I've noticed in the last 2 months that the demo's on many recent releases (from Sankey, Penguin, Vanishing Inc..) have background music playing as the performer/instructor is talking. The result is that I can often not understand what the performer is saying. I've contacted a few of the vendors, and they said that this is the way that it is supplied to them.

I realize that part of the problem is my aging hearing (distinguishing/understanding speech in the present of background noise gets increasingly more difficult with age. It is NOT a matter of turning up the volume). I certainly would not want to purchase a DVD if it too has this background music/noise.

This trend seems particularly odd given that common advice has been for performers to not try to talk during a performance if there is background music.

I would hope that some form of "push-back" could stop this trend.

John Long

John it's been going on for a while and I totally agree with you.

I've bought several dvds in which music playing while the performer is talking. In many cases the music is too hot, meaning the level of the music to the performers voice is much to high, making it difficult to understand what's being said or making it down right annoying. I many cases I blame a the armatures who are putting these DVDs together.

Thank god books don't come with a music track.

Interesting, I've just started noticing this recently on the online demos. I don't think there is background music on any of the dvd's that I've bought (but they have tended to be DVDs that were mastered more than 2 years go).

In the past, I have read posts that the performer should not try to talk with background music, now I see a reason why.

Again, the difficulty in understanding speech in the presence of background noise, is apparently related to aging. In fact, one article that I read, indicated that this may actually be an early sign of dementia(since it is the brain that gives us the ability to focus on just one voice out of many). If so, I may be in trouble!

But for others, if you perform for older adults, be very careful about how you use background music in your performances.

John

This was the case on an otherwise stellar Luke Jermay DVD set.

I believe the music was added to disguise the poor microphone quality, which would have been all too obvious during periods of silence.

Sound quality, too often overlooked, is hugely important for professional video projects.

We don't notice when it's good, but it's glaringly detrimental when it's less than good.

I think it's also part of the tendency to put music everywhere today. You hear music playing in stores, in restaurants. When you are put on hold on the phone, you are subject to music of one form or another. And this whether you like the type of music played or not. People can't stand silence anymore. I think our appreciation of the art is being dulled and damaged.