We've debated this here many times, but this guy explains it very well, particularly around the 12:06 minute mark. I like his take on things.

I thought it interesting. Not intending to resurrect an ever going dispute, I will say I think backing tracks are fine for enhancement,as long as there is no obvious deception intended.

Very good video Thanks for posting.
Backing tracks or an Arranger are necessary for certain situations due to economics. Tomorrow I'm doing a duo gig with my BK9 and a sax player. And not for a lot of money but hopefully will lead to other jobs. The people want all kinds of dance music. Did the same job a month ago alone and made more money but I just want to try something new.
Without the Arranger how do I do that ? I'm playing the keyboard parts and singing and the sax is adding the icing. Am I cheating ?

Absolutely NOT. I saw the Carpenters during the hight of their popularity, and they used tons of added [recorded] vocal tracks. They sounded just like their recordings - which I love. I watched the mouths on mics, and I could tell that there was much more happening, but with a smaller, touring band, it must have been necessary.
I say - Use the tools you got. That's why we have 'em.

Interesting. As i just told my sax player. The bigger the act , the more tracks. On another forum a keyboard player met the main guy who ran the mixing board for a major touring act. He asked the guy how many channels do you have available for the keyboards. He said 2 so I can do it in stereo if required. For the backing tracks he had 32 channels !
It s the way it is in the business now.

Concert & Broadway venues are sold out at $100.00-250.00+ a ticket.....
so everyone can't be wrong, it's all about money always!!
Half of Broadway shows are becoming only "tribute acts" now.....
and so are music concerts too......what happened to creativity for original acts for music & shows anymore?

I think writers are refusing to write because their work is often "stolen" by copies and downloads. This is one of the main reasons that Broadway is creating so many "jukebox musicals" ... like Movin' Out, and Mama Mia etc. These stories are basically already written by the composer of the songs, and the playwright just ties all the 3 minute stories together. I'm guilty of downloading music, so I may be hypocritical (to a degree), but I think the copywrite system is outdated where the digital domain is concerned. The last 20 years have had so many advances to technology that there is hardly a "standard" of decorum, or legality anymore. Sit back, and enjoy the ride, while you watch Netflix on your phone, drinking microwave tea. Dylan was so right when he said "the times, they are a' changin')

Dave agreed or just wait to see the Broadway shows on Netflix...
or Disney+ channels in my cozy recliner.

YUK - no way. The movie directors are almost always making choices I disagree with when recreating live theater performances. I need to see it happen on stage.
Even on a 52" screen, you loose so much in translation. My point: TRY to watch "Cats" .... (gulp) worst movie ever, and I used to think Blair Witch Project was bad.

LOL I loved Blair Witch Project..
now that was cinematography & creative simplicity at it's finest..

Are you serious? REALLY? You're kidding, right?
Did you find it the slightest bit scary? (I didn't) The shaky camera work made me feel sick, and at the very end, when there was a "HINT" of a conclusion .....
they go all Sopranos on us. (Blackout) Thank goodness for Cats, so it's no longer on the bottom of the list.

I agree with both movies. Bad. Number one on my list is Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. I got up and left before any of these were finished.

Yeah, that was pretty lame too, but at least Best Little WH had a great Dolly song. I do "Hard Candy Christmas" all year.
AND - it had a great joke from Burt - when Dolly gives him the skimpy thong-like underwear, he looks at it and says ...
"This'll be like putting bowling balls into a marble sack!" LOL - gotta love that one.

Dave.... We are polar opposites when it comes to movies, plays or whatever.. IMO Blair Witch was one of the scariest horror movies produced on such a low budget.. That said I couldn't watch Cats or Les Mis for more then 30 min.. Anything with animals talking or people singing thruout no dialoge just bores me sorry especially when you are paying $200.00 each for tickets, parking, dinner hotel, etc, for a night out.

I love the old musicals, they knew how to do them.

The daughter in-law lent me a collection someone gave her.

South Pacific, Carousel, State Fair, The King and I etc, etc etc. ( love when he does that)

Some of the newer ones don’t appear to have translated well from Theatre to screen.

Sad, very sad when we do our best to justify what we do, when we do our best to kill old standards and beliefs. It is OK to give birth by artificial means and be a single parent, yes and it is OK to have sexual pleasure outside your marriage if it’s needed; when a mother feels she has the right to end her child’s life at the last stage.

Everyone does their best to tell others it is OK to give their view. There is only one problem, they must destroy the beliefs and standards that others live by; and they have a lot of help from the people who make money on what is happening.

I have been blessed with a long fairly healthy life, I have seen and lived in the past and now. I remember walking with my wife-to-be through a park in park in Queens as it was getting dark, we felt safe, trolly cars past, cars past, we felt safe. Today people do not feel safe, there are those who carry guns in their cars, because conditions have changed.

My point:
1-You have lived in a time where people gave their life to music; where hour after hour was directed to mastering their instrument, the logic in the video makes little sense. I grew up with a Dad who played everything on piano. Attended classical concerts, Guitars concerts, Jazz guitar concerts, we admired their work, their effort to become, they were special people. If the people who gave so much of themselves to learning their instrument were watching this video they would have to deny themselves, deny who they are in order to agree.

2-The “END DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS”. I accept what we have today, the world is what it is.

3-The only reason that people hire an arranger player is because of DOLLARS, the do not want to pay for five or six musicians.
There are some exceptions.

Dave, thank you for the video, it gave me a chance to say, there is another view.
Joh

3-The only reason that people hire an arranger player is because of DOLLARS, the do not want to pay for five or six musicians.
There are some exceptions.

I'm lucky to have this gig tomorrow. In their own community this group dances to a free DJ. He was all over me at the last job asking how I did this or that. I told him and doubt if he'll follow up on any of it. I got called last minute to fill in for someone ( who does a Kareoke Rat Pack act ) who cancelled and they were there to see him. Worked out to be a great night so I'm back.
Donny has said it "it don'tmatter how you put it out as long as they like it "

John
I really like your sage old tidbits of life now and in better days. I agree. Thank you for sharing.

Bernie