First time hearing a cover band with backing tracks

[kesslari]

They were playing well beyond their capabilities and instrumentation.

I don’t actually get out much so this was a first, or at least the first time it was so very obvious.

I must officially be a grumpy old man.
(Shouts at clouds)

 

[KenD]

Next up will be AI generated holograms performing "live" music at your favourite oasis.

 

[kesslari]

And then I wandered into a sweet little basement jazz club with a beautiful trio playing and a nice (and surprisingly young) crowd in attendance. Made my night.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Haha^^^^
backing tracks are a common thing for several decades.
Done right? You think who is playing the keys?
Done poorly? Am I watching mimes?

 

[Geepers]

What a joke. It’s gonna be a case of limiting our viewing to acoustic instruments played without amplification soon to be sure we’re watching people actually playing! The age of The Great Pretenders is upon us. Meh.

 

[Nebadon2000]

Back in the 90's Me and BL Singer/rhythm Guitar started using Backing Key's and Drum Machine when playing week nights in Bar/Clubs was PIA so we just went with what we were also I don't sing so BL did use Harmonizer on a few songs

 

[blastoff]

yea its been a thing for a while. go take a cruise sometime (don't).

 

[yodedude2]

seems like someone always brings up milli vanilli in these sorts of conversations. oh look, it happened again! 8)

there's a cover band around that doesn't just play along with backing tracks, they play along to the music video of the songs they perform!

plus, lots of 'actual' (as opposed to 'cover') bands use backing tracks. i 'member seeing the video for 'eminence front' over 40 years ago where they show the who at a sound check 'performing' along to a tape machine's playback. james taylor did the same on an episode of s.n.l. back sometime in the 20th century, and i personally witnessed zz top playing along with backing tracks about a decade ago myself.

still, as you note, there are places to find music made in real time by real humans ~

 

[Dana R Gregory]

I'm old school. Make the music with what you have. Backing tracks are like karaoke to me. I remember a praise band using backing tracks in church and several people were commenting on hearing keys with no keyboard player and drums with no drummer and laughing at it. If you are going to use backing tracks then why bother with a live band? Just my opinion.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

been on gigs with backing tracks for 20+ years. when done tastefully it's fine. but it can be overdone

 

[Spectre Gunner]

Backing tracks are great for practice but if I go to a live show, I prefer to see and hear real humans creating music in real time. Minimal use of a backing track is acceptable and I could care less if they have a click track in their ear.

 

[Five or Six]

If you can't play it without backing tracks, then don't.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Many touring acts use backing tracks.
Mostly keys, and strings.
Occasionally: backing vocals.

I’ve performed in a band like that (for the $$) except the tracks were NOT tracks: the keys were run via a sequencer triggered by the drummer . They had been performed and programmed by him. He also sang lead, and recorded backing vocals which were also triggered by the sequencer.
Was told that he had recordings of all parts (guitars , bass, horns, strings) also done WELL done by him I might add!! In the event that the player of said instrument was “not up to snuff” that night or unable to attend, and a sub was there to mime the part.

It’s a PITA and not as easy as one might assume. Must play along to a click fed to in-ears.

Then it was awesome to see this guy work.
He also ran the whole PA while playing drums, dialed it in at a soundcheck using the sequencer (which also had drums playback)
So it’s all running while he was seated in a chair with the mics in front of him singing the various parts.

Then showtime rolled around: he played an E-kit leveraging the ability to switch out kits.
Some of the pads were used to trigger the sampled parts real-time.
It was actually pretty impressive.

 

[Faith Nicole]

we own our mistakes, no tracks to try to mesh with. We either mesh with each other or it's a train wreck, either way it's us. basic 4 piece - bass, drums, lead, keys. Now and again we'll kick on a harmonizer to fill a vocal hole but mostly we don't need it.

I've been out to shows with single, duos, even trios, using tracks. While some sound good there is always energy that's missing. Then again, we are all local weekend musicians making do with what we have.

 

[MLC_BassPlayer]

Several years ago there was a four piece band that was in our musical circle. They thought they walked on water but used a lot backing tracks. We put an old boombox on our stage for a while as an inside joke against bar bands playing along to recordings..

 

[BaltBass5]

Unless it's a touring band that has one key song that needs a piano track or something like that, (i.e. it would be pointless and expensive to carry a pianist for one song) backing tracks are LAME. Either hire musicians to play the parts or don't do it.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Real musicians....real music...real mistakes! I knew something was amiss 50+ years ago and it started with the Monkees and the Partridge Family. Live performances and string sections?!?

Riis

 

[scuzzy]

i've seen acts of acoustic, electric, and cajon with tracks of strings, keys, drums, random noise. I asked people in the crowd about it and they genuinely thought the 3 instruments were making all the noise. a huge number of people just don't know. they were happy.

 

[FullumMusic]

Most major bands play with backing tracks these days. It's one of those not-so-secret industry secrets. Not just pop acts. Live bands that your gut tells you they would never, they probably do. Been going on for decades.

From my completely anecdotal experience, we (other musicians) are the only ones who seem put off by it. So there's no real incentive for anyone to stop doing it, no matter how big or small their band is.

 

[IanStephenson]

The people who object only seem interested in punching down:

Backing tracks on a bar gig: You'll be told it's a cop out and you should play it all live!
Backing tracks on a club gig: acceptable, but some of audience will make comments.
Backing tracks on a full scale tour: No problem.
Backing tracks on a stadium gig: totally expected!

I've got a couple of tribute band side projects that use tracks. Occasionally get comments (yes - mainly from musicians) we should play it all live. The bands we're copying have 50% of their material on tracks when they headline massive festivals and stadiums, and no one complains, but we're supposed to bring a full orchestra, and 20 piece choir to a small local underground club!

If a band with unlimited resources needs tracks to play a song live, them we probably do too.