Re: [ARSCLIST] Not using headphones

[steven c <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Fine" <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Many rock
> "bands" couldn't actually play together or needed studio musician
enhancement to sound decent.
> Overdubbing became common, in fact very few vocals were cut live in the
rock era. Some bands
> definitely used these new techniques to stretch beyond what a handful of
musicians could pull off at
> once, live. But the spontaneaty (sp?) was lost in many cases, and the
music got more mechanical and
> cold.
Well, the best bands of that era (mainly the Beatles) used the new
techniques
and effects almost as "extra instruments" (or at least George Martin did,
anyway) which, in an era noted for "psychedelia" gave them an advantage
(but left them with the disadvantage of being unable to recreate the music
live!).
But...it is also true that, in "worst cases," effects and techniques were
used
to cover up the fact that groups were musically incompetent (including the
regular importation of talented "studio musicians" to do the actual
playing!).

However, it is necessary to "cut a thin line" between the non-spontaneity
that
comes with being over-rehearsed (or spending too much time on a
recording)...
and the musical anarchy that comes with under-rehearsal (and leaves the
group, like Stephen Leacock's hero, "Riding off in all directions!").

...stevenc
http://users.interlinks.net/stevenc/