Are we really listening? | Bob Weir and Dennis Leonard | TEDxEast
This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Presenting a brief introduction to the technical, physiological, psychological and social ramifications of the musical listening experience and how the present day low resolution standards have reduced and clouded the experience… Also presented; the high resolution alternatives currently available.
Dennis is a feature film Sound Supervisor and Re-recording Mixer at Lucasfilm’s Skywalker Sound, he has been there for 26 years. He has been in professional audio since 1971 when the Grateful Dead hired him as part of their technical team. He also does independent consultation and was instrumental in both the acoustic and electronic design and construction of Bob Weir’s TRI Studios, he mixed many of the first shows which were Web Cast from TRI and remains a consultant there. He also consulted on the acoustic and electronic design of the Sweetwater Music Hall partially owned by Bob Weir.
He has been interested, passionate and involved in sound since his childhood and remembers a time when the quality of sound was one of the most important aspects, a time when folks gathered around a stereo together and listened to recorded music for extended periods of time. Back then there was no internet, MP-3 or pocket players and it was difficult to play a single track on an LP.
Born in 1947, Weir was adopted by a wealthy California engineer. As a teen, he secured his spot as one of the youngest members of the burgeoning folk scene that centered on a Palo Alto club called the Tangent-home to such future rock legends as Jerry Garcia, Jefferson Airplane guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and Janis Joplin. In 1964, at the age of 17, Weir spent the majority of his time at a Palo Alto music store where Garcia taught guitar lessons. It wasn’t long before Weir and Garcia, along with Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, formed a blues and folk outfit. Originally called Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions, the band was later renamed The Warlocks-adding Phil Lesh and Bill Kreutzman to the lineup-and eventually came to be known as the Grateful Dead.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)
Пікірлер: 61
Bobby is the man. He's always pushing the boundaries of what a music experience can be. Keep up the good work Bob!
Ever since CDs came out, I was saying, "I still think my Sony walkman (cassette tape) sounds waaaay better
"Make music matter" when Bobby said this at the close of the talk I pictured the music becoming matter in the physical sense. Going from a thought into a performance and then physically becoming a vinyl record. Pretty cool thesis Bobby! Important talk about sound quality in the digital age.
This is fascinating and so prevalent. Thank you Bobby and Dennis
It's about time. Sound quality here on You Tube is terrible. I hope it changes in my lifetime.
I remember the wall of sound,I listened to the Dead on a Marconi tube radio. I could pick up a station in Vancover BC that I first heard them on. I have seen many concerts seen mistakes where everyone laughed. Last summer at the gorge in Washington State was very nice concert got loads of photos. The sound has changed over the years it always sounded great to me but with Dead and company wow what great sound!
I completely agree!
I have listened to music with a different frequency and wow what a difference, you can hear all the instruments ,it all sounds so different!
I saw an interview with Neil Young in which he spoke a similar message
As a fairly young fan of the dead, listening to the guys speak on the music has really impacted me, they taught me how to listen.
Enlightening! Go for it!!
Cool. I hadn't thought about this quality issue. I mostly see live music. Thanks.
Great stuff
That’s my old friend Bobby who I met in 1978 then again in 1980 for 8 years I went on tour with them when Jerry was still with us !
True enough, but I saw a Mick Jagger interview in which he said something like this: people listened attentively to music back in the 60s because music was the only media you could buy. So of course people looked deeply into it, perhaps even imagining things that weren't there (Paul is dead). No one looks for hidden meaning in a Miley Cyrus song, cuz you can just look at her Instagram account. (The only thing dead is her brain.) In a similar way, when Proust's big book came out (too much trouble to Google the correct title - remembrance of things/times past, whatever) - EVERYONE bought it (I've been told), the way everyone bought albums in the 60s. Because back in the 30s there were only - pretty much - books (78 records still sounded awful.) In our times, people have moved on to video games. So while better sounding music will help people appreciate it more, it's more than just that...
@Inertia888
6 жыл бұрын
Muzikifi , it seems like the culture that was music then has become a smaller subculture now. there are people and artists that appreciate the true sound and are making good stuff. we would certainly love to hear the best quality we can achieve. do you think we can nurture that scene? make it grow? maybe even get some actual artists some airtime? I don't know. but I'll follow Bob and see where we go.
@derekfletcher8934
6 жыл бұрын
darrick steele I am a fan of this idea... however its sort of fun that its gone underground. The seeker will find. Let the people choose for themselves. I've always enjoyed the chase just as much as the catch, and when that went away music became much less intriguing for me. But then I remembered, you just gotta poke around ;)
@Inertia888
6 жыл бұрын
Derek, right on man! and maybe we will see each other when we get there...
Bob I love you. You are a genius. Love the dog walking around the stage. #1 was way better.
Second one made my head hurt & my throat tightened. In college, I wrote a paper on sound tech & culture and worked in a record store when CD’s hit the market. Everyone trading in LP’s. We would compare the sound. Led Zeppelin drum licks noticeably missing beats & cutting off vibrations...
Listening 7 years later, still waiting for better quality sound. I'm looking forward to the summer & the live music scene. Perhaps it isn't the party scene that makes it feel so right, it's just that the music really is THAT much better live.
Make music Matter
Is he saying that all the Grateful Dead on KZread and Archive is actually stressing me, not soothing like the band is supposed to?
WOW clinically proven to increase stress level = poor quality music haha amazing
@berryseinfeld6772
Жыл бұрын
Lol pseudo science but I love it
I’m willing to carry a bigger digital music player if I can get a better sound quality. IPods and iPhones just don’t cut it. I know they make some like this but they are at least about $500
Thanks Bobby. Seemed to me like your carrying on John Barlow's work.
Just shot you an email from Benson Avenue Company. I think we might have a Christmas miracle for everyone.
for personal listening ; 24 bit / 192kHz is great through a Fiio X5 player, a good amp and a pair of ATHm50x cans.
I don't know about you but I NEVER get used to the snap crackle and pop in my ear, or even tape hiss for that matter. I have a better idea - use Fourier transforms to isolate the noise before transforming back. That way the music stays analog. Frequency coding takes much less storage than your brute force digital technique and it maintains as high a resolution as your equipment allows...and let me remind you that if musical electronics were digital back then, the Grateful Dead would never have been able to create all that controlled feedback since digital only copies, never originates!
@John-bv3ok
3 жыл бұрын
Agree vinyl LP surface noise is never a cute lil' artifact that reminds me of that one time at band camp and I'm never physiologically able to filter out that annoying pop in the third verse this guy's trying to rationalize as acceptable.
Amen.....CD mp3s are off the menu.
Do you not realize this world isn't what we thought
@bigmike5785
5 жыл бұрын
I do. Want to talk about it?
@jakejohansen1889
5 жыл бұрын
Theron... Do you still use double negatives much in this other world without thought?
what is going on with this movement? I have some new good, bearesque ideas in this area that I would like to share. I am an artist and musician raised by and engineer.
the c.i.a,s band member.
@daveyboy8907
6 жыл бұрын
See the skull ring on that guys hand??
stairs are bad
I am not sure that Mr. Weir and Mr. Leonard understand and appreciate the Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem.
What good does progressing the technology of today when the music of today stinks?
yeah agreed I went to see Pat Travers in 79 he was opening for ac dc and there music was so loud and obnoxious that it upset my spirit and made me literally sick
@MrCooperAnthony
5 жыл бұрын
I heard ACDC across town when they played Sydney Stadium.
:D
This is nonsense. Vinyl does not contain all the information. In fact, when mastering vinyl some frequences are removed and some are enhanced.
third
Are you not lying about everything?
CIA assets.
@newusernamehere4772
3 жыл бұрын
You're a CIA asset lol
.second
did bob weir smoke a joint w/him ...dude looks baked .
@trueblue1942
4 жыл бұрын
Opinions say more about the person judging others than those they judge. If you have facts to discuss, then do it. Forget your useless opinions.
hehehe seek it sake it..
When did you all sell your souls bobby?
@daveyboy8907
6 жыл бұрын
Theron Mclauchlan after jerry died..
@philippel.5013
5 жыл бұрын
Oh? How so?
@bigmike5785
5 жыл бұрын
It was a long time ago.
@trueblue1942
5 жыл бұрын
People who project on others what is inside themselves with their judgement of others.
@trueblue1942
4 жыл бұрын
Noble Failures what’s your source, do you have a link? In my experience, people choose whatever they want to believe. I only believe what I see proof about, not opinions.