I love KVR.
Since I first started using Logic in 2006, I’ve used KVR to get a hold of both free and demo-versions of commercial audio plug-ins and software. For the past year or so, I haven’t really been around there much, but a few weeks ago, I signed up again, as I couldn’t remember my old username (on there now as robot_cousin). Now I’m watching my favourite plugins/developers and am notified if there are any updates or news.
There’s an entire community on the site’s forums that discuss all things from music theory to technical support, music listening to product reviews. For anyone dealing with audio in any capacity this day and age, you’d be doing yourself a service by checking the site out. I would say that it’s the ‘New York’ of audio plugin sites, but I’d be hard-pressed to find another site out there quite like it. However, if anyone reading this knows of a similar site, I’d love to hear about it.
The reason this post is coming to you now is because, as I stated, I recently got back into checking it out regularly, reading the forums, stuff like that. When I had first visited the site, it was at the dawn of Apple’s Intel processor, and plug-ins with a universal-binary (the ability to run on Intel and PPC processors) download option were few and far between.
Fast-forward to 2010, and we’ve got an OS that is ‘Intel-only’ on the mac side of things. Doing a quick search for ‘Universal-binary’ only AU plugins, even just the freeware ones, I’ve stumbled across 192 results, most of which are looking pretty snazzy. Not the least is this one.
The TT Dynamic Range Meter from Pleasurize Music Foundation. Before describing the plug-in, a little write-up of the company, directly from their site…
Our aim is to improve the sound quality of music in its various recorded formats – including data compression methods such as MP3 – as well as music destined for radio broadcast.
Only music that provides a positive musical listening experience has real market value. The Foundation’s aim is to increase the value of music within the creative production process for the entire music industry.
The objective is to revive the willingness to pay for music and therefore to create a healthier basis for all creative participants within the music industry.
While I might argue that dynamic range doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with sound quality (a crappy recording could be extremely dynamic, for instance), nevertheless, their aim is a good one. So, they’ve offered the free plug-in listed above, which I will definitely be using on every recording I make, going forward.
PMF on the TT Dynamic Range Meter:
TT Dynamic Range Meter makes it possible to provide releases with a whole-number dynamic value to be printed on the recording medium as a logo, giving consumers an immediate means of knowing the dynamic quality of a recording.
An online database is planned for furnishing information on music already released with the standard. In this way, conditions have been met for the creation of a single standard for audio recorded media – a step which was taken by the film industry over thirty years ago. Music with small dynamic range has a low value, for example DR4 (Dynamic Range = 4dB). Music with a large dynamic range has a higher DR value, for example DR14 or more. In this case, music can breathe and loud events are actually louder.
Note that this plug-in isn’t meant to give you more dynamic range. It is simply a metering plug-in that will be able to notify you of just how much dynamic range it’s sensing. In order to make dynamic material, well, you just have to have your ears on straight.
Before I go, I would be remiss not to mention another good website about the fight against the Loudness War, TurnMeUp.org. Some educational stuff on there for those who don’t know why music sucks so much now. Check it out.
Now to start using K-Metering…
