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In the Forum: Playback Listening
In the Thread: About the thoughtfulness of large timing offset.
Post Subject: It perhaps uses the same synapses?Posted by rowuk on: 5/18/2020
The audiophools have a term PRaT: Pace, Rhythm and Timing that apply here - even if many do not understand that this is NOT something that makes you tap your toes to the banjo... Performing jazz musicians have a term "groove" that covers similar territory.

I believe that the played music very much relates to the audio transformations. If we watch an orchestra rehearse, the conductor waves his baton in a much different way than when the piece is performed. The rehearsal is to get the band together and once they can't get that wrong, the conductor is able to take "liberties" to shape the music. If a recording is a mixture of rehearsal and live concert, many times this is audible. If we watch the conductor very closely during a performance, our perception is very much influenced by the visuals.
When we play back a recording, I believe that it makes a HUGE difference if we are listening to this performance for the first time, or if we listen to it more often. The perception of agogics changes when we become familiar with what the orchestra did. Space (if the playback can even create the space) before a huge climax becomes very much an artistic element. In a small (compared to the performance space) environment, there is a lot of competition for space, room effects, articulation, density of tone, how connected notes are - as well as the liberties that the conductor and his soloists took (were allowed to take).
It is interesting to have a fine conductor listen to audio renditions of great performances. The score is often in their head and manipulation of space makes them think about completely different aspects of the performance, not just the drama. Very often, they do not even recognize their own performances.

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