| liam 17.10.2016 06:59 |
Hello, Just a question about Queen's backing tracks. Like most bands of the era, backing tracks were done live. This is making a real come back as bands seek a more ''authentic'' sound. In Queen's case it was either bass, piano drums or guitar, bass and drums. When was this process stopped? What was the first song that wasn't recorded with a live backing track? Do any albums have no songs with a live backing track? Were more traditional Queen songs like It's a Hard Life done in the 80s recorded with a live backing track? Just a few questions for those more knowledgeable! |
| cmi 17.10.2016 07:11 |
I think it started to (partially) disappear with Mack arrival as a producer/engineer for the band. He started to use tape loops for drum tracks for some tracks... |
| Cruella de Vil 17.10.2016 07:22 |
I don't know if one can lay the responsibility on Mack alone. Roger used 'electric rhythm' on Drowse back in '76. With the band working more independently, it was perhaps convenient given the available technology to create their own backing tracks. It certainly diminished the scope of Roger's drumming style as they moved more towards dance and pop. |
| Vocal harmony 17.10.2016 09:43 |
CruellaDeVille wrote: I don't know if one can lay the responsibility on Mack alone. Roger used 'electric rhythm' on Drowse back in '76. With the band working more independently, it was perhaps convenient given the available technology to create their own backing tracks. It certainly diminished the scope of Roger's drumming style as they moved more towards dance and pop.That was a credit for Roger having played rhythm guitar on that song |
| cmsdrums 17.10.2016 10:02 |
CruellaDeVille wrote: I don't know if one can lay the responsibility on Mack alone. Roger used 'electric rhythm' on Drowse back in '76. With the band working more independently, it was perhaps convenient given the available technology to create their own backing tracks. It certainly diminished the scope of Roger's drumming style as they moved more towards dance and pop.The addition of Roger's guitar afterwards doesn't necessarily mean that drums, bass and any other guitar part Brian may have been playing couldn't have been played together live. (Or pontentially he could have played the guitar first along with John and added the drums after, but I highly doubt that). I recall interviews around the Flash Gordon album that they played pretty much live along to the film rushes - a collective backing track is also backed up by the working versions of the FG stuff on the 2011 deluxe release. 'Let Me In Your Heart Again' is from The Works sessions, and in the PR stuff for that track Brian was very vocal about the fact that it's pretty much them playing together as a band live (along with Fred Mandel). 'Innuendo' is also very much them playing live in the big room in Montreux, is it not? |
| musicland munich 17.10.2016 10:35 |
cmsdrums wrote: I recall interviews around the Flash Gordon album that they played pretty much live along to the film rushes - a collective backing track is also backed up by the working versions of the FG stuff on the 2011 deluxe release.When the FG Project started they ( QUEEN ) had a raw 30 minutes Version of FG. Brian AND Mack are mainly responsible ( sound-wise) for the FG Soundtrack. Brian gave a relative long interview about that Album for the German BRAVO magazine back then. |
| Sebastian 17.10.2016 16:27 |
cmsdrums wrote: The addition of Roger's guitar afterwards doesn't necessarily mean that drums, bass and any other guitar part Brian may have been playing couldn't have been played together live.Judging by the way 'Drowse' sounds, I would assume (but have absolutely no way to prove it) the backing track was bass, drums and Brian on acoustic. Everything else (Brian's slide, Rog's rhythm, Rog's timpani and, of course, the vocals) would be overdubbed later. cmsdrums wrote: (Or pontentially he could have played the guitar first along with John and added the drums after, but I highly doubt that).Yeah, I doubt that as well but it does make me wonder what they did for the songs on which he played rhythm *and* bass, not to mention his debut solo single (where he played everything). cmsdrums wrote: I recall interviews around the Flash Gordon album that they played pretty much live along to the film rushes - a collective backing track is also backed up by the working versions of the FG stuff on the 2011 deluxe release.Only for a few songs. Most of the album, especially the stuff Brian didn't write, is largely a collection of solo (or almost solo) efforts by whoever scored each particular scene... 'Football Fight' and (partly) 'Vultan's Theme' being the only exceptions. cmsdrums wrote: 'Innuendo' is also very much them playing live in the big room in Montreux, is it not?That's the way they started *composing* it, but by the time they *recorded* it they're quite likely to have used a metronome and then played to it. 'Was It All Worth It' was definitely not done with a click, and it sounds extraordinary. musicland munich wrote: Brian gave a relative long interview about that Album for the German BRAVO magazine back then.Have you got it handy? |
| Cruella de Vil 17.10.2016 21:09 |
Re: "That was a credit for Roger having played rhythm guitar on that song ", thanks Royalty, I was thinking about it with my 16 year old head on (when the LP was released). At 56 I can but call it another senior moment! |
| The Real Wizard 17.10.2016 21:23 |
musicland munich wrote: When the FG Project started they ( QUEEN ) had a raw 30 minutes Version of FG. Brian AND Mack are mainly responsible ( sound-wise) for the FG Soundtrack. Brian gave a relative long interview about that Album for the German BRAVO magazine back then.I second the request for this ! |
| musicland munich 18.10.2016 00:39 |
@ Seb and Wiz Ok ,give me a few days. |
| cmsdrums 18.10.2016 02:45 |
On the original question of 'what was the first song (that basically features full band line up, so excluding things like 'Love of My Life'..) recorded without a live backing track', it's difficult to know I suppose. Something like 'Fight From The Inside' is pretty much all Roger, and so that must have been compiled in stages, and there will be others like that.. As has been commented above, Mack was keen to move towards loops etc.. and some of 'The Game' was certainly worked that way - 'Dragon Attack' and 'Another One Bites The Dust' are looped drum parts.. however that's not to say that the rest of the band disn't then play along live to the looped drums to create a fuller backing track. 'Sail Away Sweet Sister' seems to have been at least demoed in a live band format based on the working version released in 2011. |
| Sebastian 18.10.2016 06:55 |
My take on 'The Game': * Play the Game: Live backing track, perhaps as a foursome. * Dragon Attack: Drum loop and then everything else on top. * Bites the Dust: Drum loop and then everything else on top. * Need Your Loving Tonight: Live backing track as a Fred-less trio. * Crazy Little Thing: Live backing track as a Bri-less trio. *Rock It: Drum loop and everything else on top. Intro tracked separately. * Don't Try Suicide: Hard to tell. Could've been either way. The handclaps could've acted as a metronome. * Coming Soon: Drum loop and everything else on top. * Save Me: Piano-only backing track, everything else on top. As for the first song without a live backing track, I suppose it could've been 'Procession': bass-drum loop and then Brian did the guitars on top. |
| cmsdrums 18.10.2016 09:38 |
Sebastian wrote: My take on 'The Game': * Play the Game: Live backing track, perhaps as a foursome. * Dragon Attack: Drum loop and then everything else on top. * Bites the Dust: Drum loop and then everything else on top. * Need Your Loving Tonight: Live backing track as a Fred-less trio. * Crazy Little Thing: Live backing track as a Bri-less trio. *Rock It: Drum loop and everything else on top. Intro tracked separately. * Don't Try Suicide: Hard to tell. Could've been either way. The handclaps could've acted as a metronome. * Coming Soon: Drum loop and everything else on top. * Save Me: Piano-only backing track, everything else on top. As for the first song without a live backing track, I suppose it could've been 'Procession': bass-drum loop and then Brian did the guitars on top.Don;t tell me you;ve got a special pressing of 'The Game' that doesn't have 'Sail Away Sweet Sister' on?!! :-) |
| Sebastian 18.10.2016 11:46 |
Ooops, sorry, yeah... I should've added it. * SASS: All four playing together. * A Human Body: My guess is it was a live backing track as a trio (no Fred). |
| dysan 19.10.2016 05:27 |
I was thinking the other week when (I think) Bob mentioned how much Tenement Funster speeds up - from experience this is probably because RT had an afternoon to do his tune (which was fully mapped out already) and laid down the drums and (later muted) count in totally solo. Stuck on the acoustic and maybe everything else (minus the solo). |
| Sebastian 19.10.2016 05:52 |
I think it was a full band performance, with John on acoustic and bass, Brian on electric and Freddie on piano. Backing track was probably Brian's guitar plus John's bass plus Rog's drums and perhaps Fred's piano. |
| dysan 19.10.2016 05:57 |
Perhaps :) |
| Oscar J 19.10.2016 10:22 |
The big tempo change is mainly between the acoustic part and the full band part. I guess the two were recorded separately. |
| dysan 20.10.2016 11:04 |
Or Rog was just going 'POW!' in his mind when he got to that bit. |