An afternoon at Scape Mastering with Stefan Betke (Pole)

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Great interview John! I hope your viewers will start to understand that dynamic range compression is, and has always been a creative tool for recording, mixing, and mastering engineers. Also the engineers work FOR the client (the band, producer, record label) and they're usually asking the engineers to compress the music to make it louder. It's not the other way around, evil mastering engineers compressing the hell out of the music to screw it up. Artists are afraid to have their music be quieter than other music on Spotify or KZbin. I wish bands could offer their music in two mixes, the maximally compressed version AND a less compressed version, then everyone would be happy. The reason that's not happening are limited budgets, additional mixing and mastering fees are prohibitive for most bands/labels. Hey, remember most music fans aren't audiophiles, non audiophiles prefer the louder the better.

[@Nephilim-81]

Right you are Steve! My biggest gripe is that bands and audio engineers alike don’t understand the concept of volume equalization/normalization. You don’t have to crush the crap out of your music to have it loud as hell on Spotify or even Radio for that matter. People are stupid and it is such a weak excuse to brick wall ones sound. 😡

[@ChristianGoergen]

Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac Betke made it clear. Dynamic compression is a commercial tool, not an artistic tool. Dance tracks aren't audiophile demo tracks anyway. The concept of naturalness doesn't apply. On the other hand, bass is bass. Whether it's Bach organ works or DJ Shadows's The Mountain Will Fall. Vinyl is not able to reproduce a credible last octave.

[@johnsweda2999]

shouldn't the engineer convince the artist about dynamic range if he did two recordings in final mixing one with heavy dynamic range and one with little if they can hear what they're listening wouldn't this change their minds, artist don't know better or produces they are just taking orders from high like record companies. It's temperamental to the own longevity I believe, You take an artist who knows about arrangement active dynamic range these records usually do a lot better in there market place and stand the test of time. Because they are pleasant to listen to and people find them relaxing. If it's just all squashed it's ok on the radio and you're doing something else and it might have a memorable rhythm beat but this doesn't last long just for the moment. I can't understand why they can't produce two copies these days it's a lot easier with downloads streaming, you can choose to have a low compression tracks or something that has been highly compressed give the buying public the opportunity to choose should it be the case.

[@Britishbandogge]

The, potentially, blessed positive from the digital realm (apart from the convenient) is that maybe a compression limit/agreement is in the ether. It's entirely feasible, and quite reasonable. But would take some cooperation between artists, studios, labels, lawyers... Compression wars may ensue, the artists and associated labels would revolt, platforms/providers would start battling, then the U.N of audio may have to get involved... may be a pipe dream 😔

[@michaelfitzgerald8835]

Fascinating! Please keep the "tangental" items coming, it's not all about the gear. The deeper and more informed our understanding of the incredible complexities of the subtle art of capturing and reproducing music, the greater our ability to appreciate the wonderful variety of formats and technology we have available to enjoy music the way we want. Thanks John.

[@miroslavbazitov183]

It took me 30 min to listen and look at him to say to myself - this should be Pole! Love this man’s music. Once before his live set I thought that he is the stage technician - and now listening to this interview - he is a superb technician (saying it in with my upmost respect).

[@calebkeen8967]

This is one of the most informative, best produced videos that you've released in the past two years. Many thanks to you and to Mr. Betke!

[@gudmundurThor96Nr2]

I can not understand why people don´t just turn up the volume, if they are constantly complaining about it not being loud enough. Thank you for this interview

[@janezzumer1639]

Love the dedication! "I can really try thousand versions and then it is done." :) Thank you both!

[@Bong050188]

That's was amazing. I could listen to him talking about audio engineering all day. Good stuff John.

[@dionmartin]

Really great interview! I enjoyed it very much, and I now have a better understanding of compression and what the loudness war is all about. Great job mr Darko and thank you to mr Betke,

[@yaanno]

Stefan should do a masterclass, he is not just an amazing and inspiring musician but a great engineer :)

[@adolphhernandez7615]

This is probably the best explanation I have seen regarding compression, different source mastering and the physical limitations of vinyl. Every audiophile should watch this interview. As awlays John, great work! An added bonus to this videao is that I have discovered Pole, I've been listening his music the last two days.

[@miguelbarrio]

This was fabulous! Talk about format differences! So nice to see this laid out so clearly. I found the concept of changing a track to make it work well on vinyl particularly interesting. Thx.

[@rotaks1]

Thanks for this episode. Very educational. Lots of things to think about. Keep up this good work!

[@garethmillers5453]

Incredible. Thank you. ❤️🤙🏼😎

[@matthewhilty4209]

What an interesting video. I will have to rewatch to see if I missed anything. The explanation of the use of dynamic range compression was very informative. He even explained one the problems I have been trying to solve on my turntable and a possible solution.

[@laurentfontanel893]

So great. Thank you so much.

[@FirstNameLastName-tb3rm]

Fantastic interview. Some real insightful knowledge. 👍🏻

[@FerIsella]

great. thanks!

[@barrybrennan2135]

He seems format agnostic for the most part - which is to say, whatever sounds best for him is the best. Sometimes vinyl, sometimes CD. Much better than the absolutism you read on fora. I like it all too, low bitrate included. Also interesting about technics arm and resonant frequencies etc, though I gather on the newer G and GR editions this has been addressed somewhat.

[@xaosm_os]

really nice interview, I listened to it 3 times.

[@wolvesrunhere115]

This is such a treat ! Great interview and content. Betke is a MASTER! (Pun intended)

[@jemandhuman5039]

Interesting topics, no bullshit, well explained, danke Herr Betke!

[@G1installs]

Fascinating. Especially the explanation about vinyl cutting vs CD. Great questions.

[@jonass.4449]

Very good! Please more content like this. Super interesting. Thanks!!! Love Your hear cut.. :)))

[@studog7851]

Thats was great. Thanks again Darko. An excellent insight.

[@alext2933]

What absolutely fabulous content John. I consider myself a true hifi nerd and yet this has given me a different perspective on what I thought mastering actually was, especially regarding the differing format constraints. A real eye opener. Glad you decided to do it. We will forgive all the ATC panning shots.... 🙂

[@Nephilim-81]

Honestly this interview is fantastic and will really help educate people on how the music business works for loudness demands and how great mastering and mixing is what really makes a piece of music sound like what people claim as ‘hi-res’. Audio engineers are members of the band. They are that important. Something recorded in 24/96k with shit mastering and mixing will still sound like shit. The old saying. You can’t polish a turd. And lastly. 16/44.1 redbook cd format is more than enough bandwidth to make your music shine. No limitations!! Wake up people!

[@dantoti657]

Now is the time on Sprockets we dance;) Thanks for the great videos and education!!

[@LordVictorHalgaard]

This is probably the first music professional I've come across that sounds like he's doing things right - or at the very least trying to, when hes allowed.

[@dougleydorite]

So everyone is doing everything wrong except this one guy 😂

[@brandonburr4900]

John, Thank you for this interview. I wish somebody would do more interviews with mastering engineers and music producers. Maybe if we got more interviews out there folks would realize all the loudness wars are no good. I had no idea concessions ( taking out pieces in the music) like he was talking about had to be done cutting vinyl. And even certain music sounding better on a not as high end of a turntable. Thanks!

[@bollingbryant]

It seems to me that the mastering engineer is suggesting that vinyl can sound better than a CD with certain types of music, and particularly within the time envelope in which the music was originally recorded. I like it when he states that different formats should not be directly compared because they serve different purposes. Great interview! Great work John!

[@grungemax]

Great content John. Thanks.

[@gerard6771]

Very very educational.

[@cillyede]

Sehr gut und interessant. Danke!

[@normalman6686]

Darko rolls on from strength to strength.

[@thesoundizerav4956]

Fascinating. I like the questions you asked, which is what I also was curious of.

[@bukwok]

boom! done! fantastic!

[@comiplaynow4624]

Thanks ! Great item.

[@TonyMartello]

5 year old video now but still very relevant and informative, thanks guys

[@deevnn]

Fantastic interview

[@stevep2111]

What a fab insight into Mastering. Thank you so much. Quick question at 34:27 Stefan says he prefers vinyl from Jazz artists or from a time era do you think or did you interpret that he thinks that most genres of music were better on vinyl before CD and Digital came about and that putting them on CD and Digital downloads don't sound as good? Or do you think he just prefers the sound of vinyl? My buying habits now are if it came out on Vinyl only buy it on Vinyl, but if it was digitally mastered buy it on CD but the 80's which is my era really leave me buying both as this is the era that CD came in. The mid 80's are just confusing to buy a format so I end up buying both! (Always trying to get the earliest version)

[@cornerliston]

My personal guess is that he prefers jazz on vinyl for the most but later on recordings and mastering understood how to interpret the jazz into digital recordings better, hence a quality Stefan can enjoy on CD. You have to remember that working with sound as Stefan does makes his ears a lot more trained than most listeners-even people like you and me that probably think we have good ears. My point being that Stefan hears things in music most other people wouldn't know about.

[@jeremyyang7207]

love this darko!

[@cryptout]

Very interesting. I stoped buying vinyl a few years ago, glad I did.

[@josvanzetten]

Verry interesting interview, thanks for that.

[@juanmillaruelo7647]

Fascinating. The medium/message interplay in different media opened my eyes to things we experience but often do not understand. Horses for courses. Electronic music? Don't use vinyl, it's too limiting and unsuited to the genre!. He didn't mention the fact that vinyls by their very nature have constant rotational speed and not constant linear speed on the groove, so outer tracks have more 'elbow room' for dynamic peaks that would be clobbered in the inside grooves leading to RIAA eq and all that. In the early 70's the audio fuss was about stylus compliance allowing lower and lower pressure, down to less than 1 gram. (50's turntables exerted 10 gram pressure.) But we never got around to changing tone arms butchering our Dual 1019 turntables. SME tonearms were available, as well as pro rigs sold 'sans' tonearm. Tonearm resonance was believed to be mastered. The evolution both of music and of media places extra demands on the tonearm. And the leading cartridges (Shure, Empire, Pickering, Ortofon) were MM, not MC. Jazz, rock, classical music didn't demand so much of vinyl medium as some contemporary music does today.

[@cooptrol]

Stefan is #1 !! Awesome person as well

[@AndreiAleskovskii]

Good work, man!

[@alessandrolucabianchi3433]

Superb!

[@c_gates]

could someone point me towards the tracks that can be heard at various points throughout this?

[@DavideSacco73]

Nice camera work on the neumann vms 70 close up details, very 3d_ish

[@Diatonic5th]

Excellent work!

[@leemartin2978]

Really interesting, thanks 👍

[@SloxcsProductions]

Superb interesting video, thanks!

[@JJTMARQUES]

Great Interview, just missed talking about the DSD format and what Mr Stefan Betke thinks without comparing with CD, vinyl etc.

[@miguelbarrio]

I got the impression that for this guy redbook was plenty resolution. I would say well recorded/mastered redbook sounds amazing.

[@ahmadieb]

love those atc speakers O.O

[@Beprelim_official]

Brilliant! 👏🏻 One day, I hope to be able to afford ATC monitors. Until then, I’ll focus on HEDD’s Type 20. It was interesting to know more about vinyls and how they translate EDM music, as I’m a Tech House Producer. Keep these types of videos coming.

[@Stelios.Posantzis]

Very sound fella (no pun intended) and a very interesting perspective on audio and recording highlighting some of the issues or the recording process.

[@Sampardhanani]

Interesting this time

[@jlong-ov5dz]

whats the track at 19:40 (or so)....?

[@bcccl569]

fantastic interview! a follow-up talk with rashad becker (of d&m) would be a treat.

[@hukl3945]

Nice interview! Will consider this guy when my band will finally make a vinyl :) Would've been interesting what he'd have to say about hi-res audio as well. I feel like mixers and masterers have the most down to earth approach about these kind of subject.

[@sarundayo]

How does an audio engineer listens to music, gear wise? Do they have amps, dacs, and/or headphones/speakers that are designed for it?

[@bolttracks]

Most of us do it in the studio or with good headphones. Funny thing is that none of the audio engineers I know would consider themselves audiophiles by any stretch of the imagination.

[@topside3]

Good vid! Bah bah bah

[@jezuschrystus4837]

Vinyl Records rules!

[@scottcarlon6318]

Wish these engineers would grow a set and tell their clients, “if you don’t like it, find somebody else “ instead of compromising your own judgement for money. If they were right from the start, they would get a reputation of excellence and will have more customers than they handle. His would also force product play back machines to up their game.

[@eddylam224]

Poor guy. I feel his pain, lol. My clients always get reminded shout the need to add more branding on their assets.

[@iamspetry]

Every "audiophile" should watch this excellent interview

[@oliivioljy9700]

Personally, I prefer to follow the development path of the Genelec company, and not the old world. Because I only do hifi listening mostly with their Digital/dsp speakers in my living room. Antiquity enthusiasts follow the old doctrines, let them stick to those doctrines.

[@pauldavies6037]

The Loudness war still wins forget about any wide dynamic on all popular music recorded in the last 30 years

[@janwillemkuilenburg7561]

Intriguing interview! But in this video as well there is a loudness war between vocals and the background, excuse me, foreground music.

[@zjzozn]

👂🤓👂

[@jareknowak8712]

Silberfish. I have this yellow record. I know Pole bc His music was used in Polish TV Theatre.

[@jareknowak8712]

Great interview. Knowledge, understanding, passion. A true pro.

[@senseii562]

Wats di prices for dem now👽👽👽

[@1950flandert]

ATC speakers wow

[@LordVictorHalgaard]

If artists would just allow their music to be released with proper dynamic range and no compression, exploring new music would be much more enjoyable. At the moment a lot of it just makes my ears bleed, and might sound fun for a minute, but is not actually impressive, immersive or interesting in the long run. Records/tracks I actually want to come back to and listen to again or show others are so rare...

[@BastianUllr]

The problem is Ignorance. The problem for everything is always ignorance. Thanks for this interview. In my book, a song that sounds softer is a better song already. Crank the volume and be amazed by the changes in volume, because these things are the changes in emotion and expression. It's the difference of sadness and grief, of your dad talking or yelling the lungs out at you, of a girl humming or moaning, of all dramatic expression... of life pumping music. The band needs to also learn to play as a whole. The compression used as makeup creates other issues, such as a Scream having a timbre different than a whisper, but both having the same volume. Likewise in a drumset, the energy gets deluded when these fixes take place to patch up the lack of attention and direction to the actual performance of the band. In my humble opinion, is the master/producer that should work as conductor of the little band as if it were an orchestra, so they learn to play and respect each other. Natural dynamics cannot be replaced, and making a volume level consistent takes away that daunting sense of realism... because impressions are expected, and subtle changes, this chaos is what convinces the brain and makes for the understanding of a masterful execution. Nothing like a well behaved and coherent band... as he said: "the mix will only be as good as the recording." But we have become this dull society... anyhow. Thanks! And remember, if it is not loud enough, USE THE GOD DAMN KNOB... not enough? Get a better headphone amp / Amp/ Speakers...

[@dougleydorite]

I only read “use the god damn knob” and already knew what you meant with everything else you wrote

[@krsp420]

Gimme Sleigh Bells on low bit rate all day. But don't waste my time with Coltrane on MP3.