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What exactly is PRaT???

Ok, it’s like this thing and is associated with “toe tapping” and such.  I confess, I don’t get it.  Apparently companies like Linn and Naim get it, and I don’t and find it a bit frustrating.  What am I missing?  I’m a drummer and am as sensitive as anyone to timing and beats, so why don’t I perceive this PRaT thing that many of you obviously do and prize as it occurs in stereo systems?  When I read many Brit reviews a lot of attention goes to “rhythm” and “timing” and it’s useless to me and I just don’t get it.  If someone can give me a concrete example of what the hell I’m not getting I’d sincerely be most appreciative.  To be clear, enough people I greatly respect consider it a thing so objectively speaking it’s either something I can’t hear or maybe just don’t care about — or both.  Can someone finally define this “thing” for me cause I seriously wanna learn something I clearly don’t know or understand.  

soix

Showing 2 responses by danager

danager's avatar
danager
972 posts
 

Etta James: Miss Pitiful

I find it almost impossible to not become involved move and get excited by this song.  How this differs from PRAT I guess is how the stereo displays it???

How does PRAT differ from "Man that sounds good"?

danager's avatar
danager
972 posts
 

If Etta makes you want to move ,  isn't that Prat and if it's just meh isn't that lack of PRat?

I suspect you're already PRaT maxed out.  As a musician timing means something different than what it means to a typical listener.  The beat is on the recording and unless you cassette player or vinyl speeds up and slows down the beat is the same no matter the system. From my perception of what is being described is more a leading edge dynamic artifact.  When the stick hits the drum head it's more than a single event.  Where you hit it, how much force, which drum and how the drum is tuned has  a different level of priority to some.  The same goes for stringed and wind instruments.  The ability for your stereo to reproduce (enhance) aspects of the music affects the music's enjoyment factor.  The same song can sound dull and lifeless or jaw dropping spectacular depending on both the system and your state of mind.  There are times (usually late at night)  where my stereo just sounds better than it did previously.  Does that mean someone somewhere turned up the PRat or is that just an lack vocabulary to actually describe the many aspects that make up our hobby?

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