Live Sound Quotes

It's hard sometimes to capture magic when it comes to live records.

It's funny, though, because when I first started going to races after we met, I was extremely nervous. It's like being backstage and hoping you don't trip over something or break an amp or accidentally speak into a live microphone, so I was really hesitant.

I would say when you're dealing with live musicians and musicality, the warmth of a live instrument brings a certain feel to a song that is really hard, sometimes, to get from synthesized instruments.

I think what constitutes rock nowadays is people that actually play and sing. They can do the job live with no ProTools or embellishments or other recorded material.

With bass, especially bottom end, the vibration has to happen on stage otherwise the feel is wrong. This is why you can't scale the equipment down too far.

Everything Paul Kossoff did came from his fingers and went right into the amp. He was his own effects unit.

I wrote 'Torches' before experiencing touring as a band. I really had no idea what they would sound like live, and that was something we had to figure out along the way.

I really know so little about recording, and I'm learning as I go.

Aame' is a new attempt. The entire film was shot using live sound technique.

We wanted it more live and raw. We didn't want a studio sound.

Technology has made it much easier to make and manipulate music. Studio-driven, machine-driven music does not always transcend into being a good live act. Many current acts are great live, but many cannot cut it live. The music is not organic.

When you hear a great two-track of a performance in Carnegie Hall, let's say, it sounds like you're right there at that moment. It's true to reality. And the closer it gets, once it gets too technical, it becomes very tinny to hear notes. It doesn't sound right. It has to be natural.

A lot of times you'll hear bands and it's a different sound coming out than what's on stage. Because you can clean it up through a PA and make it sound completely different than what they really sound like.

I enjoy recording live better, but I think by the nature of it you are going to end up with something that's a little bit more traditional.

For live you need a microphone for the snare and the high hat, the kick drum, a nice stereo overhead and one for the toms - you can get away with using four mikes.

Mogami cable is durable and flexible enough to practically build a suspension bridge with but I'll settle for using it for my guitars and amps!

I feel like the live record thing is something that I've been getting used to as the years go by and with this being my second one, I'm continuing to learn what works and what doesn't work. A live record is an example of that authenticity and that realness that you find in imperfection and you can hear that in this record.

Onstage I like to play with a an 18-inch speaker, which very few bass players do. I need that fat, underneath sound, which I've always had. It suits me admirably to do it like that, and I can imitate that sound by plugging directly into the board in the studio.

I remember that first week at the Whisky and the gigs we (The Buffalo Springfield) did with the Byrds, We could really smoke ! That band never got on record as bad, and as hard as we were. Live we sounded like the Rolling Stones.

But now, with the last two years of touring and being on the road, I've learned that a live show should never sound like a record; a record should sound like a live show.

And the general opinion is we are much better on stage than in the studio.

If I didn't have the reverb I'd be an unhappy camper. So I want reverb in my monitor mix. Reverb and a good level in my monitor and I'm all set.

My live sound does not work in the studio, which is a completely different animal. Every little thing is detrimental to the sound. And if someone moves a mic, you've lost it. It's pretty much a case of 'lock the door and set up a police line.'

I believe a great performer is someone who sounds just as great live as they do in the studio and vice versa. They should know how to work the stage.

I've been thinking about songwriting more in terms of playing it live, and how it will sound as a band.