Patches and discussion for Ensoniq VFX family

Greetings All….

This is somewhat "off-topic" so if the moderator feels it is 
inappropriate; obviously he is welcome to remove it. However, since a 
number of us use our Ensoniq keyboards (I have a VFX-SD & SD-1) in 
the production of our music and certainly with the intent for some 
manner of public airing, I was interested if there were others among 
us who had thoughts with regard to the quality of the airing your 
music was receiving - given today's technology.

I have been thinking about people's listening habits when it comes to 
music over the past couple of years. Other than "live" of course, it 
seems most people these days listen to their music on portable 
devices. And although the listening quality of some of these devices 
is good….nothing can touch listening to music on good amplified 
playback systems in a reasonably sized area under ambient conditions. 
Only then can the dynamics and richness of the music be absorbed and 
enjoyed by the listener. Only then can the true intent of your 
productions and arrangements be heard as it was intended. And I 
personally think that is even more important when it comes to music 
produced with synthesizers and the like.

I have made the music I have produced with my synthesizers and 
associated equipment available from time to time for downloading from 
the Internet like many of you have also done. But I am reaching a 
point where I feel I no longer am going to do that because I feel the 
work I have put in to the mixing and dynamics of the arrangements of 
my music is never being heard as it was intended. And under those 
conditions, I would just as soon it not be heard at all. At best, 
most music that is downloaded like that usually doesn't make it past 
the downloader's computer sound system anyway I would guess. And if 
one does eventually put it on a CD so that they can play it as it was 
intended, they have to have the software and knowledge to do so. 

I often wonder how recording and production engineers these days 
actually feel about this subject. Assuming a bit of their heart and 
soul goes into their productions, don't they feel cheated to some 
degree because their music is not being listened to as intended?

Other thoughts.....???

I agree with you that live ambience through a good system is the 
ultimate listening pleasure.  I respect portable MP3 players and all 
portable devices.  

Me?  I'm old fashioned.  When I toured in the 80's I never left home 
without my Sony Pro-Walkman cassette recorder/player w/headphones.  
We were told to use headphones traveling in a motorhome to give 
others privacy who were trying to sleep.  Others had various tastes 
in music and didn't care to hear music they didn't like.

Twenty years later, its so common to see people walking, jogging or 
whatever w/headphones on, no one gives it a second thought.

Today, at 51, I no longer travel.  Just play locally.  Have no 
interest in iPods or other portables.  Nothing against them, in fact 
I think they're pretty cool.  Just don't need them.  

Recording engineers in larger studios mix under controlled studio 
environments for the "average system" by the average user.  Guessing 
they hope it sounds good on an iPod, but there's no way of knowing 
who listens with what device.  

Perhaps someone on this group knows of a survey taken that indicates 
demographics of listeners habits, devices, etc.?

--- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com, "tekoband2006" <tekoband@...> 
wrote:
>
> Greetings All
.
> 
> This is somewhat "off-topic" so if the moderator feels it is 
> inappropriate; obviously he is welcome to remove it. However, since 
a 
> number of us use our Ensoniq keyboards (I have a VFX-SD & SD-1) in 
> the production of our music and certainly with the intent for some 
> manner of public airing, I was interested if there were others 
among 
> us who had thoughts with regard to the quality of the airing your 
> music was receiving - given today's technology.
> 
> I have been thinking about people's listening habits when it comes 
to 
> music over the past couple of years. Other than "live" of course, 
it 
> seems most people these days listen to their music on portable 
> devices. And although the listening quality of some of these 
devices 
> is good
.nothing can touch listening to music on good amplified 
> playback systems in a reasonably sized area under ambient 
conditions. 
> Only then can the dynamics and richness of the music be absorbed 
and 
> enjoyed by the listener. Only then can the true intent of your 
> productions and arrangements be heard as it was intended. And I 
> personally think that is even more important when it comes to music 
> produced with synthesizers and the like.
> 
> I have made the music I have produced with my synthesizers and 
> associated equipment available from time to time for downloading 
from 
> the Internet like many of you have also done. But I am reaching a 
> point where I feel I no longer am going to do that because I feel 
the 
> work I have put in to the mixing and dynamics of the arrangements 
of 
> my music is never being heard as it was intended. And under those 
> conditions, I would just as soon it not be heard at all. At best, 
> most music that is downloaded like that usually doesn't make it 
past 
> the downloader's computer sound system anyway I would guess. And if 
> one does eventually put it on a CD so that they can play it as it 
was 

> intended, they have to have the software and knowledge to do so. 
> 
> I often wonder how recording and production engineers these days 
> actually feel about this subject. Assuming a bit of their heart and 
> soul goes into their productions, don't they feel cheated to some 
> degree because their music is not being listened to as intended?
> 
> Other thoughts.....???
>

As a brief follow-up propagated by David's comment, I did run across this article and audio from the National Public Radio with reference to the subject matter. If you have any interest in this subject check out this link and then click on the "Listen" to hear the audio report.

iPods Edge Out Home Stereo Systems

Seems to confirm that "convenience" is the order of the day over "quality".

--- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com, "David Rodgers" wrote:
>
> I agree with you that live ambience through a good system is the
> ultimate listening pleasure. I respect portable MP3 players and all
> portable devices.
>
> Me? I'm old fashioned. When I toured in the 80's I never left home
> without my Sony Pro-Walkman cassette recorder/player w/headphones.
> We were told to use headphones traveling in a motorhome to give
> others privacy who were trying to sleep. Others had various tastes
> in music and didn't care to hear music they didn't like.
>
> Twenty years later, its so common to see people walking, jogging or
> whatever w/headphones on, no one gives it a second thought.
>
> Today, at 51, I no longer travel. Just play locally. Have no
> interest in iPods or other portables. Nothing against them, in fact
> I think they're pretty cool. Just don't need them.
>
> Recording engineers in larger studios mix under controlled studio
> environments for the "average system" by the average user. Guessing
> they hope it sounds good on an iPod, but there's no way of knowing
> who listens with what device.
>
> Perhaps someone on this group knows of a survey taken that indicates
> demographics of listeners habits, devices, etc.?
>
> --- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com, "tekoband2006" tekoband@
> wrote:
> >
> > Greetings All….
> >
> > This is somewhat "off-topic" so if the moderator feels it is
> > inappropriate; obviously he is welcome to remove it. However, since
> a
> >; number of us use our Ensoniq keyboards (I have a VFX-SD & SD-1) in
> > the production of our music and certainly with the intent for some
> > manner of public airing, I was interested if there were others
> among
> > us who had thoughts with regard to the quality of the airing your
> > music was receiving - given today's technology.
> >
> > I have been thinking about people's listening habits when it comes
> to
> > music over the past couple of years. Other than "live" of course,
> it
> > seems most people these days listen to their music on portable
> >; devices. And although the listening quality of some of these
> devices
> > is good….nothing can touch listening to music on good amplified
> > playback systems in a reasonably sized area under ambient
> conditions.
> > Only then can the dynamics and richness of the music be absorbed
> and
> > enjoyed by the listener. Only then can the true intent of your
> > productions and arrangements be heard as it was intended. And I
> > personally think that is even more important when it comes to music
> > produced with synthesizers and the like.
> >
> > I have made the music I have produced with my synthesizers and
> > associated equipment available from time to time for downloading
> from
> > the Internet like many of you have also done. But I am reaching a
> > point where I feel I no longer am going to do that because I feel
> the
> > work I have put in to the mixing and dynamics of the arrangements
> of
> > my music is never being heard as it was intended. And under those
> > conditions, I would just as soon it not be heard at all. At best,
> > most music that is downloaded like that usually doesn't make it
> past
> > the downloader's computer sound system anyway I would guess. And if
> > one does eventually put it on a CD so that they can play it as it
> was
> > intended, they have to have the software and knowledge to do so.
> >
> > I often wonder how recording and production engineers these days
> > actually feel about this subject. Assuming a bit of their heart and
> > soul goes into their productions, don't they feel cheated to some
> > degree because their music is not being listened to as intended?
> >
> >; Other thoughts.....???
> >
>