Ever confuse jazz brushing for tape hiss? Which leads you to wonder why the drummer is doing that in the first place? I’ve learned that it’s an effort to enlarge the sense of ambience. It’s a drummer practicing the art of illusion. Even live music resorts to sonic illusions.
Then the producer does. Then the engineer. The pressing team.
Then our equipment puts a few illusion kisses on things. As does the room. As do our ears and brains.
Performance-wise, a total team effort. You’re not just hearing the sound of live music, you’re hearing something arguably cooler: multiple layers of coordinated performance, infused with all kinds of human touches, artistic or otherwise.
When I consider it that way, the question sorta answers itself. Sometimes you hear wine types talking tasting the terroir (the dirt), but you never hear them say they want to taste JUST the dirt.
Then the producer does. Then the engineer. The pressing team.
Then our equipment puts a few illusion kisses on things. As does the room. As do our ears and brains.
Performance-wise, a total team effort. You’re not just hearing the sound of live music, you’re hearing something arguably cooler: multiple layers of coordinated performance, infused with all kinds of human touches, artistic or otherwise.
When I consider it that way, the question sorta answers itself. Sometimes you hear wine types talking tasting the terroir (the dirt), but you never hear them say they want to taste JUST the dirt.