Recorded background vocals?

Started by mikecambridge, Jul 12, 2006, 06:10 PM

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mikecambridge

Jul 12, 2006, 06:10 PM
I caught MMJ with the Boston Pops a few weeks ago and it was fantastic.  Also liked seeing them on Conan rerun the other night.  

One thing I first noticed at the Pops show, and again on Conan--I'm pretty sure they're using a tape of Jim's voice to do backup singing.  I love the band and think Jim's voice is a real gift, but a little unsure how I feel about this.  Most bands use somebody else to do backing vocals live, and even if it's not as good as the lead, it's back in the mix so it still sounds pretty good.

Has anyone else noticed this?  Is it because no one else in the band feels comfortable singing?  How do you feel about it?
Mike from Cambridge

corey

#1
Jul 12, 2006, 06:34 PM
Well, Carl and Bo sing back-ups on most stuff. Seems like the only song that the recorded vocals are used on are "Wordless Chorus" and "Anytime". I can't really figure out the reason that they use it during "Anytime" as either of the guys should be able to do that part with no problem.

ratsprayer

#2
Jul 12, 2006, 07:45 PM
the recorded vocals are also used on 'steam engine' on at least a few recordings i've heard, and nearly every time they're used on 'run thru'.

we've had this discussion before, and i'm not really a fan of it.  when i saw MMJ at lebowski fest back in 2004, carl did the backing vocals on 'how do you know' and it was fantastic.  carl and bo could more than handle it, and it would make everything much more organic.

JohnnyRage

#3
Jul 12, 2006, 07:47 PM
Jim's voice is an instrument. Jim's voice cannot be in all places at once. They come from Bo on the keyboards.

I would say that added vocals are used on a plurality of songs, and it kicks ass.

Although I do agree that Carl and others could contribute more.
[size=13]Be Right Here Forever...Go Through This Thing Together...And On Heaven's Golden Shores We'll Lay Our Heads[/size][/i]

tomEisenbraun

#4
Jul 12, 2006, 09:08 PM
i believe they normally use it on like the "ahh" type vocals. stuff where even Carl or Bo or all three of them singing backup wouldn't be able to duplicate. I'm pretty sure they normally only use it for achieveing that  "wall of ahhh" kind of vocal. I'm fine with that, because that shit gets really shaky if you have singers going on it. Like, five part harmony and ten voices can't compare to only three. So why compromise?
The river is moving. The blackbird must be flying.

doEVILslittle

#5
Jul 12, 2006, 09:49 PM
i'm not a fan of it, but it doesn't bother me much because i'm pretty sure bo cues the sounds up from his keyboard, so it's not like a guy at the sound booth is playing the pre-recorded sounds...

mikecambridge

#6
Jul 12, 2006, 10:59 PM
Wow, thanks for the comments.  I figured it was coming in through keyboards but had no way of knowing.  I guess it's cool, then...it sounds great, anway...BTW did anyone else think Jim sounded hoarse on Conan?  Glad to hear it was a rerun because I recommended to my brother-in-law that he catch Jim at the XPN fest in Phillie Sat after next.  If he (James) is in anywhere near the form he was in for the Pops concert, my BIL should be golden...pardon the pun...
Mike from Cambridge

tdan

#7
Jul 13, 2006, 09:35 AM
I'm not particularly a fan of the recorded background vocals either, but I also was not an instant fan of Jim's reverb either...

Just to gauge how good Bo and Carl harmonize with Jim,  try listening to a live recording of their cover of The Band's "It Makes No Difference".  I particularly thought it sounded great when they performed it with Eddie Vedder.

Well the music is your special friend
Dance on fire as it intends
Music is your only friend
Until the end

BH

#8
Jul 13, 2006, 09:52 AM
What's the difference if  the keyboard uses Jim's unbelievable vocal sounds or any of the other 30 kazillion computer generated sounds that are on it?

Jim sings over himself on the studio recordings all the time.  Nobody else can make that angelic sound.
I'm digging, digging deep in myself, but who needs a shovel when you have a little boy like mine.

ratsprayer

#9
Jul 13, 2006, 10:27 AM
studio and live music are quite different.  every effect on a studio album doesn't come through at a live show, and it should be that way.  i love jim's voice, and even though it sounds good pre-recorded coming from the keyboards, i think it should be left out.  yeah jim can't be everywhere at a live show because there's only one of him, but that 'all-overness' is meant for the studio where you can overdub and perform all those fancy tricks.  the few recordings of the boston pops shows sound amazing, but does that mean they should computerise the strings for every show from now on?  i think not.  

fitzcarraldo

#10
Jul 13, 2006, 11:00 AM
This is 2006. Thank God! Loops are Nice!

primushead

#11
Jul 13, 2006, 11:28 AM
Quotestudio and live music are quite different.  every effect on a studio album doesn't come through at a live show, and it should be that way.  i love jim's voice, and even though it sounds good pre-recorded coming from the keyboards, i think it should be left out.  yeah jim can't be everywhere at a live show because there's only one of him, but that 'all-overness' is meant for the studio where you can overdub and perform all those fancy tricks.  the few recordings of the boston pops shows sound amazing, but does that mean they should computerise the strings for every show from now on?  i think not.  

But leaving out some things live can really make an impact for a song that really needs them.  Could you imagine "Wordless Chorus" without the backing harmonies?  Or "Steam Engine" without the...well, whatever those sounds are at the end.

I totally agree with you saying that Bo and Carl should step up more vocally...but if the keyboard is what they're sticking with right now, I'll back it up.

ratsprayer

#12
Jul 13, 2006, 11:34 AM
Quote

But leaving out some things live can really make an impact for a song that really needs them.  Could you imagine "Wordless Chorus" without the backing harmonies?  Or "Steam Engine" without the...well, whatever those sounds are at the end.

I totally agree with you saying that Bo and Carl should step up more vocally...but if the keyboard is what they're sticking with right now, I'll back it up.

i know where you're coming from, but still i think jim could start the harmonies and have them looped live, not in a pre-recorded fashion.  andrew bird doesn't bring pre-recorded loops to shows.  he starts to play this and that, loops it, and plays over that and moves on.  yeah wordless chorus and steam engine are amazing, and i would never want them to stop playing them live, but i also don't want to hear basically a studio version with people screaming over it, so change wouldn't be a bad thing.  i'm sure jim and the boys have good reason for doing what they do, kudos to them.  i also know that my opinions about this border on saying something bad about this band, and well, most of us who have been here for some time know that is illegal.  it's just my opinion, but i think i make a good point.  

primushead

#13
Jul 13, 2006, 11:41 AM
Quote

i know where you're coming from, but still i think jim could start the harmonies and have them looped live, not in a pre-recorded fashion.  andrew bird doesn't bring pre-recorded loops to shows.  he starts to play this and that, loops it, and plays over that and moves on.  yeah wordless chorus and steam engine are amazing, and i would never want them to stop playing them live, but i also don't want to hear basically a studio version with people screaming over it, so change wouldn't be a bad thing.  i'm sure jim and the boys have good reason for doing what they do, kudos to them.  i also know that my opinions about this border on saying something bad about this band, and well, most of us who have been here for some time know that is illegal.  it's just my opinion, but i think i make a good point.  


You're an ignorant slut.

 ;)

Nah, I totally hear where you're coming from for sure.  The live show and the studio recording are two totally different atmospheres and, as such, the songs from each should be heard in different ways.  

When I saw U2 a few months back (which was incredible) they definitely used over dubbings from a sound board hidden deep within their stage.  And I hated that aspect of it.  
But in contrast to Bo using a keyboard for backing harmonies, the hidden dude behind the scenes with a computer seems like 'cheating'.  

Just my two cents, but since I didn't say anything bad about MMJ, I'm way better than you Rats. :P

tomEisenbraun

#14
Jul 13, 2006, 11:03 PM
Quote

 andrew bird doesn't bring pre-recorded loops to shows.  he starts to play this and that, loops it, and plays over that and moves on.   

check out fake palindromes from this year's bonnaroo :)
The river is moving. The blackbird must be flying.

Sleazy Rider

#15
Jul 14, 2006, 03:52 PM
Tru Dat BIIIIAAAAAATCH!!!!!

your under arrest ratsprayer >:( :-/ ;D
Politics. It's a drag. They put one foot in the grave, and the other on The Flag.

NHgroove

#16
Jul 25, 2006, 09:00 PM
are you kidding me? loops kick ass...nobody wants to sit there and sing the same weird background thing over and over. maybe they could hire a couple of bimbos to sit back there and sing that weird steam engine repeats or something...i think they're captured by bo or maybe by a foot peddle..
devils and demons are comin....lovers and children beware!!!
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