[Dixielandjazz] CUT & SPLICE

[Tom Wood]

Hi All,

I have followed the electronic cut & splice post with interest and since I think I inadvertently started it, perhaps I can contribute a little more.  Almost nothing in this life is either a JET BLACK "NO" or a PURE WHITE "YES" answer.  As all successful negotiators will realise, SHADES OF GREY exist and there are always exceptions to any basic rules.  
This results in a COMPROMISE solution or answer with hopefully everybody happy. :)

Sometimes some lateral thinking is required, and to give an architectural/structural engineering profession comparison, in Sydney, three storey walk-up units (apartments) originally did not require lifts to be installed but six storey apartments exist without lifts in areas where the land slopes down three levels from the ground floor entrance.  This was allowed (against the rules) because the occupants still only had to walk a maximum of either three stories up or three stories down from the ground floor level entrance of the building to get to their own front door.  

IMHO the "NO" to electronics are saying any form of electronic change is paramount to cheating.  I disagree and say that to delete a chorus still leaves the authenticity of the live music as played by your band and I suggest we are in the "not cheating" SHADES OF GREY area. 

IMHO the "YES" to electronics are saying any form of electronic change is OK.  I disagree again and say that to doctor a bum note electronically is cheating and is not a true representation of the band's playing.  The Zenith have never deleted a bum or cracked note on any CD of ours ever (and we have 11 out) and substituted any correct note(s).   

Having said the above, most of the Zenith CDs are "warts and all" live productions with no retakes.  As a German promoter once said to me (looking at the happy crowd) "your band must be seen to be heard" so we are definitely in the league where the CDs do not do the band justice.  Another possible inference is that bands have doctored their CDs to sound better than they really are and this certainly does not apply in our case.  I overheard a festival director once complain to a band leader that his group live on stage did not match his excellent (doctored) CD however, that was a modern jazz group where personnel had changed as well. 

Tom (shades of Gray/Grey) Wood