I'm curious whether the readers of this forum prefer well-recorded music by itself or if seeing the musicians performing the tracks is a plus. I watched the Neil Young - Prarie Wind DVD and was intrigued by the video...but for me it's all about the music.

As the producer of about 50 DVD-Audio/Video projects that all have video of the sessions to accompany the audio, I routinely get emails from people saying they love to watch the performers [this is especially true for us guitarists when Laurence JUber or Albert Lee are on screen] but others love to turn off the lights and sink into the 5.1 surround sound.

I spend a lot of time and additional resources capturing the sessions using HD Video cameras and then editing all of the footage. I might be better off just putting out audio only projects. THat's what iTrax.com is going to do...just allow great music downloads at real HD quality. More information coming.

That's an interesting question.
I watch tv with close captioning all the time and it definitely detracts from focusing on the music 100%.I also find having a bright light off to the side detracts from listening.
But I think with concert video's that this isn't the case because when you see the guy in Blue Man Complex hit the big drum with the sledgehammer mallet you hear it too. So your focused on the sound because you can visually see how the sound is made. :smoke:

For me, it's all about the music -- I keep buying the occasional music DVD, but I haven't watched but one in months. I just don't get the appeal. I mean, some artists are just plain charismatic, and I'd watch watch them tune a guitar -- Greg Dulli/Twilight Singers/Afghan Whigs and Steve Kilbey/The Church are two that come to mind. But unfortunately, many are just not (Eric Johnson, albeit one of the greatest guitar players ever, has all the stage presence of a someone operating a clothes iron, and Robert Fripp, although innately charismatic, rarely gets up out of his chair [sorry, no slam meant against the artists -- I deliberately picked two that I admire greatly]).

Music only for me. While I do have a shelf full of concert DVDs, they rarely get played (but when they do, I admit to really enjoying them). Plus, so much of my listening time is either in the car, or in my office all day, and videos wouldn't work in those situations. The other aspect for me is that with a record or cd, I can listen to 2 or 3 songs and stop. With a concert DVD, I feel like it is a movie, and I must dedicate 1.5 - 2 hours to watch the thing. I don't like stopping in the middle of a DVD.

JD

Music only, for the most part. I'll watch the occasional concert on cable HDTV, but I've got albums that came with "bonus" DVDs that I've never watched.

Music only, for the most part. I'll watch the occasional concert on cable HDTV, but I've got albums that came with "bonus" DVDs that I've never watched.

Ditto.

Nine times out of ten hold the video, I prefer the music only.

Nine times out of ten hold the video, I prefer the music only.

Same here.

I’d hesitate to use a question here as a guide to making such a decision. For one you need to ask; who is your target audience? Most of us “Old Coots” here on AK are not really part of the “MTV Generation” My wife used to enjoy it, but even she (4 years younger) was not part of its target audience. She rarely cares to watch now, (Partly because those cable channels had lost there focus and become saturated with crap programming just like most of the rest of TV)

A target audience of say 40 and younger will almost certainly have a different viewpoint that the average AKer.

Ps I was never enamored of music videos; I do however enjoy a concert video. Like say Pink Floyd’s the wall at Berlin.

What about sound that's deliberately mixed to go with picturers? Whether you like or loath Disney's modern offerings, IMHO the original `Fantasia' still makes pretty cool listening and viewing. Goes well together...............Jim.

Music. I give my AV guy fits because I just don't care about the images.

Nine times out of ten hold the video, I prefer the music only.
Here too, I think resposes will probably follow along the division of who grew up with MTV or before it like me.


Carl

I have many DVD concert videos, and watch them on occasion, usually only when we have company over. There's not a whole lot of my friends who like to sit and listen to music. I think we are a dying breed.

I prefer just the music.:music:

I like the concert videos, especially older ones. Being a guitar player myself I like to watch the players' techniques (or lack thereof) and check out the equipment being used. However, being of the first MTV generation (I'm 38) I do not care to ever see another concept video again. Ditto for lip-synched "performance" video.
The interplay and/or tension among the musicians is also interesting, as anyone who's ever seen the video of Blackmore's last show with Purple can attest.
Dan

I'm 24 and I don't even have a DVD-player, guess I'm the odd one out in my age group though. I like to close my eyes and forget where I am, the illusion is just so much better then. I also am a stereo only guy although I do see the point with a really good surround system if the recording is awesome. Was at a closed demonstration by Peter McGrath of Wilson Audio, who by the way is a very nice and knowledgable man, where he played one of his own recordings and that sure was awesome but the cost is tremendous for that kind of system compared to a stereo only one.

It's a flip of the coin for me. I have a Beth Heart Dvd I don't see my self watch again but I'll through it on to listen to the audio. sSome live performaces have it all over studio recordings.

I’ll take a 2 channel lp over a DVD any day. It’s interesting to watch the musicians on a DVD for a few minutes but for me after awhile the video starts to take away from the audio.

I'm 38 and I remember kids who watched MTV virtually all day and night. I never was one of those. I admit I liked a few videos, mostly "closet classics" but even then I thought it really took something away from the whole imagination aspect of rock music that I was old enough to remember from the 70's. There was no longer a need for imagination as it was now being shoved down your throat. I thought it was much more cool like when we were a little younger and giving that new album a spin and digging the cover. No videos back then. Not MTV style anyway. Now I always did and still do like concert video. Mostly of vintage bands. To me thats not really a cheezy "video".

This has got me thinking. Can anyone remember when the first custom made (as distinct from `find a bit of stock footage') videos came out? Queens `Bohemian Rapsody' is often said to be first, but I'm not so sure.........

If you really think about it The Beatles really revolutionized videos along with most other ideas for expanding rock and roll to new technical level. Where I'm getting this idea from is the movies they did. All of their movies except Let It Be could be chopped up into a multitude of "videos" as we came to know them via MTV. Again not just stock pieces of live performance footage like Let It Be. That doesent really count as a "video". The movies I am mentioning are "A Hard Days Night", "Help", "Magical Mystery Tour", and "Yellow Submarine".

The Who did videos for several of their 60's hits as well. Probably several other bands as well. The Pink Floyd maybe?? Maybe the "video" originated as an English/European thing.