~*~ The Official Will Champion Appreciation Thread ~*~

[Carolina*]

This is so cool. That'd due in the front kind of annoying me though. You got Will freaking Champion in front of you and it looks like you're falling asleep lol.

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Coldplaying mobile app

Same!

[Thaarmin]

I'd be sitting so close to the front he would ask for breathing room.

Same! I would just be staring deeply at his eyes...

[MosesTheMarshmallow]

Wow what an informative chat. I was particularly surprised about Paradise having different tempos throughout. That explains why it's so hard to play on piano without someone also playing drums. :lol: It was both cool to hear about all the backing tracks but also kind of sad that they're just so okay with having that level of backing tracks.

 

Also fascinating that the click track is shaker and tambourine. Who would've known!? It also makes me wonder if that explains the random tambourine that's audible in videos like this. Note how when the drums come in, there's a pretty prominent shaker/tambourine. I wonder if someone accidentally sent the click track to the concert speakers instead of only Will's ear monitors. Though it also stops when the drums stop...so maybe they were just playing with having a tambourine/shaker track in this song for that show or tour.

[jossec]

you can watch the whole class on facebook:

Mobile Link: https://www.facebook.com/therhythmstudiouk/videos/1683256798372619/

 

 

Thanks for sharing! What a fascinating talk. Even just the fact that he did something like this surprised me.

 

Wow what an informative chat. I was particularly surprised about Paradise having different tempos throughout. That explains why it's so hard to play on piano without someone also playing drums. :lol: It was both cool to hear about all the backing tracks but also kind of sad that they're just so okay with having that level of backing tracks.

 

Also fascinating that the click track is shaker and tambourine. Who would've known!? It also makes me wonder if that explains the random tambourine that's audible in videos like this. Note how when the drums come in, there's a pretty prominent shaker/tambourine. I wonder if someone accidentally sent the click track to the concert speakers instead of only Will's ear monitors. Though it also stops when the drums stop...so maybe they were just playing with having a tambourine/shaker track in this song for that show or tour.

 

The backing tracks make me a bit sad as well, but even though Will didn't reveal their tracking practises in all of their glory I was surprised how open and honest he was about it.

 

About the shaker/tambourine in The Scientist: I just checked and it's also audible in other performances, such as the 2006 Toronto film (How We Saw the World) and Live 2003 (more clearly in the soundboard recording of one of the shows Live 2003 was born from). So I'm pretty sure it's just a normal part of the song – back then anyway, maybe not anymore – but that it was particularly loud in Glastonbury 2005.

 

I'd heard their click track before, actually. I have a bootleg recording of an entire show with the click track included; pretty interesting :) I could upload it if you or someone else wants to hear it.

[I ran away]

I'd heard their click track before, actually. I have a bootleg recording of an entire show with the click track included; pretty interesting :) I could upload it if you or someone else wants to hear it.

Interesting, which show ?

[coldplaykb]

Thanks for sharing! What a fascinating talk. Even just the fact that he did something like this surprised me.

 

 

 

The backing tracks make me a bit sad as well, but even though Will didn't reveal their tracking practises in all of their glory I was surprised how open and honest he was about it.

 

About the shaker/tambourine in The Scientist: I just checked and it's also audible in other performances, such as the 2006 Toronto film (How We Saw the World) and Live 2003 (more clearly in the soundboard recording of one of the shows Live 2003 was born from). So I'm pretty sure it's just a normal part of the song – back then anyway, maybe not anymore – but that it was particularly loud in Glastonbury 2005.

 

I'd heard their click track before, actually. I have a bootleg recording of an entire show with the click track included; pretty interesting :) I could upload it if you or someone else wants to hear it.

I'm interested!

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Coldplaying mobile app

[jossec]

Interesting, which show ?

 

I'm interested!

 

Alright, I'll do it tomorrow. It's the show of 11 February 2009 in Japan. Pretty nice setlist.

 

Edit: Here you go! While re-listening I discovered something else about that recording, which I wrote a bit about in the thread.

[Captain Crieff]

 

About the shaker/tambourine in The Scientist: I just checked and it's also audible in other performances, such as the 2006 Toronto film (How We Saw the World) and Live 2003 (more clearly in the soundboard recording of one of the shows Live 2003 was born from). So I'm pretty sure it's just a normal part of the song – back then anyway, maybe not anymore – but that it was particularly loud in Glastonbury 2005.

 

I'd heard their click track before, actually. I have a bootleg recording of an entire show with the click track included; pretty interesting :) I could upload it if you or someone else wants to hear it.

slightly off topic question from someone who just learnt click tracks are a thing, I have a setlist of a different band with extra stuff written on it such as "bass [downward arrow] [band member's name]" and after some songs there's "CK or "CLK", could that mean click track?

[jossec]

slightly off topic question from someone who just learnt click tracks are a thing, I have a setlist of a different band with extra stuff written on it such as "bass [downward arrow] [band member's name]" and after some songs there's "CK or "CLK", could that mean click track?

I've no idea, can't find anything from a quick Google search, but could very well be. Might be an abbreviated as CLicK track of CLick tracK. Could be that it's not a common abbreviation, just one that particular band uses. Could you share a pic of the setlist?

[Captain Crieff]

I've no idea, can't find anything from a quick Google search, but could very well be. Might be an abbreviated as CLicK track of CLick tracK. Could be that it's not a common abbreviation, just one that particular band uses. Could you share a pic of the setlist?

yeah it's a crew guy's setlist so he may have his own abbreviations

 

(yes, they put a copyright line on their setlists. every time.)

[jossec]

yeah it's a crew guy's setlist so he may have his own abbreviations

 

(yes, they put a copyright line on their setlists. every time.)

I looked up some videos and tried to maybe associate the use of backing tracks in with songs where it says CK, but it's hard to even tell if they use any backing tracks. Do you know if they play 100% live? I'm not really familiar with Editors so I can't speak with as much confidence about them than about Coldplay, whose performances I've listened to for hours upon hours. I can say one thing for sure though: YouTube will be recommending me a lot of Editors videos for the foreseeable future :p

[Captain Crieff]

I looked up some videos and tried to maybe associate the use of backing tracks in with songs where it says CK, but it's hard to even tell if they use any backing tracks. Do you know if they play 100% live? I'm not really familiar with Editors so I can't speak with as much confidence about them than about Coldplay, whose performances I've listened to for hours upon hours. I can say one thing for sure though: YouTube will be recommending me a lot of Editors videos for the foreseeable future :p

I'm pretty sure Papillon has a backing track, and I guess this during Ocean Of Night means backing track too?

Other than that they play pretty live, maybe there are one or two more songs with backing tracks but I can't imagine there being a backing track on The Racing Rats for example (unless they're extremely good at hiding it)

 

edit: no idea why it's showing broken photo links, I only posted 1 photo

[jossec]

I'm pretty sure Papillon has a backing track, and I guess this during Ocean Of Night means backing track too?

Other than that they play pretty live, maybe there are one or two more songs with backing tracks but I can't imagine there being a backing track on The Racing Rats for example (unless they're extremely good at hiding it)

 

edit: no idea why it's showing broken photo links, I only posted 1 photo

I'm really unsure :confused: Harder to tell than with Coldplay where it's much more obvious. A click track doesn't imply backing tracks though, so it might just be more convenient to The Racing Rats to a click track for a different reason.

 

I think I have an interpretation for the [instrument] [arrow] [band member] though (which might've already been obvious to you): I think "perc ↑ Ed" means "Ed needs the percussion turned up in his monitors during this song".

 

Anyway, we're straying a bit far from Will Champion I guess :p and I should get cooking for tonight.

[fakfak]

Wow what an informative chat. I was particularly surprised about Paradise having different tempos throughout. That explains why it's so hard to play on piano without someone also playing drums. :lol: It was both cool to hear about all the backing tracks but also kind of sad that they're just so okay with having that level of backing tracks.

 

Also fascinating that the click track is shaker and tambourine. Who would've known!? It also makes me wonder if that explains the random tambourine that's audible in videos like this. Note how when the drums come in, there's a pretty prominent shaker/tambourine. I wonder if someone accidentally sent the click track to the concert speakers instead of only Will's ear monitors. Though it also stops when the drums stop...so maybe they were just playing with having a tambourine/shaker track in this song for that show or tour.

 

I know this is an old ongoing debate on here, but I really don't see why the use of backing tracks is so controversial. Even if they drafted in additional musicians, they would still struggle to replicate most of those parts live barring touring with a full orchestra (which isn't very practical even for such a massive band.) As long as the band is actually playing the instruments they present to play, I just don't understand what they big deal is.

 

As for the click track being audible in some videos, it's probably a case of the audio for the clip being taken from a board feed as opposed to any mistake at the actual concert.

[MosesTheMarshmallow]

I know this is an old ongoing debate on here, but I really don't see why the use of backing tracks is so controversial. Even if they drafted in additional musicians, they would still struggle to replicate most of those parts live barring touring with a full orchestra (which isn't very practical even for such a massive band.) As long as the band is actually playing the instruments they present to play, I just don't understand what they big deal is.

 

As for the click track being audible in some videos, it's probably a case of the audio for the clip being taken from a board feed as opposed to any mistake at the actual concert.

 

You and others were right - I had just never noticed the tambourine in other performances, and it's indeed just a part of natural soundboard variation as to why it's loud in some videos and not others. However, I think the tambourine is either absent or mixed very low in other tours such as this:

 

 

As for the controversy about backing tracks - I agree that there's a lot that couldn't be done without using extra. I'd however argue that the band has some songs with little to no backing tracks and it still sounds huge. Examples include GPASYUF (no backing track), DAAHF (very small amount of backing track), Everything's Not Lost. Just to name a few. I'll also point out there have been some instances of backing tracks violating the condition you're suggesting. For instance, in GS tour performances of ASFOS, you can see Jonny pretending to play the acoustic guitar part during the 2nd verse; on HFTW, Chris's piano is (likely) on a backing track; there's evidence Chris is lip syncing entirely on Clocks; and many of the vocal tracks for Guy/Jonny/Will are lip synced or a mix of live and backing track. This is when it starts to be getting into the realm of a-little-too-much, IMO, when they're all so talented and don't need the "help".

[fakfak]

You and others were right - I had just never noticed the tambourine in other performances, and it's indeed just a part of natural soundboard variation as to why it's loud in some videos and not others. However, I think the tambourine is either absent or mixed very low in other tours such as this:

 

 

As for the controversy about backing tracks - I agree that there's a lot that couldn't be done without using extra. I'd however argue that the band has some songs with little to no backing tracks and it still sounds huge. Examples include GPASYUF (no backing track), DAAHF (very small amount of backing track), Everything's Not Lost. Just to name a few. I'll also point out there have been some instances of backing tracks violating the condition you're suggesting. For instance, in GS tour performances of ASFOS, you can see Jonny pretending to play the acoustic guitar part during the 2nd verse; on HFTW, Chris's piano is (likely) on a backing track; there's evidence Chris is lip syncing entirely on Clocks; and many of the vocal tracks for Guy/Jonny/Will are lip synced or a mix of live and backing track. This is when it starts to be getting into the realm of a-little-too-much, IMO, when they're all so talented and don't need the "help".

 

FWIW some of those things may well be live. Their are effects that can modulate electric guitar signal into sounding like an acoustic, and Jonny has been known to use one at least some of the time. The lip syncing is a bit harder, but my personal belief is that most of that is due to Chris' (or the others) doubling their vocals in the studio, so the track recreates that live. I know there's a lot of debate on the internet as to whether Chris totally syncs certain tracks live, and I won't say for sure he doesn't, but I will say that filmed clips aren't good evidence either way as there's usually lag between the audio and video and so it's hard to prove anything. IF he's doing that, it is a bit much IMHO, but I'm not convinced that's the case at this point.

 

With all of that being said, I'm not saying that people have to like the practice, but pretty much any arena/stadium act you see these days is likely to be doing much the same. It's just part of the concert industry now.

[Krizer]

I was browsing through Zildjian's instagram (a cymbal manufacturer, whose cymabls Will uses) and found Will!!!

[MEDIA=instagram]BZood8FDNcF[/MEDIA]

Mobile Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/BZood8FDNcF/

[Magic_2000]

Okay, I hope I'm not infringing any forum rules by doing this, but if that's the case than let me know. So I recently made this thread about Will's vocals in various Coldplay songs and I would love to gush about it with other fans of Will. It could also be here I don't mind, I just want to talk about it.:D

[Magic_2000]

So I'm bumping this thread again but this time to talk about the 2005 EMA's acceptance speech for best song of the year (Speed Of Sound). There's a bit at the end were Will says "Obrigado", which is thank you in Portuguese, since the show was attended in Portugal that year. I don't know why but the way that Will said it never fails to make me laugh. :joy: Maybe it could be beacuse he is enforcing every syllable or his deep voice, I have no idea. I only know that the video always lifts me up instantly even when I'm down!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id=7fj80RnvYcg;t=165

[Carolina*]

So I'm bumping this thread again but this time to talk about the 2005 EMA's acceptance speech for best song of the year (Speed Of Sound). There's a bit at the end were Will says "Obrigado", which is thank you in Portuguese, since the show was attended in Portugal that year. I don't know why but the way that Will said it never fails to make me laugh. :joy: Maybe it could be beacuse he is enforcing every syllable or his deep voice, I have no idea. I only know that the video always lifts me up instantly even when I'm down!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id=7fj80RnvYcg;t=165

I'm so confused by that lol it seems a bit out of character for him

[Magic_2000]

I'm so confused by that lol it seems a bit out of character for him

Really? How so? I think it's entirely in character for him to do something like that, but maybe that's just me.

[Carolina*]

Really? How so? I think it's entirely in character for him to do something like that, but maybe that's just me.

It was just the tone of voice and the abruptness seemed almost like was trying to be funny in a sort of bold Chris way and usually he's the serious one but then he didn't smile after maybe he was drunk or something

[Magic_2000]

It was just the tone of voice and the abruptness seemed almost like was trying to be funny in a sort of bold Chris way and usually he's the serious one but then he didn't smile after maybe he was drunk or something

I mean, you're rigth Will is the serious one of the band. However, when we wants to be, he can be just as funny or blod as Chris! Honestly though, I don't even think he was trying to funny, he was just legitimately trying to say thank you in portuguese (a lot of foreign celebrities say obrigado the same way as him). The drunk possibility is hard to tell for just a short video but it could be the case.

[Carolina*]

I mean, you're rigth Will is the serious one of the band. However, when we wants to be, he can be just as funny or blod as Chris! Honestly though, I don't even think he was trying to funny, he was just legitimately trying to say thank you in portuguese (a lot of foreign celebrities say obrigado the same way as him). The drunk possibility is hard to tell for just a short video but it could be the case.

Yeah he was probably just grateful sometimes I interpret things weirdly

[Magic_2000]

It seems that this hasn't been done here for a long time, so to keep an old tradition of this thread, here's a Will pic spam, for the two people that care, of his most recent appearances!

 

 

Notice how his beard kept growing with every image :joy: