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Why is it that Prince can't replicate in the studio what he can do live?? | |
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What I was gonna say was...
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Good question! I don't know the answer, but I will say that while many artists have been a big disapointment after seeing them live...Prince is one of the few artists that I prefer to hear many of his live versions of songs over the studio tracks! | |
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Funny, but I was thinking the same thing. Prince reminds me a lot of Eric Clapton in this regard in that Clapton's albums are booorrriinng but live, he is unbelievable. Prince is the same way. | |
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Maybe it's because being in the studio is 'work', while performing is fun for him . He feeds off the energy from the crowd, it it's dead, he's not so into it either. A live performance is more spontaneous, while working in the studio allows him time to think and tinker..sometimes a bit too much. Also, the studio is isolating, except for the occasional engineer or session musician. While performing, he's got a zillion friends to play with. | |
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Snap said: What I was gonna say was...
Most all of us have seen Prince perform live, even if just on television or video, and we've seen him do AMAZING things during these performances. So why is it, when the pressure's off and he's in a controlled environment with every thinkable studio gadget he could possibly want, with as much time and effort that he could possibly need... why is it that he can't make his studio recordings sound as good and exciting if not even moreso! than what he does when he performs live??? Your thoughts, please... edit: glitch [Edited 7/11/07 0:01am] Could you specify what it is that you feel is missing? | |
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RealMusician said: Snap said: What I was gonna say was...
Most all of us have seen Prince perform live, even if just on television or video, and we've seen him do AMAZING things during these performances. So why is it, when the pressure's off and he's in a controlled environment with every thinkable studio gadget he could possibly want, with as much time and effort that he could possibly need... why is it that he can't make his studio recordings sound as good and exciting if not even moreso! than what he does when he performs live??? Your thoughts, please... edit: glitch [Edited 7/11/07 0:01am] Could you specify what it is that you feel is missing?  | |
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My guess is simple - prince is a perfectionist in the studio, and keeps fiddling & overdoing songs....but when he is live, he doesnt have the ability to go back and change something | |
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exactly | |
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Prince likes his songs polished not gritty.
I am a Rail Road, Track Abandoned
With the Sunset forgetting, i ever Happened myspace.com/davidoutting | |
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He's probably more of an entertainer and performer than just say a producer or singer.
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I'm sure that Prince is an AWESOMElive artist, but I have to say that the 90% of his songs sound MUCH better in their original studio versions. | |
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JoeTyler said: I'm sure that Prince is an AWESOMElive artist, but I have to say that the 90% of his songs sound MUCH better in their original studio versions.
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It's the way it's engineered and mastered.
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I think it's because the visual element is missing from the studio recordings. At a concert, you have not just audible sensation, but visual also. It's more than just a sound experience when you see him live. So, there is the added excitement of the visuals, the crowd atmosphere, the interaction, etc. I saw a show about Kiss. Because they were so famous for their live shows, they decided to record "Kiss Alive." They recorded a series of live shows. Once they started mastering the album, they realized that it just wasn't the same as the live show because the concert atmosphere was missing (smoke, lights, makeup, crowd dynamics, etc.). So, they ended up re-recording most of it in the studio to try and re-create the live feel. They kind of succeeded, but it still fell far short of recreating the live experience, adding additional crowd noise, sounds of explosions, etc.). Think about Sign of the Times, the movie. Most of it was the exact same audio as the album. However, on the big screen, it had an added element that is missing from the album. Even though it is a great album, the move takes it that extra step. I know ONA Live and It Ain't Over had that live feel, but still nothing like seeing Prince live. There's my two cents. | |
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gmcb said: I think it's because the visual element is missing from the studio recordings. At a concert, you have not just audible sensation, but visual also. It's more than just a sound experience when you see him live.
I understand what you mean about the visual elements making something a show but I don't think that's what is missing.
Just listening to a live performance is different, without any of the visual aids that go along with it. I think that what happens a lot of the time is that the studio version becomes too clean and clinical. Listen to the studio version of Fury and then listen to a live version. Without any visual elements, there's just so much more energy in the live versions. A lot of it is in the guitar, for some reason it feels like it takes much more of a back set in the studio. It's there but just not so in your face and balls out rocking. And now for a cup of tea. | |
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Snap said: RealMusician said: Could you specify what it is that you feel is missing? No, really. I'm serious. What specific elements? | |
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TheEnglishGent said: gmcb said: I think it's because the visual element is missing from the studio recordings. At a concert, you have not just audible sensation, but visual also. It's more than just a sound experience when you see him live.
I understand what you mean about the visual elements making something a show but I don't think that's what is missing.
Just listening to a live performance is different, without any of the visual aids that go along with it. I think that what happens a lot of the time is that the studio version becomes too clean and clinical. Listen to the studio version of Fury and then listen to a live version. Without any visual elements, there's just so much more energy in the live versions. A lot of it is in the guitar, for some reason it feels like it takes much more of a back set in the studio. It's there but just not so in your face and balls out rocking. Yeah, I understand what you are saying. Okay, you can forget all that crap I wrote about Kiss Alive and all that other BS. It's probably just because Prince if a perfectionist and brains everything to death in the studio. That may be the simpler answer.  | |
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gmcb said: I think it's because the visual element is missing from the studio recordings. At a concert, you have not just audible sensation, but visual also. It's more than just a sound experience when you see him live. So, there is the added excitement of the visuals, the crowd atmosphere, the interaction, etc. I saw a show about Kiss. Because they were so famous for their live shows, they decided to record "Kiss Alive." They recorded a series of live shows. Once they started mastering the album, they realized that it just wasn't the same as the live show because the concert atmosphere was missing (smoke, lights, makeup, crowd dynamics, etc.). So, they ended up re-recording most of it in the studio to try and re-create the live feel. They kind of succeeded, but it still fell far short of recreating the live experience, adding additional crowd noise, sounds of explosions, etc.). Think about Sign of the Times, the movie. Most of it was the exact same audio as the album. However, on the big screen, it had an added element that is missing from the album. Even though it is a great album, the move takes it that extra step. I know ONA Live and It Ain't Over had that live feel, but still nothing like seeing Prince live. There's my two cents.
[Edited 7/11/07 3:45am] Gonna have to disagree with ya on this. I have a LOT of live tracks by Prince on my ipod where it would be just a listening experience...not visual. About 90% of the time I go for the live vesions!...But hey, thats just me! | |
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I think it depends on the song
Peace
Gustavo Ribas | |
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TheEnglishGent said: gmcb said: I think it's because the visual element is missing from the studio recordings. At a concert, you have not just audible sensation, but visual also. It's more than just a sound experience when you see him live.
I understand what you mean about the visual elements making something a show but I don't think that's what is missing.
Just listening to a live performance is different, without any of the visual aids that go along with it. I think that what happens a lot of the time is that the studio version becomes too clean and clinical. Listen to the studio version of Fury and then listen to a live version. Without any visual elements, there's just so much more energy in the live versions. A lot of it is in the guitar, for some reason it feels like it takes much more of a back set in the studio. It's there but just not so in your face and balls out rocking. It's because the energy is completely different in a live performance. There, he's vibing off other musicians and the audience -- and free to move around as he likes. Every performance is different, too -- which creates a whole 'nother variable. It's completely different in a studio, where he works alone most of the time -- laying individual track upon individual track. I've worked in television and radio...and I've also worked on a stage. The stage experience is completely different -- even if you have an audience in the studio. In the studio, you're tied to a mic and have to be mindful of recording equipment, etc. Onstage, you're free to roam -- and the energy of the audience helps to carry you along. That's why a lot of actors think of the house as another actor. If the house is dead -- or extremely "live" -- it can radically change a performance. | |
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Prince tries to have a unique futuristic cold studio energy that lacks traditional live-energy-arrangements most of the time, but many of his studio cuts beat down his live versions, so I disagree.
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Genesia said: TheEnglishGent said: I understand what you mean about the visual elements making something a show but I don't think that's what is missing.
Just listening to a live performance is different, without any of the visual aids that go along with it. I think that what happens a lot of the time is that the studio version becomes too clean and clinical. Listen to the studio version of Fury and then listen to a live version. Without any visual elements, there's just so much more energy in the live versions. A lot of it is in the guitar, for some reason it feels like it takes much more of a back set in the studio. It's there but just not so in your face and balls out rocking. It's because the energy is completely different in a live performance. There, he's vibing off other musicians and the audience -- and free to move around as he likes. Every performance is different, too -- which creates a whole 'nother variable. It's completely different in a studio, where he works alone most of the time -- laying individual track upon individual track. I've worked in television and radio...and I've also worked on a stage. The stage experience is completely different -- even if you have an audience in the studio. In the studio, you're tied to a mic and have to be mindful of recording equipment, etc. Onstage, you're free to roam -- and the energy of the audience helps to carry you along. That's why a lot of actors think of the house as another actor. If the house is dead -- or extremely "live" -- it can radically change a performance. ditto what she said. There is a completely different process involved for recording and album vs. a live performance. Think of it akin to a movie U liked vs. a play that U liked. The wonderous live element of a performance, the energey that flows back and forth between performer and audience is exponential. When U listen to a record, that flow is static, it can't change, grow, shrink...it's the same forever. This aspect has a huge impact on it interpretation. I think Prince should revisit recording w/ a live band and avoid the track by track process. Things don't come out sounding as perfect but at least the live element is captured. He's a perfectionist so it's difficult for him, but it would help him acheiv different sounds, let his guard down a little and more open to the input of others, which can't hurt. I'm sure he'll get around to it, as much as he changes. One bright day in the middle if the night,
2 dead boys got up to fight. Back 2 back they faced each other, drew their swords and shot each other A deaf Policeman head this noise, he came and shot the 2 dead boys. If you don't believe this lie | |
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Prince's funk is, as he says, multi-layered. He can't replicate live what he does in the studio, either. There's just too much going on in the studio tracks.
Second Funkiest White Man in America   It sure is nice having adults running our government now |
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For a lot of musicians (especially pop musicians), it's the exact opposite. Decent albums, horrible live.
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Another example of his genius: "Take Me With U".
Second Funkiest White Man in America It sure is nice having adults running our government now |
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He tend to record all the instruments/parts all by himself for songs that would scream for a full band recording (Fury for example | |
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Prince is an experimentalist. And that's all he's doing is experimenting so don't take it too harsh or seroiusly. Peace and be wild! | |
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He's too busy in the studio...busy ruining his recordings with overproduction. | |
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Jimmy Page once said that Led Zeppelin's studio albums were just the soundtrack to their live shows.
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) and I think this one-man band thing often makes the songs lose lots of energy and magic... 