Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

just heard and watched Sugarland perform a medley, and I heard a lap steel or pedal steel track but no lap steel or pedal steel players on the stage?..whgat gives with that? I thought they outlawed lip syncing etc.

Was this one of the inside gigs or outside in Times Square? All the outside stuff is pre-recorded, including vocals as its impossible to do sound in such a place with live mics. I was trying to tell my wife that Neil Diamond was lipsynching, she woudln't believe it.

"Outlawed lipsynching" hahahaha

A high percentage of bands are using tracks these days instead hiring extra players (especially keys) or to beef up the vocals, to add rhythm, solo harmonies, orchestral instruments, etc. Heck, I've made a living on it.

I saw a band back in the 90s who had to cancel mid-gig because the bass player broke a string and they couldn't get the tracks back into synch once they'd stopped. It exposed them as not really musicians, in my opinion. It's one thing to use them, it's another to depend on them solely.

@ Mike, it was an outside performance on a stage that resembled a boxing ring.. one of the accessories I bought for my smartphone (earbuds) worked well with the television too..good bass response..LOL

yod wrote:A high percentage of bands are using tracks these days instead hiring extra players (especially keys) or to beef up the vocals, to add rhythm, solo harmonies, orchestral instruments, etc. Heck, I've made a living on it.

I saw a band back in the 90s who had to cancel mid-gig because the bass player broke a string and they couldn't get the tracks back into synch once they'd stopped. It exposed them as not really musicians, in my opinion. It's one thing to use them, it's another to depend on them solely.

Yod, that's pretty much what happened to Mariah Carey last year (she became out of sync?) LOL?? I am surprised they let her back in this year

From what I remember about MC last year, it was something like her monitors weren't working, and they started the wrong song, or something like that.
With today's pop stars , its very easy to spot - when the singer is also doing some fast dance routine at the same time - takes some real talent (look at Broadway musical stars) to sing and dance and not get out of breath quickly.

Like Ted says, lot of bands are using tracks these days. Rush did when I saw them a few years ago. Cheap Trick 2 years ago. It's always obvious when the drummer kicks off each song (he's got the click for the backing track in his IEM).

GuitarMikeB wrote:Rush did when I saw them a few years ago. ).

last time I saw Rush in 08 on the second leg of the Snakes And Arrows tour (saw the first show too) Alex broke a guitar string about the second song of the night. he traded guitars with his tech and the guitar never stopped playing through the P.A.. I was there with my drummer. we both looked at each other, then looked around and very few people even noticed the discrepancy.

GuitarMikeB wrote:From what I remember about MC last year, it was something like her monitors weren't working, and they started the wrong song, or something like that.

When a singer is using tracks they don't get the natural vibes of a drum kit, so you have to really crank it through the monitors or you'll be out of synch. Another reason It's the worst thing about being at the mercy of a sound man. It might sound great up front, but the person onstage can't tell what is going on and then looks drunk because they can't follow the music.

But if you've prepared for one song and the sound person starts another, seems obvious why that could be a problem also.