PSB Live Set Up - How is this configured?

[greenmile]

Would be fascinating to hear the backing tracks on their own.

You should seek out the Depeche Mode bootleg I mentioned earlier which is the backing tracks for the World Violation Tour. It is very interesting hearing how relatively little was on tape.

[ea39]

Would be fascinating to hear the backing tracks on their own.

You should seek out the Depeche Mode bootleg I mentioned earlier which is the backing tracks for the World Violation Tour. It is very interesting hearing how relatively little was on tape.

Absolutely - I will do... Cheers

[greenmile]

They have a rack of MacBook Pros running Apple MainStage, which is a sort of version of Logic optimised for live performance. I’m pretty sure it’s all plugins nowadays and that there are no hardware synths or samplers in the rig anymore.

Pete started programming the Obscure shows back in mid-October.

I'm sure I read an interview with Pete during one of their festival shows maybe mid 2010's? where he said that that particular show was the first one they were going to try running the entire show software based. Which would make sense for a festival show I suppose in terms of getting the gear setup quickly. May have been in Literally or one of the Annually's.

But I think they still run hardware based with their own shows.

[nonesuch]

It's a very interesting question, and in terms of drums/percussion, it seems to very much be snares/handclaps, hats and occasional toms that are played live; so I'd imagine the backing tracks will include kick drum, various other percussion (e.g. shaker), and maybe even snares/hats lower in the mix. Would be fascinating to hear the backing tracks on their own.

From an interview with Holger Schwark about Dreamworld:

Two percussionists play a combination of drum sounds like snares and hi-hats, and trigger loops on electric drum kits. Although that could be created using multitrack, it has a different energy when it's performed live - it's more fun and the micro timing of live instrumentation adds another layer of energy to the show. Keyboard sounds are split between Chris, Clare Uchima and multitrack, with playback providing most kickdrums from track - which I appreciate as a mixer because it provides a fundamental base to work from.

https://issuu.com/mondiale/docs/tpi276_ ... s/27566396

[ea39]

It's a very interesting question, and in terms of drums/percussion, it seems to very much be snares/handclaps, hats and occasional toms that are played live; so I'd imagine the backing tracks will include kick drum, various other percussion (e.g. shaker), and maybe even snares/hats lower in the mix. Would be fascinating to hear the backing tracks on their own.

From an interview with Holger Schwark about Dreamworld:

Two percussionists play a combination of drum sounds like snares and hi-hats, and trigger loops on electric drum kits. Although that could be created using multitrack, it has a different energy when it's performed live - it's more fun and the micro timing of live instrumentation adds another layer of energy to the show. Keyboard sounds are split between Chris, Clare Uchima and multitrack, with playback providing most kickdrums from track - which I appreciate as a mixer because it provides a fundamental base to work from.

https://issuu.com/mondiale/docs/tpi276_ ... s/27566396

Brilliant - thanks for sharing! Yeah, the thing about microtiming is key, I think. Means the snares and hats are less quantised, as per the studio versions, and instead a bit looser, giving the musicians the opportunity to create a bit of a groove*, while the programmed kicks help keep things tight.

*by PSB standards, so not exactly free jazz

[oakey]

Love this!

It reminds me of the Kraftwerk show I attended in Amsterdam. As you all know, it's 4 people standing still behind laptops, with occasional drums and keyboards. So I assumed it was all programmed. But in several instances the sequenced parts were not fully in sync with the rest of the music, which sounded great and made me realize they actually "create" a lot of sounds live (not necessarily played in a keyboard but generated on the spot).

[Vintage Youth]

There were a couple of oopsies in different places during the most recent Kraftwerk gigs, I attended a couple, nice to know they are not literally robots

[Richard-Eastham]

Thanks to everybody who replied to this question! I've learned a lot from you all

Really interesting that as technology had changed over the 40 years of Pet Shop Boys, they're able to perform "more live" today than previously.

Chris said something like, "We didn't perform live for years because we wanted it to sound exactly like the records" and that wasn't possible back then, but it is now.

[S-sense]

What about Neil's vocals . Is there a live Auto tune to let him sound more like the Neil on the records (at least in the DW shows)?

[Richard-Eastham]

What about Neil's vocals . Is there a live Auto tune to let him sound more like the Neil on the records (at least in the DW shows)?

Good question, and not something I'd thought about. My assumption was his vocals are all live and without artificial assistance. I was only initially interested in the musical arrangements.

[Harry]

What about Neil's vocals . Is there a live Auto tune to let him sound more like the Neil on the records (at least in the DW shows)?

From what I've gleaned over the years - Neil sings along to an in-ear pre-recorded guide vocal which we do not hear. It keeps him on track, and it also includes stage directions like "move to the middle, move forward".

The audience hears Neil's live vocal, but I believe it is through a filter that corrects the pitch somewhat.

[NotInvisible]

What about Neil's vocals . Is there a live Auto tune to let him sound more like the Neil on the records (at least in the DW shows)?

It's definitely a live vocal without autotune - he messed up a couple of times at the Obscure shows, and he can be pitchy.

[S-sense]

Oh yeah he did. But he barely messed up at the Dreamworld shows. I am sure there is some magic going on.

[DopeFiend]

Come on guys, aren't you fans.
Neil is a perfect singer. There's no playback or pitch correction.

What about Neil's vocals . Is there a live Auto tune to let him sound more like the Neil on the records (at least in the DW shows)?

From what I've gleaned over the years - Neil sings along to an in-ear pre-recorded guide vocal which we do not hear. It keeps him on track, and it also includes stage directions like "move to the middle, move forward".

The audience hears Neil's live vocal, but I believe it is through a filter that corrects the pitch somewhat.

The in-ears are real-time playback of his own voice. As a singer you'd want to be able to hear your own voice while you perform.

Oh yeah he did. But he barely messed up at the Dreamworld shows. I am sure there is some magic going on.

Only a bit of reverb and delay. Nothing misleading or disingenuous.

[Richard-Eastham]

Oh yeah he did. But he barely messed up at the Dreamworld shows. I am sure there is some magic going on.

I'm reminded of the bit in the Then & Now film, with Alan Yentob, the opening part of the documentary, during Dreamworld rehearsals:

"Who's responsible for Neil's microphone? We're opening up a whole can of worms!"