The Flashbulb

wwbjd · Post by **wwbjd** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:59 pm

Re: british ducking sound / duck

WHAT

wtf is ducking sound

like, compression ducking? British have different types of compressors?

wtfman

Post by **Aesthetics** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:29 pm

Although I like the way how this topic has grown, I think we should not let it get any more offtopic.

two lives · Post by **two lives** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:26 pm

Ducking is a technique used mainly by hip hop and house producers. It works by (well one method at least) sending the kick drum into the sidechain to trigger the compressor, the rest of the track goes through the compressor and the whole track quickly ducks in volume but only where the kick is... it's a real artform. Compressors are one of the most difficult things to master, they're like musical instruments. People like myself and Lone are clearly obsessed with them.

I think American studios sound different to British ones in general, just like American TV/video is more soft focus and warm where British TV is grey and gritty - the atlantic has caused this isolation of 2 very rolific and productive nations, and in their isolation they have created very different things. I think it's wonderfully mysterious, technology has it's own voice, and some people try to oppress that voice (cleaning things up, desperately seeking transparent technology), where others embrace it and exploit it... boc being 2 masters of that area.

If you want to hear good examples of ducking, listen to J Dilla's Donuts, Madlib, Alan Braxe, Lone, Letherette, and some of the more hip hoppy stuff on Artists' Valley's myspace. They all use this technique - although Dilla is the heavyweight champ IMO.

I don't think we should force ourselves to stick to a topic - let the thought trains pass, surely that's the natural thing to do.

two lives · Post by **two lives** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:31 pm

Sorry, I meant prolific and productive nations.

Being British, when I was a kid, the American/British TV thing really baffled me, I probably thought that America was soft focus and fuzzy like m*a*s*h. Whenever a Brit programme came on, it was like a cold grey overcast day of reality and normality, like going to ASDA on a Saturday to get the weekly shop - where american TV was exciting and fantastical... which explains why Brit kids still 'play' in American accents, I know I did, and I hear them doing it now. It's the association with fantasy - an intersting area for the study of globalisation and sociology methinks.

wwbjd · Post by **wwbjd** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:58 pm

two lives wrote:People like myself and Lone are clearly obsessed with them.

Where's your music.

It's evidently pretty transparent (to my ears at least without looking at the audio) on the Lone album, and not so drastic as to be found on more dance/beat-driven oriented records.

Interesting comments on America vs. British recording/broadcasting.

The Other · Post by **The Other** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 11:35 pm

forgot to say thanks...and i am fucking loving this!

Infinite E · Post by **Infinite E** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 12:44 am

I dont want get all OCD but could mods please move these posts to a new thread? interesting stuff though

two lives · Post by **two lives** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:47 am

It's very prominent on lone's music but perhaps more on the newer stuff - the stuff which he's been putting up on myspce, like smart susie sunrise, visited by astronauts, our dreaming mind.

You've got more chance of hearing the effect than seeing it in a waveform.

My music? It's in several places... the duck-hop (hehe) is not so public, although it pops up its head once in a while.

Lone · Post by **Lone** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 12:10 pm

hehe, there it is, duck hop.. two lives has claimed it! thanks for the kind words.

very interesting stuff about kids playing in american accents - its fucking bizzare when you think about it but i guess it makes perfect sense..

Post by **Aesthetics** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:57 am

Dove, Evolution commercial with music by The Flasbulb won the Grand Prix at Cannes. I really dig the message of this commercial.

A_Northern_Soul · Post by **A_Northern_Soul** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:51 am

two lives wrote:Sorry, I meant prolific and productive nations.

Being British, when I was a kid, the American/British TV thing really baffled me, I probably thought that America was soft focus and fuzzy like m*a*s*h. Whenever a Brit programme came on, it was like a cold grey overcast day of reality and normality, like going to ASDA on a Saturday to get the weekly shop - where american TV was exciting and fantastical... which explains why Brit kids still 'play' in American accents, I know I did, and I hear them doing it now. It's the association with fantasy - an intersting area for the study of globalisation and sociology methinks.

Way off topic, but a good point. It's to do with the formats British and US TV shoot and broadcast on. The US uses NTSC while the UK uses PAL

wwbjd · Post by **wwbjd** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 2:37 pm

Anyone have "Human Action Network" or know where to pick it up?

Evidently it's BJ's new "acid" moniker.

Synthetrix · Post by **Synthetrix** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 1:30 am

Flashbulb is one of the artists featured on the "We Are The Music Makers Vol. 1" compilation. My track, Space Freight, was also featured on that comp.

http://records.watmm.com/index.php?/orders/

wwbjd · Post by **wwbjd** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 4:15 am

What?

Who is BJ on WATMM?