32 posts
|
Post by westendwilma on Jun 25, 2019 14:55:42 GMT
Does anyone know of any productions that have moments of songs that aren't sung live and on a backing track?
I know sometimes for various reasons parts of shows can't be performed live every night but wonder how many of these there are out there that we don't know about?
|
|
1,510 posts
|
Post by anita on Jun 25, 2019 15:03:33 GMT
Do you mean when"Cold"is on the radio sung by the Everley Brothers in "Whistle Down the Wind"?
|
|
1,510 posts
|
Post by anita on Jun 25, 2019 15:05:21 GMT
Or the backig track at "Notre Dame de Paris"?
|
|
642 posts
|
Post by greeny11 on Jun 25, 2019 15:38:56 GMT
The most famous example is probably the title song in Phantom of the Opera.
|
|
279 posts
|
Post by fossil on Jun 25, 2019 15:59:50 GMT
When I was very young I saw Cliff Richard and the Shadows miming some of their numbers in Aladdin at the Palladium in 1964. Not just the backing track but vocals as well. I seem to remember that it was obvious and badly done and I must have been quite indignant about it as it has stuck in my memory.
At todays prices though I believe there can be no excuse for West End musicals to feature any non-live music at all.
|
|
|
|
Post by ampersand on Jun 25, 2019 16:56:51 GMT
I believe the Broadway production of Dear Evan Hansen uses recorded vocals to back up the cast in You Will Be Found. I think they are the same people who are credited as the Community Voices who do the "sending prayers from Michigan", etc section in the same song.
|
|
|
|
Post by xanady on Jun 25, 2019 17:10:56 GMT
Saw Rihanna a few years ago and a lot of critics were calling her out on miming or at least adding her vocals live to a recorded vocal track,but to be honest it was the excitement and energy of the gig that I went for so wasn’t really fussed either way.
|
|
18,820 posts
|
Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 25, 2019 21:29:22 GMT
Don’t we hear the original Unchained Melody played through a radio at one point in Ghost - The Musical?
|
|
|
|
Post by firefingers on Jun 25, 2019 23:28:55 GMT
Tons of shows using additional vocals to thicken out ensemble singing. These used to be people off stage in a booth but now are often a pre-record. Very, very little lead vocal is a prerecord. Some of the title song in Phantom is due to rushing about and stand ins appearing on different levels etc, as well as the final note. As companies have gotten smaller and choreography has gotten more intense, allowing those on stage to take a step back vocally to push through physically has deemed to be fine by producers/directors.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2019 6:33:39 GMT
There's the canned audience applause they use in Thriller to make it sound like people are applauding.
|
|
|
|
Post by partytentdown on Jun 26, 2019 7:39:25 GMT
My understanding is that it happens more often than you'd think, particularly in shows with lots of fast dancing making it impossible to sing clearly for very long.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2019 8:14:49 GMT
Also, how many shows use tap tracks for tap routines? Including Book of Mormon.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2019 22:50:20 GMT
A bit controversial, I suspect the very high note at the end of Defying Gravity, Wicked is pre-recorded. It would not be healthy/safe to sing that very high note eight times a week.
|
|
776 posts
|
Post by latefortheoverture on Jun 26, 2019 23:05:44 GMT
Pretty sure when cats was at the palladium there was swings in a booth, in the pit, backing up the ensemble during big numbers.
Not necessarily a click track though!
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2019 7:53:33 GMT
Pretty sure when cats was at the palladium there was swings in a booth, in the pit, backing up the ensemble during big numbers. Not necessarily a click track though! Cat on a hot Swing booth. |
|
377 posts
|
Post by Nelly on Jun 27, 2019 8:09:33 GMT
A bit controversial, I suspect the very high note at the end of Defying Gravity, Wicked is pre-recorded. It would not be healthy/safe to sing that very high note eight times a week. It's not pre-recorded. In fact there's a long list of people that have played Elphaba and it's wrecked their voice for a while. Same happened to a few that played Scaramouche in We Will Rock You. |
|
1,115 posts
|
Post by Stephen on Jun 27, 2019 11:43:04 GMT
There’s quite a bit of pre-recorded stuff going on during the Palladium Pantos.
The 2012(ish) production of Singin’ in the Rain used pre recorded vocals during the big ensemble finale with the umbrellas.
I’m struggling to think of more besides these and Phantom although there definitely are more!
|
|
7,530 posts
|
Post by alece10 on Jun 27, 2019 13:22:41 GMT
They did it in Follies at the NT as several people picked up on.
|
|
1,016 posts
|
Post by andrew on Jun 27, 2019 13:32:10 GMT
They did it in Follies at the NT as several people picked up on. I hadn't noticed that! When about was it used? |
|
445 posts
|
Post by tr252 on Jun 27, 2019 13:47:43 GMT
Are the ensemble vocals in the first number in everybody’s talking about Jamie pre recorded?
The note at the end of DG isn’t pre recorded. I’ve seen that note sung many different ways by the same actress.
|
|
32 posts
|
Post by westendwilma on Jun 27, 2019 15:04:34 GMT
A bit controversial, I suspect the very high note at the end of Defying Gravity, Wicked is pre-recorded. It would not be healthy/safe to sing that very high note eight times a week. I take it you've never heard this It's very much live every night! To different levels of success! |
|
|
|
Post by talkingheads on Jun 27, 2019 15:31:02 GMT
I'm sure it happens in theatre. If a musician did it at a gig I went to however, I'd be inclined to ask for half my money back - if they're only going to put in half the effort by showing up but not singing/playing!
|
|
542 posts
Member is Online
|
Post by andrew on Jun 27, 2019 15:51:11 GMT
I'm sure it happens in theatre. If a musician did it at a gig I went to however, I'd be inclined to ask for half my money back - if they're only going to put in half the effort by showing up but not singing/playing! Then stay away from Britney Spears, she's not going to give you any money back. |
|
|
|
Post by sparky5000 on Jun 27, 2019 15:51:28 GMT
A bit controversial, I suspect the very high note at the end of Defying Gravity, Wicked is pre-recorded. It would not be healthy/safe to sing that very high note eight times a week. I take it you've never heard this It's very much live every night! To different levels of success! Eek 😬 ... I’ve always thought Idina is one of the most inconsistent performers. You never quite know what you’re gonna get with her! |
|
|
|
Post by sparky5000 on Jun 27, 2019 15:53:09 GMT
Also not pre-recorded but when Jack McBrayer was in Waitress as Ogie it always amused me that one of the female singers would sing his opera note during “Never Getting Rid of Me” whilst he mimed it because he couldn’t do it himself 😆
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2019 15:55:25 GMT
Fairly sure the recent Saigon tour had most of the ensemble vocal tracked for playback for The Morning of the Dragon and Bui Doi.
|
|
151 posts
|
Post by Sean on Jun 27, 2019 16:25:40 GMT
There’s quite a bit of pre-recorded stuff going on during the Palladium Pantos. ! [ Oh I’m intrigued. Which bits ? |
|
542 posts
Member is Online
|
Post by andrew on Jun 27, 2019 16:26:50 GMT
Why no one mentions Mamma Mia? (I would if I had more info on what exactly is going on... there are definitely pre recorded backing vocals though)
|
|
3,927 posts
|
Post by Dawnstar on Jun 27, 2019 17:49:55 GMT
Why no one mentions Mamma Mia? (I would if I had more info on what exactly is going on... there are definitely pre recorded backing vocals though) When Mamma Mia was at the Prince of Wales some of the backing vocals were sung live backstage, as described up-thread for other musicals. I don't know if that's still the case since the move to the the Aldwych though.
How do people feel about plays, as opposed to musicals, using pre-recorded music? The Comedy About A Bank Robbery has pre-recorded music and some vocals alongside live singing. Given the impossibility of fitting a band into the Criterion, it doesn't bother me in that instance.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2019 17:57:04 GMT
I take it you've never heard this It's very much live every night! To different levels of success! Eek 😬 ... I’ve always thought Idina is one of the most inconsistent performers. You never quite know what you’re gonna get with her! What do people get from posting videos like this except some sort of narcissistic pleasure in identifying someones failure. To be fair, you can hear in the section she's not confident in her voice, perhaps she'd been ill and pushed through, she goes for the big note, feels it's not gonna come and slides down to recoup. I'd say that's actually a very good recovery, not an "epic fail". |
|
