Boogie Magic - Live vs Recorded

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MBConvert

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Is it just me? I find that there is something about the tone of Mesa Boogie amps that is never captured in recordings. Everything from the best studio recordings be it John Petrucci or Walter Trout to the most finely crafted YouTube video, Boogie amps sound good but not awesome to my ear. However, every time I play a dialed Mark, DC, Atlantic or Triple Crown amp I am blown away and hear great aspects of the tone, harmonics and dynamics that I never hear in recordings. On top of that, I don't see (or hear) this phenomenon with british style amps like Marshall, Soldano, etc. which seem in recordings to be much closer to what I hear in person. Anyone else notice this? Any idea why that might be?
 
MBConvert said:
Is it just me? I find that there is something about the tone of Mesa Boogie amps that is never captured in recordings. Everything from the best studio recordings be it John Petrucci or Walter Trout to the most finely crafted YouTube video, Boogie amps sound good but not awesome to my ear. However, every time I play a dialed Mark, DC, Atlantic or Triple Crown amp I am blown away and hear great aspects of the tone, harmonics and dynamics that I never hear in recordings. On top of that, I don't see (or hear) this phenomenon with british style amps like Marshall, Soldano, etc. which seem in recordings to be much closer to what I hear in person. Anyone else notice this? Any idea why that might be?
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Videos on the internet give complex sounds a lot of trouble. Compression and processing change that sound so much. The complexity of a boogie tone is so rich and hard to experience except if you are with it in person. dynamics, harmonics, the feel of the amp, none of that really comes through a video well. Only way to really enjoy one is play one or listen to one.
 
I know what you mean. I think a lot of recording engineers chop the bass off so that the guitar doesn't interfere with the bass guitar and kick drum. That eliminates a lot of the body when you use boogies that don't have a lot of mids. I remember hearing board mixes of the band I was in live where I used a Dual Recto and my tone just sounded like a lot of high-end fizz sometimes when all the low end was removed. I love the guitar tones on some of the Dream Theater albums.....Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence in particular. The tones are more processed that what I hear of Boogie amps in person though for sure.
 
The OP has a good point. I think this applies to live music vs. recorded music in general. Live music is just so much better! Room interactions, dynamics, seeing the musicians and instruments (or playing the instrument yourself!).
 
Totally agree. I'll add that digital amps have the opposite effect: they sound great recorded but crappy in person. I usually record guitar with a Fender Mustang for convenience sake, but roll out the Mark V for gigs and practice.
 
I get what you’re saying as I’ve come away from several concerts (particularly Rush) where I feel the sound live beats the sound on the recording, and I love live recordings as I lenjoy the more raw sound that is typical of a live recording. However, there are many recordings that I think capture a certain magic.

I’ll point to Petrucci’s Damage Control on Suspended Animation. The opening chords are just brutal in the best way. The amp sounds cranked, juicy and full of balls. The lead tone smokes on that song too.

Just one example.
 

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