| Author | Message | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 11796 Registered: 5-2002 |
Although I'm nowhere near the point of having a finished tune, much less a CD, I just realized that I don't know how much, if any, silence should proceed, and follow, the musical content in a recording. When the listener pushes the play button on their device, should the content begin immediately, or should there be one or two seconds of silence? I titled this thread "Questions about recording" since it seems reasonable to suspect that I'll have other questions come up from time to time, and other members might have questions as well. | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1887 Registered: 10-2006 |
Hmm. The last time I made that decision it was in inches of leader tape..... Peter | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 11797 Registered: 5-2002 |
I think the answer is little to none. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 4275 Registered: 5-2009 |
Dave, 2 seconds is a popular timing for that application (in between program material selections). Wolf | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 11798 Registered: 5-2002 |
Wolf; are the two seconds created when the CD is being made? My question relates to the edited WAV file for one song. Are you suggesting that there be one second of silence at the beginning and end of each recording? Or are you suggesting that two seconds be placed between each recording on the CD? | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 4276 Registered: 5-2009 |
Dave , Yes ,that two seconds to be placed between each recording on the CD. Wolf | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 11799 Registered: 5-2002 |
Thanks! | ||
| pauldo
Senior Member Username: pauldo Post Number: 1510 Registered: 6-2006 |
Unless you want to keep the listener on their toes! A friend created a CD and there is a variance of 'silence' (tacet?) time between songs. It can create a tension and or anticipation for the listener. *providing the listener is sitting down to hear the whole 'album'. . . do people still do that? Personally I prefer to listen to a complete album to really delve into the artists intent during the recording of the project. | ||
| cje
Intermediate Member Username: cje Post Number: 177 Registered: 5-2009 |
You'd almost certainly want the content of each track to begin immediately, I'd think. That's what I've always done. The art is what you do at the end - there is no rule. I'd think about the album as a whole, and the song-to-song flow. Silence (or lack thereof) is part of that flow, and there is no gap length that works for every transition. I do a fair amount of mastering (not just for me, but for clients as well), and there really is an art to constructing the flow and pace of an album. When you burn a standard CD, 2 seconds of silence is inserted PRIOR to the start of the first track, but it's not something that you have to listen through when you play that track, and it is not included in the track's total running time - it's just part of the disc format. | ||
| adriaan
Moderator Username: adriaan Post Number: 3245 Registered: 6-2002 |
Medeski-Martin-Wood / Combustication has a ghost track - there's a long silence at the end of the last track, followed by a jam that's a really pleasant surprise. | ||
| stout71
Advanced Member Username: stout71 Post Number: 256 Registered: 7-2011 |
I'd also add that pushing play on a CD player will not yield instant sound. It takes a second (or at least a few milliseconds) for the song to start. I agree completely about a couple of seconds between tracks. The space, regardless of where on the CD you want it, is usually done in the mastering process. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 11800 Registered: 5-2002 |
Thanks everyone; that make's sense. And yes; how do people listen to, and acquire, music now? Do they purchase actual CD's, or do they download songs; to they download a whole album or just individual songs? My first test of the new recorder seems to have gone well. Now the hard part is actually playing the songs properly. | ||
| gtrguy
Senior Member Username: gtrguy Post Number: 890 Registered: 9-2004 |
There is special CD burning software that lets you tweak all this. It is important that the CDs be burnt 'all at once'. Most typical CD software will burn each track 'one at a time' and this can throw off gaps between songs and commercial duplicating software, should you decide to have your CDs duped so you can sell them. Cakewalk Pyro is supposed to be a good CD burning package for your original music. Fade ins and outs are also important. | ||
| hieronymous
Senior Member Username: hieronymous Post Number: 1522 Registered: 1-2005 |
I will preface this with a note that I have only put my music out online, and only for free on sites like Soundcloud. I have my tracks start almost immediately - don't cut it too close though, you can leave a little bit of space at the beginning - I found early on while recording that if I cut it to the almost exact instant of the beginning, it would sometimes get cut off when played. Then I leave space at the end of the track. I don't like to let the computer add time between tracks, I'd prefer to do it myself. On the Mac, it asks if you want to add 2 seconds between songs, I always say no. Good question about how people listen to music now. CDs seem antiquated now, though I am sure that many people still listen to them, myself included. I think it's partly age-related and what people are familiar with, and also convenience related - on a recent 6-hour drive I had a bag full of CDs, but having everything on an mp3 player would probably make sense, especially if that's how it was purchased. | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1628 Registered: 6-2002 |
My favorite silence ,or "thick air" ;) ...is the pause in Blackbird. It got me . https://youtu.be/BrxZhWCAuQw?t=2m17s I look forward to your creations Dave. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 11801 Registered: 5-2002 |
Thanks Elwood! |
