Terabytes of free music!

[quantumboy]

If y'all have not been on the archive.org live music archives, it's time to check it out. Lots of artists allow live recording of their concerts, and there are literally thousands of concerts to choose from. It's all legal, although recording quality varies with the skill of those with the tech. Also tons of audio books, also of varying quality. A great place to download classics.

Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Texts, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine - https://archive.org/details/etree

 

[warren]

although recording quality varies

Don't have time to mess with "iffy" downloads with regards to quality and the fact that artists, writers and performers, aren't being reimbursed.

 

[Waning Embers]

Doubt I'll move away from audio CDs before I'm ashes.

 

[sablebrush52]

If y'all have not been on the archive.org live music archives, it's time to check it out. Lots of artists allow live recording of their concerts, and there are literally thousands of concerts to choose from. It's all legal, although recording quality varies with the skill of those with the tech. Also tons of audio books, also of varying quality. A great place to download classics.

Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Texts, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine - https://archive.org/details/etree

Very interesting! I’ve used the Internet Archive to do research and only recently did I find films by a silent film era comedian, Charley Bowers, who was rediscovered about 10 years ago. Until recently his surviving films were not available in the US. There are also pioneering animated films that are not commercially available.
It’s amazing what is in its holdings!

 

[anotherbob]

not the same but I heard one bootleg years ago (band approved but label didn't) that was clearly recorded in a bathroom stall. Actually added an interesting sonic effect that improved the show. But I swear you can hear someone take a dump at one point, either that or lift some weights before flushing.

 

[ziv]

not the same but I heard one bootleg years ago (band approved but label didn't) that was clearly recorded in a bathroom stall. Actually added an interesting sonic effect that improved the show. But I swear you can hear someone take a dump at one point, either that or lift some weights before flushing.

Was that a grindcore or goregrind band by any chance? The effect might be intentional.

 

[anotherbob]

Was that a grindcore or goregrind band by any chance? The effect might be intentional.

Tool. And it was clearly someone hiding a tape recorder in the restroom. Has a similar echo as one would notice on Weird Als seminal hit "my Bologna"

 

[sardonicus87]

Was that a grindcore or goregrind band by any chance? The effect might be intentional.

I'm assuming there's a grand total of maybe 3-4 people on here that even knows what grindcore is, let alone listens to it.

Black metal > grindcore.

 

[ziv]

Black metal > grindcore.

Agreed!

 

[quantumboy]

Don't have time to mess with "iffy" downloads with regards to quality and the fact that artists, writers and performers, aren't being reimbursed.

Some recordings are actually quite good, and some are allowed to take their recordings from the soundboard. Regarding artists not being reimbursed, the artists themselves approve of the taping and even encourage it. These are not illegal bootlegs, but legit live concert recordings.

 

[warren]

These are not illegal bootlegs, but legit live concert recordings.

Doesn't change my opinion with regard to royalties for producers, writers and so forth. Nor, does it dissuade me from purchasing only well produced recordings. Nothing beats vinyl. Digital is closing the gap with every new iteration though. So, I won't scrimp on my music purchases. Music is a quality of life concern for me, much like a satisfying blend or, a proper new car.

I, fortunately, am in a position that I no longer need to scrimp nor, "shop around." And, over my years I've known some very successful writers and performers and I never begrudge them their royalties. Those who don't protect themselves? Well... I don't understand their motivation. But, if ASCAP and other controlling bodies don't have a problem with it... more power to the artists who allow such recording at concerts.

 

[dozicusmaximus]

Archive is where I used to go for live Grateful Dead shows.
Black metal might be better than grindcore. But I probably listen to more grindcore. New Abigail Williams is pretty good though.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Doesn't change my opinion with regard to royalties for producers, writers and so forth.

This is a jam band archive. It started off as a Grateful Dead archive, but has morphed as more bands started copying what the GD was doing. The bands are posting this themselves, and 98% is all their own writing, with a smidge of other artists music. But, the whole Grateful Dead jamband scene was mostly libertarians and anarchists that don't like Big Gov and/or the whole royalties thing. They had a system of letting people tape their shows and traded the tapes instead of buying music... because these bands don't get very much money from recorded music. It is getting people into the shows that gives these people their money.

But, that being said, only a drugged out space case thinks that any of that live recorded music sounds good. I am exaggerating... or am I? Ha ha. The one thing that I will not tolerate is a jam band head touching my stereo. I was forced to share a dorm room with one of these Dead Head/ Phish heads, and it was torture. They all seem to love this crappy "music" that only someone on heavy drugs can tolerate.

Warren, you seem to be level headed and probably have good tastes in music. Just don't waste your time at these archives. There is no real music there. I kid... I kid... sorta.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

That said... for $9 a month I get access to absolutely everything in the iTunes Music archives. I only download what I absolutely must have in case I am ever driving through an area with no cell signal. Most of my playlists are all streamed from there. It's a good deal, and my whole family is on that plan for that price. It makes sharing playlists and such so much easier. But, 99% of the time, if I am going to listen to music at home, I just use my vinyl collection.

 

[warren]

The lady who owned a record shop in Anchorage told me, "You have the most eclectic tastes in mic of any of my customers." My tastes run from classical, opera, big band and country. Not a fan of "noise" though.

 

[RPK]

 

[kg.legat0]

I am on some of the recordings in that archive - old live jazz/funk shows from Nashville, 20 years ago, almost. As much as I love music, have earned a living playing it at times, have become an accomplished instrumentalist (blah blah who cares): I just don't really like live recordings, even if they a professionally recorded/released.

If some folks saw how much money some 'jam bands' make, they'd be growing dreadlocks and banging bongos lol -- for real though, fans of that scene often shell out thousands just for a single weekend - yet so many favor shitty live recordings. I think it has something to do with recreating the experience.

Contrary to popular belief, that scene has as many doctors, lawyers, high paid folk as any other scene -- you get some real high-level players too, on the musician side. ...my experience at jam band festivals is usually getting there close to when I play and getting out before things get interesting, not quite my scene ...but, still, one of the few genre-audiences out there who still really appreciate deep guitar playing. Just my two cents.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Contrary to popular belief, that scene has as many doctors, lawyers, high paid folk as any other scene -- you get some real high-level players too, on the musician side. ...my experience at jam band festivals is usually getting there close to when I play and getting out before things get interesting, not quite my scene ...but, still, one of the few genre-audiences out there who still really appreciate deep guitar playing. Just my two cents.

I kid... mostly... there are some live recordings that surpass anything that band has released from the studio. But, 95% of it is not well recorded, nor are the musicians "on" for a large duration, or just too much chaos unleashed in all the wrong ways.
Blue Grass is always better live, but the live recordings just lack that same "charisma" or whatever magic that is happening in the moment, in situ. But, a live Jimi Hendrix or Santana album... maybe it's the mixing in the backrooms that makes them better.

 

[sardonicus87]

Pro-shooting at metal festivals tends to be stupid good quality... but you also kind of have to like that kind of music. Some are better than others, depends how well the live-shoot directors/producers know the music, sound is usually on point though.

 

[kg.legat0]

I kid... mostly...

You don't have to kid -- a lot of that stuff sucks ...I've been subjected to a lot of it over the years lol

I have recently started enjoying more Bluegrass, and I have to agree that there is something awfully special about the energy of it live.

There is so much that goes into mixing and mastering, it's an entire artform that is based almost entirely on subtlety and nuance -- I had a chance many years ago to work with some folks who have won Grammy awards ...the level of attention to detail was so far beyond anything I had known at that point. ...that said, if you are bored as hell, there is a lot to peruse in the ole web archive.