Small showband = not live music

[ceegers]

This is more out of curiosity than anything else.

So you may have noticed how many of the showbands on Carnival have gotten a lot smaller over the years. The music in the shows, however, is always the same.

If you are on a ship with a small showband, chances are that 90% (or more) of what you're hearing in a show (I mean the main dancing shows) is a track playing. There's one saxophone player... and you still hear the same trumpets and trombones that you used to hear when they had a full band.

Actually, even the instruments that are there... the track's playing that instrument too, and often louder than the live person.

 

So out of curiosity... does that bother anybody? Or does it make no difference whether there's a band there or not?

 

Obviously Carnival doesn't see a need to have live music in the shows... but apparently they see a need to make it seem to the guests that they're getting live music in the shows.

Because otherwise... why have a band play when they can't really be heard anyway?

[ssptcruise]

I look for and appreciate a real live band.

[golfadj]

I do not care.

 

More interested in rock band and piano bar

[*Mach*]

This is more out of curiosity than anything else.

So you may have noticed how many of the showbands on Carnival have gotten a lot smaller over the years. The music in the shows, however, is always the same.

If you are on a ship with a small showband, chances are that 90% (or more) of what you're hearing in a show (I mean the main dancing shows) is a track playing. There's one saxophone player... and you still hear the same trumpets and trombones that you used to hear when they had a full band.

Actually, even the instruments that are there... the track's playing that instrument too, and often louder than the live person.

 

So out of curiosity... does that bother anybody? Or does it make no difference whether there's a band there or not?

 

Obviously Carnival doesn't see a need to have live music in the shows... but apparently they see a need to make it seem to the guests that they're getting live music in the shows.

Because otherwise... why have a band play when they can't really be heard anyway?

 

 

We've had nine piece bands... no smaller... on our last three voyages all within a year.

 

I've not missed anything in the show musically...

 

 

:)

[Traveler353]

I have never liked canned or synthetic/electronic music. I definitely do not like it in the ship board entertainment.

[Carnival Platinum Cruiser]

CCLs showbands and lido bands are nothing short of pathetic these days. Anyone with an ear for musical instruments can tell both venues are using pre recorded tracks to supplement the band. I know they are cutting back on a lot of things but live music IMO is one of the major staples in the cruise industry and has been for decades. Should not be an area of cutting back.

 

A real shame

[Carnival Platinum Cruiser]

We've had nine piece bands... no smaller... on our last three voyages all within a year.

 

I've not missed anything in the show musically...

 

 

:)

 

Probably nearing the end of their contracts I would think. All I know is that the Fantasy, Miracle, Legend and Fascination all in the last 6 months had 5 or 6 in the showband with canned prerecorded music. Anyone with any musical background can tell and it sucks IMO

[littlesnit]

It's not just Carnival. I saw a major country music star a few years back and noticed a piano in the mix but there was no keyboard on stage. Also, the first half of the show, the band went from song to song with no talking in between. I at first thought they didn't like the area or the venue, or that they were bored with the tour, then I realized they were following the recorded tracks. The second half of the show must have been totally live, because there was a lot of personality and talking coming from the singer and the band really kicked butt. I guess they do what they feel they have to do.

[DryCreek]

When it comes to a Calypso Band, I prefer and admire the work of a real steel drum artist. Synthesizers and electronic drums are a poor substitute for the real thing.

 

I guess that it is just another way to look at things. I used to play in a small bar-band in the late 80's, so I appreciate the nuances of that type of production.

[sanmarcosman]

This is more out of curiosity than anything else.

So you may have noticed how many of the showbands on Carnival have gotten a lot smaller over the years. The music in the shows, however, is always the same.

If you are on a ship with a small showband, chances are that 90% (or more) of what you're hearing in a show (I mean the main dancing shows) is a track playing. There's one saxophone player... and you still hear the same trumpets and trombones that you used to hear when they had a full band.

Actually, even the instruments that are there... the track's playing that instrument too, and often louder than the live person.

 

So out of curiosity... does that bother anybody? Or does it make no difference whether there's a band there or not?

 

Obviously Carnival doesn't see a need to have live music in the shows... but apparently they see a need to make it seem to the guests that they're getting live music in the shows.

Because otherwise... why have a band play when they can't really be heard anyway?

You're speaking of what is known in the music recording industry as a "click track" wherein the few musicians physically present on stage wear an ear piece from which they are audibly cued by a click sound to the recorded music so they know when to begin to play and stop playing their instrument.

Click tracks have been around on ships, that I am personally aware of, since 1993 when I spoke with a member of the show band on HAL's old Noordam.

It is what it is.

[ceegers]

You're speaking of what is known in the music recording industry as a "click track" wherein the few musicians physically present on stage wear an ear piece from which they are audibly cued by a click sound to the recorded music so they know when to begin to play and stop playing their instrument.

Click tracks have been around on ships, that I am personally aware of, since 1993 when I spoke with a member of the show band on HAL's old Noordam.

It is what it is.

Yes, although the difference is that now the track is also being played in the house over top of the band.

[sanmarcosman]

Yes, although the difference is that now the track is also being played in the house over top of the band.

Point taken.

[pmang]

Yes, although the difference is that now the track is also being played in the house over top of the band.

 

 

Not true... Even in the days with a full 10 piece show band, there was always a track playing. It's done so everything syncs up perfectly... Lights, backdrops, dancers and yes.... musicians. There are a lot of moving parts in a production that need to be exact. This has been the case since the early 90's. The band is on top of the track. You always heard strings in the shows but have your ever seen a violin in the pit?

[ceegers]

You are correct, and syncing is so important.

However, different parts of the track are dialed in at different amounts. With the larger bands, you'll probably hear what the saxophone (piano, guitar, whatever) player's actually playing, and little of the track saxophone. With many of the smaller ones, you'll be hearing the track's saxophone, and not the actual.

 

In addition to the band vs. over top of the band.

[vacruizer]

Probably nearing the end of their contracts I would think. All I know is that the Fantasy, Miracle, Legend and Fascination all in the last 6 months had 5 or 6 in the showband with canned prerecorded music. Anyone with any musical background can tell and it sucks IMO

 

Same here. Last few cruises there's one sax, one trumpet, a guitar, keyboard, drums, and bass. Nothing at all like the show bands from our first few cruises with a full horn section.

 

Don't like this recorded crap - whether it be the show band, the calypso duo, the entertainers in the various lounges. I said it on another thread, but if you can only afford X number of musicians, then let their performance stand on it's own merits. I can listen to canned stuff at home. It sort of takes the emotion and feeling out of the performance.

 

But you are right - the show bands are a pitiful imitation of what they were are recently as 3 or 4 years ago.

[elcuchio24]

This is more out of curiosity than anything else.

So you may have noticed how many of the showbands on Carnival have gotten a lot smaller over the years. The music in the shows, however, is always the same.

If you are on a ship with a small showband, chances are that 90% (or more) of what you're hearing in a show (I mean the main dancing shows) is a track playing. There's one saxophone player... and you still hear the same trumpets and trombones that you used to hear when they had a full band.

Actually, even the instruments that are there... the track's playing that instrument too, and often louder than the live person.

 

So out of curiosity... does that bother anybody? Or does it make no difference whether there's a band there or not?

 

Obviously Carnival doesn't see a need to have live music in the shows... but apparently they see a need to make it seem to the guests that they're getting live music in the shows.

Because otherwise... why have a band play when they can't really be heard anyway?

 

Not exactly sure what you’re talking about, but definitely doesn’t take away anything from my cruise. If they had zero shows it wouldn’t take anything away from my cruise.

[vacruizer]

Not exactly sure what you’re talking about, but definitely doesn’t take away anything from my cruise. If they had zero shows it wouldn’t take anything away from my cruise.

 

Some of us do enjoy the shows and music, though. I for one wouldn't miss the pools or sun loungers onboard if they were taken away or cut down, but lots of people would be very upset. :)

[elcuchio24]

Some of us do enjoy the shows and music, though. I for one wouldn't miss the pools or sun loungers onboard if they were taken away or cut down, but lots of people would be very upset. :)

 

That’s why I said it wouldn’t effect MY cruise, not YOUR cruise.

[Grits53]

I love the musical shows and would enjoy them just as much with or without a live band. On my fall Conquest cruise last year, they were short a few band members. I did notice this and thought it odd to have only a few live band members/instruments and use recorded music for the missing instruments. But it really didn't bother me or diminish my enjoyment of the show. I am an old trumpet player myself, and I appreciate a good trumpet player..... But my cruise will not be ruined if there is only a recorded trumpet. Music is music, to me....recorded or live.

On the other hand, I would miss the live band on Lido if they were removed..... I like to see dreadlocked Jamaicans singing the music of the Caribbean to set the cruise mood. (Although for all I know, they might not even be Jamaicans! LOL!)

[shof515]

Since i live in NYC; i have went to a few boardway musical and just like the ship they also use recorded music since it can hard to coordinate everything with the music, lights, acting,etc..

[pmang]

You are correct, and syncing is so important.

However, different parts of the track are dialed in at different amounts. With the larger bands, you'll probably hear what the saxophone (piano, guitar, whatever) player's actually playing, and little of the track saxophone. With many of the smaller ones, you'll be hearing the track's saxophone, and not the actual.

 

In addition to the band vs. over top of the band.

 

The track is the same no matter what else is playing with it... It's all on a single channel. They don't boost up or down a single recorded part...That would be a huge job for the tech. The differences you hear are less live instruments over the pre-recorded tracks. Yes, there was a big difference when they had 2 trumpets, 2 saxes and a trombone in addition to a full rhythm section. The tracks have always been the same though... they don't change. Also, the sound tech has a lot to do with what you hear. Their skill level can make a big difference.....

 

The best way to judge the show band is when they play on the CD and fly-on acts... That's completely live and will give you a chance to hear them without accompaniment. Think of a band like Conan had on TV... 7 piece... same as the show band. You can get a great sound with that line up. Maybe not a full big band like the old days but it's still great to hear any horns over a rhythm section....

[DGP1111]

Just off Carnival Sensation this morning.

Show band included one single wind instrument, a saxophone.

All of the brass/woodwind parts heard in the two shows are pre-recorded.

And speaking of shows on Carnival Sensation . . . in a "budget consideration" move (their exact words, not mine) the Welcome Aboard show for the 3-nt sailing to Nassau has been cut back to only the eight selected passengers doing the spoon & rope gag. That's it. No singers and dancers at all. Bummer.

[vacruizer]

Just off Carnival Sensation this morning.

Show band included one single wind instrument, a saxophone.

All of the brass/woodwind parts heard in the two shows are pre-recorded.

 

And speaking of shows on Carnival Sensation . . . in a "budget consideration" move (their exact words, not mine) the Welcome Aboard show for the 3-nt sailing to Nassau has been cut back to only the eight selected passengers doing the spoon & rope gag. That's it. No singers and dancers at all. Bummer.

 

How sad. A lot of people book those three night cruises as an introduction to cruising. While I know that show doesn't make a cruise and it desperately needed updating, it's one of those things that sets the tone for a cruise and gives a taste of what's to come. Don't get me wrong - the spoon game is fun and my dh once totally embarrassed me after being called up for it, but doing nothing but using the passengers for entertainment is sad.

[lowbass]

No big deal to me. It's all back ground/mood music. It just sets the vibe. Now if I was sitting there wanting to see a particular group play then it would be a different matter. If I'm on deck where the music is I'm usually drinking a beer and talking to my wife or reading. The music is just sets the vacation mood.

[ceegers]

The track is the same no matter what else is playing with it... It's all on a single channel. They don't boost up or down a single recorded part...That would be a huge job for the tech.

Actually this is not true. The track is on a few channels, because they need to be sent separately to the band, because it may be important for one band member (say drummer) to only hear the rhythm section, while it may be important for another band member (say saxophone) to hear more of the horns. Not all of the instruments are separate, but it's at least split up into: rhythm - horns - extra stuff (like strings and synth) - background vocals

 

It's only a really big deal for the tech when they're first doing the show during a tech run. Otherwise, you just use the same settings as last time.