Live vs. recorded

I have really enjoyed reading this thread. For me, I find an emotional connection to live music that I don't always feel from studio recorded tracks, even very well recorded ones.

Oddly, many of the artists who are well known for the quality of their studio works are the ones I enjoy listening to live the most. Diana Krall, Ella, the Eagles, Springsteen, Niel Young, Lindsy Buckingham, Muddy Waters among others. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy the studio versions these artist produce and listen to them often but, if given a choice I would listen to Niel Young sing "Helpless" on "The Last Waltz" vs "Deja Vu."

I have really enjoyed reading this thread. For me, I find an emotional connection to live music that I don't always feel from studio recorded tracks, even very well recorded ones.

Oddly, many of the artists who are well known for the quality of their studio works are the ones I enjoy listening to live the most. Diana Krall, Ella, the Eagles, Springsteen, Niel Young, among others. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy the studio versions these artist produce and listen to them often but, bottom line, I get a stronger emotional reaction when listening to Niel Young sing "Helpless" on "The Last Waltz" vs the sound I hear on "Deja Vu."

I almost always prefer studio recordings. To me, they're a more accurate representation of the artists intent; and to my tastes, they sound better. On the occasions that I do like live recordings, it's usually because the recording was able to capture a special vibrancy in the performance that I attribute to a bonding with the audience.

Shadorne said "I suspect that many pop/rock bands simply cannot deliver the carefully crafted, dubbed and over-dubbed polished performances that you get on their overproduced studio productions. I also suspect there is some essence that is lost when stuff is overdubbed or people play in separate sound booths. Perhaps it is only me - but I hear something better when people are actually playing live....I am not sure why but something different occurs when people play live together - either it is in the acoustics or the way musicians play off each other - little mistakes perhaps - is this is why Sheffield Direct to Disc were so good?"

I say that you are absolutely correct sir, and much more so than you realize!

A lot of jazz is recorded that way, too.