So I went to listen to the Messiah, live

[cegras]

It was a nice experience. Overall, the music was not tear-inducing, but there were a few favourite sections of mine, including some arias by the tenor, who had a wonderful voice.

The chorus was a bit piercing. I've always been sensitive to soprano ranges, so a deafening array of sopranos was bound to hurt my ears. Overall, it can get deafening, really quick. The position where you sit affects the music (expensive tickets, etc), and the performance you get may not be cherry picked, like a recording is. Often I find that live performances always somewhat fall below recordings, and probably for obvious reasons.

This led me to think a bit about hi-fi and music. People always say (or the marketing spiel does) that the point of hi-fi is to reproduce the recording as faithfully as possible. Is this always desirable? Disregarding all impracticalities, would you rather have a personal band perform in your room compared to a hi-fi setup?

[GPH]

A live concert is much more than music, seeing the performers and interacting with them is at least as important and you can't reproduce that with your hi-fi setup.

[oogabooga]

A live concert is much more than music, seeing the performers and interacting with them is at least as important and you can't reproduce that with your hi-fi setup.

I think it depends on the music, and whether the concert is geared towards a musical venue or simply providing noise for a dance club.

When I went to see the Tragically Hip play at a small-ish music hall (Massey Hall in Toronto), I not only heard great music but learned a lot about the band and how they do their thing. I enjoyed the music and the interaction.

However, when I went to Infected Mushroom playing at a large-ish dance club (I really don't know what to call those venues, because I never go), I had a shitty time because I didn't learn anything about the band or how they play their music, and the music was waaaay too loud and all one could really hear (and feel) was the bass. I love IM, but only through my cans - I wouldn't go to another concert.

[cegras]

I saw it at the Roy Thomson Hall. What I really liked (and found out for the first time) was how the singers performed without any amplification, just their natural voice. That was very enjoyable.

[luvdunhill]

was how the singers performed without any amplification, just their natural voice

um, what do you think a concert hall does?

[spritzer]

Shhhh Marc, it's all magic!!!

[cegras]

:<, well, I've only been to orchestral performances thus far, and some, er, rock concerts I went to used microphones and speakers. The hall was large too. But they managed to balance out the singer, the orchestra, and the chorus without having them drown each other out.

[luvdunhill]

you'd be surprised what a good shell costs, let alone a concert hall

[oogabooga]

I saw it at the Roy Thomson Hall. What I really liked (and found out for the first time) was how the singers performed without any amplification, just their natural voice. That was very enjoyable.

Another Torontoian - hurrah! I was just debating going to hear Beethoven's 5th at Roy Thomson in Feb...

[Dusty Chalk]

I didn't think He was back, yet.

C'mon, I couldn't have been the only one thinking it.

[robm321]

Sorry a noob question, but how do I connect my concert hall to my preamp?

[luvdunhill]

Sorry a noob question, but how do I connect my concert hall to my preamp?

Hook up an RSA F-117 Nighthawk to your preamp first. They should be easy enough to get, as 1000 boards have already been professionally soldered and the appropriate chips painted red. Then, listen. Then run to the nearest live venue and enjoy.

[cegras]

Another Torontoian - hurrah! I was just debating going to hear Beethoven's 5th at Roy Thomson in Feb...

I think I have tickets to that, ha! Also, to Symphonie Fantastique. I bought the 3 for $39 each, without knowing I could've gotten cheaper as a student , but the seats were surprisingly good.

Sorry a noob question, but how do I connect my concert hall to my preamp?

What ever it is, it involves mil-spec.

[oogabooga]

How'd you get them for $39 each? I know about the tsoundcheck price for three concerts, but I only want to go to the one...

[The Monkey]

When I saw Messiah at Carnegie Hall recently, it reminded me what a violin is supposed to sound like. Strings, wood, bow. No metal, which some sources would have me believe.

[Dusty Chalk]

Edited January 3, 2010 by Dusty Chalk

[mypasswordis]

When I saw Messiah at Carnegie Hall recently, it reminded me what a violin is supposed to sound like. Strings, wood, bow. No metal, which some sources would have me believe.

Most strings do have metal, and some are purely metal, using materials ranging from silver to aluminum, gold, steel.

[The Monkey]

Most strings do have metal, and some are purely metal, using materials ranging from silver to aluminum, gold, steel.

Heh, pardon my ignorance. I guess what I mean is the sound itself isn't "steely" or "metallic" in the same way that it can sound from various sources.

[mypasswordis]

Ah okay, that's definitely true. You should come to the dark side with us (analog).

[luvdunhill]

Most strings do have metal, and some are purely metal, using materials ranging from silver to aluminum, gold, steel.

what about cat and tungsten? oh wait one of those isn't a metal!

[The Monkey]

Ah okay, that's definitely true. You should come to the dark side with us (analog).

Evil forces are certainly trying to pull me in that direction.

[mypasswordis]

what about cat and tungsten? oh wait one of those isn't a metal!

One of them contains trace amounts of metal. I haven't tried gut strings in forever, the only set I ever tried was Eudoxa. Synthetic core works for me just fine. I'm still waiting on more exotic metals, though, like palladium or rhodium.

Evil forces are certainly trying to pull me in that direction.

Evil indeed...