Studio recordings Vs. Live recordings - Which do you prefer?
In the world of music there has always been a debate that perhaps has not caused so much noise, but that undoubtedly exists. There are those who prefer to listen to their favorite artists in a refined and clear way, that is, listening to them through traditional studio albums or current equivalents, while there are others who prefer to listen to them live, and not necessarily attending an event, but listening to them through recorded concerts. I have participated in a couple of discussions in which it is debated which option is better or more integrated and the truth is that it seems to me a very interesting topic.
Those of us who listen to music frequently, have the pleasure of playing an instrument, have played live and understand aspects of music production, can perhaps understand more accurately that there are big differences in sound quality when a song is produced in a studio compared to when it is performed live.
These differences are obviously in favor of the music recorded in a studio because it is produced with a lot of patience, repeating instrumental lines as many times as necessary until they are perfect and making use of technological and human equipment capable of placing in place the frequencies and other aspects that are considered, so that you can get a product or final result with the highest possible quality.
On the other hand, the music that is performed live has less chances of being captured or recorded with high quality due to attenuating factors such as acoustics, live events usually take place in open and noisy spaces that do not compare at all with the silence and atmosphere of the recording studios which have noise isolators, among others that allow the sound to be captured in a better way.
Another disadvantage of live music is that the volume levels, instrumental effects and microphones may not be optimally recorded due to logistical or operational issues. There is also the possibility that a particular musician may make a performance error that, whether noticeable or not, somehow distorts the original work.
I think that this debate is solved when someone says "It is a matter of taste", and yes, the truth is true, everyone will have their own preferences and they are totally respectable. I particularly like to listen to live recorded music, I think it transmits things that make me feel closer to the artist and generates a feeling that I am listening to something real, not meaning that studio recorded music is false, but you know what I mean.
Now, in my long journey listening to dozens of bands from all over the world and in different formats, I have found exceptions to what I have mentioned above, that is, I have heard live concert recordings that sound better than studio productions, or at least in my perception. Such is the case that I will show you below:
- Band: ONE OK ROCK
- Song: The Beginning
- Album: Jinsei×Boku=
- Genres: Japanese Rock, Japanese Indie, Rock, J-Pop
- Country: Japan
What you saw and heard in the two videos is the same song, but in its studio and live version. It is in this example where I detect greater impact on the part of the artist and I obviously refer to the live version, the differences are impressive and I think it is because of the energy that comes out when playing the instruments in front of an audience that is there cheering and admiring what the musicians do, that certainly creates an ideal environment to appreciate the real virtues of the band.
Of course, this is a very specific example since there are also concerts recorded with terrible quality, but that depends on the level of production that the event may have. The thing is, I prefer live music, but where do you stand? Thanks for making it this far, big hugs!
-Used tools and Credits:
- Translator: DeepL Translate
- Official website of the band
I love live music and attending concerts especially! Will be sharing another post where I attended MTLR (Michael Learns to Rock) concert when I have the time to do so! ✌️
Even though the sound quality might not be as good and sometimes its terrible in fact, but there is just something enchanting about a live performance. It is the rawest form of the act and the energy and atmosphere created by the crowd could be redirected to the performer itself! 😊
I think there is no greater musical experience than attending a live concert, the energies with the audience make everything genuine and close to the artist, and well, it is normal that the sound is not the best.
It would be great if you could share your concert experiences here. Regards!
Yeah the atmosphere would more than make up for the sound quality!
We could always enjoy the soundtrack back in the comfort of our own home after the concert 😅
Oh yeah would love to do so, but do I post it in Inspired-by-Music or Music Community?
In classical music, the live performances have a great impact on the listener. It's just that there is something in the air :D but still, studio recordings are what stay for a long time, so we all try to make reference to those recordings. But that's the thing, it is done with a lot of work, repetition, corrections, polishing etc, what we don't have the opportunity to do while playing live... (yeah, I am now talking from the perspective of the musician and not listener 🤦♀) 😂
When artists play live when they show their true talents, watching them perform on stage is a unique experience, but of course, there the margin of error becomes smaller. Although I don't think that talented artists like mipiano have that kind of problems 😁. A hug dear friend!
True. Why not try and record in the studio with a single take? No repeat. No polishing. No nothing? Some artists do this, but most don't. In electronic music Manuel Göttsching did this with one of his albums. One take. No polishing. Took him years before I published it. That album became a reference back then, in the 80s. E2-E4 = the name of that album...
...WAIT...
an old post about this guy: https://hive.blog/qsounds/@edje/manuel-goettsching-e2-e4-presented-by-qsounds - the YT in the post isn't working anymore ... therefore this... Go to YT to listen to all tracks, this one below just plays the first track...
Manuel Göttsching's YouTube channel - saved in bookmark! Thanks 😇
🙇
I think the debate should be, taking into account the closing of the post.... are the Japanese from this world or not? hahahaha 😁
They always sound brutal live, obviously you can tell the level of production they have for live events and that they have the best people for it. This band is amazing in fact there is a cover of one of their songs that I will bring soon to Hive!!!
Live music is a tremendous feeling, and I agree that the recorded albums of live performances are amazing, I have several that really make your skin crawl when you hear them because it's like being at the concert, plus much of what the bands or musicians do in the studio albums we want to hear live to see the level of each artist and the resources they use because now there are many more than before.
On the other hand my personal passion is to listen to the studio productions; the way in which I am most convinced to listen to live works is on dvds or blurays because I love to see the performance of the bands, or otherwise through Youtube that allows us to get closer to this material.
Great post my brother and I liked even more the band that you used as an example hehehe, I recommend you another one that will blow your mind, they are Japanese too and of this genre, they are called Coldrain... greetings and hugs 🤜🤛... You Rockkkkk!!! 👊😎🔥🎙️🎸🎶❤️🌟🍻💥💫💯
The Japanese live in a world apart, it is impressive how they have their own version of everything and with great success. It is amazing how such a small country produces so many musical bands of all kinds and styles and with quality.
And well, since they are such perfectionists, it is to be expected that live events are produced with high quality, thus affecting live recordings. This is an issue that in the end is a matter of taste, but it is good to discuss it.
I know the band Coldrain from the anime opening I saw a few years ago, this song is amazing:
I never had the opportunity to listen to a musician live, it was always through a video or someone else's recording.
But considering your post and comparing one video with another, live music is much more appreciated. There we can notice the true talent of an artist and the experience of listening how they leave their soul on stage is unique 👌
Although behind a professional recording there is an arduous work of editing and musical arrangements that makes the difference.
In conclusion, Buhito can't decide which one he prefers more so I'll say both but with a greater appreciation for live music hehe.
I think Buhito should come clean and admit that he likes live music better 😆. Both musical formats are good, what is being discussed here are tastes that in the end correspond to each person.
This band you saw has a great live performance, in fact I think you could notice a big difference, but this does not happen with all bands.
I myself am very fond of watching live performances like this. I don't enjoy sitting at home and listening to songs like this. All these people work very hard and this song is also very good.
That is a question not easy to answer. I suppose I like both. Studio recorded as well as live recorded. perhaps I do like the professional recordings mucho better than the somewhat amateuristic recordings. But also, it depends on the quality of the band, singer, and instrumentalist. Some aren't that great at performing live, I mean, some, to more, are studio artists.
As you when listening to a great live recording, usually gives me the feeling of a stronger connection. Especially when the musicians are having great fun. Usually adds some extra dimensions, perhaps some extra dynamics. The latter is also added by the noises of the room. The imperfections when playing live, I believe are just adding to the experience. Nobody is perfect. Makes the music feel more organic.
I could`t tell which one if better... I think, it depends of the musicians and for rock and roll, the band itsellfs... Maiden is way better live than listened on a cd or vinyl record, don't you think?
The two are absolutely chalk and cheese. Listening to studio recordings are great, the clarity and quality are often (if not almost always) better than live concerts, but seeing a band live is an experience! It's not just about the music, it's about sharing space and time with the band that we've attached moods and memories to through the years. Who wouldn't want to do that? Some of the bands I like that I've seen live have been absolutely horrible live in terms of their sound, but the experience? Simply can't be beat.