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Coldplay's use of Backing Tracks: good or bad?


falshirmjager42

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I think it's a little cheap, but they played the tracks in the first place. They have such a full sound that it's impossible to create it all onstage with 4 guys. I don't blame them at all. It's a little disappointing, but can you blame them? My love for their music isn't diminished at all.

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  • 2 weeks later...
well i think it is ok...i mean come on when you go to a coldplay concert you aren't like omg why do they used backing tracks...you're like omfg i'm seeing coldplay live!!!

 

i have to say i disagree with your opinion.. i mean, i go to a coldplay concert to see them live, not to see them playing over pre-recorded tracks. it's a bit like seeing them playing Guitar Hero or Rock Band on a grander scale, isn't it? well yes not exactly since they play real instruments, but it's missing an organic feel.

 

by using backing tracks, they're not in total control of the music we hear. for example there's no way the coulda stop in the middle of Viva La Vida and ask the audience to sing the whoa-a-a-oh part over and over as they'd like, they have to stick to the original composition.

 

please don't hate me.

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I don't mind if it's the odd extra instrument they are playing as a backing track but I'd rather they do it all themselves live or have other people in the wings playing it live. It's not quite as authentic if they are just playing over a backing track.

 

I notice that loops are used a lot in this tour, particularly to allow Chris to jump around and not be stuck behind the piano.

 

Still, we never hear what these songs sound like without all the extra MIDI sounds being played. It might turn out that without these backing sounds the songs sound rubbish, so if that was the case then the backing tracks are a good thing.

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I'm pretty sure that the Whoa-a-a-oh part is NOT pre-corded as Will Champion introduced the song by singing it a number of times over.

 

what i meant was, they couldn't stop in the middle of the song, and ask the audience to sing the Whoa-a-a-oh part. like the old sing along trick, ask the left-side audience only first, then the right-side audience only, then the female only, etc. ok bad example maybe. point is they can't change a song structure spontaneously.

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It doesn't bother me one bit that they use backing tracks. What DOES bother me is that there are certain songs that use backing tracks to that really could be played live. examples:

 

Lovers in Japan: There are multiple guitar parts in this piece, however Jonny plays the easiest part live and backing tracks play the more complicated parts.

 

Lost!: The organ sound really could be played by Chris, but he's too busy jumping around which I guess is his perogative.

 

Viva La Vida: Would have been a SWEET encore if they could play that with a live Symphony.

 

Life in Technicolor: Jonny could play the intro riff on his guitar...that would be sweet.

 

In the end though the backing is kinda needed with the new stuff since it is so layered. Its just like watching Jon Hopkins, alot of his stuff pre-recording parts and drum loops because...well he is only one man.

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I don't mind it here and there in a concert. I know they used them in the twisted logic tour, but the live instrumentation was heavy enough to overpower it...not so on this tour.

If I cant tell where the cd stops and the live show begins, theres too much tape. Thats just how I feel, and a couple times during the show I knew they were playing the cd louder than they had the band turned up. Thats a no no for me, especially at those ticket prices. It doesn't help that every song was played very stream line either, unlike in past tour there was very little festive embellishment of the songs which reiterated just how not live sections were.

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It doesn't bother me one bit that they use backing tracks. What DOES bother me is that there are certain songs that use backing tracks to that really could be played live. examples:

 

Lovers in Japan: There are multiple guitar parts in this piece, however Jonny plays the easiest part live and backing tracks play the more complicated parts.

 

Lost!: The organ sound really could be played by Chris, but he's too busy jumping around which I guess is his perogative.

 

Viva La Vida: Would have been a SWEET encore if they could play that with a live Symphony.

 

Life in Technicolor: Jonny could play the intro riff on his guitar...that would be sweet.

 

 

your post sums up my feelings perfectly! i wish they would just ONCE, play Viva La Vida with live orchestra.

 

i recall during the X&Y days, backing tracks are used sparsely to enhance the songs, not as the main sound. e.g. cello on In My Place, samples on Speed Of Sound...

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Yes! This has been bothering me as well. I haven't actually been to a concert since the Twisted Logic tour, but from the videos and live performances I've seen on TV, it's driven me absolutely crazy! I feel like I want to enjoy them playing the music - and if that means that the songs are much more minimalistic, then so be it. I have all the CDs if I want to go listen to the completely-fleshed-out versions with multiple layered tracks.

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