The Dilemma of Audience Recordings

It was 6 or 7 years ago when I first found sites on the web where I could download unreleased live shows.  I quickly learned that not all downloads were created equally. Some sounded incredibly good, often better than official live releases, while others sounded like they had been recorded under water using a tin can and a string.  By trial and error, I learned that for the most past FM broadcasts and soundboard recordings could be counted on to sound great, while audience recordings, well, they were a whole different story.

For the longest time, I pretty much avoided posting any audience recordings on this blog because most, to be honest, sounded awful,  I wanted folks who came to So Many Roads to find great sounding concerts, a lesson I learned from the legendary Tunz Master Dino.   That said, in the last year or so, I've softened my stance on audience recordings somewhat, for several reasons. First, I've found more and more audience tapes that actually sound good.  Even a couple, such as the Neil Young Greendale show from Europe, that you could swear were soundboards. Second, some historically important concerts are only available as audience tapes, and given that the historical bent of this blog, I felt it was important to post them.  Finally, I've had numerous requests from readers of this blog for certain shows which can only be found as audience tapes.  I like to be responsive to the folks who support this blog, so I've taken to posting more audience recordings. That said, the blog will still be well over 85% soundboard and FM recordings.

For the 15% or so audience tapes,  I do my best to post only excellent/high quality recordings.  I listen to every one of then before I post them, trying to make sure the sound quality, while maybe not as pristine as a soundboard, is clear, with no distortion, static or excessive audience noise.  I try to avoid anything that sounds like it was recorded in cave, where vocals are distant or tinny, or where you can't tell the guitars from the drums.

Of course, its hardly an exact science.  What I think sounds great someone else may find unacceptable or vice versa.  And I'd be lying if I didn't say that an audience tape of a band I love, or of a show I attended, always seems to sound better to me. Guess that's just human nature at work.

In any event, knowing all the issues around audience tapes, I make sure every one is clearly marked as such.  That way no one is surprised.   If you don't want to take any chances, just avoid the ones that say audience tapes.  If your ears are a bit more forgiving, you can take a chance on them.

Audience tapes, even the best quality ones, will always pose a dilemma for both poster and the down loader, but here at So Many Rods we think we've taken an approach that's honest and open, and hopefully works for everyone involved.