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'Live' bands with backing tracks

#101
Well, it was five pages ago, but I seem to recall the OP saying that the wedding band was basically faking everything, just playing over recordings of their own parts. Essentially the instrument version of lip-syncing, if I read that right.

I think that's different than what, say, Rush does, which is using sequencers and stuff to fill in parts the three of them can't possibly play live while handling their primary instruments for real.
 
#102
AngelCrusher said:
Honestly I dont believe those posts. Just because a band has a laptop computer onstage doesn't mean they are not actually playing their parts.

Logically, why would you pay a pro player to fake it? It makes no sense. Hired guns are expensive and take up a bunk on the bus as well.

What is happening is that backing tracks have become more prominent. So if you are not into that, do not go watch Device until they hire a bass player. I think it's pretty lame, but they are saving money by doing this.

The triggers are a cost cutting technique. Not a way to hide the fact that the band can't play. There is a big difference there.

On the national level, you are seeing results of people making less money to tour and create music. It is a shame, but that is how it goes now.
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Believe it or not is happens and goes on national stages all the time, today more than ever. Your on a long tour, tired ,getting older in some bands caes and the tracks get them thru allot of nights.
I know two guys who did pro sound who told me of many national bands who use them. All the teeny boppers and diva's use them today more than ever. Technology to day makes it very easy to use tracks, efects, pitch correction whatever.

On a local level I dont see why they are used but like I said before only musicians care, the public could care less.
 
#103
I've used backing tracks playing an acoustic guitar while performing at parties and a couple of nursing homes. Backing tracks have their place for a solo act or duo, but a 5 piece band? That just sounds extremely lazy and lame.
 
#105
bassbully said:
Believe it or not is happens and goes on national stages all the time, today more than ever. Your on a long tour, tired ,getting older in some bands caes and the tracks get them thru allot of nights.
I know two guys who did pro sound who told me of many national bands who use them. All the teeny boppers and diva's use them today more than ever. Technology to day makes it very easy to use tracks, efects, pitch correction whatever.

On a local level I dont see why they are used but like I said before only musicians care, the public could care less.
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I have been on national tours and never saw it to the extreme you are describing. The worst i have seen involves vocalists or the already described bass player samples.
 
#106
hsech said:
I've used backing tracks playing an acoustic guitar while performing at parties and a couple of nursing homes. Backing tracks have their place for a solo act or duo, but a 5 piece band? That just sounds extremely lazy and lame.
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For me it's the opposite. As much as it might bother me to see a large band using sequences (and how much I'm bothered will depend greatly on the kind of band in question), I get very disturbed when I hear a trio and see only one musician.
 
#107
I have a feeling that 30-40 years ago, when synthesizers were gaining in popularity, this same discussion was had about them. I imagine the purists arguing that having one guy on a keyboard playing all the piano/horn/string parts was 'cheating' and not authentic. Now, it's accepted and, as a result, most bands no longer have a horn section.
I play in an 80s band. 2 guitars, bass, drums and we do our own singing. We track the keyboard parts so we can avoid paying another player. We have two choices. We can hire another player and, at the end of the night, make 5-6 bucks an hour(counting set up and tear down time) or we can track our keyboard parts and walk out with a little more in our pockets. There's advantages and disadvantages with either option, but that's how we do it.
 
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#108
So I'm betting the bride and groom (and their parents) were kinda miffed on this one. They hired a band, and got a bad DJ by the sounds of it. Your description sounds like a completely unprofessional band.

I'm sad for the families involved.
 
#112
dhuff8870 said:
I know of bands that do track the bass. It is what it is.
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This is something that bothers me quite a bit. There is now technology that can produce very convincing bass lines to the extent that most audiences (not musicians) could not tell the difference. There is a lot of music where the bass chugs along in a supportive functional manner that could be easily done by a track. Plus, a backing track doens't complain about either the diva singer or the loud guitarist.;)

Does this mean that we have to compete with computers to get into gigging bands?

Your example of horn sections being largely replaced by sequencers gives a good idea of what I'm getting at.

I'm none too quick to completely dismiss this new technology and I have to ask what we, as bass players, can do to address this (if anything)?
 
#113
You just have to keep playing and not focus on genres that are into backing tracks. Drummers have been dealing with this forever.

At the end of the day programming a drum part or bass part with feel is very difficult.

I play on a lot of hip hop sessions where the producer just cant get the bass right and would rather pay me to do it.
 
#114
We just gotta pray that the market for real players of instruments stays around. Considering how ingrained into our society it is, i think we are at least in decent shape. History often repeats itself too...someday we could easily see the backlash against sequenced music and a resurgence of the good old days..never know :)
 
#115
NWB said:
There is a lot of music where the bass chugs along in a supportive functional manner that could be easily done by a track. ....[snip].....I'm none too quick to completely dismiss this new technology and I have to ask what we, as bass players, can do to address this (if anything)?
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Well, Angelcrusher pretty much nailed it, but I would add that if you can't sing lead, look good onstage, help book gigs, etc., you are going to have problems competing with the box.
 
#116
If we keep using technology to replace musicians, we will wind up with this!



But seriously, there will always be a market for performers on stage with real instruments, even if they are just faking it.

Not a problem for me. I cannot be replaced by a bass track as long as I can form my own band.
 
#119
This thread is hilarious.

I agree the situation in the OP is a bit absurd. I can understand the arguments for it - if it gets the job done better (or more consistently?) Soundwise then I wouldn't feel personally set-upon as a musician to witness this. I probably wouldn't sign up for a spot in this act - but than again I have to pay my bills too....
The idea that backing tracks mean you're not a real band is absurd. Besides The Who, etc. who've already been mentioned here...how about Les Paul? Guess he was a talentless hack... never mind that he could play circles around most other guitar players, played all the stuff on his tapes, and had the ingenuity to (mis-)use the current recording technology to make it all happen And Then play with that tape and be musical...
I just spent the last three nights working on the backing tracks to two new songs my cover band is going to be doing. We could've pulled some lame midi files off the net somewhere, but I'd rather put the work in and PLAY the stuff for real, make it musical, make it sound compelling - and make sure that no one's parts that will be played for real onstage are stepped on by the track. Everything the audience hears are sounds that this band made, and everyone on stage is playing. We sound awesome and I don't feel like we're pulling the wool over anyone's eyes. I also sure didn't feel like we are taking the easy way out while I was shutting my system down at 2am last night.
 
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