[jqp]

http://techland.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2008/07/23/neil-young-takes-on-the-ipod/

Interesting - I agree about the MP3s

Also the embracing of Blu-Ray discs

[nathanm]

What he's complaining about is the product of a hundred other factors, each of which has nothing to do with sound recording mediums.  If MP3s sounded as horrible as audiophiles wished they would not be popular, convenience or not.  The fact is, they get the job done.  People like us just don't like the idea is all.  In years from now guys like Neil Young will be pining for the golden days of iPods.  One man's warm and fuzzy nostalgic technology is another's tedious pain in the ass.  More bitching should be aimed towards peak-limiting, but even that is just a part of a much broader cultural evolution (i.e Give Me Convenience Of Give Me Death) that's grating on Neil. 

I saw a video about a carpenter and he said that when you can't get any better you can just get faster.  I think that's what's happened with sound.  The sound quality got good enough so that it could shift to cramming more of it into a smaller space.  If we were still faced with the fidelity of the wax cylinder then yeah there's somewhere to go, but we've thrown enough bits at the problem that the medium isn't the weak link anymore.  Now it's just a matter of creative choices.  You can make a record sound like whatever you want now, there's no limits.  If people choose to make lousy sounding records then blame them, not the medium.

Within the Redbook standard you can have albums that sound like anything from Mapleshade to the most crunchy, flatline compressed Top 40 Hit.  The storage medium does not determine the sound you get, the creative choices do.

[2bigears]

  what the hell,,,,old Neil musta run outa smoke ???? all these old rock stars crab a cause when they should just play some tunes.come on old timer,play us some sweet music....

[ted_b]

I think the MP3 issues and the loudness wars are somewhat related.  I'm not as down on MP3's as some, but IMHO they are an indication of a generation of folks who will not have grown up listening to higher fidelity music (unless Dad forces them to sit down and hear good vinyl, good hi-rez, even good redbook).  Although I too rip some stuff to lossy (AAC 224 vbr) for convenience, i also pay attention to its quality, and don't buy 128k downloads, etc.  And I have the luxury of knowing what it sounds like uncompressed.  Most young folks who download iTunes store-bought songs have no idea that they can sound soooo much better.

Neil is hardly just an old coot IMO; the guy is making more new music in the past 10 yrs and influencing more young songwriters than most.  He may be being a bit unrealistic, and dramatizing some points for the media, but his love of good fidelity is something to be applauded, IMO. 

Do I want to buy Blu-Ray audio?  Absolutely...especially if it induces others to jump onboard.  The niche hi-rez platforms of SACD and DVD-Audio failed partly because they had compatibility issues with the average hardware.  Blu-ray, assuming it becomes the new mainstream platform, will be a perfect mid-term solution (before mega-bandwidth networks kill all rotating media) for hi-rez music adoption.  Hell, trailers and previews before the Hollywood blockbusters could include cuts from hi-rez audio rereleases of baby boom favorites, etc.

Anyway, to blame Apple for the dumming-down of audio is somewhat misplaced, yes.  They have given us the capability to put lossless, lossy, audiobooks, video, etc on their hardware.  However, they are to be held accountable for making the iTunes store a haven for poor lossy downloads.  The kids don't know any better; we do. 

[griller]

I'm glad ole Neil still likes to raise a little H. Good to stir things up. I don't blame Apple though. And Nathan, you said it all really well.  The implementation rather than the medium is far more important.

[rajacat]

Neal Young old? If you heard his interview on Charlie Rose a couple of weeks ago you might have considered him forever young. He's using his bully pulpit to campaign for causes he believes in and he's trying to make a difference. I thought he was very articulate and knowledgeable about not just music but cutting edge alternative energy issues and managing people.

-Roy

[Thump553]

Neil Young's been grumbling about new technology since at least the release of CDs.  (In fact, he called at least one of his early LPs back and paid for the pressing himself, as he was unhappy with the quality, so maybe earlier). 

Odds are he (and many others of you here) have much more sensitive ears than me, I've always been perfectly happy with CDs.  Properly ripped MP3s are OK in their place (audio on the go), otherwise I prefer lossless.

I think far bigger demons are the production techniques and tools today, with the over compressed sound and ability to sample and replace even one note.  Case in point-the double Crosby-Nash CD that came out a few years ago.  If you have it, put it on and give it a listen.  The production is such that evey harmony is absolutely perfect, there is never a note out of place.  But something is missing from the music, it's like the old saw about chinese food-a half hour you are hungry again.