Miming bar bands?

stickyfiddle

Has anyone ever seen this before?

I was out thursday and friday this week and both nights had "live music", but what they actually had was people (one duo, one trio) with instruments but playing backing tracks and singing over them. Last night there was a guy on bongos and even his rhythm didn't match the one coming out of the speakers. Essentially it was paid karaoke i guess!

Anyone ever seen the same? It was a new one on me, but quite funny.

axisus

A mate of mine used to play in a duo. His pal sang and he played guitar to backing tracks that he had pre recorded. Seems ok like that, but I can't agree with pretending to play instruments.

ICBM

Seen it? I've done it!

I've played in a 'band' like this occasionally - playing lead guitar, which basically means only any distinctive riffs, and solos. The only other live instrument was a keyboard used for the same sort of stuff - plus two vocalists, one of who was the keyboard player. Everything else was sequenced - although to be fair, the keyboard player did work out all his own sequencing and not just import ready-made backing tracks.

At first I didn't like the idea but I got used to it - I don't think there's any pretence, anyone watching can see there's no drum kit, bassist, brass section etc, the parts that are played are genuinely played, and the vocals are live. The only problem is what to do when there's no guitar part - stand there doing nothing and look like a twit waiting to launch into the solo, or turn the guitar off and mime along to the chords… I did the latter.

It has the advantage of being a much more portable and manageable format for small gigs too - way less stage space than for a full band, controllable volume since everything goes through the PA (I used a very small amp as more of a monitor than anything, the guitar was DI'd as well) and you can get everything in one car. You can play gigs where a fullband would be out of the question anyway - and it's more 'live' than a DJ, arguably.

So I don't feel bad or embarrassed for having done it, even though I normally have strong views on keeping live music truly live. It just depends on the situation…

I agree with the 'paid karaoke' description too - that's always how I've thought of it, even though I was playing guitar not singing. The trick is to be better than karaoke .

It's also probably the best-paid work I've had as a guitarist, certainly by the hour in proportion to the effort and expense!

littlegreenman

Saw one a while back where the guitarist was miming the solo's, badly!

He wasn't overly impressed when I asked him after the show where he'd bought his "self-playing" Strat

John_P

Really bad confession here but I've done it as well -  many years ago I did occasional gigs in a trio, clubs and functions, the keys player had had a monster synth from the music shop he worked in and loaded up the backings, if I knew the song I played or some of the parts, if I didn't then I just strummed and looked like I knew it.   Never had an issue or comment other than positive and rebookings.  The only negative was the singer sometimes forgetting to stay sober which lead to me leaving or I'd still be counting in the cash now.

lustycourtier

I do it a lot, but its more 'play the solos and riffs and jam along with the rest'. If anyone challenged me on it, we'll drop in something difficult with no guitar at all on the backing  track ala SCOM, Sultans, etc, then watch them slunk off…. 

ICBM

Exactly. I think there's a big difference between playing live to a backing track (which is really just a band you have no control over, and is not that different to playing with many drummers ), and faking the bits you're actually supposed to be playing.

That's really the same reason as I dislike "stars" appearing to be playing while having sidemen to actually do it, even though that is done live.

stickyfiddle

I think having a backing track of synth pads or whatever is fine. I've done that myself in the past.

It was just funny this weekend as these guys were fully miming playing pianos, keyboards, guitars, bongos, that had no bearing on the music produced - as far as I could tell it was all backing track except the vocals. Just weird. 

Fretwired

I don't see anything wrong with it. I was involved in a tour with Jan Akkerman which was a couple of small club dates. He just brought over a guitar, amp and a sequencer/backing track machine. It wasn't economic to bring a band. He played all the guitar parts live. People were paying to watch/listen to him playing so they weren't short changed.

axisus

ICBM said:

That's really the same reason as I dislike "stars" appearing to be playing while having sidemen to actually do it, even though that is done live.

!!!shock!!! Does that actually happen????

EricTheWeary

Don't think I've seen anyone pretending to play an instrument, although singing/ playing over a backing track is common enough. We would get gigs with the six piece ska band for £300 knowing that the next night some bloke doing bad Sinatra over a backing track would get £300 in the same pub,so as an earner these things make much more sense than being in a band.

John_P

EricTheWeary said:

Don't think I've seen anyone pretending to play an instrument, although singing/ playing over a backing track is common enough. We would get gigs with the six piece ska band for £300 knowing that the next night some bloke doing bad Sinatra over a backing track would get £300 in the same pub,so as an earner these things make much more sense than being in a band.

Sadly so true and has made finding really good, confident singers so much harder to find over the years.  I've been in several bands that had to compete with the singer also do solo gigs for 3 times the cash he'd earn in the band.  

Fretwired

axisus said:

ICBM said:

That's really the same reason as I dislike "stars" appearing to be playing while having sidemen to actually do it, even though that is done live.

!!!shock!!! Does that actually happen????

Google Michael Schenker in the 1970s ..

Danny1969

I was in a duo and we had drums and keys on mini disc and played guitar and sang live. Back then the music law allowed pubs without the correct license to have duo's. We got as much money between us for that as we used to split 5 ways in our previous band

Don't miss those days though

chillidoggy

Milli Vanilli?

viz

I was in a duo called Double Whammy with two guitarists - everything apart from guitar and vocals was midi programmed and it gave us plenty of scope for playing and singing - we loved it. Well i did.

mike_l

I did see a husband/wife duo quite a few years ago. They had his'n'hers Tele's and Fender amps. They were good*.

But they literally had backing tapes (That's how long ago) and when they said "Any requests?! and Hendrix was asked for, they had to rewind the tape to the right place.

 

 

*From what I remember, I was rat-arsed.

monquixote

I keep misreading this thread as "Minging guitar bands"

Emp_Fab

Maybe I'm old fashioned but I think half of you should be banned for what you've confessed to.

Have you no shame ?

Yours,

Disgusted of Surbiton.

chillidoggy

We have no shame. We are the Fretboard. We are unmoved by paltry, namby-pamby, gay-arsed, limp-wristed threats of being banned. We rock. End of.

Oh, and we might be a teeny bit pissed.

Signed: Pissed up Brit of Key West.

fastboy

Only seen one once. It was a pub all day festival which my old Sabbath tribute band were headlining and they were on 2nd to last.

TBH, I thought it was a bit comical as they had to have click tracks audibly over the PA to start each track (guess the average punter won't care) and some of the backing tracks were very over produced but I could understand the appeal for them. More money from a gig, less people to have available when gigs do come up etc rather than having more members.