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Applause: Bummer

Now that I have a rig I can call a "system", I often find myself looking up from a book or the computer or whatever to pay attention to a particularly involving musical passage. Finally, it ends and I think, 'wow, that was just right', or 'jeepers, Vladimir or Dizzy or _______ was right here a moment ago'. But if it's a live recording, the applause always brings me down. Never, not once have I heard applause on any audio rig that sounded like hands clapping. Baez "From Every Stage", Dizzy "An Electrifying Evening" and "Newport II", "Jazz at the Pawnshop", Horowitz at the Met", Clapton "Unplugged", nada. Am I opening the gates to hell pursuing realistic applause? Is it out there at $50,000 per? Should I care? Have I ruined anyone's day?
kitch29
tireguy
1,964 posts
 
Maybe you could higher a bunch of illegal imigrants to applause for you on cue...... well it would be cheap at least.
david99
1,467 posts
 
I think applause is one of the hardest sounds to reproduce.On my system it kind of sounds like rain on a metal roof.Sometimes I feel my system is a failure because of this but then again the music sounds so damn good it only bothers me briefly.I tend to stay away from live recordings also as I usually cant stand the sound of live rock.The majority of my music is rock so I dont have much experience with live "other" music.I just know most live rock recordings are terrible.Maybe thats why in my system anyway applause doesnt sound real.
sdcampbell
2,136 posts
 
Be thankful that the applause does not sound realistic. If it did, the music wouldn't. Reason? When recording, mikes are optimized to record the instruments, and thus are usually quite directional. Even omnidirectional mikes are usually placed in front of or above the performers. To adequately capture the sound of applause, additional mikes would have to be hung or placed in the audience, which would over-emphasize room or hall ambience. Mixing would also become much more complicated, trying to find the right balance. So, if the music sounds right, enjoy it and don't think about the applause -- it's only there to inform you that the performance was done live.
kitch29 OP
316 posts
 
I like it, Sd. From now on, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. It also makes sense. Applause.
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