Discussion » Questions » Television and Movies » After all the years of viewers’ complaints about music volume drowning out dialogue, why does it still continue?
Randy D

After all the years of viewers’ complaints about music volume drowning out dialogue, why does it still continue?


Don’t the producers or sound engineers or broadcasters or someone even care?

 

For instance, I’m trying to watch program right now that has gloriously blasting background music, it sounds great for distinguishing exactly which instruments are being played, how much pocket change each musician has on his or her person, and the combined weight of their incisors, but it completely obscured what’s being said by the performers. I’ve flipped channels and found the same thing on at least half of them. Grrrrrrrr. 

Posted - January 19, 2021
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Responses


  • 8214
    Sounds very annoying.
      January 19, 2021 10:42 PM MST
    2

  • 17620
    It drives me crazy.  Savvy says the same thing.  I just have to turn it off.  It is not enjoyable to watch a movie where you must keep the remote in your hand to constantly adjust volume.  The loud music doesn't add anything positive to the film and if I can't hear the dialogue I turn it iff.  It's getting worse, not better.  When I watch old stuff on Netflix I never experience it. This post was edited by Thriftymaid at January 20, 2021 11:52 AM MST
      January 20, 2021 6:39 AM MST
    3

  • 53526

     

      You’re right. Often, when turning up the volume to attempt to hear the dialogue, it only get worse because of how the music still drowns it out, only worse.

      January 20, 2021 8:39 AM MST
    2

  • 44654
    How about what I call 'high/'low' shows or moves...those that when the performers are talking, you can barely hear them, but the volume doubles when the music appears. The Brits do that a lot.
      January 20, 2021 7:27 AM MST
    1

  • 53526

     

      Clint Eastwood’s performances are rife with that. I call it the whispery hero voice. You can replay it a million times and still never understand what he’s supposed to be saying. 

    :(

      January 20, 2021 8:37 AM MST
    1

  • 44654
    Right turn Clyde.
      January 20, 2021 11:17 AM MST
    0

  • 53526

     

      I don’t know what this means. 

      January 20, 2021 2:59 PM MST
    1

  • 44654
      January 20, 2021 7:48 PM MST
    0

  • 19937
    I have less of a problem with the background music (although your point is accurate) than I do with actors whose voices go from loud to low or actors whose diction is less than easily understandable.  My other issue is when they use subtitles and they use small white letters on a light background and you can't see half the words.  I feel the same about when they show you the screen of a smartphone, presumably so you can see the message, and the letters are so small they're unreadable.  
      January 20, 2021 11:55 AM MST
    2

  • 53526

    Good and valid points. 

    ~

      January 20, 2021 1:59 PM MST
    1