Concerts - Live Vs. Studio
In this article we're going to indulge in a debate on concert
performances versus studio recordings.
It should be pointed out that there are no personal views in
this article. The following is a composition of arguments made
by critics and fans of music since the early days of both live
and studio recordings.
Let's first cut to the question we ultimately want to get
answered in this article. Which is better, seeing a group live
or listening to one of their studio albums?
Well, to answer that it first needs to be pointed out that the
question of better in itself may not even be the definitive
answer. A live performance may be better than a studio album,
worse than one or simply a different experience depending on
what you are trying to get out of it.
If you're a purest who wants to hear your favorite group's songs
done exactly as they were done on record then more likely than
not you will probably be disappointed. Why? Well, there are
several things that factor into that equation.
For starters, a studio recording is done in an environment that
is totally different from a concert hall. The acoustics are
manufactured as opposed to natural. Also, in a studio, you have
millions of dollars in equipment that you just can't lug to a
live performance, no matter how hard you try.
Then there is the recording process itself. Anyone who thinks
that a group records each song they do in one take has an
unrealistic view of studio recordings. Songs take multiple
takes. Also, many parts are overdubbed and even triple dubbed.
In a live performance there is no dubbing. Everything is done
there on the spot. No chance to take back a wrong note. If the
lead singer has a sore throat you can't skip over his parts and
do them another day, as can be done in a studio. It is do or die
at a live performance. Therefore, a live performance is going to
be different from a studio recording.
Naturally, if you are going to see somebody who just plays
guitar in the studio and is going to be playing that same guitar
live, there is a better chance that what you will hear will more
closely resemble what you'll hear on record. But with a big
ensemble rock group that uses twenty keyboards in the studio,
the chances become quite slim.
However, if you are someone who is going to a concert to hear
and see the energy that a group puts into something live, or
even hope to hear something a little different from what you get
on record, then most likely you live for live performances.
Recordings to you are simply a matter of getting some idea of
how good that group will sound at a live venue.
But disappointments happen. Many critics claimed how a band by
the name of "Boston" from back in the late 70s sounded
absolutely terrible in concert because the lead singer could not
hit the same high notes that he hit in the studio and it was
obvious that the musicianship was just not there. This is a
group that most likely needed the studio to sound as good as
they did.
And then there is the concert enthusiast who isn't so much
looking to hear the record duplicated or to hear energy or
something different. They're just going to the concert to hear a
band they just happen to like. Their experience at the concert
will most likely be a simple matter of "did it sound good"?
Since sounding good is a relative term, we won't try to answer
how to qualify what "good" is. That is an individual's taste. In
most cases however, just to generalize, if the concert sound is
of "professional" quality and the songs are recognizable as the
"hits" from the record then most people will walk away from the
experience saying that it was a "good" one. But again, that
depends on what you're hoping to get out of the experience
itself.
Hopefully though, the above will serve as a guide of what to
look for based on what type of person you are and what you are
personally expecting. That way you can get a decent idea of what
a concert experience will be like for you. If you need your
music note for note to the record then most likely you will be
disappointed by most concerts.
Notice we didn't actually answer our question of which is
better. As was stated, concerts may simply be different.