Vocal harmonizer live. "Cheating"?

[s0c9]

Depends… if one has a lot of gigs, singer’s (even good ones) can get pitchy singing night after night. If one is needed.. I see no problem using one, assuming it’s used properly.
It’s a tool that is no different from a band using trax live.

 

[DaveParker39]

Nah. I mean, imagine a band that has one harmony part, a 3rd or something, in two choruses in two songs. Its just a few words. Tons of bands do that, big bands and small bands. You can't be expected to hire a tenor backing vocalist for two songs.

Rob Halford uses one in a couple songs in Judas Priest and it really doesn't sound fake, it just sounds like an effect. You're not looking around wondering "where's the other singer"

 

[J Wilson]

Cheating? Probably not.

Cheaper? Definitely.

 

[mikewalker]

"Anything's legal in Jersey as long as you don't get caught..."

 

[superheavyfunk]

So, I would like to know what you guys (and gals) think of using vocal harmonizers in a live band. Do you considering it cheating? If you went to see a band in a bar and they were using one (or more), would that make you think differently of them and in what way?

I've kept the poll choices very simple. No carrots in this one! Discuss in the text.

Just make music! Nothing anybody here thinks on the topic matters even a little

 

[bass12]

A guitarist/singer for one of the bands I play with will sometimes use a harmonizer n his voice. It has never struck me as “cheating”. I just see it as another effect. No big deal.

 

[whero]

I don't care. When I watch live bands, I expect the guitarists, keyboard players, bass players and drummers to be able to play their instruments. If they use effects to modify or enhance how their instruments sound, I have no problem with that. I expect no more or less from vocalists. Is there really any difference between a vocalist with a harmoniser and a bass player with an octave pedal?

 

[Micha84]

There is no such thing as cheating. Music is not a contest and the best one wins. The only relevant question is: are people entertained?
Use anything you want to entertain, harmonizers, autotune, even 100% playback, it doesn't matter. Just be aware of your audience, where that stuff might backfire: If you are a singer/songwriter with an acoustic guitar playing in a bar, the crowd might be expecting authenticity, not clinical perfection.

 

[drumvsbass]

Using a bass amp to make your bass louder is cheating. Play harder.

 

[Discount Bassy]

Using and instrument to make the sounds you are thinking about is definitely cheating. Just think louder. Audible voice is the lazy man's telepathy.

 

[BlueTalon]

I played with a guy for five years (and still sub for him sometimes) who uses a harmonizer to great effect. It sounds great, it doesn't sound gimmicky when he uses it, and it saves me from having to sing.

 

[King Tut]

You can’t cheat in a game with no rules. I used to use one in a three piece covers band. I’d often introduce the harmoniser as a member of the band. Worked great on Queen numbers. I’d draw the line at using the auto tune though.

 

[Geri O]

So is the point of this post about harmonizers, as in used in a single vocalist to create harmonies, or about auto-tune, as in using Waves Tune in a live setting?

 

[Baa]

I have friends who use it, and the singer in a previous band used one.
Just short moments in a few songs.
I see it as any other effect pedal.

 

[Ekulati]

Why don't you tell us what particular situation prompted your question? I mean what TB thinks is irrelevant to your need for asking. Answers here will always run the gamut.

 

[Marc valero]

I had one that the lead singer used in my band years ago and we had no problems. Now along with being in a band I am in a duo and I am thinking about getting one for the guitarist who sings two thirds of the songs. I am singing more backups and harmonies, but it is not a strong point for me.

 

[Microbass]

A harmonizer is not cheating. Auto-tuning definitely is cheating.

/end thread.

FWIW in an older project we had a big "whoa-aahhh ooo" type ending to a song with a ton of layers. The drummer and guitarist would sing a harmony live and then the drummer would hit the sample pad bringing in a pre-recorded loop of the singer who had done 10 harmonies so it sounded like we had a choir singing out the end of the song. Not cheating IMO, especially factoring in the level of work to set that up (and how tight we'd need to be to make sure that loop was in time) and still having a live singer.

 

[jimmydean]

I stopped singing in the mid 90's after working with real singers , can't hold a note these days ........so I'm all in if it helps a live performance , but no pre-recorded crap !

 

[Rib 13]

In an era where backing tracks are now an accepted practice, the use of harmonizers are generally considered OK

 

[Honkey tonk]

really aren't any rules as what is considered cheating