Also makes me wonder if the artist is so removed from the process she does not know how poor it sounds on a system with good resolution.
Hey You
Despite what I said about Adele, it is IMO true that artists (far most of them) don't care a hoot about music quality. It has been said sort of, but why would a musical artist be interested in high quality music ?
It is just not the same thing. Or maybe it is even challenged for :
When I'm this musical artist, I'm in this larger hall with my own amplification all right, but which by guarantee can't be anything good. Say it just does not exist (at least not out of the box). So as the artist I give up on that ?
No, I just don't even start it;
I have my guitar and with some friends I start a nice band and when the click is there it exists a year after still and maybe I produce an album.
Cheap-ish of course because I have no money for it.
My hobby at home is not even cooking because I am never there to cook because of the performances each night. Anyway I dont have nice speakers at home as well. It is not my hobby.
Playing the guitar is.
In the end I can not help it really that I went along with a singer of superp level and that my friend next door is able to write such good songs that every listener starts to complain that the SQ of the recording is so unnecessary poor and it is a waste.
And I ? I play the guitar and it is my joy for life.
Something like that.
I definitely hear what you are saying and really can't disagree. I guess where I am coming from is that listening and enjoying music is my hobby and not my vocation. Is it safe to say in the case of an artist is their chosen medium actually their vocation? Maybe or maybe not, but for me being a chef is both my vocation and in many ways my performance. After 45 years of performances I would have to say that some of them have been more memorable than others. I guess I can consider myself lucky that my less than stellar performances are not documented for posterity as with a recording artist.
Without a doubt my greatest preference is to experience a live performance with that direct emotional connection with the performer. That of course is opposed to being in the comfort of my own personal space trying to recreate that same emotional connection. One big difference (unfortunately) is I have many more opportunities to listen in the at home than live. It is my reality and I accept it.
So to make up for that inability to always experience live performances, I try to assemble an electronic reproduction system that gets me as close to the live event as possible.
And I have to say that many more times than not it works for me. There are some Adele's within the range of music I listen to but I would have to say they are in the minority. There are many more Rickie lee Jones, or Leonard Cohens, or Ferrons or Marc Cohns...recordings that usually do give me that emotional connection.
Perhaps one reason for this is I have had the opportunity to hear them perform live. I certainly acknowledge that must help me make the connection I am looking for. I have not had the opportunity to hear Adele live. If I did maybe I could relate better. In that respect for sure it is my issue and not hers. I guess my problem is that I do really enjoy Adele as an artist and performer and with her Live at Royal Alpert Hall album I could make that connection and it was most enjoyable. I miss that on her studio recordings for whatever reason.
So back to the reproduction system. I have what I believe is a damn good system. I have the NOS1a, Phasure Computer and XXhighend(a few versions behind, but I always seem to lag a little behind there
). What I consider to be good amplification (845 monoblocks or excellent solid state) I have a number of good speaker systems at my disposal as well. What I love about this system is when I am able to make that connection it is absolutely magic. For whatever reason this particular system seems to make it easier for me to experience that magic more frequently than others I have had before. My guess is my system will continue to evolve and I believe it to be a separate hobby from experiencing music (live or at home). While I enjoy the system hobby, If I had to choose one it for sure would be experiencing the music. I am thankful I do not need to make that choice.
The funny thing is that even with great equipment or a live performance the responsibility for that emotional connection is ultimately my responsibility and mine alone. The performer whether live or at home can't do it for me. It could be the best performance of their career live or recorded but if I don't connect there is nothing; for me anyways.
So here in the United States today is Thanksgiving. It is my favorite holiday because for me it is about being grateful for all the blessing in my life.
So I am grateful for the opportunity to experience live music. I am grateful to have a home music system that usually helps me connect with the performer and performance.
But I am most grateful to be blessed with the ability to make that human connection. It stirs my heart and makes me smile. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
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please accept this in place of that hug.
