Richard Chycki says he's currently mixing a DT live album **DO NOT POST LINKS**

[TAC]

But I can't believe they wouldn't have filmed the production. Even for themselves. That literally makes no sense.

[Madman Shepherd]

Anyway, to those overly worried about James - check out this awesome rendition of Breaking All Illusions from my show:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZksIow4BJ0

I don't think that's the only time he ever got a song so good, so if they're recording more shows, I think you can have top notch performances from him even without dubbing the shyt ouf ot it.

That was one of the highlights at my show too.  I mentioned some songs he noticably struggled.  Others he nailed.  This one he nailed. 

But I can't believe they wouldn't have filmed the production. Even for themselves. That literally makes no sense.

That costs a lot of money.  Maybe they set up a small camera for themselves but a fully recorded/filmed show is expensive. 

[Orbert]

Yeah, but if I wrote a 2-CD concept album and went on tour with my band and played the whole thing every night, I sure as hell would make sure I recorded it at least once.  I'm not even talking about whether or not it would make a good release for a live album; I would want a recording of the band performing it, for posterity.

For the record, they actually record every show they play.

That's what I thought.  I didn't listen to the Eddie Trunk thing, but supposedly JP said they didn't record any TA Live shows.  Maybe he meant "other than the regular recording of every show we do anyway".

[noxon]

They specifically talked about filming - not generic recording.

And when they don't have video screens that show the actual band members, they dont have any video recording either. And they havent had band members on screen for TA or IAWAB.

[SwedishGoose]

They specifically talked about filming - not generic recording.

And when they don't have video screens that show the actual band members, they dont have any video recording either. And they havent had band members on screen for TA or IAWAB.

True... but for TA I would settle with just the screens if nothing else exists.

[Logain Ablar]

Anyway, to those overly worried about James - check out this awesome rendition of Breaking All Illusions from my show:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZksIow4BJ0

I don't think that's the only time he ever got a song so good, so if they're recording more shows, I think you can have top notch performances from him even without dubbing the shyt ouf ot it.

That was excellent. I hope they got that one recorded!

Is it just me or does it seems a little faster than the original?

[the keyboard wizard]

Jordan answered that question:  "Richard Chycki confirmed he was working on a new DT live album: can you tell us which tour it will be?"
You want to know the answer? Stay tuned for Your Majesty's exclusive interview to be released by the end of the week (THAT is a great teaser)

[Podaar]

[gzarruk]

Jordan answered that question:  "Richard Chycki confirmed he was working on a new DT live album: can you tell us which tour it will be?"
You want to know the answer? Stay tuned for Your Majesty's exclusive interview to be released by the end of the week (THAT is a great teaser)

it's gonna be a long week.

[The Curious Orange]

Impressive though the Astonishing shows were, the use of click-track and pre-recorded elements meant that the live shows weren't THAT different from the album version - there's little purpose in releasing something that's basically the same as the album with some crowd noise on it. Perhaps if TA had been better received by the fanbase we'd have got a DVD of the tour, but it wasn't, so...

On the other hand, the IW&B shows were just about the best I've seen the band play for many a year. I want a DVD/CD of this.

[devieira73]

Jordan answered that question:  "Richard Chycki confirmed he was working on a new DT live album: can you tell us which tour it will be?"
You want to know the answer? Stay tuned for Your Majesty's exclusive interview to be released by the end of the week (THAT is a great teaser)

So... until this saturday, right? No pressure!😉

[the keyboard wizard]

The interview is online!
blog.yourmajesty.net/2017/11/09/interview-in-english-jordan-rudess-2/

[devieira73]

Now it seems like a roadrunner release or a xmas surprise.

[mikeyd23]

Impressive though the Astonishing shows were, the use of click-track and pre-recorded elements meant that the live shows weren't THAT different from the album version - there's little purpose in releasing something that's basically the same as the album with some crowd noise on it. Perhaps if TA had been better received by the fanbase we'd have got a DVD of the tour, but it wasn't, so...

Except you know, they were playing it live...

[Evai]

They were playing it live when they recorded it as well, the recordings didn't come from a different plane of existence

[gzarruk]

The interview is online!
blog.yourmajesty.net/2017/11/09/interview-in-english-jordan-rudess-2/

I actually expected Jordan to answer something like that, but I got excited anyway

[mikeyd23]

They were playing it live when they recorded it as well, the recordings didn't come from a different plane of existence

You're right. Why bother going to concerts anyway?

[Orbert]

Often the live performance of a song, or even an entire album, gains something it didn't have on the studio recording.  The solos are different, or they do something with the arrangement, or just the performance itself seems more energized and to take things to the next level.

And sometimes the live peformance sounds basically like the studio recording.  Exact same tempo and backing tracks, courtesy of click track technology.  Because it's still new material, the arrangement and/or solos haven't drifted much from what's on the album, if at all.  Stuff like that.

Going to a concert is an event, and it's about much more than just the band playing, although obviously that's the main thing.  But listening to a live recording that sounds 95% identical to the studio version isn't a big draw for a most people.

[mikeyd23]

Often the live performance of a song, or even an entire album, gains something it didn't have on the studio recording.  The solos are different, or they do something with the arrangement, or just the performance itself seems more energized and to take things to the next level.

And sometimes the live peformance sounds basically like the studio recording.  Exact same tempo and backing tracks, courtesy of click track technology.  Because it's still new material, the arrangement and/or solos haven't drifted much from what's on the album, if at all.  Stuff like that.

Going to a concert is an event, and it's about much more than just the band playing, although obviously that's the main thing.  But listening to a live recording that sounds 95% identical to the studio version isn't a big draw for a most people.

Oh I get all that, and I don't really disagree. It's just kinda weird, with most bands fans go to the show and if the take away is "wow, that sounded like the album!" that's usually considered a good thing. Around here it gets a knock for some reason.

Anywho, I guess I'm in the minority that would LOVE to see a TA live release regardless of whether they played to a click or not, regardless of whether or not they kept arrangements the same, or regardless of whether or not they looped some stuff in.

[Orbert]

Are you talking about a live album, or a concert video?  To me, they're pretty different.

A good concert video (DVD, Blu-ray, whatever) almost makes you feel like you're there at the concert.  The stage, the stuff on the screens, and of course watching the guys actually playing the music.

But a live audio recording that's 95% the same as the studio album, I have more trouble getting excited about.  Since apparently they're not going to release a concert video, I'm curious as to what it is about the live album that makes you want it so badly.  Not trying to be a dick; really trying to understand.  I have every Dream Theater official release, including all the live albums, and they're great, but sometimes I find myself thinking I could/should just be listening to the album versions of songs.

[gzarruk]

When it comes to live albums, I love to see the videos, but I almost never listen to the audio versions only. I'm so familiar with the studio versions that I usually don't care too much for the audio only versions of live albums.

[Adami]

Are you talking about a live album, or a concert video?  To me, they're pretty different.

A good concert video (DVD, Blu-ray, whatever) almost makes you feel like you're there at the concert.  The stage, the stuff on the screens, and of course watching the guys actually playing the music.

But a live audio recording that's 95% the same as the studio album, I have more trouble getting excited about.  Since apparently they're not going to release a concert video, I'm curious as to what it is about the live album that makes you want it so badly.  Not trying to be a dick; really trying to understand.  I have every Dream Theater official release, including all the live albums, and they're great, but sometimes I find myself thinking I could/should just be listening to the album versions of songs.

I mostly agree. The only times I really like the live version of a song that is identical to the studio is if the studio has a meh mix and the live is better. I prefer the live versions of the ADTOE songs simply because the drums sound better.

[Evai]

I loved hearing JP and MP doing the harmonies, and Jordan filling in for missing rhythm guitar during solos with a keyboard patch. It was so cool hearing the band as they really are; a one-guitar, 5 piece band. That was what was so cool about a live album, that you didn't get in the album versions

[JayOctavarium]

I loved hearing JP and MP doing the harmonies, and Jordan filling in for missing rhythm guitar during solos with a keyboard patch. It was so cool hearing the band as they really are; a one-guitar, 5 piece band. That was what was so cool about a live album, that you didn't get in the album versions

This

[Zydar]

When it comes to live albums, I love to see the videos, but I almost never listen to the audio versions only. I'm so familiar with the studio versions that I usually don't care too much for the audio only versions of live albums,

Totally agree. I don't care for live albums but I enjoy live videos. I want to see the band perform, not just hear them.

[mikeyd23]

Are you talking about a live album, or a concert video?  To me, they're pretty different.

A good concert video (DVD, Blu-ray, whatever) almost makes you feel like you're there at the concert.  The stage, the stuff on the screens, and of course watching the guys actually playing the music.

But a live audio recording that's 95% the same as the studio album, I have more trouble getting excited about.  Since apparently they're not going to release a concert video, I'm curious as to what it is about the live album that makes you want it so badly.  Not trying to be a dick; really trying to understand.  I have every Dream Theater official release, including all the live albums, and they're great, but sometimes I find myself thinking I could/should just be listening to the album versions of songs.

Oh, I was talking about a concert video, sorry for the miscommunication! That said - I'd still buy a live CD version of TA though because I really like that album a lot so having another version of it performed live would be cool to me.

[PetFish]

They were playing it live when they recorded it as well, the recordings didn't come from a different plane of existence

Literalist FTW.

You're right. Why bother going to concerts anyway?

Rebutt-owned.

[Orbert]

I loved hearing JP and MP doing the harmonies, and Jordan filling in for missing rhythm guitar during solos with a keyboard patch. It was so cool hearing the band as they really are; a one-guitar, 5 piece band. That was what was so cool about a live album, that you didn't get in the album versions

Now that's cool.  That's what I'm talking about, how the live version isn't just the studio version being played live.  Compromises that have to be made, parts that are covered differently.  The studio version has tons of overdubs; can you play it live and make it sound good?

To me, live recordings and studio recordings are almost two different media.  Studio is about making it all sound as good as you can, which is possible because everything's controlled and you have unlimited takes, so there's no excuse for the studio version not being perfect (in theory anyway).

Live is all about what you can do in real time.  I suppose that alone is why it's worth it to check out the live versions of things, and why I still do.  Live albums used to completely transcend the studio albums, then sometime in the 90's or so, everybody started playing to a click, and now live albums are considerably less adventurous.  I understand that bands want to have more control over things, especially in a setting where it's practically a given that something unexpected will go wrong, but to me that's part of the excitement.  It's just you, your instruments, and your audience.  Let's see what you've got.

[gzarruk]

Don't get why many people here see playing with a click track as bad, it actually helps a lot, for many things.

[Orbert]

That's true, but it also locks the entire performance into a preset tempo.  To many musicians, this is restrictive.  The freedom to vary the tempo according to mood and feel of the room is an inalienable right of performance.

[gzarruk]

That's true, but it also locks the entire performance into a preset tempo.  To many musicians, this is restrictive.  The freedom to vary the tempo according to mood and feel of the room is an inalienable right of performance.

I think this is very valid too. Still, guys like Haken and Steven Wilson use click tracks live and I've never seen anyone complain about them, only DT (not trying to say you're complaining about it, Orbert).

[Orbert]

There's no question that there are upsides to playing with a click.  Why wouldn't you want the band to have something that keeps everyone together?  Why wouldn't you want something that defines the tempo, so it's not up to how drunk or high the drummer is when he clicks his sticks four times?  And of course today's shows have graphics on the screens and other presentation elements that need to be timed to the music, and I don't know, but I would bet money that there are sophisticated multimedia systems that can coordinate all of this, all synched to the click, marketed to touring bands and others.  Great stuff.

But the old fogey in me points out that bands were playing together live for thousands of years before there were click tracks.  We did this by listening to each other and paying attention to each other.  And half the fun of a live performance is that you can do that one section as fast or slow as you want, and we do fuck around with each other, actually challenge each other to keep up, maybe go around one more time with the solos, and none of that is scripted.  It has to be in the moment.  You can't do that in today's world.

I've been playing live music a long time, longer than most posters here on DTF have been alive, and definitely longer than click tracks have been universal.  I suppose that makes me a purist, and purists tend to get a lot of shit about stuff like this.  Dream Theater is an absolutely amazing band.  To be able to play those songs live, perfectly (or near perfectly) is something I'll never be able to do.  But there's a part of me that knows that one reason they can do it is because of the click, and there's a tiny part of me (the purist) that mumbles "Yeah, but that's cheating."  I'm not complaining that they use a click, but it adds a homogeneity to everything, it takes just a little bit of the "live" out of the live performance.

[bosk1]

...and I don't know, but I would bet money that there are sophisticated multimedia systems that can coordinate all of this, all synched to the click, marketed to touring bands and others. 

Correct.  It automates a lot of the lighting and video, which also enables bands to have more complex presentations than would be possible with one or two guys at the sound booth manually doing everything. 

[Orbert]

Makes sense.  There's definitely a niche for it.

[MirrorMask]

Well Orbert, all I can say is that I totally see your point.

For me it depends on the kind of show, a small band playing rock n' roll in a pub can well do away without a click, but bigger productions with screens and videos and lights coordinated almost require a click by now.