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More => Old Versions => Media Center 11 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: Iridescence on August 08, 2006, 01:30:27 pm

Title: What is "intensity"?
Post by: Iridescence on August 08, 2006, 01:30:27 pm

I noticed when I anaylize my songs with MC is gives a value between 1-5 for "intensity" What does this mean and how is it calculated?

Title: Re: What is "intensity"?
Post by: LonWar on August 08, 2006, 02:10:33 pm

If this makes sense,

http://ftp.ec.vanderbilt.edu/computermusic/musc216site/Definitions/intensity.html

Title: Re: What is "intensity"?
Post by: Matt on August 08, 2006, 02:22:44 pm

Intensity is a measure of how much variance there is in the volume.

If a song is loud from start to finish, it's intense.

If it starts soft, or has some interludes, or only gets loud when a piano key hits, etc. it's less intense.

Modern studio techniques intentionally destroy dynamic range which can effectively make even quiet music "intense".  This isn't a great trend in my opinion.

Title: Re: What is "intensity"?
Post by: slipknot on August 08, 2006, 02:49:11 pm

Quote from: Matt on August 08, 2006, 02:22:44 pm

Intensity is a measure of how much variance there is in the volume.

If a song is loud from start to finish, it's intense.

If it starts soft, or has some interludes, or only gets loud when a piano key hits, etc. it's less intense.

Modern studio techniques intentionally destroy dynamic range which can effectively make even quiet music "intense".  This isn't a great trend in my opinion.

I totally agree, a good article is

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war

Title: Re: What is "intensity"?
Post by: jgreen on August 08, 2006, 08:59:18 pm

Slipknot, this issue gives me fits!  Coldplay's X & Y was for me virtually indistinguishable from background noise--and yet no one complained!