Trax...Bleh!

[jazzrat]

Just my .02 but Trax is just church karioke.
Easter Sunday a men's group sang "We Followed the Man"
As a rhythm section and orchestra we have done that song before.
I sure wish we could have played it with them.
I understand the limits of reheasal time and stuff but Trax...um...no
(sorry for the minor rant)

[refin]

Just my .02 but Trax is just church karioke.
Easter Sunday a men's group sang "We Followed the Man"
As a rhythm section and orchestra we have done that song before.
I sure wish we could have played it with them.
I understand the limits of reheasal time and stuff but Trax...um...no
(sorry for the minor rant)

Nothing minor....quite funny,actually,because I call it "Spiritual Karaoke".
John Fischer wrote an article once in CCM called" No More Tapes!" (or maybe it was No More Tracks).He said that he wanted to see a real drummer hitting real drums,sweat,and the whole nine yards.Who wants to pay money to see someone sing with their CD? Do they think I'm that much into them as an artist,that it doesn't matter? :ROFL

I realize economics force some people to not be able to take a band with them on the road.....well then heck,learn to play a guitar or piano (most do anyway),and do a solo gig.The intimacy is usually a plus for the songs,and it's all real.Or take at least a pianist or guitarist with you (things can't be THAT bad). But to see someone want to sell tickets to watch them hardly break a sweat with plastic canned music behind them is silly to me.It does smack of "It doesn't matter that I don't have a band...after all,I'M here,and that's what matters." :roll:
Sorry about the major rant...... :angel .

[Crunchyriff]

It does smack of "It doesn't matter that I don't have a band...after all,I'M here,and that's what matters."

Believe you me, simple economics aside, many times it's boils down to pure greed & ego. Having been in the CHR industry I've seen it firsthand.

OTOH, if you have an Artist vs a BAND artist pkg. the greed ratio is automatically bumped up to the nth degree by default...because it's all about themselves anyway, and to be fair, they then have to PAY a support band to back them vs. everybody getting a fair cut of the dole due to the situation.

The devil IS in the details....

[Teleguy]

As an old Musician's Union hack I'll decline to comment, but you can probably guess MY attitude on such matters! :soapbox

[Crunchyriff]

And I've never joined the MU, so I'll decline, too! HAR!!

[SAguitar]

Disco and Karaoke still suck. 'Nuff said.

Gimme live music, or give me silence.

[MrMike]

I can see both sides of this one. For example, some former label-mates of ours (technically, former label-mates of the artist for whom I play) use backing tracks for their live shows. They've had a couple of singles that were on the charts a few years ago. They're four sisters, and their dad is their driver, mom goes along to help. Most of the shows they've been doing have been at churches. If they had to drag a band out on the road with them, there's no way they could survive. (Have you seen what most churches are willing to pay musicians?) They have to keep their costs down simply to be able to afford to continue doing what they're doing, and if all goes really, really well, possibly expand in the future. If they had to pay transportation costs, housing, and wages for 3 or 4 guys with them, they'd have to quit. The artist I play for is in Florida as I type, doing 3 gigs this week, with backing tracks. As much as I'd love to be there, (I have 2 brothers in FL), I'm fully aware of the economics involved. In this particular instance, it's just not cost effective to take us along.

What does drive me nuts, however, is hearing somebody sing along at church for special music with backing tracks that sound like they were done using cheesy MIDI files and a "set it and forget it" stock drum machine program. [-(

[refin]

I guess what bugs me is that I've seen top artists(the ones who could afford a band,even if it's a hot trio) go solo with tracks. Maybe the mindset is (1) "I'll always have that perfect (albeit same old) mix every night." (2)"No one else's schedule or personality to worry about!" (3) "With my fee plus the door percentage plus CD/T-shirt sales,I'll make a killing....more for me!" (4) "I'll get all the attention." (5) "No one wants to play with me anyway." :innocent

It's tough to keep a band together---it takes commitment to Jesus and the love of each other and the vision to stay focused,and not get petty or insecure.

I've had some opportunities in the past to play in the bigger leagues,but the money offered was just south of insulting.I'm not saying the artists were getting rich by any means,but I would have to sleep on a couch and eat once a day to stay with them.I've got a family too (plus 30 guitars to feed).The gig would be perfect for an 18 year old with no family or bills,and who just wants to travel.Heck,Michael W. Smith could go solo and make more loot,but he spares no expense to give a top notch show with great players!

Gee,this thread could go on forever......maybe there are some legitimate times to do trax,like a very young church with no musician pool yet,or someone singing "special music" (I hate that term) on a Sunday morning.But I would rather sing along with some old granny on an out of tune upright piano than with the sparkliest Hosanna track. It's the element of danger and creativity that lures us onto the stage. :mrgreen:

[Crunchyriff]

MrMike brings up the equally and vailid other end of the debate, and there are excellent points here too. Many times, when it IS an "Artist" and that artist is NOT a "band" (whether by osmosis or intentional manuvering) it's is too blasted expensive to cart the whole band; this is the other side of "the devil is in the details" ... let's face it: even though the CHR industry went from commanding 1% of the market share, to 10% in a five year period (1990-1995) the 'big money' is still on the other side of the fence so to speak.

Last time I played onstage w. Point of Grace for example, they were the headliner, we were the opener (as a less-established label band); and these girls drive in, in a van, walk out onstage, and do their whole concert to tracks. Sometimes it's 'all about money', & for all the right reasons; other times it's just greed. Which is really not my business, anyway.

I wanna hear live music.

[jazzrat]

I can almost understand it...don't really like it...but understand it on the pro level.
On a weekly basis though I hear "shower singers" stand up in front of the congregation and sing, not only songs inappropriate for their range,
timbre of voice and general talent level but it is compounded and contrasted by the fact that the Trax has a 60 piece studio orchestra highlighting their inability to sing in tune.

Make a joyful noise...all I'm sayin' is...in my opinion they would be more effective and touch more people by accompanying themselves with the two chords they know on the guitar or allowing the near pro level players
we have to back them up.
Not to detract from their heart and motivation, but
Trax makes it easy I guess.

[seagullplayer]

If the Holy Spirit has gifted your Church with people to play, they should be used. Even if that means you don't get to sing "what you want", but might feel limited in some way. I think prayer should be used to overcome any "limits" you may feel, not tapes. But for some Church's trax may be the answer to prayer.

Many good points have been brought up in this thread. I know several groups that travel local to do revivals and provide "special" music for different reasons. They feel it is their ministry and act like it. The name of Christ is lifted up and people are blessed by it. So is it wrong? I can't say that, and I don't think anyone here is suggesting it is "wrong" or sinful.
But I think tapes are overused at our Church. Some people just seem to be taking the easy way out. What's your offering to God worth, if it didn't cost you anything? But it's your offering, I'm not about to tell you it's any less than mine. Mine is not the best, it's just the best I've got to offer, I'm sure glad He knows that.

[refin]

The name of Christ is lifted up and people are blessed by it. So is it wrong? I can't say that, and I don't think anyone here is suggesting it is "wrong" or sinful.
.

That's a point that needs to be made.........as musicians,we are all chomping at the bit to play more.God looks at the heart of the person singing,and trax don't bother Him.
There have been times where someone has wanted the church musicians to back them on a song,yet they had no music or charts---for that situation,it takes time to learn the song and then rehearse.
The more I look at this subject,the more the "other" side starts to argue it's case.....but I will always enjoy seeing a bunch of live musicians stumbling occasionally through a tune,than hearing a great studio mix and seeing an empty stage.

Hey,I've got an idea-----why don't we musicians put just the vocal on a backing track,and we'll go out and play live behind it? Everyone will hear great studio vocals,but see no singer. :ROFL

[jazzrat]

beautiful Refin!!! LOL

[TheViking]

(((((((((((HORROR)))))))))) trax for singing live in church????????????????
that has got to be a sin. Never heard about that happening over here.

[kewlpack]

Hehehehe... at least the singing wouldn't "scare the rats"... ;)

[ptrallan01]

I don't agree with either side in this issue.

One of the things that we have to strive for in worship is balance. Tracks and live music BOTH get in the way of worship if they or the performance, good or bad, become more of a focus than the Lord we are attempting to honor.

Bad live music is well just bad!!! I know our piano player for years just couldn't get gospel music. Now we have added an electric keyboard, drums, bongos, sticks, bass and guitar. But that can be distracting too!

We spend too much time and money on music sometimes and not enough on examining our hearts and souls to make sure they are in alignment with His desire for us. And I say this as the primary guitar player, third bass player, bongo afficianado (sp) EMERGENCY keyboard player. I love music but when we begin to argue over it or be irritated over it we have lost track of what real worship is about.

Just my .02.

Love

Peter

[Crunchyriff]

I love music but when we begin to argue over it or be irritated over it we have lost track of what real worship is about.


Gee I didn't know their was an argument poing on.

I hate 'canned music' in or outside of the church. I mean, it has it's place, but if I had my 'druthers it would be abolished.... :mrgreen:

ptrallan01- there 's one thing that I'll meet you more than halfway on bro, and that's the fact that canned music can cover a multitude of sins...err... inabilities.

That being said, when you say "Bad live music is, well, just bad!!!"; well, I whole-heartedly agree, and the bible implores us to "play skillfully"; yet we are ALL commanded to praise HIM. Talented, devoid of talent, and all points in between.

That means the ones that sound like a frog, or who have no concept of pitch whatsoever, are WANTED to be heard from in song by our Lord.

Knowing that as gifted as I may be in music, God regards just as highly those praises from those who I may determine to "produce bad music"; and that what I regard as points of merit may be totally irrelevant to Him...

What a reality check. :dunno :innocent

[Ascension]

1-Chron 25 Vs 1- David together with the commanders of the Army ,set apart some of the sons of Asaph ,Herman,and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophisying,accompanied by harps ,lyres and cymbals (N.I.V.). That my friends is the model for a worship team . These guys were real pros all from the tribe of Levy trained and skilled in there task and able to operate in the prophetic to flow in the spirit and with the glory .Read the chapter through verse 8 anything else is just missing the mark (in otherwords SIN!!).There is NO WAY :dunno a dry canned track can accomplish this !! For a special song maybe and in a pich where real music isn`t available such as a new forming Church while they pray for Lord to send the real deal maybe but mostly for any other purpose than "Christian entertainment " canned studio tracks don`t cut it .

[beatlenut]

Here is the reason TRAX our used in my church (not that I agree).

We have traditional services and "contemporary". Some of the people in the traditional services have a heart attack if they see musicians other than a pianist or organist. An acoustic guitar is about is modern as they can handle. In our traditional service we use either piano, organ or trax.

In our more modern service it is live band all the way.