Fake Organ Players

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Fake Organ Players
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Fake Organ Players - the latest viewpoint
By Robert New
After reading the article regarding ‘Fake Players’ on your website, I was most interested and slightly amused. I have always been aware of various top artists using backing tracks on stage – Both in Europe and in the UK. I was very disappointed to discover that several of the top artists who I admired as a lad were using ‘Amazing’ backing tracks that were studio produced by a pro producer and practically shared out among a group of artists as if they were brought out of a catalogue. It was disheartening reasons such as this that I decided not to pursue a career as a professional show organist. (Although I still love my organ and play daily).

Regarding the 'Fake playing' debate, It is a terrible tragedy if artists are using playback files for the majority of their shows, and I will not talk too much about the fake playing… it is what it is and it is very sad. However, I want to give you a new insight into the professional recording music industry and I think you may be a little bit surprised and it will give you a little something to think about…

Some people have asked why the organ and keyboard manufacturers include Wav and MP3 technology. Well simply put, there is a demand. The home UK organ and keyboard market is not the be all and end all of instrument manufacture design. Sure they cater for most of our needs both professionally and in the home. The reality is, is that there is a far bigger market which the manufacturers cater for whether it be American, Asian or European. The professional music industry demands high quality products with high quality functions for professional concert situations (I’m talking arenas and stadiums, not social clubs).

In 2006, I had the privilege of meeting Stuart Price – Madonna’s then music producer at Warner Bros in London. You may be surprised to know that he creates complex and large backing tracks which are played back live by a computer during Madonna’s concerts. Stuart would program digital drums, yet have a live drummer hooked up into the mixing desk and the two sounds would be mixed together to create the live sound, yet without compromising the sound of the songs on the original record. (He would use the live hi hats, yet keep the digitally programmed snare drum).

The same could be said of the gospel choirs. It is far too expensive to take the London Hackney gospel choir on tour to sing just one song, so instead he went to a top studio, recorded the required parts and committed them to a backing track. A projection of a gospel choir on massive screens created the illusion that there was a choir, when it fact it was a wav file playback played in a piece of software called ‘Logic’.

Stuart also processed all of Madonna’s vocals, guitars, keyboards and everything else through the computer as well as doubling up several special vocal waves with unique effects that you just can’t create live. Nothing was mimed, simply added to with live elements.

On stage alongside Madonna were two keyboard players using state of the art Roland synth keyboards, yet there were still keyboard tracks laid down on the computer playback system as wave files for playback during the live show. Many of you are probably thinking well Madonna could afford to have as many musicians as she wants? Well the reality is that musicians can’t always recreate the effects used on records in a live environment.

Many of Madonna’s latest records have a pulsing synth line running through them. This is created by a kick drum sound side chained into a device called a compressor, which not only compresses the synth line, but every time the kick drum is kicked, the compressor reacts to every kick, creating the pulsing sound. This can only be done by a computer. All professional bands touring on this scale use this setup, to make the concert experience as true to their record/CD and as sonically fantastic as possible.

It should also noted that Madonna’s band are all exceptional musicians, who showcased their talents with various solos and musical passages during her live shows. The way that concerts are performed has changed. Music technology is a must on every pro stage, whether it is an organ console or a computer. That is evolution.

I thought I would share some information with you from some one who works in the professional recording music industry and from a different perspective regarding playback and wave files. Also, I feel that it is a fair point to make, that if today’s technology had been around in the 60’s in its present form, there would be more use of the new features and sequencing, but for many players, they do not understand the technology and therefore bash it (I myself have been guilty of this in the past). The evidence for this is in many of the points of views already posted on this website… factually incorrect with quite a few very limited ‘hear say’ explanations of what Wav files are and their cruel deceptive nature. I can understand the feeling of being cheated by artists, who are ‘Fake playing’. It is not acceptable. I am a pianist too, and although people have said it sorts the men from the boys, it really is all contextual and is a bit of a lame excuse for artists using commercial backing tracks trying to justify themselves.

I would like to point out, that as a music producer and musician myself, when I am creating a backing track or wave file in my recording studio, I always arrange it, so that I have a distinctive part to play live on the stage for both my left and right hands. I use a WERSI Abacus and Pegasus live on stage with my band, and I always arrange my songs so that I utilise the instruments to their fullest.

Fake playing is not acceptable, but also I find it is a very personal matter. Some people feel fooled, whilst some people can see the bigger picture. It’s completely contextual and I feel there will never be closure on the subject. I hope this has brought a new angle to the debate.
..........RN

We would agree that added backing tracks do make a better sound and that there are situations where this is acceptable. The man in the street wants a good sound and cares little about .the way it is produced. However, when it comes to organ-keyboard clubs and societies, the majority of the audience are home players themselves. They want to hear instruments being played honestly. It really comes to the point when players say they are playing live (or give that impression) when they are not - in other words, they set out to deceive the audience, which is morally wrong.

The best example of a player playing live and being compared to his studio recordings is Klaus Wunderlich. Seeing Klaus play live was an example of how it should be done.

RN.......
I agree with you on nearly all points.. but perhaps the electronic organ has outgrown its traditional audience? I agree with you though regarding the morals of 'Fake playing'... and it seems the younger generation are quite devoid of morals regarding a good many things these days. Glad that your website published such a thought provoking debate. It certainly gave me a good read!

We are pleased to know that we agree on some points. We must remember that those who attend organ-keyboard societies/club are mainly retired people. The older age group are sometimes rather fixed in their views and like to see and hear the genuine thing. They like to relate their own playing at home to that with the player on stage - especially if they own one of the common Yamaha or Hammond instruments..

We would agree with you that the younger generation may think differently. With calculators and computers used in schools and at home, they tend to do things that require the least effort. With ready made backing tracks (not made by the player) it is considered that less effort is required to make the instrument sound good.

Again we agree that the electronic organ has been developed and is totally different the original Hammond - to the extent that they are now almost music making machines - and perhaps more suited for the younger generation

One thing is certain, we live in a changing world. Many older people reckon it is not changing for the better - to the point where some music is almost automated. Playing live should really mean that you are listening to music that created there and then.

March 2008

Fake Organ Players
Have you ever wondered why electronic organs don’t appear on television? After all, they are very visual, with a player using two hands and two feet. It may be because there is more to it than meets the eye.

Part of the blame lies with those who demonstrate the instruments for well-known brand names. They play as one normally would, then get up off the bench and walk away, leaving the instrument to carry on playing with no one at the keyboard. The idea, of course, is to show how easy it is to produce a tune – the instrument is so good it plays itself. At least, that is the idea, to promote the instrument more than the player. With modern technology instruments have become so sophisticated that many intelligent listeners are being fooled by many players. It could be argued that if the facilities are on the organ, then why not use them? The answer to that is that 98% of the audience at organ concerts want to hear and see the player – not what the instrument can do. It is just unfortunate that what is seen at organ demonstrations lingers in the mind.

When making a CD in a studio, a player can perhaps be forgiven for building up layers of sound to produce the finest possible sound for the end product. However, when the same player uses that sound, his own sound, in front of a live audience and plays along with it – or even mimes to it, it is fooling the audience.

The player has created a situation where he has produced a fantastic CD in his studio and is then forced into trying to produce the same sound on stage. With floppy discs, wav files, hard discs and so on, the work is done before the show starts.

Even with the use of mirrors and a camera on the keyboard an expert player can fool most of the audience. Yes, the result sounds good and indicates that the player can ‘use’ the organ – but is that what organ society enthusiast’s really want?

Perhaps the only ones that are not fooled are fellow professionals who can stand in the wings at organ festivals and see things that the audience cannot. Things like playing the bass pedals with the pedals controls or draw bar in the off position. Displays on the organ control screen, something invisible to the audience, is another thing.

Some established players have made backing tracks for other players with the result that what you hear is not the work of the artiste you are listening to. In other cases, the sound has been pre-recorded in the artiste’s studio – or has even been download from the Internet.

If it is just good music you want to hear – then that is just fine. Perhaps using the instruments rhythm accompaniment may be permissible – but even that was unheard of in days gone by with pipe organs.

One player, famous for his multi-tracking, said that his objective was to make good music. However, he was quick to add the piano sorts out the men from the boys. Practically all the great players from the past were good piano players, a fact that should not be ignored today. All things considered, a good modern electronic organist is one that can sit down at a basic Hammond organ and play with no ‘artificial’ aids.

Another indication of a genuine player is one that can sit down and play almost any requested tune in any key without the aid of a wav file or any other memory aid. Some say that driving a manual car is more satisfying than driving an automatic version. Both types of cars will get you to your destination – even although the automatic one may be easier to drive.

Klaus Wunderlich, the German organist, well known for his many recordings, was honest enough to play the first half of his live shows with no accompaniment, rhythm or otherwise, and then in the second half show the audience what could be done with instrument features. It is a pity that some of the young players today don’t follow in his footsteps – even although they idolised the great master.

As one famous American president said: “You can fool some of the people some of the time and you can fool some of the people all the time – but you can’t fool all the people all the time.”

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The Follow-up
The above item has created much interest in the organ-keyboard world with an immediate response from many enthusiasts. It seems that what you see on stage is not what you get. Many have agreed that it is not fair to con the audience in the way that some players do. The sad thing is that organ society secretaries book certain artistes in good faith – no knowing that their members are going to be deceived.

One reader said that the situation is far from a level playing field: “It’s like watching an athletic track, only to find out that the winner had been taking drugs.”

It can be said the organist using wav files or some other pre-recorded media is enhancing his performance to make himself better than the players who play honestly with two hands and two feet.

The question arises as to why these features are put on an instrument by the manufacturer? Surely the intention is not to deliberately deceive the listener? If the features are there, then why not use them to create a better sound?

No doubt you will get different answers to these questions from different players. Surely the main reason is to make the instrument easier to play – the better it sounds in the hands of a novice, it becomes more attractive to sell.

To be fair, we must say that the ‘novice’ must be capable of using the features. Never the less, the features are there to make the instrument more attractive to the buyer.

In a recording studio situation these features are an asset if the aim is to make a first class recording. It can then be compared with the multi-track recordings made by many of the old established players.

But why do these old established players, who used multi-tracking on their recordings, cringe when they hear some of today’s younger players on stage with wav files and the like? It is not jealousy, as mentioned by some people. It is the fact that the ‘wav player’ is deliberately setting out to deceive the live audience and make himself (or herself) sound better than he (or she) actually is.

One Wersi owner, who incidentally did not disclose his email address, had this to say: “I have no problems with Artists using backing files providing these simple rules are followed:
1. The Artist has recorded the backing.
2. The Artist plays everything that is physically possible with his hands and feet, with the backing being used to add authenticity to the performance.
3. The Artist tells the audience that he is using a recorded backing.”

This may be fair comment when you consider that many artistes use rhythm units and sequencers. However, the point being made is that players are not being honest about the way they play. One 'wav player' was found "playing" the bass pedals with the drawbar control in the off position. This was done not to conflict with the pre-recorded bass notes.

Some ‘wav file’ players have been shown up when a well known tune is requested, which is turned down with some feeble excuse. Such players stick to a rigid programme dictated by what they have in the memory of the instrument.

It is feared that ‘wav file’ players will be at the root of the demise of the electronic organ compared to what it was in the Hammond heyday. Perhaps in future we will have two types of players, the music maker, who creates music by using the features provided on the instrument, and the genuine player who can play almost any request in any key without using a transposer.

The answer as to who is a genuine player may lie in a good old fashion piano or Hammond Organ tucked away at the back of the stage. We wonder how many artistes would accept the challenge to play a few tunes on one during a live show? Perhaps one day we will find out. Life is full of surprises!

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24.9.06

My View
Ray King

The other day I saw an item that invited the reader’s opinion of ‘fake organists,’ musicians who, thanks to technology, appear to be a lot better than they really are. Obviously ‘faking’ would be impossible without the technology, which leads to the question as to whether ‘easy play’ technology has led to, or more probably contributed to, a decline in the wider popularity of the electric organ?

The writer is, in some respects, a classic stereotype of would be organ player. I have taken up the organ in retirement (having always wanted to play it) and now spend a fair proportion of my mornings mastering the bass pedals, and a left hand previously used tied to accompaniment. I have owned (and sometimes travelled, if you know the old joke), an electric piano for some years.

I heard once about a traditional variety agent, who in the course of his business, found himself representing an extremely popular 60s rock/blues group. The arrangement, as we might expect, had its stresses and strains, and neither side were particularly happy with the other. Eventually someone or other (possibly the agent himself) is supposed to have remarked that the group could disparage him if they liked, because he didn’t really care: having acquired a genuinely valuable asset. What was it that was so valuable that it was worth more than chart success? It was a contract to hire a Hammond organ to every single camp, in a leading chain of holiday camps! So, as he might have said, ‘put that in your maraca and shake it mate!’

In many ways this little story (true, false) contains several strands of interest. In one respect it shows how central the organ was/is to a certain type of entertainment. I’m sure that many readers of a certain age can visualise the 1950s campers dancing (many of them doing proper steps) under the flashing glitter ball, whilst the distinctive sounds of the organ (itself a symbol of modernity and progress) filled the ballroom - and right across the musical spectrum to! Almost everywhere there was entertainment there was an organ. Not only was the organ central to British holidays, but also it could be heard at the cinema, in pride of place in every social club and heard on the radio. The name of the organist at the Blackpool Tower being as evocative of BBC ‘radio days’ as that of any comedian, or variety show host. However, our little story also highlights the fissure in musical taste that opened up in the 1960s between what was perceived as being ‘hip’ or ‘cool’ and that which was seen as being hopelessly old fashioned, even if the band were (musically) really just another generation of minstrels pretending to be black Americans.

We might also consider that they same radio technology which made the amplification of an organ possible, was also central to the runaway success of the electric guitar – it just took three people to play lead, rhythm and bass instead of one. There wasn’t really much difference musically between an instrumental hit played by a pianist like, for example, Russ Conway and an instrumental hit played with 3 guitars but – and this is important – the technology made it much easier to get a pleasant, well amplified sound from three strings and two fingers: Just as the technology and amplification made it possible for a skilled organist to fill in for (or replace) a big band. Therefore, we can see from this small example that (in this case live music) has been constantly changed by technology, and will continue to be changed.

Technological advances have had a great Impact on the traditional electric organ, which has become ever more sophisticated and easier to play. However, as quickly as the research and development departments added more ‘bells and whistles,’ the more rapidly organ retailers have gone out of business. Why is this? It has been said that 'easy play' systems help to sell organs, but do people want to invest in an instrument that plays itself? We might also consider that the millions of cheap home keyboards that are sold (complete with one finger chords) are mostly purchased as children’s toys – which don’t help.

Most things that are worth having cost something, and there is no denying that organs were always expensive, but the reason many people are interested in playing an instrument is that it represents a highly valued, personal achievement. People, on the whole, want to do something with their lives – something they can be proud of. Consequently something that costs nothing, in terms of effort at least, is worthless. We wouldn't value or respect a mountain climber who used a helicopter, would we?

So what about ‘fake’ organists, how should we regard them? My own view is that top players, who represent a ‘gold standard’ that others (like me) should aspire to, ought to be able to play without cheating – or make it plain that they are using the technology (drum tracks and the like) to support really excellent playing. But, and it’s a big but, it’s one thing for a singer in a club to use MIDI files or backing tracks, (which people now almost seem to expect). These vocalists at least have the excuse that they are a singer, but for an instrumentalist to do it – what’s the point?

So, in conclusion, does it seem likely that technology has robbed the organ of it’s challenge and organists of the respect that was previously their due. Undoubtedly paying customers are not going to think a lot of players who seem to depend on the same buttons as their ten year child or grandchild using a home keyboard. There is also the very real consideration that the organ is associated by many people with being corny or working class: 'we don't want the organ at the end of the pier,' they say. This is a shame, but fashions change, ballroom dancing is coming back, so maybe there is a chance for the organ with a younger generation.

One thing is certain the technology won’t go away but neither, thankfully, will good music and musicianship.

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