Old school analog vs. digital

I’m still deeply rooted in my boomer-take on the whole ”We can’t play a show without our laptops”.

I’ve seen them live and could tell right away the vocals were either being pitched and harmonized to hell and back live or they were on tracks. Half the songs the guitars wouldn’t come in until the chorus or 2nd verse and it was nothing but loops/beats/synths leading up to it. I’m very aware of how they utilize electronic music in their songs.

But there’s still 5 f*ckin’ guys in a band that weren’t able to do a damn thing without them. I’d have nothing but respect for a band that came out onstage and said “Look, our laptops are missing, this won’t be a normal show for us. We’re making as much lemonade as we possibly can, it’s important that we play something for you guys instead of bailing. Half this sh*t we’re making up on the spot, but we’re not going to bail!”

The drummer can still keep a beat going. The bass player can still play any changes that were existing in their tracks (unless it was all electronic fart, er, dubstep sounds and in that case….improvise, bitch) and they’re at the level where the audience is going to know enough lyrics to sing along (they did at Rockville). Then it becomes a special, one-off, rare occurrence show and turns into something memorable.

I mean, in every original band I’ve been in, the guitarists and I have messed around with acoustic/alternate versions of the songs. Stuff that doesn’t even make sense to play on an acoustic because it’s just metal riffs, but it takes all of 10 minutes to figure out how to substitute the riffs for chord changes or mix the two together and it turns out being a recognizable version of the song.

Ala Sevendust- (who also run a ton of tracks live but can throw down without them at any point)


I could understand if it were just the singer and the tracks, but five f*ckin’ guys on a stage should be able to come up with some form of their own music to pull SOMETHING off without backing tracks.

And throwing his crew under the bus. :hmm
 
DrewJD82 said:
I’m still deeply rooted in my boomer-take on the whole ”We can’t play a show without our laptops”.

I’ve seen them live and could tell right away the vocals were either being pitched and harmonized to hell and back live or they were on tracks. Half the songs the guitars wouldn’t come in until the chorus or 2nd verse and it was nothing but loops/beats/synths leading up to it. I’m very aware of how they utilize electronic music in their songs.

But there’s still 5 f*ckin’ guys in a band that weren’t able to do a damn thing without them. I’d have nothing but respect for a band that came out onstage and said “Look, our laptops are missing, this won’t be a normal show for us. We’re making as much lemonade as we possibly can, it’s important that we play something for you guys instead of bailing. Half this sh*t we’re making up on the spot, but we’re not going to bail!”

The drummer can still keep a beat going. The bass player can still play any changes that were existing in their tracks (unless it was all electronic fart, er, dubstep sounds and in that case….improvise, b*tch) and they’re at the level where the audience is going to know enough lyrics to sing along (they did at Rockville). Then it becomes a special, one-off, rare occurrence show and turns into something memorable.

I mean, in every original band I’ve been in, the guitarists and I have messed around with acoustic/alternate versions of the songs. Stuff that doesn’t even make sense to play on an acoustic because it’s just metal riffs, but it takes all of 10 minutes to figure out how to substitute the riffs for chord changes or mix the two together and it turns out being a recognizable version of the song.

Ala Sevendust- (who also run a ton of tracks live but can throw down without them at any point)


I could understand if it were just the singer and the tracks, but five f*ckin’ guys on a stage should be able to come up with some form of their own music to pull SOMETHING off without backing tracks.

And throwing his crew under the bus. :hmm
Click to expand...


I dont understand anyone getting all butthurt over something that improves a live experience. When I went to see The End tour by Black Sabbath I could tell they had heavy auto tune on Ozzy's voice. I have worked with it extensively for others and myself actually (when tired or sick) and it has a distinct chorus effect even the really powerful AT engines. I REALLY knew it when he went to do the intro to the Wizard with his harmonica and vocal mic and the first few seconds sounded all garbled and weird (chromatic AT on a diatonic instrument).
I enjoyed the show because Ozzy sounded very good all night. Nothing makes me cringe worse than a singer singing out of key. If it takes AT to make it sound good I'm a fan. I have no high horse when it comes to AT or tracks.
 
Ronnie Radke is an idiot. He's done nothing other than run his mouth to get attention for his entire career. He's been in prison for involvement in a murder, was arrested for domestic violence, and multiple other stupid things. I don't care if Falling in Reverse lip syncs off their laptop because they suck. And it's not the genre, although screamo metal jumped the shark about 15 years ago.

On the other side, I respect Eddie Trunk's career and achievements (dude discovered and signed Kings X), but I think he's over the top on the backing tracks thing. Yes we get it, rock bands used play live and it was raw and real. But half the bands he slags are well into retirement age. I don't think the audience cares at this point that KISS, who have a combined age of 265, have vocal tracks live.

Personally I would much rather see bands playing live with minimal backing tracks, but it depends on the genre. I've seen Dance Gavin Dance (who could play circles around FIR) a number of times, from small clubs with under 100 people on up to a festival with tens of thousands. Last time around they were doing some weird keyboard/ambient stuff between songs and possibly under the music. But their vocals and instruments were all live, and that's what counts.
 
So backing tracks and samples and auto-tune are SO pervasive now that a little is ok, and a lot is
just a way to make the show a better experience.

It's the Photoshopping and Cosmetic Surgery of the Live concert experience. Just because we can
should we? 🤦‍♂️

Blech! You can have your crutches just to "give the audience their money's worth." I don't need this
new American Idol Standard all up in my face when I go to a show. Production over performance.
Give me that old skool DIY punk/metal aesthetic where I knew what I was getting and their was none
of this "make believe" and technological prosthesis making someone seem better than they actually are.
 
JiveTurkey said:
One of the most overrated bands in music history.
Click to expand...

You say that like it is actually true and based on some factual grounds. :unsure:

I'd contend so few people know about them that it could not be true. I am
guessing, Dug, Ty, and Jerry might agree---"How can we be overhyped when
no one outside a small sector of middle-aged, mostly white men knows about us." :lol
 
Last edited:
la szum said:
So backing tracks and samples and auto-tune are SO pervasive now that a little is ok, and a lot is
just a way to make the show a better experience.

It's the Photoshopping and Cosmetic Surgery of the Live concert experience. Just because we can
should we? 🤦‍♂️

Blech! You can have your crutches just to "give the audience their money's worth." I don't need this
new American Idol Standard all up in my face when I go to a show. Production over performance.
Give me that old skool DIY punk/metal aesthetic where I knew what I was getting and their was none
of this "make believe" and technological prosthesis making someone seem better than they actually are.
Click to expand...
We have high ticketmaster prices to blame! Who, in turn; came blame ticket holder expectations because high ticket prices!
la szum said:
You say that like it is actually true and based on some factual grounds. :LOL:
Click to expand...
Gretchen is good. I'll certainly concede that!
 
JiveTurkey said:
One of the most overrated bands in music history.
Click to expand...

Denzel Washington Love GIF
 
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