[Trombone-l] Why no bands?

Thu Dec 1 11:23:25 CST 2005

Not sure that there is any argument except the bottom line comment, which Chris already addressed.  SOX is a big deal with any public corporation and it has created it's own little sub-industry to provide compliance software and consulting.

I have worked for several fortune 500 companies in my day job and every time I have addressed the board or any chief officer (CEO/CFI/CIO), when they ask for a bottom line they want to know the bottom bottom line: will we make money or lose money.  If you fudge it and give them some other "cooked" number they will fry you in hot tar.  

And I don't believe that the difference in "live" and "recorded" performances is the "clams" or imperfections.  I believe that there are so many attributes to live music processed by our brains that we don't even know of yet, much less are able to recreate in a pre-recorded performance.  I have heard many live performances that had all the accuracy and passion of the recorded version.  I believe that in a live performance there is a connection to the audience which affects the character of the live performance.  I believe my music is better when I have a live audience than when I am in the sterile environment of a studio.

But these are just my opinions and you are welcome to disagree.  My teenagers certaintly do ! <LOL>

Richard
> 
> From: "Chris Tune" <crtune at adelphia.net>
> Date: 2005/12/01 Thu AM 11:45:18 EST
> To: "Daniel Pliskin" <daniel_pliskin at hotmail.com>, 
>         <Trombone-l at server5.samford.edu>
> Subject: Re: Re: [Trombone-l] Why no bands?
> 
> I know its popular to TALK about creative accounting, but that rarely 
> happens at the size and type of company running musical shows or 
> productions.
> 
> Remember Enron was a MAJOR sized corporation and their auditors Arthur 
> Andersen and Co no longer exist.   There is now a thing called Sarbanes 
> Oxley striking fear into the hearts of Chief Execs everywhere because, for 
> the FIRST time, they can no longer plead ignorance in the case of accounting 
> manipulations.
> 
> I know this because much of the work I've been doing in day job-ville has 
> been around this stuff.
> 
> Accountants don't make these decisions, if they ever did.  Executives make 
> these decisions.  Executives use the financial statements produced by 
> accountants.  Good executives have a very good grasp of how accounting works 
> and therefore have, in the past, manipulated accounting results.  This is 
> going to be harder and harder as the new regulations keep kicking in.
> 
> Chris
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Daniel Pliskin" <daniel_pliskin at hotmail.com>
> To: <Trombone-l at server5.samford.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 7:25 PM
> Subject: Re: Re: [Trombone-l] Why no bands?
> 
> 
> >
> >
> >>However, there are a plethora of intangibles that I don't believe can be 
> >>replicated by synths or on a recording.  Just one example (and I can give 
> >>many) is physical mannerisms of of the players;  a lead trumpet setting up 
> >>for some screaming last night or "stab".  And while I am not a scientist, 
> >>there is something about live acousitic instruments that I feel in my skin 
> >>when I am at a live performance whether it's a symphony, a small jazz 
> >>quintet or just a "real" acoustic piano.<
> >
> >
> > I agree, but I also see a lot of problems with what you just said.
> >
> > First of all, that advantage of having live music has to show up on the 
> > "bottom line".  Chances are, things described as intangibles or "there is 
> > something about live music" won't ever show up on the bottom line.
> >
> > But more importantly, there isn't just one "bottom line".  There are many 
> > bottom lines and "creative accountants" are able to pick and choose which 
> > bottom line/lines are to be considered and which are to be ignored.  For 
> > example, more money for accountants is surely going to show up as better 
> > than more money for musicians, for those "creative accountants".
> >
> > But also look at it from another direction, how many people who you 
> > actually know, will introduce you as a trumpet player, or some other sign 
> > of ignorance.  These people surely don't care if they hear live music or 
> > synthesizers.  They have never had an interest in music, live or 
> > otherwise, and probably never will.  If their "creative accountant" is one 
> > of those sorts, he/she will surely cut musicians out, first.  And if 
> > pollsters were to contact those who have no ear for music, their data 
> > would surely reflect no need to pay musicians.
> >
> > And, lastly, if all we aspire to do is sound as good as a recording, then 
> > why would anyone want to hire live musicians.
> >
> > DanP
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Trombone-l mailing list
> > Trombone-l at maillists.samford.edu
> > http://maillists.samford.edu/mailman/listinfo/trombone-l
> > 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Trombone-l mailing list
> Trombone-l at maillists.samford.edu
> http://maillists.samford.edu/mailman/listinfo/trombone-l
> 