Does your band play ALL live?

[Jose EB5AGV]

I wonder if the authenticity of a full live playing is of any value for you. I am proud of our 6 piece band (drums, bass, guitar, sax, voice, keys) playing all live.

 

Yes, when we play a cover, we can't faithfully reproduce a recording and need to simplify, as a sample, the multiple key parts. I do my best to play the most important ones, in that case. As also does the guitar player when there are more than one guitar on the original. And, of course, all singing is live and untouched.

 

Just curious about the value of such an approach nowadays.

[cphollis]

I'm BL and MD for our six piece band.  We do "re-interpretations" of covers -- we come up with new arrangements, medleys, etc.  None of us particularly enjoy sounding "just like the record".  Some of the versions we come up with are pretty cool, and our audience definitely appreciates the originality.  Maybe they've grown tired of songs sounding just like the record

[AnotherScott]

All live, except on the gigs where we don't have a drummer, sometimes I'll bring up a rhythm from a keyboard. On occasion, I've triggered one-off samples from pads for special effects, or have "hand claps" assigned to a key, but I think that still counts as live playing. 😉 

[Stokely]

I'll never run tracks if that's what you are asking, not my cup of tea.  If I was making a living doing this I'm sure my high horse would have shorter legs, nuff said.

Iike cphollis, we make covers our own.  If you can find a version where the original artist isn't running tracks, they often do the same, change it up to be able to handle things live.   So far so good, nobody has come after us with pitchforks yet.  I also don't agonize over getting patches exactly like the original recordings, or at least I don't all the time.  Sometimes it's a fun thing to do, but I reckon there are more important things to focus on (singing confidence, groove, playing a good part etc).    Sometimes a perfect copy of the studio sound doesn't work that well live, IMO.   I'll likely try to get pretty close for Africa, which we just added to our learn list.

[JamPro]

Yes.  So far, every band I have played in played "all live".

 

"Just curious about the value of such an approach nowadays."

 

The value in this approach is: 1) simplicity - no need create tracks or make every player and the audience hear the tracks; 2) spontaneity - not having backing tracks allows the band to deviate from the given arrangement on the fly - to give the soloist another chorus, or repeat a hook or "tag" the ending; etc. 

[AnotherScott]

Also, I think the number of musicians who can keep good time with a drummer exceeds the number of drummers who can keep good time to a click/backing.

[ProfD]

1 hour ago, AnotherScott said:

On occasion, I've triggered one-off samples from pads for special effects, or have "hand claps" assigned to a key, but I think that still counts as live playing. 😉 

IMO, triggering one-shot samples is still a part of playing live. 

 

Click tracks and playing pre-recorded parts is flying with a net over a bridge too far.🤣

 

Of course, it depends on 1) style of music and 2) musical experience the band aims to provide.

 

Personally, I prefer to play all live.  Look...no net.  I'm also a hardware dinosaur too. 😁😎

[CEB]

Tracks are for *ussies.  

[Ibarch]

My band plays completely live, with no click tracks, backing tracks or samples. Keeps it simple. We are an indie pop originals band, with the occasional cover. For the covers we do, I'll get as close as I can to all the keys parts with my Fantom. It isn't exact but will be in the region of the original, well above the recognisable threshold. 

 

For our last gig we covered Muse Starlight and this is the first time I've used the appegiator. Possibly could have managed without but didn't have the time to put the work in and decided to give myself a break. I don't use the transpose function either. This isn't due to any moral reasons but because I get confused very quickly when my ears are hearing something different to what my fingers are playing. To successfully use transpose requires intense concentration and I usually don't manage to hold it together for a whole song. It's so much easier to play in the key the band are playing, even when they go to G flat. 

 

When out at gigs I generally don't like bands that do play from backing tracks. There is a lack of spontaneity and excitement when the performance becomes a glorified CD player. It is becoming more and more prevelant. One band recently managed to drown out the on stage drummer and bass player with a thumping bass track. What is the point? I only go to listen to small local gigs, I'm not a festival man. I'm at the point that if a band rely on backing tracks I'm out. Ideally I'll not pay for entry in the first place. Failing that I will walk out if it becomes obvious they aren't playing the majority of the sound coming out the PA. If I want to hear pre recorded music I'll sit at home and watch YouTube. 

 

[sherry]

Most bands in my area use tracks so my band takes pride in an ALL LIVE performance, including the mistakes.

[NewImprov]

My main bands are all live, they are relatively large bands with horns, etc, so we don’t really need more sound. 
 

I play in an experimental trio (keys, bass, drums) that does stuff with modular synths, looping, etc, so we end up playing to the machine’s time, but the mechanical parts are improvised and developed on the spot, so it’s not like we are playing to pre-recorded tracks.

 

From about 2000-2010, I played bass in a touring band that used tracks for programmed drums and sequenced synth parts, on about half of our tunes. I was responsible for triggering the tracks, I used a Behringer foot controller and Ableton live to jump from scene to scene, so we had the freedom to stretch out parts and not play the same form all the time. There was one tune, with the main groove in 13, where I had to stop playback for a 4 beat break, and bring it back on the downbeat in perfect time, always sweated over that part a bit. 

[Simon Beck]

I have played bass and keyboards for 47 years, in bands ranging from Dixieland jazz to avant-garde prog-pop. Every band I have played in performed 100% live... with one exception.

 

In the mid-1980s I formed an electro-pop duo, "Mix It Up" with a singer-songwriter. We produced a lot of demos in my 4-track home studio, with me playing bass, rhythm programming and keyboards, and the singer... er... singing. When it was clear that we should be out gigging, we decided to use 4-track cassette backing tapes, re-recorded from scratch, minus the bass guitar and vocals which were performed live. The cassette machine was visible centre-stage, there was no pre-recorded bass or vocal, and each song was on its own tape, so we could change the set list on the fly. It all worked well.

http://www.alphabeck.co.uk/music/mix_it_up/

[GovernorSilver]

I've enjoyed playing in all live bands, and have done some shows with a sequencer running - either somebody tweaking parameters manually or having some sort of probability feature running so it's not just exactly the same playback every time.

 

I haven't rushed to join another band because I don't really feel like being a side muso for a rock singer/songwriter type any more.  My goal is to assemble a repertoire of music I want to play, then start looking for peeps who are a good fit.

[mate stubb]

I gigged continually from 1967 to 2020. All live, all the time.

[Moonglow]

We’re all live. Our drummer plays to a click track to maintain consistent/rock solid tempo, but only he can hear it through his in-ears.

 

I was in a band where after one year, the BL proposed using tracks. He said they would be “minimal” and “only for a background vocal or two.” Well, it then became three vocals, then four, then a rhythm guitar, then an acoustic guitar…it was insidious. There was at least one song per night (usually more) where the wheels came off the cart. I wanted to climb under a rock. I only hung around for another month or so and then bailed.

[eric]

All live. No tracks. Not gonna happen on my watch. 

[nadroj]

We’re a 9 piece and our singer often goes off track mid-song into waters we’ve never explored before, and we all get to follow. Sometimes we’ll have an idea of where he’s going, other times he’ll make up sections of the song on the spot and we’ll turn into a jam band for 3 minutes, before coming back into land on a chorus everyone knows. 

We’ve briefly discussed using tracks live, but decided it wasn’t worth it for covers. Our new original material we’re working on might benefit from tracks…

 

…But with aforementioned singer’s unpredictability (which is one of the best things about our band) the drummer and I agreed that even playing to a click would be a disaster. So we raw dog it every night, and will continue to do so! 

 

[George88]

Play 80s covers and from time to time, we *ussies play to a synth bass or other tracks when indicated. Only the drummer hears the click: we are sticking as faithfully to the *ussy recordings for the *ussies who come to see us. I also trigger parts for which I lack finger dexterity, speed and talent.  At this point in our collective careers, we don’t give a *hit about music and are only in this for money & *ussy.  Clicks and tracks are our only redeeming quality. 

[Canoehead]

In my previous band, I did sequence the intro to Europe’s The Final Countdown.  I played the lead synth  horn and pad sound along with the sequence.  It was always well received.

 

cheers,

Canoe

[Reezekeys]

There's a lot of music out there, new and old, that we keys players cover. 80s music had a lot of Linn drum and DMX, arpeggiated synths, etc... when sequencers first "ruled" in music production. If you do that style I can absolutely see a band using tracks. I don't see it as some kind of "test" where you can prove something (to yourself or others) by not using tracks. You use the tools you have, hopefully in a creative way, to make the best music you can. I'm not gonna judge, but I will say that I never was in a band that used tracks, and for myself would consider it an extra "layer" that might dampen my enjoyment a bit, though I've never tried it so maybe I'm wrong. In my current gig we have several tunes that use percussion loops I trigger, but once I start them the drummer counts off the song and we all follow him, so it doesn't feel like I'm in any kind of straightjacket.

[D. Gauss]

not a cover band here. live onstage, we got no tracks. no clicks. no synths. no samples. no autotune. and most definitely, no shorts!  2 geetars, bass, drums, piano, organ and 3 vocals.  on rare occasions, we get to have monitors.

[Bill H.]

It's been interesting reading everyone's comments. Personally I never had the luxury of taking a philosophical stand on the subject. With music as my primary or strong secondary source of income, my biggest consideration was how steady is it, and how much does it pay. And I'll freely admit that I probably got several jobs because of my ability to put together sequences and backing tracks. When everything came together well, I took a certain pride in it to be honest. 

 

The last two bands I was in were all live if it makes anyone feel better. I hung it up about 10 years ago. 

[Stokely]

4 hours ago, George88 said:

Only the drummer hears the click

We had one drummer who ran a click for himself and this did open things up again for things like arpeggios.  A song like Hella Good for example, which has a low-end arp that plays the whole time and it's not a part you'd easily play, especially with one hand while you did the other parts.

Knowing his click was at 162 or whatever it was, my arp was also at 162 and if it somehow got out of sync a bit I could just retrigger it.

I also use tap tempo quite a bit to set delays and I could use that for sequences/arps I guess too.  That's not as exact obviously.   Our singer wants to add "Don't you want me" with that choppy 16th note arp but it's only going to work if the drummer can hear it really well    He's on in-ears so it might work.    I don't want to consider generating a click and sending it out, slippery slope there.   We'd probably first just try a version without that arp, maybe with guitar or whatever playing that part.

I'd never knock a musician for using tracks.  I hate tracks, and avoid going to see acts that use them which is a lot of acts, but they are trying to make a living.  For local musicians I know, that's not an easy living either.  For now I can still play in a band without them and that's what I can do about it.   The war was lost a long time ago, no point in worrying about it.

[cassdad]

21 hours ago, Ibarch said:

My band plays completely live, with no click tracks, backing tracks or samples. Keeps it simple…………. . If I want to hear pre recorded music I'll sit at home and watch YouTube. 

 

 

…Or hire a DJ, which is, frankly, what I think people who want to hear the “original recording” (or musicians who want to regurgitate the original recording) should do.  Just my personal opinion…..

[vonnor]

Yes, for both my bands.

 

Our drummer refuses to (*cough*cant*cough*) play to a click, which very seldom but occasionally limits our cover tune choices.

 

I do a lot of midi tricks and arpeggio re-trigger tricks to approximate a tempo sync, like for Hungry Like The Wolf and Legs (ZZTopp).

 

I also cover 2nd guitar parts occasionally with a crunch sample patch, like to hold up the middle during a guitar solo and such.

 

~ vonnor

[Haem]

An interesting topic.. I’ve always played in a band in a totally live setting and enjoy playing my trusted Roland FA08 and utilising all the options of splits, layers etc. I do however transpose lots of the songs into keys I prefer, mainly C , Am, G!!!! I’m self taught, had a piano at home growing up and can play pretty well but struggle to play in unfamiliar keys, for example, I’ve worked out all kb parts to Take on me but play it in A Minor not the original key! As I can save each song’s settings, I don’t have the anxiety during a set of moving the transpose button after each song!😄 Anyone else in a similar position. I don’t look upon this as cheating but others might disagree! 

[eric]

I don't mean to sound "judgey" about tracks...though truth be told, every instance of tracks I've seen in local bands (and many national acts) is borderline cringey. I know that the HUGE pop stars have to do it for their multi million dollar tours and most of the fans don't know or care. That is what it is, I suppose. I don't believe that there are many international touring artists NOT using tracks.

 

I see some local/regional bands using tracks to replace a keyboard player, playing similar tunes to what my bands play, and it's simply awkward. That's the worst part of it...there's no keyboard player on stage, yet here's a song with a lot of keyboard parts, with the drummer doing stuff to run the tracks. That's what I find to be less desirable. Just have a keyboard player or play songs that don't need those tracks.

 

My newest band is working in a drummer who keeps a separate click track for himself (just him)...this is new to me and it seems to be helpful. I will not frown on this, if he can manage the band's tempos in such a way. He said that he mainly uses it for reference at the start of songs and will turn it off if things aren't latching on so well.

[Reezekeys]

IMO there's a difference between using tracks to fill in for core instruments that aren't there - like the aforementioned missing keyboard player - and the "spice", or auxiliary parts that fill out an arrangement but aren't necessarily essential. The choice to use tracks for "spice" can be problematic imo - I'd rather hear a band rearrange a tune to fit their instrumentation and go for it all-live; I see a few posts here from the folks that do exactly that. Maybe it's easier to copy a recording and put those parts on tracks than work out an original arrangement - depends on the musicians of course.

 

Besides musical considerations, how about a band wanting to do a certain style of songs that call for guitars, keys, whatever, and there are no such players in the local area (or none with the ability to fill the chair to the band's satisfaction) - what are you gonna do? Or how about the fact that tracks replacing players save money for an establishment with a shrinking music budget. I just had a text discussion with a guitarist friend of mine in Vegas, lamenting that many of the gigs he sees are solo guitar players using something called the "DITTO PLUS" and playing with tracks. And forget about even the solo players - why should a restaurant pay ASCAP and BMI fees if some AI music service can pump generated pop-y jazz-y funk-y muzak for a monthly subscription, which for all I know is already happening? Soon we'll be talking about playing with tracks as the "good old days"! 🙂 

[ProfD]

3 hours ago, eric said:

...HUGE pop stars have to do it for their multi million dollar tours...

Right.  There is a lot of money being made and many mouths to feed.

3 hours ago, eric said:

I don't believe that there are many international touring artists NOT using tracks.

Another reason they use tracks is to manage the show. 

 

The Musical Director (MD) can make changes to the show and/or cover for musicians as necessary.

 

Also, the band doesn't rehearse as often if at all once the tour starts. 

 

3 hours ago, eric said:

I see some local/regional bands using tracks...

IMO, a lot of it is the trickle down effect of local/regional artists/musicians emulating national acts. 

 

Those of us who grew up on music produced and recorded before sequencers, DAT machines and computers have a greater appreciation for live music.  

 

Bands of the 1960s and 1970s covered a lot of ground sonically with everything played live. The music sounded great. 

 

Imagine if those 1960s/1970s artists/musicians had access to prerecorded tracks for live performances. Yikes. 😁😎

[El Lobo]

2 bands, all live. One is blues-rock covers and one is 10-piece originals worldbeat jam band. I can't imagine using tracks in either band. It just wouldn't work. And it would spoil the fun.