Backing Vocals approach

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cowparsleyman

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« on: December 20, 2018, 12:41:42 PM »
Just been listening to Steely Dan's 'Black Cow' in the car, and I was moved to post this..

So often one hears BVox done in the time honoured fashion, maybe a bit in the chorus and the 2nd verse, building to something big in the end...

In this song I just love the way that the BVox were approached.

A few lines were chosen to add them, and then not every word in the line was chosen,

They picked just one line form the verse 'So outrageous' and repeated it in the Solo/Outro.

btw. the whole song has so much space in it, nothing is competeing with anything else (both vertically and horizontally), it has to be one of my favourite productions, apart from Grace Jones 'Private Life extended mix'...drums and space to die for.

What do you think, have you got a favourite BVox song?

Love to know, so outrageous, (still going round in my head....)

Rich

cowparsleyman

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« Reply #1 on: December 20, 2018, 01:36:27 PM »
...Oh yeah, this is a great example of using BVox as a hook, there's one particular phrase she pulls out one hell of a tight multipart harmony & mashups of 2 languages, superb ideas from Narae


Bill Saunders

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« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2018, 09:37:09 AM »
For me, BVs are right at the top of my list when trying to take a song to the next level. They can be so, so effective and lift something which sounds quite ordinary to the Wow! level. Often simple doubling or tripling in unison is the most effective in my own songs, without even worrying about harmonies.

Also, I think they can be effective more or less from the word go to draw the listener in - no need to wait for a chorus necessarily. Here's one of mine where they come in on the second and fourth lines of the song: https://soundcloud.com/bill-saunders/they-still-held-hands-master-1

I also get the idea of just using a BV on certain words or phrases, rather than a whole line. I try to hear in my head when to use a BV and just go for it - I really think it is one of the best tools we have available to us when composing and recording - and I love singing them!

Unless you are going for something loose deliberately, I think a BV is most effective when it's tightly timed with the lead vocal - occasionally I use https://www.synchroarts.com/products/vocalign-project/overview to good effect.

cowparsleyman

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« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2018, 12:06:38 PM »
@Bill Saunders - Totally agree Bill, it a very effect tool if used right, but will knacker a song quicker than anything is clumisly applied.


Happy Christmas Bill

Rich

Mikey

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« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2018, 12:48:20 PM »
I love the AC/DC approach to backing vocals, it sounds like they rounded up some blokes in the pub to do it, but they work really well in their style.

Cheers, Mikey

cowparsleyman

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« Reply #5 on: December 21, 2018, 02:09:54 PM »
Cool idea