Gaga and backing tracks

[Head Empty 25,151]

Gaga has proven time and time again that she doesn't need backing track to put on a good performance - both in seperate performances as well as on tour. Given the proper choreography and breathing technique, her voice sounds even better than on the album.

Other examples: Scheiße (BTWB), ARTPOP (ArtRAVE), Born This Way (TMB)

Any video of the C2C tour will show you that she can go an entire night without losing vocal quality. Examples like above (Scheiße, Born This Way) also show that her voice still can sound amazing even though she had already done almost an entire show.

And yet sometimes during her tours and other occasions where she's performing her own songs, she often chose to use relatively loud backing tracks that cloud her own vocal qualities - especially during the choruses. This sometimes happens to the point where you can't even hear her own voice. This is especially apparant when she sings/shouts other words throughout the song that are much louder that her actual singing vocals. And sometimes she uses it on songs that don't even have very intense choreo (Paparazzi, Sexxx Dreams, Venus).

Other examples: Sexxx Dreams (ArtRAVE), Just Dance/Pokerface/Telephone medley (ArtRAVE), Born This Way (BTWB)

I'm not saying that I don't understand why she's using backing track. It makes sense that it's hard to keep consistent vocals/breathing while doing all these dancing routines - especially when doing a world tour. But what I will say is that I personally hope that Gaga's experiences on the C2C tour will translate into her next solo tours, and that her voice becomes a more prominent part of the show. The video's above prove that she has it in her, as long as she makes smart use of it.

So my question is: What do you guys think of Gaga's use of backing track, and - like the poll asks - what do you expect from it in the future?

TL;DR - Compare these two video's, and comment one what you think of the difference
Paparazzi acapella on tour
Paparazzi, three days later on the same tour (0:47)

[lego 44,165]

I expect her to replace them with live backing vocals.

She needs good backing singers.

[Nino 12]

Backing tracks or miming are necessary for pop shows and I would hope she continues to use backing tracks and not resorting to pulling a Britney. I would like her to use live backing singers instead of a canned track in future tours though.

[Bradley 59,064]

I think Gaga intends to create this robotic vocal effect in Venus. She had backing vocals not only at the choruses but throughout the entire song.

[monsterdreams 1,529]

I like live backing singers, so hopefully that 

[Tycho 3,694]

I hate when the backing tracks cloud up her live vocals, it makes her look lazy and reliant when she can easily do without it. Her style of using of combining the two of them like in the Marry The Night performance is the best imo. She could have them completely removed but I think they add to parts that she needs to breathe or do choreography and make it feel less empty. 

[Hecturr 1,925]

I think backing tracks work when the vocals have been altered in some way. but yeah I'd prefer her to use backup singers

[Gohan 16,432]

I want to have it equilibrated like during The Born This Way Ball, 50% of the performances acoustic/without backing vocals/tracks AND 50% of the performances a la Scheiße and Heavy Metal Lover

 

[Alcina Dimitrescu 1,156]

I expect her to replace them with live backing vocals.

She needs good backing singers.

this. Backup singers are much better.

[Wel27 47]

Not long ago we talked about some ArtRaves where she place 2 backing singers and the result (I remember specially ARTPOP) it was amazing.

Thanks to this post i just realised how awesome is that MTN performance. The choreo is incredible and her singing is great. Didn't realise before!

[lego 44,165]

I'd like her to take example from George Michael, he had same backup singers for years or even decades, they're carefully chosen and the live versions of his songs are equal to or much better than the ones on  the album, their vocals match his perfectly

 

 

btw when will MTV offer Gaga to do Unplugged show?   (sorry for OT)

[Iwontell 7,312]

It doesn't really bother me, tbh, but if she used backing vocals it would probably sound better...case in point...

 

[theARTVampire 3,687]

She should try to tone down the backing track as low as possible.

A good example was the India performance of The Edge of Glory, - NO backing vocals!:

 

[SEVDALIZA 1,274]

I think it'd be cool if she recorded her backing vocals on the spot like James Blake does

 

[PrinceGaga 7,585]

I like backing vocals personally. I don't know what it is but I just do. Live I can still hear her clearly even with them so I prefer them that way. 

EDIT: I think when you listen to the track and you hear her backing vocals and all the layers, it's interesting to hear the depth to the vocals, and live you hear all those layers even clearer. I guess I find that Gaga is her own best back up vocalist, if that makes sense?