It’s Super Bowl time, and all the experts on the ProSoundWeb forums are telling us how they just know what parts of the halftime show were ‘live’ and what were pre-recorded tracks. Or whatever.
Pre-recorded tracks can make what is already a technical nightmare a bit less terrifying to those involved. As long as it’s the same person live and on the recording, what’s the big deal?
Oh yeah, just because the video is out of sync with the audio does not mean it’s because the audio is pre-recorded. Audio/video sync has its own special set of complications that a lot of us who deal with just audio don’t really understand.
Then there is the discussion of the distortion that could be heard when Bruce Springsteen yelled into his microphone at the start of the show. We also know how live musicians hit harder at show time than in rehearsal.
I’d certainly be annoyed if the distortion at the beginning continued throughout the performance, but it was taken care of, and the show was all good.
Hey, a live show is supposed to have a little hair on it.
I really think all these “Armchair Audio Experts” need to lighten up and just take pleasure in a show once in a while. I mean really. Get over it.
It doesn’t really matter if you could have done a better job, or conversely, if the technical aspects of the production would send you running for the hills - you’re still just a part of the audience. Like 94 million or so other people.
Sit back and enjoy the show.
An in-depth yet easy-to-understand discussion of wireless systems, how they operate, issues that can plague performance, and solutions that do the trick in the vast majority of situations.
I agree with you, I wish people would just enjoy their experience rather than pick it apart. I find that this is happening in a lot of avenues, not just sound production. Every time someone seems to be a little versed on a certain subject or domain, they always have to pick apart other people’s work.
I will say though that I don’t agree with canned music on awards shows.
I would rather here the blemishes and problems to make it seem more real than have my musical or theatrical performance be too polished and perfect. The whole point in being a creative musician to be is to be a little different every time and not sound exactly like a CD or recording. I would rather here some mic feedback and a gruff voice then just watch people dancing to a track, but that’s just me.
I think it’s great that people take an interest in learning about audio and are proud of the work they do but that does not give them the right to pick apart every single live performance that they see. In the end you are still part of the audience and who knows you may even learn something new. Please check out my sound blog and some of the work that is done at our post production studio below.
www.boogiestudio.com
Keep up the great articles and I will keep reading them.
Cheers