Backing vocals or not?

[mountain lion]

Hi

How do you decide if a song needs backing vocals? I go by feel. A song like i will always love you clearly doesnt need any. I was just wondering if you have a more scientific way of doing it .

Thank you

[MarkOne]

I’m just a huge fan of vocal harmony. So very little (if any) of my output doesn’t feature it.

I don’t think there is any scientific method of deciding.

There are no rules.

[BJG145]

No rules for that; it's entirely what the artist wants for the song. Often backing vocals can be quite subtle; I seem to remember only noticing the double-tracked vocals on some Bowie track when listening on headphones and hearing them panned out. And harmony vocals can also be pretty subtle on some songs, to the extent that listeners might not really be aware of them in the same way as The Pearl Fishers or whatever; they can act as a subtle enhancement in the same way as a barely-audible synth bed.

[sonics]

A "scientific way" to make a musical decision. Ummm...

More often than not, I think the genre determines that. If people expect to hear backing vocals, the track may sound barren or simply "wrong" without them.

I prefer to break a few rules and always try to add something a little different when I'm writing them, which is not often (thankfully!). A well-sung background vocal with an interesting twist can often lift a song out of the ordinary.

[tacitus]

I suspect it’s a self-amplifying way of getting more beautiful people on stage: once they’re there, their presence kind of demands you use ‘em.

I don’t suppose ugly musicians like me would want not to be able to hide behind a line of swaying singers while we mangle notes. So probably not a scientific or musical decision in many cases. And it takes a brave covers band to dump BVs in a song that had them originally.

There’s a lightbulb joke in there somewhere,

In there somewhere,

In there somewhere,

Ooh!

[Drew Stephenson]

In most pop-based genres there are backing vocals in some form virtually everywhere. Whether that's some subtle oohs, some gang vocals, a fully-formed harmony line or whatever.
I frequently find that it's a big differentiator in live bands as well. A band that has properly worked on its backing vocals will often sound a lot 'fuller' and, dare I say it, more 'pro' than one that just has a lead singer.

Personally I find it one of the easiest ways to add interest and dynamics to piece, as well as giving you the chance to play with alternative lyrical lines.

Even looking at something like "I will always love you" there are lots of places where they could have introduced backing vocals in a subtle supporting way - they've made a deliberate choice not to with that production but there are various synth and string parts that come and go that could easily have been backing vocals.

[awjoe]

Hi

How do you decide if a song needs backing vocals? I go by feel.

I go by trying stuff out. Does it work? Does it sound right? The beauty of the experimental approach is that you get to play, and you get to play with it (both meanings of 'play').

[Arpangel]

Not a big fan of backing vocals, the sheer time and effort involved, quite often, yields little return.

[MarkOne]

Not a big fan of backing vocals, the sheer time and effort involved, quite often, yields little return.

Oh I completely disagree!

I’m happy spending half a day writing harmonies and then recording them. And I love working to layer them, pan them EQ them to blend, etc.

[Folderol]

Not a big fan of backing vocals, the sheer time and effort involved, quite often, yields little return.

Personally I think the very best backing vocals are ones that you hardly notice, but would certainly miss them if they magically disappeared. Subtle is the way to go.

[The Elf]

Good BVs can be the difference between 'OK' songs and 'fantastic' songs. The best BVs can make a song blossom. Listen to any Carpenters tune to hear how beautiful they can be.

Sometimes a subtle harmony is all that's needed, but sometimes a massed choir is the right answer - and everything in between. One of the bands I'm working with right now really have a skill in writing overlapping choir parts that are quite breath-taking at moments.

But there are NO rules. I've had bands reluctant to add BVs that have later thanked me for putting them through it, and I've talked others out of it when they really weren't adding anything useful or appropriate.

IME the worst BV performers tend (generalising) to be lead vocalists. BVs have their own needs, and they are rarely served well by sounding like lead vocals in harmonies (though they also have their place).

It's a chance for other band members to shine, and it is often not the ones you expect. Get the right person for the job and BVs are a doddle.

But it's quite amazing how often I have to explain that simply repeating the last words of a lead vocal do *not* a backing vocal make...

[MarkOne]

simply repeating the last words of a lead vocal do *not* a backing vocal make...

Backing vocal make…
// major triad
Backing vocal make…

[sonics]

But it's quite amazing how often I have to explain that simply repeating the last words of a lead vocal do *not* a backing vocal make...

Indeed, for that is the job of the echo machine...echo machine...echo machine...

[Arpangel]

Listen to any Carpenters tune to hear how beautiful they can be.

Those aren’t backing vocals, they "are" the songs, the word "backing" doesn’t come into it.
My favourite productions of all time.

[Drew Stephenson]

Another good example of backing vocals that aren't is Midnight Train to Georgia.
Half the story is in the 'response' of the call and response.

[S2]

I love backing vocals, and (not being a lead singer) I spend quite a while trying to get decent harmonies in our covers band as I think it makes it a much more professional sound. I like singing BVs live, gives a good feeling when you're spot on it with the lead singer.

However, I'm not so keen on 'unison' backing vocals where bands think that singing the same vocal line 'thickens' the sound and adds something, as invariably it ends up sounding like a football chorus (unless that's the desired effect).

[The Elf]

Listen to any Carpenters tune to hear how beautiful they can be.

Those aren’t backing vocals, they "are" the songs, the word "backing" doesn’t come into it.
My favourite productions of all time.

Try 'Touch Me When We're Dancing' - Richard's BVs (definitely BVs) are superb. He did a lot of that with infinite patience and care.

[Arpangel]

Listen to any Carpenters tune to hear how beautiful they can be.

Those aren’t backing vocals, they "are" the songs, the word "backing" doesn’t come into it.
My favourite productions of all time.

Try 'Touch Me When We're Dancing' - Richard's BVs (definitely BVs) are superb. He did a lot of that with infinite patience and care.

When I first heard the Carpenters, I thought the vocals were so beyond, that I thought they were "artificial" that’s why I liked there music, at the time, it sounded otherworldly, futuristic, I couldn’t put my finger on what made that harmony vocal sound, it was just really tight accurate singing, and of course lots of multi-tracking, there’s never been a vocal duo like them, truly legendary.
Hall and Oates weren’t bad either.

[andy cross]

"Starting to think that all the world's major problems can be solved with oyster sauce or backing vocals." - Brian Eno

I'd substitute gaffa tape for oyster sauce, but I think he was onto something.

[Arpangel]

"Starting to think that all the world's major problems can be solved with oyster sauce or backing vocals." - Brian Eno

I'd substitute gaffa tape for oyster sauce, but I think he was onto something.

He left out cauliflower cheese and reverb.

[jaminem]

No formula. Based entirely on what the song is asking for. Good BV’s can create interest, build vocal parts up, smooth them down, add light and shade and the process can often yield a better lead vocal, quite often during pre production and tracking, the way the BV’s are sung can provide a better feel or hook than the lead vocal, so they become the lead vocal!

Having said all of that, the exposed naked intimacy of a single vocal by a great singer can be absolutely amazing.

As with everything really my approach is try it, listen to it and see what’s best. But imo it’s always better to have them and not need them, than to need them but not have them