TO ME , IT DEPENDS ON THE SONG. A SCREAMING LEAD GUITAR OR A KEYBOARD THAT BLEEDS THRU THE MIX , BUT , SOMEHOW STILL WORKS , OR A SINGER WHO CAN ACTUALLY SING , OR A BEAT THAT REMINDS PEOPLE "OH , YEAH , IT'S NOT PC , BUT , YOU CAN DANCE TO ROCK'N'ROLL!" , OR A BASS THAT'S NOT DEAFENING (SOMETIMES THE SOUNDMAN'S FAULT.) , SOMETHING STICKS OUT AND HOLDS YOUR INEREST , AND , MAYBE , EVERYTHING ELSE FALLS INTO PLACE. I DON'T HEAR TOO MANY BANDS ACTUALLY USE THE FUZZTONE (SO WOULD THE PRICK WHO STOLE MINE KINDLY BRING IT BACK , NO QUESTIONS ASKED. I KID , THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.) , ...NOT THAT I DID , MUCH , IN THE 80'S AND 90'S.
IF EVERYTHING IS PLAYED AT THE SAME LEVEL , ESPECIALLY IF IT'S ALL JUST IN THE RED , TO WHERE YOU CAN'T MAKE OUT PARTS OF A SONG YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO HEAR , THAT ANNOYS THE HELL OUT OF ME. I KNOW SOME PEOPLE PREFER IT THAT WAY , THO'....
John Battles said:
IN LIVE VENUES , THE SOUND MIGHT BE TERRIBLE FOR VARIOUS REASONS. sOMETIMES , THE PA JUST SUCKS , AND SOMETIMES , THE SOUNDMAN IS A FRUSTRATED "DANCE" DJ , WHO CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THE BASS AND DRUMS . WHEN UNTAMED YOUTH FINALLY GOT TO PLAY IN CHICAGO FOR THE FIRST TIME , 10 YEARS OR MORE AFTER THEY FIRST TRIED TO GET SHOWS , HERE , THE SOUNDMAN HAD THE BASS AND DRUMS JACKED UP SO HIGH , THE GUITAR AND KEYBOARDS , A BIG PART OF UT'S SOUND , WAS RENDERED ALMOST INAUDIBLE. I'D SEEN THEM ONCE , BUT , I WAS STILL FURIOUS ABOUT THIS..........................
Stoned Again Productions said:
Audible vocals are the biggie for me. If I have to strain to hear what the singer is saying I lose interest. More so on recordings rather than live shows. At live shows it is expected and common. Besides some venues just have crappy PA's. I know quite a few here in Austin that do. Not always the bands fault. To me the vocals are the most important part of a song. This is from a music listener standpoint, and not a musicians because I can't play music. I have noticed by working with musicians over the years that the two are very different in opinion.
Secondly I pay attention to the guitarist. If he / she is down with some groovin guitar work, rippin solos, fuzz buzz, I am a fan.
Just a personal preference.