sluuuurp t1_j2oee01 wrote
Reply to comment by DreadPirateGriswold in In 1930s, Music Defense League launched a campaign against recorded sound in movie and live theaters, claiming that numerous musicians would lose their jobs if "canned music" was preferred over live recordings. by Profanion
It might be more emotional because you know there are humans performing it.
But I doubt you could identify it as more emotional in a blind sound test. The sound is recorded with the same microphones and is played through the same speakers, it will sound identical in both cases. (This is assuming that most seats hear sound from speakers rather than from the instruments directly, which I believe is a fair assumption for most seats in most broadway theaters.)
This is basically the same idea as why people go to see the real Mona Lisa rather than a reprint. It looks 100% identical in every way, but knowing that it’s the real thing rather than a reproduction makes a difference anyway.
DreadPirateGriswold t1_j2ohi2y wrote
With all due respect, people who are even hobbyist musicians can definitely tell the difference between live and recorded under those conditions. The general public? You're right, prob not.
On Broadway, the ensemble/pit is mic'd but not necessarily every musician individually. It's usually a combo of electronic amplification and natural sound acoustics. In most theaters, the pit is suituated in front and below the stage as has been the standard in theater design since theaters were all live using no electronic amplification.
sluuuurp t1_j2ohp55 wrote
If they aren’t using speakers to amplify the musicians you could probably tell the difference. But in broadway theaters they’re likely doing a lot of amplification which would make live and recorded sound the same.
ilvostro t1_j2pssq5 wrote
I'd heard Star Spangled Banner a hundred times in my life and felt absolutely no emotion whatsoever, but the very first time I heard it played by a live symphony orchestra I was crying by the sixth note. There's a difference.
sluuuurp t1_j2pw02g wrote
That’s probably because you knew it was live, not just because the sound was different. Music isn’t just about the sounds our ears hear, it’s also about the context and our state of mind when we hear it.
LSF604 t1_j2qs25i wrote
a live orchestra just sounds different than something over a sound system. Its not just a matter of knowing its live.
Probably something to do with dozens of analog sources of sound generated right there vs digital sound coming out of relatively few speakers.
sluuuurp t1_j2qtbai wrote
I agree, but broadway shows use tons of amplification so I’m not sure if the same thing applies there. For a traditional unamplified orchestra I agree.
LSF604 t1_j2qvd71 wrote
perhaps, although I don't know if pit orchestras require amplification or not. I've done pit orchestras in amateur theater, and those never used amplification. Obviously broadway is a bit bigger. I don't recall the pit being micd up at any big shows I have seen, but they may have been.
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