Simplicity in Recording
For the uninitiated, it can be difficult to understand why people love a cappella. Heck, even for those of us who do actively enjoy it, it can be difficult to put into words why we enjoy this art form so. While we’ll never have a truly comprehensive list of everything cool about a cappella, 200 Reasons to Love A Cappella is our best attempt at assembling a list of what makes it great.
Reason #42: Simplicity in Recording
With today’s technology there is a lot that people can do to transform the human voice in recordings. Through distortion and effects, and translating techniques normally applied to instruments, there are times when it can be hard to tell a recording is just people singing. There comes a point when that effect is far more than a tribute to the talent of the singers, but rather gets to the point when a sound engineer has done so much that it’s difficult to recognize voices, and what was once a testament to the power of the human voice turns the corner to a mad scientist of a sound engineer’s experiment, that just happens to involve singers.
When all the noise gets to be too much, it can be really refreshing to turn to a simpler recording. Sometimes groups just can’t afford advanced sound people, or just don’t know what they’re doing. Other times, it’s a conscious choice. Whatever the case, when a group gets back to basics, it can create a far more soothing, natural, and perhaps even more beautiful sound—taking listeners to simpler sounds, to a simpler time.
I love it!