I've been listening to "Gett Off" for years and I've always enjoyed it. However just now I realized something in the track that I just can't take my mind away from. There is this sharp sound that begins right after the opening scream and repeats about every 2-3 seconds throughout the song. I just heard the sound through my left speaker on the last playthrough, and now it's basically the only thing I hear, unfortunately.

I had a similar experience with "Dreamin' About U" with a sound in the left speaker as well. It's like once you notice these little things, you can't ever un-notice them.

Have you had an experience like this?

[Edited 4/22/13 22:25pm]

Oh thanks mate!! Now I can hear it too... It's a little bell sound. It's in other songs too e.g. Joint 2 Joint.

How the hell can something like that make a song "unlistenable"?

Superconductor said:

Oh thanks mate!! Now I can hear it too... It's a little bell sound. It's in other songs too e.g. Joint 2 Joint.

Haha, yeah sorry. I'll try to forget about this thread before the next time I listen to Joint 2 Joint.

novabrkr said:

How the hell can something like that make a song "unlistenable"?

I guess because once I heard the sound it's all I started to focus on. Trying to ignore the sound and focus on the other beats and lyrics didn't quite work either. Perhaps "unlistenable" is a bit dramatic, but I don't see myself playing "Gett Off" for a while now.

Superconductor said:

MarquessMarq said:

Superconductor said:

Oh thanks mate!! Now I can hear it too... It's a little bell sound. It's in other songs too e.g. Joint 2 Joint.

Haha, yeah sorry. I'll try to forget about this thread before the next time I listen to Joint 2 Joint.

I will try to find that bell sound in other songs, to see where else Prince buried it LOL. A little treasure hunt... The songs haven't become unlistenable to me

[Edited 4/23/13 0:12am]

TheEnglishGent said:

Superconductor said:

Oh thanks mate!! Now I can hear it too... It's a little bell sound. It's in other songs too e.g. Joint 2 Joint.

Well at least joint 2 joint was unlistenable in the first place. For me at least.

I know what you mean. I used to love "Romance 1600" until someone on here pointed out the constant typewriter or cash register sound that runs throughout the entire song. Now that's all I can hear. "Now" has really irritating elements as well.

Superconductor said:

MarquessMarq said:

Haha, yeah sorry. I'll try to forget about this thread before the next time I listen to Joint 2 Joint.

I will try to find that bell sound in other songs, to see where else Prince buried it LOL. A little treasure hunt... The songs haven't become unlistenable to me

[Edited 4/23/13 0:12am]

Lucky.

Efan said:

I know what you mean. I used to love "Romance 1600" until someone on here pointed out the constant typewriter or cash register sound that runs throughout the entire song. Now that's all I can hear. "Now" has really irritating elements as well.

It really is a curious thing. It almost makes me hesitant to listen to songs very carefully for the fear of inadvertently hearing one of those bells/whistles, and then not being able to enjoy the song to the capacity I did when I wasn't noticing them.

Efan said:

I know what you mean. I used to love "Romance 1600" until someone on here pointed out the constant typewriter or cash register sound that runs throughout the entire song. Now that's all I can hear. "Now" has really irritating elements as well.

I believe that sound is meant to be bed springs shaking implying sex...fits the theme pretty well. Yes at first listen you don't notice but when I now hear it it's amazing how prominent it is in the track. Still cool though.

Efan said:

I know what you mean. I used to love "Romance 1600" until someone on here pointed out the constant typewriter or cash register sound that runs throughout the entire song. Now that's all I can hear. "Now" has really irritating elements as well.

UGH YES - and the song would be so great, but that stupid sound is not only above everything else in the mix, but completely out of time.

GRRRRRR

I like it, It's sort of off kilter and dissonant. Let it sit with you, It will stop being so brash and just be an off syncapation sound...... I like it

if a person recollected all the comments on here ...u could curl up and die listening to prince

chopingard said:

I like it, It's sort of off kilter and dissonant. Let it sit with you, It will stop being so brash and just be an off syncapation sound...... I like it

Hey I'll try that!

luvsexy4all said:

if a person recollected all the comments on here ...u could curl up and die listening to prince

Wut?

Efan said:

I know what you mean. I used to love "Romance 1600" until someone on here pointed out the constant typewriter or cash register sound that runs throughout the entire song. Now that's all I can hear. "Now" has really irritating elements as well.

hmmm. The finger cymbal was always the selling point of Love Bizarre for me.

These little elements are why I like all most all these songs on a first listen!

Just like the repeating computer noise in the bootleg version of Databank, or that monster funky scratch/groan noise in Le Grind.

billymeade said:

Efan said:

I know what you mean. I used to love "Romance 1600" until someone on here pointed out the constant typewriter or cash register sound that runs throughout the entire song. Now that's all I can hear. "Now" has really irritating elements as well.

UGH YES - and the song would be so great, but that stupid sound is not only above everything else in the mix, but completely out of time.

GRRRRRR

oh wow... I can't believe this perception/reaction of that cool placement and prominence in the mix. Wow. It's not even out of time, it on a funky placement of the rhythm, to add the funk.

I suspect that if this kind of misreaction is happening, there must be so much intention and cool technique in Prince's music that is completely lost to certain perceptions and taste.

MarquessMarq said:

I've been listening to "Gett Off" for years and I've always enjoyed it. However just now I realized something in the track that I just can't take my mind away from. There is this sharp sound that begins right after the opening scream and repeats about every 2-3 seconds throughout the song. I just heard the sound through my left speaker on the last playthrough, and now it's basically the only thing I hear, unfortunately.

I had a similar experience with "Dreamin' About U" with a sound in the left speaker as well. It's like once you notice these little things, you can't ever un-notice them.

Have you had an experience like this?

[Edited 4/22/13 22:25pm]

Are you talking about the finger cymbal here as well? mixed on the left?

I think you people don't process finger cymbals!

What do you think of this:

ufoclub said:

MarquessMarq said:

I've been listening to "Gett Off" for years and I've always enjoyed it. However just now I realized something in the track that I just can't take my mind away from. There is this sharp sound that begins right after the opening scream and repeats about every 2-3 seconds throughout the song. I just heard the sound through my left speaker on the last playthrough, and now it's basically the only thing I hear, unfortunately.

I had a similar experience with "Dreamin' About U" with a sound in the left speaker as well. It's like once you notice these little things, you can't ever un-notice them.

Have you had an experience like this?

[Edited 4/22/13 22:25pm]

Are you talking about the finger cymbal here as well? mixed on the left?

I think you people don't process finger cymbals!

I'm coming around to it. I'm listening to "Gett Off" right now and I'm not as bothered by the finger cymbal as I was last night. Perhaps the fact that I noticed something new in a song I had been listening to for years amplified my reaction to the sound.

It's not so bad now.

The same thing happened to me once I noticed the "snare" sound in Positivity. It just goes on and on and never stops!

I'm convinced someone edited all of our files/CDs/LPs and added this over night

I can't think of an example where a song became unlistenable based on a repeated noise. However, my cousin loved "Sex in the Summer" until I told her Prince built it around his baby's heartbeat. I remember her saying that she hates when he does "weird stuff" like that.

xpertluva said:

I can't think of an example where a song became unlistenable based on a repeated noise. However, my cousin loved "Sex in the Summer" until I told her Prince built it around his baby's heartbeat. I remember her saying that she hates when he does "weird stuff" like that.

I actually really love that...

Scotsman1999 said:

On my tape version of SOTT, I became aware of a droning sound in the background all the way through 'It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night'. It's very low level but constantly present, like someone holding a long note on a saxophone. It became very offputting! I suspect it's there in the recording regardless of format.

That is a chord on the keyboard, it's meant to push the enrgy over the top. Like it's pushing through to another level. It's a a musical choice that's played l o n g .

A bit like the funky odd organ chord that comes in on Housequake or even Musicology, but a lot more soft in the mix and bass heavy.

I'm again astonished that this sounds like a mistake to other ear instead of the cool innovative arrangement touch it was meant to be.

ufoclub said:

Scotsman1999 said:

On my tape version of SOTT, I became aware of a droning sound in the background all the way through 'It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night'. It's very low level but constantly present, like someone holding a long note on a saxophone. It became very offputting! I suspect it's there in the recording regardless of format.

I'm again astonished that this sounds like a mistake to other ear instead of the cool innovative arrangement touch it was meant to be.

It's just different strokes, bro. Not everyone likes cilantro, even if it was meant to give a dish that certain pizzazz.

I like how you're able to understand all these elements though, and appreciate the insight.

ufoclub said:

Efan said:

I know what you mean. I used to love "Romance 1600" until someone on here pointed out the constant typewriter or cash register sound that runs throughout the entire song. Now that's all I can hear. "Now" has really irritating elements as well.

hmmm. The finger cymbal was always the selling point of Love Bizarre for me.

These little elements are why I like all most all these songs on a first listen!

Just like the repeating computer noise in the bootleg version of Databank, or that monster funky scratch/groan noise in Le Grind.

I'm not talking about "Love Bizarre," which is pretty much a perfect song as far as I'm concerned. I'm just talking about "Romance 1600."