In music Lip sync

1 in music

1.1 complex performance
1.2 changing fan expectations
1.3 using real singing , lip-synching
1.4 musical theater
1.5 parade floats
1.6 psychological issues
1.7 incorrect allegations
1.8 types
1.9 entertainment , effect
1.10 legal , ethical aspects
1.11 examples

1.11.1 recurring events


1.12 protests artists

in music

lip-synching considered part of miming. can used make appear though actors have substantial singing ability (e.g., partridge family television show), simulate vocal effect can achieved in recording studio, e.g. cher s believe, used auto-tune effects processing on voice; improve performance during choreographed live dance numbers incorporate vocals; misattribute vocals entirely (e.g., milli vanilli, band lip-synced recordings made other singers), or cover deficiencies in live performance. commonly used in drag shows. lip sync performances forced on performers television producers shorten guest appearances of celebrities, requires less time rehearsals , hugely simplifies process of sound mixing, or eliminate risk of vocal errors. artists lip sync because not confident singing live , want avoid singing out of tune.

because film track , music track recorded separately during creation of music video, artists lip-sync songs , imitate playing musical instruments well. artists move lips @ faster speed recorded track, create videos slow-motion effect in final clip, considered complex achieve. similarly, artists have been known lip-sync backwards music videos such that, when reversed, singer seen sing forwards while time appears move backwards in or surroundings. notable exceptions trend include bruce springsteen s hit streets of philadelphia , uses instruments backing track while vocals recorded microphone attached on singer, giving different feel it.

on american bandstand , variety shows of 1960s, vocals , instrumentals (with few notable exceptions on american bandstand) synced pre-recorded music. since advent of mtv in 1980s, many artists have focused on visual effects, rather singing, live shows. artists lip-sync during strenuous dance numbers in both live , recorded performances. singers habitually lip-sync during live performance, both concert , televised, whereas others lip syncing songs or types of performances.

complex performance

artists lip-synch during strenuous dance numbers in both live , recorded performances, due lung capacity being needed physical activity (both @ once require incredibly trained lungs). michael jackson example of this; performed complex dance routines while lip-syncing , live singing. performance on television special motown 25: yesterday, today, forever (1983) changed scope of live stage show. ian inglis, author of performance , popular music: history, place , time (2006) notes fact jackson lip-synced billie jean is, in itself, not extraordinary, fact did not change impact of performance extraordinary; whether performance live or lip-synced made no difference audience, creating era in artists recreate spectacle of music video imagery on stage.

chris nelson of new york times reported: artists madonna , janet jackson set new standards showmanship, concerts included not elaborate costumes , precision-timed pyrotechnics highly athletic dancing. these effects came @ expense of live singing. edna gundersen of usa today comments complexity of modern stage show has forced singing , musicianship minor roles , citing example artists such new kids on block, milli vanilli, george michael, cher, paula abdul , janet jackson. gundersen elaborates: obvious example madonna s blond ambition world tour, visually preoccupied , heavily choreographed spectacle. madonna lip-syncs duet m following , while dick tracy character mouths warren beatty s recorded vocals. on other songs, background singers plump voice, strained exertion of non-stop dancing.

changing fan expectations

billboard editor thom duffy commented: expectations of fans have changed, , s driving force here ... expect concert perfect see on mtv. rashod d. ollison of baltimore sun observes: since advent of mtv , other video music channels, pop audiences have been fed elaborate videos thick jaw-dropping effects, awesome choreography, fabulous clothes, marvelous bodies. , same level of perfection expected extend beyond video set concert stage. if britney spears, janet jackson or madonna sounds shrill , flat without backing track, fans won t pay $300 concert ticket. gundersen comments while lip-syncing may used augment live singing, has been used hide fact artist may have no vocal talent whatsoever, such milli vanilli, lip-synched vocals other own.

using real singing , lip-synching

some singers habitually lip-synch during live performances, both concert , televised, on pre-recorded music , mimed backing vocals; known singing on playback. artists switch between live singing , lip-synching during performance, particularly during songs require them hit particularly high or low notes. lip-synching these notes ensures performer not out of tune , artist not strain or voice during arduous concert. once difficult portion of song has passed, artist may continue lip-synch or may resume singing live. artists lip-synch choruses during songs sing main verses.

musical theater

the practice of synching occurs in musical theater, same purpose musicians. production may include mix of lip-synched , live musical numbers. in long-running shows, may done protect performer s voice strain , damage, maintain high caliber of production. notable example of using lip-synching special effect includes performances of phantom of opera, swing actors in same costumes lead actors give illusion of characters moving around stage mystery.

parade floats

artists may lip-synch in situations in backup bands , sound systems cannot accommodated, such macy s thanksgiving day parade, features popular singers lip-synching while riding floats.

psychological issues

some artists may choose lip-synch during live performance because of stage fright or perceptions of inadequacy. unlike studio recording, live performance provides 1 chance sing each song correctly. artist may worry or voice not strong enough, sound noticeably different recorded versions or or hit wrong note.

incorrect allegations

sometimes lip-synching incorrectly identified fans sitting in of stadium seeing drummer hit kit before hear sound; delay can mistaken poor synchronization of miming artists , backing track.

types

[s]ome of talented singers have been caught in act of lip-synching . arts journalist chuck taylor says considered egregious offense , points out when singers dancing , doing complex stage shows, hard sing live. on tv show performances, ...the singer s microphone still on. on parts re not confident on or if performance physically demanding, artist sing quieter, , more of performance [backing] track vocals can heard. there ...very few artists who...completely lip-sync while backing track playing ...full lead vocals , practice done due ...weather conditions, technical issues, or sickness.

for entertainment , effect

lip-synching audience knows performer pretending has been popular form of musical pantomime, in performers mime pre-recorded music public s entertainment. performed drag performers (drag queens , drag kings). rock bands have, in protest of demands mimed performances on television programs, deliberately mimed in comedic manner, such iron maiden (whose members performed on german music show whilst switching instruments), , muse (who performed uprising on italian music show drummer dominic howard miming lead singer , guitarist matt bellamy, while bellamy played drums).

examples of lip sync performances (sometimes referred lip dub video) have been popular viral videos on internet. example, numa numa , video recorded gary brolsma of him dancing , lip syncing song dragostea din tei , ranked in 2007 viral factory second most-viewed viral video of time behind star wars kid.

various television competition programs have been built around lip sync performances, such puttin on hits, , lip service. reality competition rupaul s drag race incorporates lip sync performances format. comedian jimmy fallon incorporated similar performances celebrities late night talk show late night jimmy fallon; oversaw standalone television series spike, lip sync battle, extended concept competitive format between pairs of celebrities. mobile apps such dubsmash , musical.ly, allow users record own lip sync videos pre-existing audio , song clips sharing on social networking services, have been popular.

in 2015, after attracting viral popularity in philippines posting dubsmash videos of herself miming clips of kris aquino (and being popularly named queen of dubsmash result), maine mendoza became cast member of filipino variety show eat bulaga!. mendoza play character named yaya dub, spoke lip-syncing existing audio, app. spontaneous reactions fellow cast member alden richards during remote broadcast resulted in creation of on-air couple known aldub, in 2 portrayed couple never physically meet, , communicated solely via lip-syncing. couple became major cultural phenomenon in country; hashtag associated concert special in october 2015, 2 characters met in person first time, received 41 million posts within 24 hours on twitter, beating global record set during football match between brazil , germany @ 2014 fifa world cup.

legal , ethical aspects

in australian state of new south wales, government considering new laws require pop singers print disclaimers on tickets alert fans if [the singers] intend on miming throughout shows . fair trading minister virginia judge stated let s clear – live means live. minister judge stated if spending $200 [on concert tickets], think deserve better film clip . indicated nsw government happy @ options, such disclaimer on ticket warn consumers performance pre-recorded.

a writer on ethics calls lip-syncing affront legitimate live performers risk lyric mistakes , cracking voices give authentic performance . author argues lip-syncing in live concerts ...destroy our ability enjoy great live performances way once could, thrilling knowledge witnessing extraordinary great talent . author argues ...makes lip-syncing in public performances wrong. not audience being lied to; being made cynical .

examples

pop singer ashlee simpson lip-synched song on variety tv show saturday night live in 2004

while michael jackson s performance on television special motown 25: yesterday, today, forever (1983) changed scope of live stage show, mixed singing , complex dance moves, ian inglis, author of performance , popular music: history, place , time (2006) states jackson lip-synced billie jean during tv show. in 1989, new york times article claimed bananarama s recent concert @ palladium , first song had big beat, layered vocal harmonies , dance move every line of lyrics , drum kit untouched until 5 songs set, or backup vocals (and, seemed, of lead vocals well-a hybrid lead performance) on tape along beat . article claims british band depeche mode, ...adds vocals , few keyboard lines [a] taped backup [track when perform] onstage .

milli vanilli in 1990

in 1990, during milli vanilli performance recorded mtv @ lake compounce theme park in bristol, connecticut, sounded pre-recorded track of group s song girl know s true jammed , began skip, repeating partial line girl, know s... on , over. due rising public questions regarding source of singing talent in group, owner frank farian confessed reporters on november 12, 1990, morvan , pilatus did not sing on records. result of american media pressure, milli vanilli s grammy withdrawn 4 days later, , arista records dropped act roster , deleted album , masters catalog, taking girl know s true out of print. after these details emerged, @ least 26 different lawsuits filed under various u.s. consumer fraud protection laws. on august 28, settlement approved refunded attended concerts along bought milli vanilli recordings. estimated 10 million buyers eligible claim refund.

chris nelson of new york times reported 1990s, [a]rtists madonna , janet jackson set new standards showmanship, concerts included not elaborate costumes , precision-timed pyrotechnics highly athletic dancing. these effects came @ expense of live singing. edna gundersen of usa today reported: obvious example madonna s blond ambition world tour, visually preoccupied , heavily choreographed spectacle. madonna lip-syncs duet m following , while dick tracy character mouths warren beatty s recorded vocals. on other songs, background singers plump voice, strained exertion of non-stop dancing.

similarly, in reviewing janet jackson s rhythm nation world tour, michael maccambridge of austin american-statesman commented [i]t seemed unlikely anyone—even prized member of first family of soul music—could dance did 90 minutes , still provide sort of powerful vocals 90s super concerts expected achieve.

the music video electrasy s 1998 single morning afterglow featured lead singer alisdair mckinnell lip-syncing entire song backwards. allowed video create effect of apartment being tidied un-knocking on bookcases, while music plays forwards.

on october 23-24, 2004, pop singer ashlee simpson appeared musical guest of episode 568 of live comedy tv show saturday night live. during performance, revealed apparently lip-synching . according manager-father[,]...his daughter needed because acid reflux disease had made voice hoarse. manager stated artist in america, has backing track pushes don t have hear croak through song on national television. during incident, vocal parts performed song began sound while singer holding microphone @ waist ; made exaggerated hopping dance moves, walked off stage .

spears performing in 2009 s world tour circus starring britney spears

in 2009, pop singer britney spears extremely upset on savaging has received after lip-synching @ australian shows , abc news australia reported [d]isappointed fans ...stormed out of perth s burswood dome after few songs . reuters reports britney spears is, , has been, blatant, unapologetic lip-synching . article claims @ new york stop of anticipated comeback tour, spears used actual vocal cords 3 times – twice thank crowd, , once sing ballad (though vocals during number questionable, well) . rolling stone magazine stated though reports indicate spears did live singing [in 2009 concerts], l.a. times ann powers notes show dominated backing tracks (which granted, not same thing miming) .

teenage viral video star keenan cahill openly lip-syncs popular songs on youtube channel. popularity has increased included guests such rapper 50 cent in november 2010 , david guetta in january 2011, sending him 1 of popular channels on youtube in january 2011.

the beatles ran foul of contemporaneous british law against miming on television in 1967 lip-synced promo clip song hello, goodbye. on 21 november 1967 edition of top of pops, song played on series of sequences band s 1964 film hard day s night. on 7 december edition of show, specially-made black , white promo clip broadcast song, consisted of band members editing telefilm magical mystery tour, , (other official promo clip in color including miming, first became commercially available 1996 vhs release of beatles anthology) not released on home video until appearing bonus feature on 2012 dvd release of magical mystery tour.

indian cinema relies heavily on lip synching. lip synching playback singer exclusively used in indian cinema, actors perform song , dance sequences in movies while lip-synching song sung playback singers. playback singers officially recognised , have gained fame in careers. notables among them lata mangeshkar, kishore kumar, muhammad rafi, asha bhosle, sonu nigam, shreya ghoshal, , many more.

gene pitney involved in memorable gaffe on itv s morning in 1989, owing technical mishap . giving ostensibly live performance of track re reason , pitney missed cue , seen failing dismally mime along in time backing track ; tried not laugh , continued song. incident has been repeated on television on years, notably on 2002 episode of bbc 1 series room 101, host paul merton described funny moment in pitney came in unbearably late . re-aired on 25th-anniversary edition of morning in 2013, presenter holly willoughby broke out cold sweat while reliving moment.
50 cent caught lip synching live on stage @ bet awards, watched millions of people when dj whoo kidd played instrumental version of hit song amusement park.
during concert @ madison square garden, r & b singer r. kelly put down microphone in middle of song , let recorded vocals keep singing.
in 1989, new york times article claimed bananarama s recent concert @ palladium , first song had big beat, layered vocal harmonies , dance move every line of lyrics , drum kit untouched until 5 songs set, or backup vocals (and, seemed, of lead vocals well-a hybrid lead performance) on tape along beat . article claims british band depeche mode, ...add vocals , few keyboard lines taped backup onstage .
the pittsburgh post-gazette called janet jackson 1 of pop s notorious onstage lip synchers in 2001 article on lip synching.

in article katy perry, entitled lip-sync malfunction forces katy perry use own voice sing , gawker stated while pop star performing hit song roar @ nrj music awards in cannes on saturday, [she] suffered devastating lip-sync malfunction. perry unable match backing track lip movements, causing host stop performance , ask if wished start again. perry restarted song, time without backing track. producers issued statement indicating planned perry sing live, except technical problem caused staff play bad soundtrack .

recurring events

the super bowl has used lip-synching during singers performances @ live-to-air sports event. during super bowl xliii, jennifer hudson s performance of national anthem lip-synched ...to recorded track, , apparently did faith hill performed before . singers lip-synched ...at request of rickey minor, pregame show producer , argued there s many variables go live. subsequent super bowl national anthems performed live. whitney houston s rendition of anthem @ 1991 super bowl reported have been lip-synched. such pre-recorded performances super bowl s halftime shows , national anthem have been commonplace since 1990s; nfl has confirmed standard practice. in january 1998, singer-songwriter jewel criticised lip-syncing american national anthem @ opening of super bowl xxxii digitally-recorded track of own voice. noticeable singer missed cue, , thus, did not sing first few words of song. super bowl producers have since admitted attempt have performers pre-record vocals.

some olympics events have used lip-synching. in 2008 summer olympics opening ceremony, song ode motherland appeared sung lin miaoke @ ceremony, emerged mimed performance recording girl, yang peiyi, won audition. last-minute decision use lip-synching, following politburo member s objection yang s physical appearance. international olympic committee executive director gilbert felli defended use of more photogenic double.

on february 10, 2006, luciano pavarotti appeared during performance of opera aria nessun dorma @ 2006 winter olympics opening ceremony in turin, italy, @ final performance. in last act of opening ceremony, performance received longest , loudest ovation of night international crowd. leone magiera, conductor directed performance, revealed in 2008 memoirs, pavarotti visto da vicino, performance prerecorded weeks earlier. orchestra pretended play audience, pretended conduct , luciano pretended sing. effect wonderful, wrote. pavarotti s manager, terri robson, said tenor had turned winter olympic committee s invitation down several times because have been impossible sing late @ night in sub-zero conditions of turin in february. committee persuaded him take part pre-recording song.

protests artists

in cases, when producers force singers lip-synch on live tv broadcasts, vocalists deliberately make clear not singing live. when public image limited singer john lydon performed on dick clark’s american bandstand tv show, ...punk pioneer refused mime during appearance... , instead sat on floor of [tv] studio, threw himself assembled audience, , stuck nose camera while recordings on own voice played on air.

when frank zappa appeared on detroit tv, producer threatened band “lip-sync hit—or else.” zappa went tv studio s props department, gathered assortment of random objects , built set , instructed each band member repeated physical movements during mimed song (though not in time music), creating chaotic homemade prime-time dada absurd event on live on-air tv.

when progressive rock band marillion played on top of pops tv show in 1983, show s producer, michael hurll, insisted band pretend play , sing while recording played on air. however, singer withheld moving lips line: m miming .

when iron maiden appeared @ on german tv in 1986, not allowed play live. band made clear pretending play , passed instruments around recording of song wasted years played on broadcast. band swapped instruments , @ 1 point, 3 members playing drums simultaneously.

for more 40 years, major bands , artists appeared on uk show top of pops, producers insisting performers either lip-sync or sing along prerecorded backing track tv broadcast. in 1984, morrissey sang fern instead of microphone charming man .