Video Killed The Radio Star?

[virginiaprograsser]

I have still not gotten with the video revolution I guess. Maybe it is because of my generation (50 y.o.) or maybe it is something else but I still prefer a great speaker system to a great video screen/speaker system for interacting with my favorite music. I have toyed around with watching Youtube but it hasn't really grabbed me yet for music.

Anybody else here share my old-fashioned audio-only preferences here?

Steve

Newgrass, Prog & More Web Radio & Interviews
on Live365.com
Tidewater, Virginia, USA

[marval]

Hi Steve

Yes, I agree with you. If I want to listen to music that is what I will do. I really don't feel the need to watch a video.

The only time I like to watch is if it is a live concert, just for the atmoshere.

I am not sure Youtube gives the best sound or quality of music.


Margaret

[rojo]

Hmm. Well, for the me the music is of primary importance. And on YT, the sound quality is generally not great, even atrocious at times. But YT is such a wonderful resource; great for when you seek an example of an artist's style. Then if one likes what one hears, one can go buy the album. Many historical performances can be found there, from all sorts of genres. It has actually increased my historical knowledge of music.

The visual enhances the experience in many cases, and I have found many classical music performances by world renowned artists at YT.

And it is free.

I guess your preferences are what got you into radio then, right Steve?

[Andrew Roussak]

Hi Steve -

just spontaneously I would say I agree with you, on two various reasons. First of them is evident - watching video takes time - exactly as much time as the length of the videoclip . You can listen to the music and do anything else at this moment, and if you are watching the video - then you are only watching the video! For me, it is a luxury.

Another moment - as I can see, your preferences are rather prog-like. There were - and are - a couple of really interesting videos in the genre ( like that of Peter Gabriel...) but it is still more about pure music here. Or videos of live gigs - the situation rather similar to jazz or classical music.The most famous videos were made by / for pop-stars, not prog stars.

Saying all that, I have to add there are lots of live concerts on videos which I enjoy - among them Focus, Yes, ELP, Dream Theater...

[virginiaprograsser]

Hmm. Well, for the me the music is of primary importance. And on YT, the sound quality is generally not great, even atrocious at times. But YT is such a wonderful resource; great for when you seek an example of an artist's style. Then if one likes what one hears, one can go buy the album. Many historical performances can be found there, from all sorts of genres. It has actually increased my historical knowledge of music.

The visual enhances the experience in many cases, and I have found many classical music performances by world renowned artists at YT.

And it is free.

I guess your preferences are what got you into radio then, right Steve?

To tell you the truth, Rojo, back-in-the-day (i.e. the late 1970s) when I was doing college radio there was of course no such thing as music videos. I won't bore everybody with my first-hand experiences with 8-track tapes, etc. but back then a record (yes, real vinyl...) had to make it on its audio quality alone - although a great fold-out album cover (like Yes's 'Tales From Topographic Oceans') never hurt. You couldn't come out with pedestrian-quality music and cover it up with eye-candy.

Your points about YouTube are certainly well-taken, however.

Steve S-N

[virginiaprograsser]

Hi Steve -

just spontaneously I would say I agree with you, on two various reasons. First of them is evident - watching video takes time - exactly as much time as the length of the videoclip . You can listen to the music and do anything else at this moment, and if you are watching the video - then you are only watching the video! For me, it is a luxury.

Another moment - as I can see, your preferences are rather prog-like. There were - and are - a couple of really interesting videos in the genre ( like that of Peter Gabriel...) but it is still more about pure music here. Or videos of live gigs - the situation rather similar to jazz or classical music.The most famous videos were made by / for pop-stars, not prog stars.

Saying all that, I have to add there are lots of live concerts on videos which I enjoy - among them Focus, Yes, ELP, Dream Theater...

I love to do multiple things while I listen to music - draw, organize, rummage, type replies to forum posts, etc. Your point about watching a video being all-consuming of one's currentl focus is certainly a key one. Unless the video, or the movie, is very, very good I find myself wishing that I could just listen and not watch; and sometimes I indeed do.

And yes, I am a progger through and through. You mention some of my favorite bands above. It is even cooler now that I have interviewed some of them (Alan White, Carl Palmer, Tony Kaye, Billy Sherwood, Dave Cousins, Dave Lambert, Chas Cronk, and Chris Squire) and actually have developed personal relationships with a few of my prog heroes.

I can't wait for the Dream Theatre's 'Progressive Nation 2008' extravaganza:
http://www.progressivenation2008.com/tour

or The Strawbs' (Electric) 40 Anniversary Tour

but I am not sold yet on Yes's upcoming tour. I don't mind that Oliver Wakeman is behind the keys instead of ailing father Rick however I just don't know how much passion (or practice) they are going to bring to this tour given the chronically frayed state of personal relationships within the band and that there is no new music to tour behind. I have seen far too many Yes shows to be much excited at seeing Roundabout, Close to the Edge, and Time and a Word live once again (even if this might be the last time). My wife and I may end up going, but I really am not sure yet...

Best,

Steve S-N

[Muza]

Yeah, youtube is not really the best place to find quality, but I do like it a lot because it makes things very accessible. say you are looking for something specific, which you need right away, YouTube helps you find it, while otherwise you would have to go through the trouble of looking for it, downloading it, etc.

but generally, I agree with you.

[C5Says]

I like YT for historical purposes. It was where I saw what the old Manila was like, what it was like in WWII, the comedy clips, the interviews, the records. Some movies I missed can also be found in YT and I like it because it's fast-loading than other sites.

[rojo]

And what ever happened to the Buggles, anyway... or....

[methodistgirl]

I know one thing, the speakers on my laptop don't have the sound
quality that the oldfashened big speaker used to have. They had
a boom to them. The computer speakers squawk when I listen to
a certain song even on you tube.
judy tooley

[CARLTONDRAUGHT]

I don't mind a bit of vision with the music as long as it's still about the music in the first place

[coraven]

Nothing beats watching a band live... Seeing a band live can make all the difference.. it is all about rocking out with a band and the overall experience! You can't get that from listening to music in your car, laptop, or stereo...

[Bondarus]

Hello everyone.

First post!

With me, I put my music on and then do some other task, so I can hear the music in the background. I don't think I've ever actually sat their and dedicated time to just listening intently to a recording apart from perhaps 'Terria' by Devin Townsend or for ' Evolution: Creatio Ex Nihilio' by Enochian Theory.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terria

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evoluti...tio_Ex_Nihilio

Those two albums really reward the listener for taking the time to sit and soak in all the music. There is so much going on within the songs that you don't hear them the first time around and its only on subsequent listens that you really get it all.

I like to use youtube to watch old videos of bands. Sound quality though becomes and issue as my speakers on the pc are rubbish (LOL).

it has allowed to watch some real gems though that i would not ordniarily have scene, such as Phil Anselmo performing with Alice in Chains , a reformed Faith No More just 'owning' the crowd and such.