Live Performance in the Age of Covid

[Greg Mein]

 

The volume needs to come way down. The number of musicians needs to come way down. The amount of gear needed to perform must be minimized and simplified. And the venues need to be nearby.

 

 

That's essentially what I did a few years ago after getting married. The band I was in was real popular and the money was far better than most area groups but it just became too much work and scheduling got complicated. My wife was more about sight reading classical pieces and had been a church organist but quickly adapted to playing classic pop/rock covers with me so doing our own thing was really the only way to go.

 

We're in a completely new area now but already have a gig booked for next month. In all honesty I would have preferred to focus more on getting my recording setup together.

[KuruPrionz]

 

The volume needs to come way down. The number of musicians needs to come way down. The amount of gear needed to perform must be minimized and simplified. And the venues need to be nearby.

 

 

That's essentially what I did a few years ago after getting married. The band I was in was real popular and the money was far better than most area groups but it just became too much work and scheduling got complicated. My wife was more about sight reading classical pieces and had been a church organist but quickly adapted to playing classic pop/rock covers with me so doing our own thing was really the only way to go.

 

We're in a completely new area now but already have a gig booked for next month. In all honesty I would have preferred to focus more on getting my recording setup together.

 

I'm with you on the recording thing, I've put it off far too long.

[Notes_Norton]

I find recording a major PITA. I'd rather be on the other side of the glass with someone who has spent as much time learning his/her craft as I have learning mine at the controls.

 

Playing in a recording studio or environment is fun, but all the knowledge of EQ, Mastering, Mixing, etc., are things I can do, but someone who has spent years perfecting his/her skills can do much better.

 

Put me in front of an audience, and I'm in my bliss.

 

My very first gig was when I was in Junior High School. I was in the school band, and after school my friends and I were in a rock 'n roll band. We were terrible, but so was everybody else back then.

 

We got our first gig playing for a dance at the Jr. High. There I was on the stage with my very best friends at the time. We were playing the songs we had practiced so hard on and trying to duplicate the top40 hits of the day to our best ability. Sometime during the night I looked down and that cute girl who didn't acknowledge my existence in English class was looking up 'making eyes' at me. And at the end of the night they paid me money!!!

 

That's when I said to myself, "This is what I want to do for the rest of my life." Now that I'm getting bald and gray, I realize it was the best decision I ever made.

 

Now I make music in my duo with a beautiful woman, and go home with her. We enjoy making music together, the audience amplifies our enjoyment, and at the end of the night they pay us money.

 

Life is the perfect way to spend the time of day.

 

Insights and incites by Notes â«

[Anderton]

I find recording a major PITA...Put me in front of an audience, and I'm in my bliss.

 

I've always said if I had to choose between only playing live or only being in the studio, I'd rather play live.

 

That said, though, with today's tools you can be a composer and have actual music be the result. Just imagine if Beethoven didn't have to hire a symphony to find out if his musical ideas worked or not

[KuruPrionz]

I find recording a major PITA...Put me in front of an audience, and I'm in my bliss.

 

I've always said if I had to choose between only playing live or only being in the studio, I'd rather play live.

 

That said, though, with today's tools you can be a composer and have actual music be the result. Just imagine if Beethoven didn't have to hire a symphony to find out if his musical ideas worked or not

 

'When you hear music, after it's over, it's gone, in the air. You can never capture it again.' ~ Eric Dolphy

 

Truer words were never spoken. I've gigged most of my life. I've spent some time recording, it is difficult to be both the Artist and the Engineer. Slowly but surely I am simplifying the Engineer work load so it doesn't interfere while tracking - that's where the difficulty lies in my experience. Sometimes I will set up for the process - mic an acoustic guitar and get the sound I want - then I might take a break for an hour or a day and go back in with everything armed and ready to go. Other times I will have an idea and just start in. A couple of hours later I have tracks, be they good, bad or indifferent. That may become the basis for moving forward or it may get it out of my system for now. I've learned to allow things to happen rather than pressuring myself to "do something, even if it's wrong" - as my Dad used to say sometimes.

 

We are all different, what works for me might drive somebody else crazy. So it goes...

[Anderton]

'When you hear music, after it's over, it's gone, in the air. You can never capture it again.' ~ Eric Dolphy

 

Music was that way for 35,000 years, which made it very different from art, scuplture, literature, and sports. Recording was a total paradigm shift.

 

I've spent some time recording, it is difficult to be both the Artist and the Engineer. Slowly but surely I am simplifying the Engineer work load so it doesn't interfere while tracking - that's where the difficulty lies in my experience.

 

It's all about left vs. right brain. If you can make the engineering aspects so you don't have to think about them, everything falls into place.

 

If I had an idea for a song right now, I'm sitting at my computer so the first track (guitar, keyboard, or vocal) could be recorded in 30 seconds or less. For me, that's crucial in order to keep music from disappearing nto the ether. If I wasn't in front of my computer, I'd probably have a phone where I could record the idea or if in the office, I would use iZotope's Spire.

 

At least for me, those first few seconds are crucial. If I can get a recording, then the rest just falls into place over time.

[Notes_Norton]

I find recording a major PITA...Put me in front of an audience, and I'm in my bliss.

 

I've always said if I had to choose between only playing live or only being in the studio, I'd rather play live.

 

That said, though, with today's tools you can be a composer and have actual music be the result. Just imagine if Beethoven didn't have to hire a symphony to find out if his musical ideas worked or not

Yes, I use MIDI recording for that, but I'm no Beethoven for composing. Mostly I use MIDI for arranging, making backing tracks for my duo, and aftermarket styles from BiaB. It lets me record without the things that take a long time, a lot of experience, and tons of money to learn like: Which mic should I use for that person's voice, how should I EQ the brass so it doesn't fight with the vocals, how much compression should I use, and so on.

 

I wouldn't release a CD done completely on MIDI, but I'm happy with MIDI backing tracks. I actually think they are better than the karaoke tracks my competitors use, because I can mix them so they sound more like a live performance instead of a recorded one (and there is a big difference)

 

Insights and incites by Notes â«

[KuruPrionz]

'When you hear music, after it's over, it's gone, in the air. You can never capture it again.' ~ Eric Dolphy

 

Music was that way for 35,000 years, which made it very different from art, scuplture, literature, and sports. Recording was a total paradigm shift.

 

I've spent some time recording, it is difficult to be both the Artist and the Engineer. Slowly but surely I am simplifying the Engineer work load so it doesn't interfere while tracking - that's where the difficulty lies in my experience.

 

It's all about left vs. right brain. If you can make the engineering aspects so you don't have to think about them, everything falls into place.

 

If I had an idea for a song right now, I'm sitting at my computer so the first track (guitar, keyboard, or vocal) could be recorded in 30 seconds or less. For me, that's crucial in order to keep music from disappearing nto the ether. If I wasn't in front of my computer, I'd probably have a phone where I could record the idea or if in the office, I would use iZotope's Spire.

 

At least for me, those first few seconds are crucial. If I can get a recording, then the rest just falls into place over time.

 

My portable is a Tascam DR40. I'm wanting the DR40x, it can be run off of a cell phone battery-charger which means hours before it runs out of power and a much lower disposable count.

More important to me is a pen/pencil and paper, I always have those. Lyrics are elusive!

 

For quick capture at the computer I leave the two front inputs of the Quantum ready to roll. It doesn't take long to do a quick guitar/vocal run to capture an idea.

 

Right now I have lots of songs that are already defined so I'm more focused on dialing in keeper sounds. It's the main reason I wanted an 8 input interface, I can dial in a bass sound on a track and just leave it there. Same with vocals, etc. That's my project after the speaker supports are done (final parts arrive on Monday). If I can just tune my instrument, plug it in, arm a channel and go that will be nice.

[Notes_Norton]

<...snip...>

 

'When you hear music, after it's over, it's gone, in the air. You can never capture it again.' ~ Eric Dolphy

 

Truer words were never spoken. I've gigged most of my life. I've spent some time recording, it is difficult to be both the Artist and the Engineer. <...>

I have the same problem. And as long as I can gig, I don't care if the next generation could hear what I played or not. I'm living in the moment (I know that's too Zen) and enjoying the moments of my life as they pass (way too quickly).

 

The gig we did last night was terrific. It was indoors, but defying our governor's executive order, only those fully vaccinated were allowed to come.

 

It was in a gated community of very upper middle class people, it was a costume party, we did a dinner set and then everybody broke loose. We've played this group once or twice per year for years, and it was good to see and play for old friends again.

 

Some of the group was younger, so we mixed in a fair bit of 80s and 90s music and made some new friends too.

 

Life is the perfect way to spend the time of day.

 

Notes â«

[KuruPrionz]

<...snip...>

 

'When you hear music, after it's over, it's gone, in the air. You can never capture it again.' ~ Eric Dolphy

 

Truer words were never spoken. I've gigged most of my life. I've spent some time recording, it is difficult to be both the Artist and the Engineer. <...>

I have the same problem. And as long as I can gig, I don't care if the next generation could hear what I played or not. I'm living in the moment (I know that's too Zen) and enjoying the moments of my life as they pass (way too quickly).

 

The gig we did last night was terrific. It was indoors, but defying our governor's executive order, only those fully vaccinated were allowed to come.

 

It was in a gated community of very upper middle class people, it was a costume party, we did a dinner set and then everybody broke loose. We've played this group once or twice per year for years, and it was good to see and play for old friends again.

 

Some of the group was younger, so we mixed in a fair bit of 80s and 90s music and made some new friends too.

 

Life is the perfect way to spend the time of day.

 

Notes â«

 

If you play covers and are booked, a recording isn't much help. If you are working on booking, a live video at a good gig is better than any recording you could make at home, it shows the person who might hire you exactly what you are about. I will eventually do a recording of cover tunes for family and friends but right now I've got quite a backlog of songs I've written. Many of them have been played by bands and often "re-mis-interpreted" in various ways. I may have friends sit in on my recordings but after they are defined.

 

I've made a few live recordings of the band I was in, mostly covers or originals not played to anybody's satisfaction. So I put my trusty Tascam DR-40 in a good spot, turn it on and let it run for all 3 sets.

That was more helpful for tightening up the band than anything else. I gave everybody a copy, didn't say anything. They could all hear what they actually sounded like, including myself. Fastest and most ego-free way to get things a bit cleaner and tighter.

[Notes_Norton]

Great idea ^^^

 

When we start our weekly afternoon gig I'm going to figure out if there is a place to place a camera that isn't in the way of the staff and capture live performances. The recording quality won't be like a studio, but it should be enough for us to evaluate ways to improve our performances.

 

* * *

 

Last night we gigged at another long-time, few times per year, yacht club client. It was a lot of fun, and dozens of people came up to tell us how great they thought we sounded and how much they missed us. We missed them too. The dance floor was packed from about the 5th song until the end of the night.

 

We had a great time, and I'm tired today -- but it's a very good kind of tired. Tired? I'm out of shape schlepping the gear. The EV ZLX-15P speakers and the 10 space mixer/synth-module rack seemed to get a lot heaver in the last year and a half. -- So gigging again will make me "strong like bull" (in an Eastern European accent).

 

Notes â«

[KuruPrionz]

Any video you can get with you performing to a packed dance floor is golden. It's best if you place the camera above the dancers heads.

 

Shop around for a Gorilla Pod, it's a small tripod with flexible legs and grippy "feet" that can be wrapped around a pole up higher or hung from a railing. You may need a 5 foot step ladder or something stable like that, avoid climbing up on chairs if at all possible, they are not to be trusted.

[harmonizer]

If you want to make a video recording that others will want to watch, use at least 2 cameras, and record the audio separately from your board or into a multitrack recorder. If there are any instruments (i.e. keyboard) that is really sending the audio that the audience hears from its own amp (not thru the PA), that needs to be captured in a separate track, because it will not be well represented in your PA.

 

You should be able to place one camera very close to the stage area. If your FOH speakers are elevated (and they should be), you can put this camera about even with one of these FOH speakers, but 2 to 3 feet below it (out of its audio delivery cone). This camera angle will never be blocked by anyone in the audience.

 

A second camera can be somewhere out in the audience area - I try to put it above people's heads. Sometimes there is a ceiling treatment or pillar/post somewhere up high in the area in front of the band.

 

If the lighting is decent, any recent iPhone or Android phone should be able to work for these cameras.

I start the recording on the two devices before the set starts, and let it run for the entire set.

You want to makes sure there is a decent amount of free storage on your mobile phone before doing this type of recording.

 

Later you can create a video for good song performances by switching between the views from the 2 cameras, including alternating between wider views and more cropped views.

[Notes_Norton]

I can't do two cameras, but I think in editing I can zoom in to different highlights of interest.

 

That Gorilla Pod looks like a handy device, thanks for the tip.

 

Notes â«

[Anderton]

An alternative to a two-camera shoot is shooting the same song two or three times, each from a different camera angle. Since you're following a backing track, there won't be issues with timing - just line up the backing tracks from the different shoots, make your cuts in the video, and choose the best backing track as the final.

 

Videos are all done with smoke and mirrors!!

[Notes_Norton]

Good suggestion.

 

The problem is we play and sing live over the tracks, and although the backing tracks may be consistent, the instruments Mrs.Notes and I play are usually improvised, and our vocals are never quite the same twice, sometimes quite different.

 

Is there any way around that?

 

Notes â«

[KuruPrionz]

Good suggestion.

 

The problem is we play and sing live over the tracks, and although the backing tracks may be consistent, the instruments Mrs.Notes and I play are usually improvised, and our vocals are never quite the same twice, sometimes quite different.

 

Is there any way around that?

 

Notes â«

 

It is what it is, if they are never the same nobody but you will know which take was what, true? You could improve the consistency of the sound by recording at the best looking place you play consistently and after a few gigs you should have enough to put something together. Moving the camera to a different angle will probably change the tone and the balance but so what?

 

The big decision is "are we trying to make a first class "television ready" video of very high quality and consistency or are we simply creating a demo reel so potential hiring opportunities can see what they are getting.

I'd be splicing every and any take that has people dancing, just for one.

 

Remember, you are there to make it a fun event. Try to think of it in terms of "would I hire this band based on their performance?", not "is this professional at the level we are all accustomed to?"

When I joined the Motown Band, they had a professional multi-track recording done that they were submitting for gigs. One vendor told them it sounded "too shiny".

So we had the drummer's significant other walk around with her cell phone while the dance floor was packed and that got us more gigs because it was real.

[Notes_Norton]

Fortunately, I have a lot of repeat business. It's probably >95% of our gigs.

 

I've looked at our competition, and it's mostly static camera shots with low fidelity recording.

 

I'm not trying to get a zillion UTube followers, or crack a new market.

 

So these facts come into consideration.

 

It's going to mainly be for evaluation of our performances, to improve our act. There is a never-ending desire to get even better, and this can help.

 

If anything comes of it, that is equal or better than our local competition, I'll post it on UTube.

 

We live in a low-density area. If I lived in Miami, I'm sure I'd need an MTV quality video.

 

So right now, I'm saving all your suggestions, and will start out small, as I learn more about video recording and editing, I'll take it step by step along the way to make things better.

 

After 1 1/2 years of COVID unemployment, I don't want to spend a lot of money. Things are coming back, and we're booked at least one day a week through the end of the year, and probably until spring, but it's a still-shy adult market, and we don't have 20 holiday parties in December like we usually do.

 

But it's nice to be gigging again.

 

Notes â«

[Notes_Norton]

The pitfalls of gigging in the age of COVID in South Florida.

 

Most of our gigs are outdoors (that's a good thing)

 

It's highly unusual for it to rain all day in Florida (that's another good thing)

 

Today it's been raining all day (that's an unusual thing)

 

We had an outdoor gig that has been cancelled (that's not a good thing)

 

But our gear won't get wet (that's a good thing)

 

It'll probably get rescheduled (that's probably a good thing)

 

Tonight I'll probably work on a new backing track. I just did "Lady Marmalade", "Toes", and "Pride And Joy" via requests, and will go on to "Under My Thumb" next for another request by good audience members.

 

It's more fun than watching TV.

 

Notes â«

[Anderton]

Good suggestion.

 

The problem is we play and sing live over the tracks, and although the backing tracks may be consistent, the instruments Mrs.Notes and I play are usually improvised, and our vocals are never quite the same twice, sometimes quite different.

 

Is there any way around that?

 

Notes â«

 

You might be surprised how often the visuals and sound like up. The best solution, of course, would be recording using a multitrack so you could pick and choose the vocals and instruments you wanted to us. But cutaways are great for when things don't match up. Cut away to your hands on the instrument, to the crowd going nuts, whatever.

[Notes_Norton]

Thanks, Craig.

 

***

 

Update. At 4PM the rain stopped, we played, the porch was packed with a row of golf carts paste the end of the porch. It was a good night.

 

Notes â«

[Anderton]

This is not what I wanted to hear: WHO: Europe Is Again at Epicenter of Pandemic. Colder temperatures are coming to Europe, people are spending more time indoors, restrictions have been lifted in many places, and now this damn virus is back. Germany just had the highest number of infections in a single day since the pandemic began. Perhaps a big part of the problem is sections of Europe with low vaccination rates, like in central and eastern Europe, that are dragging down the rest of the continent but it seems there's more at play than just that.

 

I've been thinking that winter would be the big test for the US, but if this is a sign of things to come, it's not looking particularly wonderful for the months ahead. Fingers still crossed.

 

Notes, you better keep sticking to those outdoor gigs for now...

[Notes_Norton]

Russia is going through a peak surge as well.

 

This plague seems to come in waves, doesn't it? I remember when India was almost clear and, a couple of months later, an epicenter. Florida was an epicenter then a low spot, then another epicenter greater than the first, and now a low spot.

 

There is a lot we don't know about this disease yet.

 

I think Pfizer has developed a pill/treatment for after one gets infected that will lessen the chance of hospitalization and/or death, and that might be easier to distribute to the places that are not equipped to vaccinate.

 

Notes, you better keep sticking to those outdoor gigs for now...

 

Thanks, Craig. The senior citizens that we targeted for our audience are mostly holding outdoor events. They are as concerned as we are. we landed a once-a-week afternoon gig at a beachside restaurant/bar.

 

We had 12 consecutive seasons at a marina, during COVID it got sold, and the new owners want a single guitar/vocal sonic wallpaper person. They seem like nice folks, I wish them luck.

 

So we called a beachside competitor, he said we'll try 4 weeks, if it works, it's all season. He offered us more money and a meal too. He asked us a couple of years ago, but I didn't want to thin the marina crowd, since the old owners lost money on us the first couple of years until we built up the crowd.

 

I think if I lived 'up north' I'd be wary of booking gigs this winter. There is no Ctrl+Z or Cmd+Z if you get infected.

 

The bottom line: "We must change our tactics, from reacting to surges of Covid-19 to preventing them from happening in the first place," Kluge said.

 

I agree, but unfortunately, one political party in the use decided to discourage vaccines, and people being 'loyal to their team' are hostile towards getting protected.

 

[Political content deleted - Ed.]

 

Insights and incites by Notes â«

[RABid]

Booooyyyy I"m feeling old after reading some of these posts about how to record music for prosperity. Back in the late 1970"s when my piano teacher was teaching me theory and preparing me for a major in piano, I had to transcribe music with pencil and paper. And in my small town I did not have access to pre printed staff sheets. I had to use a ruler and draw lines and staffs on copy paper.

[Anderton]

Booooyyyy I"m feeling old after reading some of these posts about how to record music for prosperity. Back in the late 1970"s when my piano teacher was teaching me theory and preparing me for a major in piano, I had to transcribe music with pencil and paper. And in my small town I did not have access to pre printed staff sheets. I had to use a ruler and draw lines and staffs on copy paper.

 

Well I think you're in the wrong thread, but when I was studying music, we had to transcribe music on stone tablets. We didn't have metal tools, so we had to use dragon teeth to scrape the rock. Softening up the rock first made it easier to etch things into it, but water hadn't been invented yet, so we had to spit on it a lot. What's worse is that language hadn't been invented yet either, so even if you were able to transcribe something, no one else knew what you actually said.

 

You kids don't know how good you have it these days.

[js]

Just discovered this thread (side effect from a search for something else), and can offer a non-US perspective.

 

I'm just outside of Toronto. At this point, in the province of Ontario, we're at 88.5% of people 12+ with one shot, and 85% with two. Most people have 12+ weeks between the first and second dose. Though this was not recommended or tested protocol (I'm leaving politics out of this), it does seem to provide a more durable immune response. The guess is over time we'll get to 90%, but that's likely as good as we'll get. Flareups are primarily in the pockets of unvaccinated people (they seem to flock together).

 

We had the curse/blessing of being hit hard and early by Delta, and virtually all of our cases are currently Delta. The benefits of being one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world.

 

We also had one of the longest lockdowns in the world, which has loosened up only recently. Masks still in indoor settings unless eating/drinking.

 

The current projection is that we'll have restrictions until next Mar, of course subject to change based on reality. All this is a long-winded way of saying that we're moving into the endemic stage.

 

Earlier in this thread there was a discussion of viable alternatives to live performances. After playing four recent gigs, I've come to the conclusion that there aren't any. The shared experience, the warmth of people getting together - I've really missed this. And the feedback we've received has been that the audience has missed it as much.

[Notes_Norton]

<...snip...>

Earlier in this thread there was a discussion of viable alternatives to live performances. After playing four recent gigs, I've come to the conclusion that there aren't any. The shared experience, the warmth of people getting together - I've really missed this. And the feedback we've received has been that the audience has missed it as much.

Exactly!

 

I've done some recording as a hired sax player, and I'm proud of the work I've done. I did some recording in bands, and I'm proud of the work we've done. The work was enjoyable, but it doesn't compare to playing live to an appreciative audience.

 

For many musicians, the goal seems to be recording something, making money from the recording and/or leaving something to be remembered by when they are gone. And there is nothing wrong with that. There is more than one right way to go through life.

 

Making money is essential, it's tough to live without it.

 

I prefer making money by playing live to an audience. When it's working, and it almost always does, it's pure bliss. I'm in that place where there is no space, no time, no me, just the music flowing through me, the melding of that music with the other musicians, and the energy flowing back from the audience.

 

As far as a legacy, when I'm gone, it will make no difference to me if anyone remembers me or not. I won't be here to enjoy that.

 

For me, I think life is too short, so I'm going for all the bliss that I can, without stepping on others. And gigging is the most fun I can have with my clothes on.

 

Insights and incites by Notes.

[RABid]

I agree. My local library had two or three live acts per month perform in the auditorium. Now they just broadcast on the internet. Not the same.

[Anderton]

I did some recording in bands, and I'm proud of the work we've done. The work was enjoyable, but it doesn't compare to playing live to an appreciative audience.

 

For many musicians, the goal seems to be recording something, making money from the recording and/or leaving something to be remembered by when they are gone. And there is nothing wrong with that. There is more than one right way to go through life.

 

There's a very different angle to recording. I think there is a difference between composers and players. Players live for the stage, composers thrive in a recording-type environment.

[Notes_Norton]

I did some recording in bands, and I'm proud of the work we've done. The work was enjoyable, but it doesn't compare to playing live to an appreciative audience.

 

For many musicians, the goal seems to be recording something, making money from the recording and/or leaving something to be remembered by when they are gone. And there is nothing wrong with that. There is more than one right way to go through life.

 

There's a very different angle to recording. I think there is a difference between composers and players. Players live for the stage, composers thrive in a recording-type environment.

Good point, Craig

 

I'm not a very good composer. Everything I write sounds too common, and the lyrics sound too corny to me. I've written a couple of parody songs and added a verse or two to some of the songs I play that I thought weren't long enough, but that's very different from finding the inspiration to start from scratch.

 

I am a good arranger, a good player, and a good improviser. We all have our gifts.

 

It makes sense that if I were writing music, the best way to get it out there would be to record it.

 

Yes, I'm a player, and I live for the stage.

 

And I am very glad there are songwriters that create the material that I get to perform and reinterpret on stage. Thank you songwriters.

 

Notes â«