wgg (03/08/83)
I ought to stay out of this, but I have long had my own personal theory about loud music, particularly rock. Like any other analog device, the human ear has a region in its response where it becomes overdriven to the point where a 1 dB increase in input power is perceived as less than a 1 dB increase, and is accompanied by an increase in distortion. This is the region above so-called "peak linear" response. Again, like any other analog device, when the ear goes nonlinear, it perceives harmonics and intermodulation products that aren't in the input signal. When the input signal is music, the perceived harmonies have notes in them that aren't being played. Individual rock chords, as played, are pretty primitive, seldom if ever including anything more adventurous than the seventh. Played at low level, without distortion, (one common feature of electronic instruments used in rock is the ability to switch in deliberate distortion) the harmonies sound tame. So, it's played loud, and thereby gains a perceived harmonic richness it doesn't really have. On the opposite side of the coin, those who have listened to amplified jazz at similar levels have experienced the unpleasant "hashy" sound that all those intermodulation products can create in an eleventh or thirteenth chord.
ms (03/10/83)
I like loud music too. When appropriate. There is a difference
between loud music and distorted music, which is what I think the
original complaint was about. Also, there is a difference
between amplified and un-amplified music. This is in reference to
a comment about f and ff in music, band or orchestra. It would be
pretty difficult to play an unamplified instrument so loud as
to cause distortion (by the instrument itself), however I could
see it causing an overload on the ear, if close enough.
I have spent many years building up my stereo system. It is
worth around $3000 or so, I like to listen to good clean sound,
which often is loud, BUT, not distorted (at least not as much
as at some concerts). My complaint about loud sound, i.e.,
amplified instrument sound, is that often it seems that the only
objective of the group is to create tremendous distortion.
I was recently at a Heart concert, and I was greatly disappointed
in the sound mixing and volume level. The vocals were barely
audible above the instruments. I went home and listened to my
Heart records and could actually hear and understand the lyrics.
Is that too much to ask for at a concert?
Sometimes, the volume level of a musical group is proportional
to their talent. The louder they are, the less their talent.
Don't flame, I didn't say it's universally true. I've listened
to several Grateful Dead concerts, and they are loud, but they
have a tremendous sound system and for the most part it is
undistorted, listenable music. Do musical groups have no more
pride in the sound of their performances, or are their mixing
people deaf ??
Again, I too like loud music, but when the distortion hurts, or
it all becomes non-distinct, what is the value of listening to it???
It's depressing enough that time will reduce our hearing
sensitivity and frequency range, I see no reason to accelerate it.
Marc Sabransky
decvax!{mcnc or duke}!dvamc!ms