to the B-side recorded in the outdoor studio. Hugo has already begun to worry about the effect, because the noise of the car audio can't be ignored at all, and in the albums they recorded outdoors, the ambient noise is originally a part of the background music, which is unpredictable. How does it sound.

"How was the B-side effect in the previous mastering test?" Hugo asked loudly.

"Very good." The answer was Neil, "Those noises are more like a natural part of the arranging process, we paid attention to this during the recording process, and the overall effect far exceeded expectations. It even feels better than the A-side, with more enthusiasm and surging that belongs to rock, and it seems that your idea has been successful."

"I also think it's good. Side A and Side B are excellent." Pedro raised his hands and quickly clarified himself, causing both Alfonso and Neil to chuckle.

Hugo didn't smile. He pursed his lips and didn't speak. No matter what the effect was, he still had to wait until he heard it himself before he knew, "By the way, is the price set?"

Since this "Storm" is a double-sided disc package, the price will definitely not be the price of a single-sided disc. For some time ago, Henry had been negotiating this issue with EMI: because EMI wanted to double the price Listed, this really made the members of the glory to death angry.

An album on the market today generally costs thirteen dollars -- that's $12.99, and if "Rainstorm" costs twice as much, it's $26, which is way too high. It is reminiscent of Michael Jackson's "History" album. The financially obsessed Sony Columbia Records directly priced this two-disc album at $33, which directly affected the album's sales.

In fact, the B-side of "Rainstorm" was completely the band's own idea. They even planned to give the B-side free as a giveaway for the concert. In the end, Roger Fasson compromised. Only the outdoor recording version can be released as it is. But now, EMI hopes to make profits through the B-side, and the price has been doubled - it is completely selling the B-side as a regular album, which is contrary to the original intention of Glory to Death.

In fact, the idea of ​​EMI is not unexpected for businessmen to pursue profits, but the problem is that the B side is only a test product, it is more the product of the collision of countless thoughts and inspirations during the production of the third album. What is on the disc is the essence and soul of Glory to Death as a rock band, so they hope to let the fans listen carefully through the free concert. It is not a formal studio album, nor a formal one. Live concert album.

Therefore, Glory to Death is naturally strongly opposed to EMI's decision. Henry couldn't understand the temper of Glory to Death. Before the band members protested, he took the lead in negotiating with EMI Records.

When it comes to pricing, Glory to Death has no say, and EMI has the absolute legal right to enforce it - not even Michael Jackson was able to stop Sony Columbia's style. But Henry still tried his best to convince EMI, trying to make EMI understand that their strategy was wrong, and they might shoot themselves in the foot, and the loss was Glory to Death and EMI, and Mariah Carey And Oasis would be happy to see it happen.

It's just that I don't know what the conclusion of EMI Records is.

"Fourteen ninety-nine." Neil gave the answer in a straightforward manner, Hugo raised his eyebrows slightly, two dollars more expensive than a normal album, which is fifteen dollars. This is an acceptable range. And many of the album's custom, collector's edition or special edition will be the price, not expensive.

"Roger must have spent a lot of effort." Hugo chuckled lightly. After all, adding a CD to the album would cost a lot. EMI's willingness to add only two dollars was a big chunk of meat.

"Cut, they didn't spend much money anyway." Pedro scoffed, because the recording of the B-side disc was all at his own expense, and EMI didn't cost anything at all. Everyone in the compartment laughed lightly.

Looking at the slowly receding scenery outside the window, the melody slowly flowed from the bad sound of the car, and sometimes there was the chaotic noise and noise of the block. Hugo listened carefully, and every song slowly emerged in his mind. In the recording situation at that time, every detail of the picture was so vivid that it could even outline the scene when he wrote the song. Even if the lyrics were not carefully distinguished, the musical symbols penetrated through the layers of protection and hit the heart. Above, convey the emotion accurately and profoundly. As Neil said, the B-side worked surprisingly well.

Everything was as Hugo expected at the beginning, and the effect of the B-side recorded in the outdoor studio of "Rainstorm" was exactly what he expected. place. This made Hugo take a long sigh of relief, and the smile on the corner of his mouth quietly climbed up. After the last track of the album was played, Hugo was about to talk to his teammates. He didn't want the CD to continue running. Immediately, the clear and translucent guitar strings poured down.

This unfamiliar but familiar melody made Hugo immediately stunned, and his entire brain immediately crashed, unable to think anything. This... this is not right! This song shouldn't appear in "Rainstorm". To be more precise, this song shouldn't be heard by anyone at all, but what's going on?