Quote:

So, my question to you one-man-band live show guys: Do you feel your audiences, who have not heard you before, expect to have vocal harmonies when there's only one of you showing up? The answer must be 'yes' or you wouldn't go through the bother.

Again, not intended to be elitist. Just wondering about the perspective of a new audience. Have you ever asked the person running the venue, etc.?

To answer John's question in the quote at the next obvious 'level' of playback tracks - when does one cross the line and just play pre-recorded everything?

I guess it comes down to what the audience expects in a live performance. If I see a guy show up with a guitar and a mic, my expectation is to hear a guy and a guitar.

To me, the vocals are the most personal part of a singing act. There is something odd that gets under my skin when I hear processed harmonies. To my ear and sentiment, it is more distracting than a BGV that might have been there for a recording, but is not present for a live performance. Is that elitist or looking down my nose?

If most feel that way, I'll not mention it again in these threads. I just wonder if more harm than good is being done with some of these tools that are available.



More than one question here but I'll answer of course from my perspective only.

Question #1.

1st of all I never bill myself as a one-man band, I bill myself as a single act with professional self made assisting backing tracks. One-man band brings to mind the guy on the street (some pretty good) that bangs a drum with his feet, plays banjo with his hands and crashes cymbals with his knees.

The answer to this question is not what you expected, it is "no" as like you (and I) they expect to hear a singer behind an accompanying instrument playing some original material of which they have no clue as to the beat, melody and lyric but are pleasantly surprised when they hear music they can dance or sing along to instead. Plus all musicians I know never, never consider it a "bother" to try and enhance their act in anyway they can. So the way I see it is that spot harmonies here and there on certain songs are just some unexpected icing on the cake.

Question #2.

re: Asking the person running the venue . . . he or she know what to expect from me long before I start setting up, no surprises as I make sure they know what I do before the gig is booked.

re: What the audience expects? . . . some still don't know what expect from a single act and you do get a few heads to turn away from small conversations when they first hear the backing instruments and some harmonies. But most audiences these days are pretty savvy regarding backing tracks and I dare say some are indeed starting to expect them from a solo performer.

Question #3.

When does one cross the line and play re-recorded everything? . . . when he/she is a DJ and/or does karaoke.

Question #4.

re: Processed harmonies? . . . I too think if they are over used they loose the effect. Regarding you or anyone else looking down your nose with an elitist attitude, only the "nose down lookers" can answer that question.

Question #5.

re: More harm than good? . . . only the audiences can answer this question but at the risk of being redundant I too feel when they are overdone they become more harm than good. It is like any part of a musical performance you have to be able to read your audience to learn just what is working and what isn't.

Later,

Danny C.
www.dannycampo.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Danny-Campo/379776252109306?skip_nax_wizard=true

The More You Drink The Better I Sound