Well, yes, sometimes it is an artistic decision to crush everything and make it loud, I've seen more than one professional mastering guy on forums talk about receiving mixes that already were extremely loud. And being asked to make them Even Louder, as Loud as (insanely cranked-to-the-max CD by a popular major-label band).

(Hey, that's what rock and roll is all about, being loud, eh?) smile

Some mixers have got in the (IMO) bad habit of playing already-mastered CDs on their control room speakers and striving to make their mixes sound Exactly Like Them.

I just want to say I didn't start this thread to bash mastering engineers specifically, but to discuss the Loudness Wars and how they affect us as music lovers and real independent artists.

Thomas, thanks for coming over and posting.

Pat Bryant's second album, 2020, out now!