Hamilton Backing Tracks and the practice of enhancing or sweetening

[antonijan]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 2:32am

Dear BWW  experts ...

 

I am on a small mobile fone right now and I couldn't do a proper search if this has been discussed before...

 

Does Hamilton Musical use backing tracks, pre recorded sounds and voices to sweeten or enhance performances?  Inquiring minds want to know.  

 

I read on previous threads that it is a normal practice in Bway... specifically in Follies, Phantom, Chicago, Mamma Mia....etc

 

I also read on the article I will reference below....the difficulties of making a soundtrack 

So...on subsequent shows and tours....surely they wanna remain true to the source materials....

Are there any enhancements made and are there ever any "Live" shows these days?

 

What are the Union definition of "Live" performances and what enhancements are allowed?

 

What are the current union regulation for the orchestra....are backing tracks and pre recorded sounds allowed?

 

I didn't get to Google the Union manual...but I thought...I would ask here.

 

Any thoughts?  Pardon any typos.  Thnx.

 

And btw Pls donate to Hurricane Harvey Refugees....I did.

 

Hamilton link on OBCR

 

https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/inside-track-hamilton-american-musical

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 2:59am

No, there are no live musicals on Broadway any more. They all use amplification, at least, and many also use computer lighting and sets, projections, and occasionally even brief recordings.

But that's okay, 'cause even old folks like me grew up with amplified sound. I admit I enjoy the absence of autotune on old recordings: sounds like real people singing. On the whole, however, I've adjusted.

As for HAMILTON per se, I haven't seen it. Can't even get tickets here in LA until next year.

[SweetLips]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 3:14am

Call me dumb but I never even gave what you are talking about a thought till I read things on here re Phantom and Mamma Mia.

But, I am one of those who believe what people tell me--why would they lie?.

So, the fact that some[all] Christines can't ALWAYS get that top note and that the Abba sound would not be there except for multiple tracks etc has only 'slightly' spoiled my theatre going experience.

So-can't answer any of your questions, just contributing my own words[not mimed].

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 3:52am

I learned it from the staging in POTO, Lips. When the Phantom first takes Christine to his lair, the pair exits into the floor and immediately appears on the highest catwalk.

So I'm sitting there thinking, "They can't have gotten up there so fast. So there must be two pairs, at least one fake. But maybe they are both fake. And who is singing? Is anybody singing live or is this all just a pantomime?"

Really ruined that show for me.

[SweetLips]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 5:32am

There are many things that can distract from your theatre/film enjoyment.

I did a lot of film extra work and to this day any battle/crowd scene I am always looking at the extras and thinking 'you poor buggers', lying there covered in mud and having to do that dozens of times for 30 seconds of film-always takes me out of the moment.

We were short on 'native' extras one day as there were supposed to be at least 12 of us rushing out of a grass hut but we were down to three so we had to run out the opening, rush anound the back and run back out again---think I did that about 4 times--all with different facial expressions. Course the audience would never have noticed except I was ALMOST a naked native and very busy.

[Rainah]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 11:07am

This is something I've been thinking about a lot. Hamilton is my favourite show, and it would definitely ruin some moments to know they are not authentic vocals. But at the same time, I've heard enough variation in a bunch of performances to feel like the end of One Last Time, the ending of Room Where It Happens, ect are real. And overall there aren't as many moments like Christine's crazy top notes or the ending to Thank Goodness in Wicked - the hardest part is often the rapping, and I can't see how they'd prerecord that. And there is some flexibility whether actors want to go for the higher riff in Satisfied, what they do with the end of One Last Time, ect.

But yes they do use amplification, some prerecorded sounds, and at least one prerecorded voice (the really low voice that says "DAMN" and a few other things - it's actually LMM's voice distorted and lower)

OH and the 'rewind' on Satisfied is recorded, obviously, as you can hear Angelica's voice when the actress is standing there and obviously not singing. One thing I did notice and appreciate is the rewind is recorded again with act actress so it's always in her voice. Some of the music is prerecorded as well I think, just to round out the orchestra. 

Maybe I'm naive but I feel like Hamilton, while using synthetic elements, are pretty honest about using it to enhance the performance separately from the actors talent if that makes sense. Not covering for what actors can't do but using it in different ways to put on a cool show (Such as the DAMN voice)

[Mike Costa]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 12:24pm

Pre-recorded ensemble vocals, especially during dance numbers, have been quite common on Broadway ever since 1976 when Michael  Bennet  had dancers constantly moving during the One finale.  Can you imagine all of the huffing and puffing you would hear in the body mics if you had to listen to it live?

It is pretty much public knowledge that the moment you are referring to in Phantom is always pre-record.

The most famous controversy over pre-record was when Liza used it in The Act for her some of her lead vocals... so it has been going on a long time.

Most of the tap numbers in 42nd Street need to use pre-recorded vocals for the same reason A Chorus Line needed them.... and it always sounds great.

We used to have a separate singing chorus on Broadway during the Golden Age who would not do the dances but stand in the back.  This was pretty much cut when Director-Choreographers came into being and  when Producers learned they could get the same sound and hire twelve less people by using technology.

 

Equity like it to be the same people on the track as on the stage but we all know they are not checking who is on the chorus track every performance.

The sound and balance in The Richard Rogers Theater is so glorious during Hamilton that you can tell you are listening to a track when it is switched on.  This is standard now and in no way considered cheating.  It would sound sub-par to your ears if they did not do this and you would notice it.

Updated On: 8/30/17 at 12:24 PM

[asmith0307]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 2:25pm

In another POTO-like instance, On Your Feet used it in the second act when Gloria launches her World Tour from London (when she appears on the bridge above the stage). I think they also dub over Gloria at one other moment in that whole concert sequence (in Party Time) but I am not 100% sure. There is one line that always sounded stronger than the rest of the song. 

 

Sweetening tap numbers is fairly common. One show I worked on recently did it. With the orchestra playing and sometimes just the general size of the theatre, the sounds can easily get lost. 

[antonijan]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 3:56pm

Thanks for all your feedback.  I actually like the enhancements...as it gives a more robust end product!!! I juat hope I win the lottery again so I can focus and pay more attention....coz seeing it 5x is not enough!!!

Thank you Broadway Gods!

Thanks to all the creators and we can't thank you enough for keeping us #Satisfied.

#LoveLots #Muah 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 4:23pm

CATS has off stage singers.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 4:32pm

Mike Costa said: "Equity like it to be the same people on the track as on the stage but we all know they are not checking who is on the chorus track every performance.."

This is not correct. From the Production Rulebook:

(A) Ensemble Recordings. An Actor engaged to record material which is ensemble in nature (i.e., unrecognizable) for use in the production may do so provided that Actor is originally contracted for the duty or contracted by rider to participate in such recording and further provided that the Actor is compensated upon leaving the production at no less than one week's minimum salary if the recording is used in the production after Actor's termination provided, however, that an Actor who is unjustly terminated, per Rule 69(D), receives not less than either two weeks' contractual salary as a one-time payment or one week's contractual salary for each 26 weeks' use of the recording, at the Producer's option.

In other words, the sweetening tracks they use in Wicked can still be (and probably are) the original ensemble.

[antonijan]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 11:30pm

Hamilton is my favorite also!!!  I hope to see all productions at different cities at least once especially NY, Chi  and London!  

#GoHam

Updated On: 8/30/17 at 11:30 PM