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Show HN: Audio plugin for circuit-bent MP3 compression sounds

wildergardenaudio.com

31–40 of 68 posts

Re: Show HN: Audio plugin for circuit-bent MP3 compression sounds

#32
post #30

Not sure what to make of it. It clearly does what it says on the tin, and from that point of view it’s impressive; but personally it’s a deeply undesirable effect. Maybe it’s bringing back PTSD of performing on Groovetech radio, streamed over RealPlayer! :D I guess im not the audience as I prefer analogue distortion, but I also like the sound of low bit rate digital artefacts (bit crushing and the sound of old sample…

I think this is to a degree a generational thing. I guess between 15 and 25 we are imprinted with what lo-fi means to us.

My prediction is that after low quality compression we will see good, but noticeable auto-tune as a retro effect. I don't mean the early, late 90s overdone Cher-like auto-tune, but the one that's used seriously for pitch correction but is still noticeable.

After that, I think, bad vocal synths are a good candidate. To my old ears many are right there in uncanny valley - too human for a synth, but not human enough not to be creepy.

Re: Show HN: Audio plugin for circuit-bent MP3 compression sounds

#33
"tubular" really brings back memories of slightly incompatible mp3 encoders and decoders. Some combinations produced this short and distinct tone on sharp transitions in sound, I wasn't sure what was the cause but I suspect this has something to do with VBR.

Thanks!

Re: Show HN: Audio plugin for circuit-bent MP3 compression sounds

#35
post #30

Not sure what to make of it. It clearly does what it says on the tin, and from that point of view it’s impressive; but personally it’s a deeply undesirable effect. Maybe it’s bringing back PTSD of performing on Groovetech radio, streamed over RealPlayer! :D I guess im not the audience as I prefer analogue distortion, but I also like the sound of low bit rate digital artefacts (bit crushing and the sound of old sample…

Quoting Brian Eno: "Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium will surely become its signature. CD distortion, the jitteriness of digital video, the crap sound of 8-bit - all of these will be cherished and emulated as soon as they can be avoided. It’s the sound of failure: so much modern art is the sound of things going out of control, of a medium pushing to its limits and breaking apart"

Re: Show HN: Audio plugin for circuit-bent MP3 compression sounds

#36
post #30

Not sure what to make of it. It clearly does what it says on the tin, and from that point of view it’s impressive; but personally it’s a deeply undesirable effect. Maybe it’s bringing back PTSD of performing on Groovetech radio, streamed over RealPlayer! :D I guess im not the audience as I prefer analogue distortion, but I also like the sound of low bit rate digital artefacts (bit crushing and the sound of old sample…

Xing encodes from Napster, baby!

Re: Show HN: Audio plugin for circuit-bent MP3 compression sounds

#38
post #35
post #30

Not sure what to make of it. It clearly does what it says on the tin, and from that point of view it’s impressive; but personally it’s a deeply undesirable effect. Maybe it’s bringing back PTSD of performing on Groovetech radio, streamed over RealPlayer! :D I guess im not the audience as I prefer analogue distortion, but I also like the sound of low bit rate digital artefacts (bit crushing and the sound of old sample…

Quoting Brian Eno: "Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium will surely become its signature. CD distortion, the jitteriness of digital video, the crap sound of 8-bit - all of these will be cherished and emulated as soon as they can be avoided. It’s the sound of failure: so much modern art is the sound of things going out of control, of a medium pushing to its limits and breaking…

I remember first seeing that quote on a Kotaku article, where they had unfortunately misinterpreted "the crap sound of 8-bit" as referring to retro videogame music made on 8-bit CPUs, rather than (what he was actually referring to) 8-bit audio[0].

[0] i.e. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_bit_depth

Re: Show HN: Audio plugin for circuit-bent MP3 compression sounds

#40

Looks similar in spirit to Goodhertz' Lossy plugin [1], described as: "The infinitely desirable sound of crappy mp3’s, broken cellphones, streaming videos, and much more." I think Lossy approaches the same idea from a more artistic angle in contrast to MAIM which comes to a similar end from a more technical direction. Coming from the 8-bit generation I find it interesting and refreshing that the younger generation se…

It seems digital compression artifacts have replaced the previous generations' audiophiles liking for the "colour" that tubes and vinyl imparted to the sound.

I don’t think so. I’m probably of the ‘current generation’, but tubes and vinyl and tape etc. do have a certain undeniable and pleasant analogue warmth. Digital artifacts have no such quality; they just happen to induce some nostalgia amongst those of us who (in my case just about) remember when they were a necessity.

No one’s going to be converting their music library to old-fashioned low bitrate MP3s, whereas vinyl is more popular than ever. (Okay, maybe not ever, but it’s actually growing again.)

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