17
votes
Accepted
What gives vinyl records their characteristic sound?
Vinyl sound is influenced by how music is carved into it (mastering), the playback mechanism (turntable, stylus, cartridge, electronics, etc), and the characteristics of the medium itself (vinyl).
...
- 4,302
16
votes
Accepted
Is there any difference in terms of sound quality between different vinyl colours?
If you're asking about the difference between "180gr vinyl and a [regular weight] coloured vinyl", then 180g usually has better sound quality when compared with the regular 120-140g vinyls.
If you're ...
- 1,176
12
votes
Accepted
Why do many British vocalists almost always sound distinctly American when singing?
This is actually a very common question that linguistics folks occasionally talk about and/or study. The key is that the singers are not "singing American".. they are losing their native accent.
When ...
- 476
10
votes
Accepted
Was The Who's album 'Quadrophenia' actually quadraphonic?
Quadrophenia was not meant to be quadrophonic. Quadrophenia deals with a boy (Jimmy) who has split personalities (see any similarities to Green Day's "American Idiot" here?). Each personality was ...
- 7,109
8
votes
Accepted
What instrument makes the lowest note?
The lower limit of human hearing is roughly 20Hz.
There are a few instruments that can play even lower notes than that, but you'll almost always hear something because you are hearing the overtones.
...
- 6,025
6
votes
Accepted
Identifying term for songs with slow stomp bass tempo
One thing these tracks all share is a heavy backbeat (percussion hits on 2 and 4 of a 4-beat cycle). That plus a bpm (beats per minute) of just under 60 should get you the sound you want.
- 2,073
6
votes
Is there any difference in terms of sound quality between different vinyl colours?
The german "Intro"-magazine states, that transparent vinyl is theoretical the one with the best sound, but in reality the black one is, because the pressing machines are always held on working ...
- 297
6
votes
What gives vinyl records their characteristic sound?
There are two issues here that are hard to separate: analog recording and vinyl as a medium. There are many basic misunderstandings of how digital sampling and psycho-acoustics work circulating in ...
- 2,073
5
votes
Accepted
Do frequencies between each note have a name?
I am going to refer you to another post on the StackExchange where this question is answered in substantial depth. Other musical notation systems have more than 12 notes per octave, and have names for ...
- 328
5
votes
Did Jimi Hendrix's reverted Stratocaster influence his sound?
I'll try to explain, however I'm no guitar maker or acoustic engineer so it might be quite technically inaccurate... Let's begin:
As you can see, there are 3 single-coil pickups on a Stratocaster. In ...
- 146
5
votes
Is there any difference in terms of sound quality between different vinyl colours?
Any components of the materials used in making a phonograph disk could make a difference. The material used for coloring is just one of them.
Understanding this would require detailed information ...
- 331
4
votes
What gives vinyl records their characteristic sound?
A vinyl record reproduces the actual original sound wave in a physical form. Digital recording samples the wave and reconstructs it --very much like an audio version of a "paint-by-numbers" picture.
...
- 14.9k
4
votes
Was The Who's album 'Quadrophenia' actually quadraphonic?
While the album Quadrophenia was not recorded as quadrophonic, that was the first (and only) Who tour that was produced with quadrophonic sound. I saw it in Philly in 1973 (Dec. 4, I think). They had ...
- 41
4
votes
Accepted
Did Jimi Hendrix's reverted Stratocaster influence his sound?
There are many ways it would have affected his sound.
A few points about the interaction of pickups and strings changes.
The angle of the bridge pickup is backwards. This will cause his higher ...
- 156
3
votes
Identify 90s R&B and Pop characteristic sound/instrument (processed vibraphone?)
What you hear is the electric piano preset on many electronic keyboards, run through a chorus in this particular case. Electric piano presets were typically modified after the Fender Rhodes piano, a ...
- 1,814
2
votes
Accepted
What is the sound from the drops of these songs?
If you listen carefully to the first track, the odd sounding instrument is the same as the live or synthesized string section that plays just prior, with the addition an effect applied over (see ...
- 14.9k
2
votes
Scratchy sound on "7 Seconds" Youssou N'Dour - ft. Neneh Cherry
Of all the versions that I found on the Spotify:
Album 7 Seconds: The Best Of Youssou N'Dour
Album Man
Album Africa Greatest Hit Songs, Vol. 1
Album The Guide (Wommat)
I failed to hear any scratches ...
- 499
1
vote
Why the persistent clicking sound on Kraftwerk's 'The Man-Machine' album?
As it's perfectly rhythmical yet does not mirror any other part being played, especially in the intro before everything gets going, why would you think there was any chance for it to be accidental?
...
- 7,521
1
vote
Accepted
What gives “Ma Che Freddo Fa”’s choruses their apocalyptic quality?
This song is in the minor mode, which is typically associated with a spectrum of more "negative" emotions, ranging from sad and nostalgic to ominous, to "apocalyptic." The up-tempo ...
- 14.9k
1
vote
Is there a name for these similar sounding high-pitched voices?
The voice has been sped up in each case. This is often called the "chipmunk effect" after the 1958 recording by "Alvin and the Chipmunks" where this was first commercially used.
- 6,025
1
vote
Denon PMA amplifier on power when not in use
According to this website, the regular power consumption of your specific amplifier in watts is 200W while the standby power is .3W.
This suggests that you're okay leaving it in standby, but not ...
- 14.9k
1
vote
What is the sound from the drops of these songs?
It's not an 'instrument' it's a production method - sounds like a side-chained ducking compressor...
when the 'beat' happens, the entire rest of the mix is pushed down in volume, then allowed to rise ...
- 7,521
1
vote
Which modern songs/melodies use the "Devil's interval" augmented 4th, discounting the use of tritone substitution in jazz?
The Simpsons theme (The Siiimp -- sons :-)
Maria, from Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story
are the ones that come to my mind.
A note of caution, though, the association of the expression "diabolus ...
- 1,722
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