CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#1CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/15/15 at 1:08pm
There is one aspect of sound design that is almost never discussed on Broadway: backing tracks, which have been used in musicals since the 1980s. In Broadway's "Chicago," for instance, the show's sound designer, Scott Lehrer, says there are about five of these tracks—recorded vocals of songs that play along intermittently with ensemble members who may not be able to sing loudly, or may stop singing, often because they're dancing too strenuously.
Does anyone know specifically which numbers use prerecorded tracks?
Broadway Turns Up the Volume - As mics and backing tracks multiply, the theater world is divided
yfs
Featured Actor Joined: 11/1/13
#2CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/15/15 at 3:37pm
According to Hal Prince's book CONTRADICTIONS, Follies used click-tracks for some of Loveland back in 1971 because of the strenuousness of the dancing. It's not a new thing, I guess, but I was unaware of it in Chicago.
broadwayguy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
#2CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/15/15 at 3:44pm
Prerecorded vocals and click tracks are NOT the same thing.
A click trick is LITERALLY a series of clicks to keep time. Prerecorded sweetner tracks are very common.
#3CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/15/15 at 7:32pmyes, dance heavy shows frequently use pre-recorded vocal tracks.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#4CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/15/15 at 7:39pmThe background tracks used in Follies were in Who's That Woman.
VotePeron
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/2/13
#5CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/15/15 at 7:41pmThe only thing I have to say about the sound design for Chicago is that it is HORRIBLE and needs to be re-done. I saw it for the first time 2 weeks ago. The sound was quiet, muffled, and a lot of lyrics were unintelligible.
#6CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/15/15 at 8:04pmAny recorded track is referred to as a click track because they are linked to a click track. The recorded vocals, effects or elements go on top of a click track, where the click is played to the conductor and the orchestra then follows the track, not the cast.
Hairspray0901
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/29/08
#7CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/15/15 at 8:24pmI THINK (not positive) Mamma Mia! uses a pre-recorded background track for "Gimme Gimme Gimme". I'm basing this on the fact that I've seen the show several times over the past few months from the front row and can tell pretty well when someone is actually singing live vs. mouthing the words. Some of the ensemble doesn't even bother mouthing the words during this song, not to mention, to me, it always sounds EXACTLY the same. Again, I have no confirmation of this, it's just what I've observed. I think they may use one for Voules Vouz too.
approximatura
Swing Joined: 1/5/11
#8CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/15/15 at 8:33pmthere are click tracks that carry no pre-recorded sound at all; i know of two being used now which simply keep the band synchronized with silent animation. they are click tracks, but they are not pre-records.
#9CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:05pmThe only part (right off the bat) that I think is prolly pre recorded is the "Nowadays" whistle...attributed to Jason Patrick Sands. I mean, that part has to sound perfect, hence the need for a recording.
"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)
#10CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:32pm
Voulez Vous
My Own Best Friend
Tag
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/19/05
#11CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:34pmYou Can't Stop the Beat became well known as having used vocal sweetening.
#12CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:43pmYou know your "Chicago" stuff JB... I mean "Theatre Boi". : )
"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)
JohnyBroadway
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/12
#13CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/15/15 at 11:59pmI thought the singing in Mama Mia was done off stage in a sound booth.
Tag
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/19/05
#14CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/16/15 at 12:10am^ Yes that does happen, but when the entire cast is onstage, they add tracks as well for some dance heavy segments.
#15CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/16/15 at 12:41am
Chicago doesnt use many click tracks.
Mamma Mia uses a bit more mostly when it's the full cast on stage, other times there's about 4 people in the booths providing vocals. It's very common knowledge.
Nail me to the cross and whatever, I'm not christian, I never said I'm currently in Chicago. I have a long history w the ol Chicago and Mia, I'm sorry for giving correct info.
And yes my email I have registered here is TheatERboi not RE cause it wasn't avaliable at the time, it's over 20 years old and I barely use it
DrewVandy
Swing Joined: 3/9/15
#16CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/16/15 at 2:51pmIf you notice in some theaters in the pit there is little rooms where singing can be recorded and or done for the show so that is probably what some shows do, the have most of the ensemble singing in the little recording rooms while the dancers who have to be strenuous dancing onstage sort of singing
trpguyy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/25/05
#17CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/16/15 at 3:11pm
Where have you seen vocal booths in the orchestra pit?
Yes, off-stage singing is common. Sometimes there's a specific "area" that the singers will be in with a mic and conductor video monitor, other times they just stand in the wings and sing.
And yes, pre-recorded vocals for dance numbers are common as well (more common than you'd care to know). These are called "sweetening tracks." Sweetening tracks ALWAYS accompany a click track.
A click track is for the conductor and musicians, and does NOT necessarily mean there are pre-recorded vocals being used. Click tracks are used for several other reasons, some of them being: to keep a song's tempo exactly the same every time (so the performer(s) stop bitching); to sync with video/projection content; to align with an automation sequence.
Tag
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/19/05
#18CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/16/15 at 3:21pmRock of Ages used offstage vocals heavily throughout. In addition to the ensemble at some points, the swings would also be in the offstage booths, which is very rare.
#19CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/16/15 at 5:21pmThere are recorded vocals in Rock of Ages, mostly for vocoder effects. And Dennis's line in the finale is pre-recorded to allow for a glitter cannon exploding. He speaks the line without pitch as well, in case the song is in a different key for any event necessitating transposition.
#20CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/16/15 at 9:52pmIf My Own Best Friend is pre-recorded, then kudos to them for updating the arrangement. It was distinctly different at one point the last time I saw it, with Jennifer and Carly. I've seen the show about sixty times, so I definitely recognized the difference.
"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008
#21CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/16/15 at 9:59pmWho's That Women and Loveland/Loveland Breakdown used pre recorded tracks, as mentioned (apparently they were very hard to synch right.) Of course offstage singing is pretty common--the dancers who aren't chosen at the beginning of A Chorus Line then sing the ensemble numbers from a booth, etc.
#22CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/16/15 at 11:14pmI can confirm MAMMA MIA! sweetens the medley at the end of Act I, plus "Dancing Queen" and the title song, at least.
Words don't deserve that kind of malarkey. They're innocent, neutral, precise, standing for this, describing that, meaning the other, so if you look after them you can build bridges across incomprehension and chaos. But when they get their corners knocked off, they're no good anymore…I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.
#23CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/17/15 at 10:07amI'm old-fashioned/old-school. Broadway musicals should sweeten themselves with LIVE singing only - w/extremely rare exceptions (like the Chicago whistle) & plays that use pre-recorded vocal scene change music.
trpguyy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/25/05
#24CHICAGO Broadway use of prerecorded tracks
Posted: 3/17/15 at 12:19pmPre-recorded vocals have been used on Broadway for several decades - roughly half the time the genre of the Broadway Musical has been in existence.
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