Do you hate when bands...

[tallowwaters]

Sound entirely different onstage?

Okay, my latest album was really all me. I just put it all together over the summer with a guest vocal here and there and really didnt leave the guitar player any space in the mix, and none of the songs really warranted guitar anyways.

But there is no way I could do this album life without prercorded stuff, which I refuse to do. As such the guitar player and I decided that we would play my synth parts on guitar (we are still farming bass players). Last night we rehearsed it a little and it sound like great sweaty rock and roll to me. I imagine the majority of people out there would rather see a few addled folks beating on guitars than egghead gadgets standing behind a box.

What ya'll think?

[modulator_esp]

I hate it when bands pretend to play live

[GeneralBigbag]

The best concerts I've been to have involved the discovery of the sweaty rock heart beating in the chests of bands I thought were more polite - two great examples are US Maple and Mouse On Mars. Go the addled.

[otto]

I think live music is overrated.

[MrHope]

I like polished electronic music studio recordings best. Anything that deviates from that isa bit disappointing for me or at least a test of patience. Obviously I don't attend a lot of live shows for this reason. Nevertheless, when Meat Beat Manifesto came to town I went to the "live" show. This was around the time of Prime Audio Soup I think. Anyways it was a great show. It was one of the best shows I've ever been to. But I had to ask myself why?

[x] A) Totally fantastic psychedelic lights and videos going synchronised to the music's BPM.
[x] B) Gut rumbling bass.
[ ] C) A live drummer.
[ ] D) Live vocals (of the same lyrics as on the albums)

To be fair, the live drummer was entertaining to watch for a few minutes; kinda like the olympics... pure athletic skill to be admired.
But it really didn't do as much for me musically. I'd have preferred some diced up breakbeats from electronics. (for the sound of course!).

The vocals were not bad, but weren't anything surprising. At this point I realise that previously unreleased lyrical vocals could be a plus for a stage band.
But at least it was Jack up there rapping and chanting and singing instead of some cover band.

At the end of the night, I remember thinking...
"Wow, that bass was terrific, but it's not like Jack Dangers invented bass... so what up?"

Ultimately, I appreciated the inherent creativity of the polished tunes regardless of the fact that they were probably streaming off of a computer somewhere.
I came for the sounds not the sights. And just as icing on the cake, the psychedelic visuals were really an art in their own right worthy of seeing in a concert.
The music was psychedelic (in a good way), the visuals were psychedelic (in a good way). I had a pretty far out time and it didn't require getting boozed up or
high to enjoy it. It was a natural high.

Am I dissing Jack Dangers or Meat Beat Manifesto? h**l no, they brought just what the doctor ordered:

[x] E) Sounds as good as what was on the albums synchronized to another art form.

That being said, you have creative license... do what you gotta do to be true to your art form.

[seamonkey]

I think sounding different from the recording can be a good thing sometimes rather than hearing everything sound exactly as it does on a recording. To me it depends on the type of music one is playing, if it has a layers and layers of sound then yes the listener would most likely be disappointed because they are hearing nothing in the space all these parts filled.
Who would've ever thought "unplugged" would become as popular as it has but most "good" groups can pull it off.
I think you can pull it off tallow, it would of course depend on who your target audience is and what type of venue you are playing live in plus if the writing is good it should stand on it's own even if it's just you and a guitar or synth.

I think live music is overrated.

you are joking.......right?

[JSRockit]

I think live music is overrated.

I completely agree...always been more of a fan of recorded music. However, I don't mind people changing up songs live...as long as it isn't out of laziness or the fact that the band hasn't rehearsed. I've seen one solo act play live many, many times over the years... and it is hit or miss... and it really comes down to how much the band he chose to tour with practiced before (different band each show, since the guy is a solo act) and how that band chose to interpret the songs. I know with hip-hop...I like to see a few guys on stage with mics, turntables, and drum machines... and hate it when I get a full on band ...because it always sounds worse to me.

[jaypodesta]

It's your show. Your rules.

[wiss]

I find bands that sound the same live as on thier records should really just piss off. Might as well had sat in a chair smoking a cigarette and pressed play on a cd player.

I hate bands that pretty much do karaoke covers of themselves.

I personally love live music, I love when bands change up songs and it sounds different from the recorded version I have.

There are countless bands that sound great on cd, then suck live (DE LA SOUL IS THE WORSE LIVE ACT EVER)
There are countless bands that sound great live,then suck on cd (Pretty much all punk rock)


I think you and your guitar player should decided if adding the guitar serves the song or his ego.

[tallowwaters]

Am I dissing Jack Dangers or Meat Beat Manifesto? h**l no, they brought just what the doctor ordered:

Sweet. (I am big fan of AutoImmune and Sounds/Voices) I usually dont like when bands get a live drummer for the show, it kind of changes the feel too much.

I think you and your guitar player should decided if adding the guitar serves the song or his ego.

He isnt adding anything (and ego certainly isnt an issue with him) he is just playing my synth parts on guitar, and I suppose I am going to have to play the other synth parts (I hate playing guitar, though I am reasonably decent at it) all there is to it.

I am doing this because it would be physically impossible for me to play 2 synth parts (3 counting bass) controlling the drone, flipping beats, muting s**t, and singing breathless raps at the same time. And I refuse to do karaoke to my own music, so this is my only real option, and I thought would be fun to put my electro/hiphop/industrial s**t in a more rock like contest. I was just getting a feel of how other synth nerds felt, because personally, as a sort of synth w***e, I would be a little disappointed to not hear the synths live, but I dont think your average joe would mind (and would probably prefer it)

[space6oy]

I usually dont like when bands get a live drummer for the show, it kind of changes the feel too much.

ladytron w/ a live drummer was awesome.

[Hossinfeffa]

What seems to change the most for live shows are the vocals. Like.. the person will sound really great on the album singing, but live they can't hit the same notes, not having the same range, etc. It's probably do to processing on the album or the person is tired from singing on tour.. maybe both. An example would be Blondie. Even back when they were at their peak popularity Deborah Harry couldn't hit all her high notes.

[space6oy]

What seems to change the most for live shows are the vocals. Like.. the person will sound really great on the album singing, but live they can't hit the same notes, not having the same range, etc. It's probably do to processing on the album or the person is tired from singing on tour.. maybe both. An example would be Blondie. Even back when they were at their peak popularity Deborah Harry couldn't hit all her high notes.

don't forget various intoxications as a factor...

[Joey]

alternatively why dont you get somoene else to play the synth parts you can't play?

i dont see anything wrong with adding a live guitarist... it will definitely change the sound, but its about yoru songs, and its about putting on a show more than anything, a guitarist might make your show better

who knows

[tallowwaters]

alternatively why dont you get somoene else to play the synth parts you can't play?

i dont see anything wrong with adding a live guitarist... it will definitely change the sound, but its about yoru songs, and its about putting on a show more than anything, a guitarist might make your show better

who knows

we hashed out about 4 songs friday night and they sounded great to me. Also, I live in the backwater of NC, there aint no synth players here but me; as such I can slash around on my little acrylic guitar and look appropriately stylish - its like the scarf of the guitar world.