Did you naively believe that everything is live?
This article is written in English.
TL;DR
Autotune ≠ Pre-Recorded ≠ Backtrack. Not everything you see is live, and here you could read how each of these terms differ on it's own.
Notice
- I have no degree in music.
- This article is purely my two cents, and based on various knowledge I have understood for the past years, enjoying Kpop as "a genre" on it's own.
- Feel free to correct me if I use or understand it wrongly here.
Introduction
I have thoughts that have lingered in my mind for days after I watched clips that briefly stated about autotune in Kpop. As I don't think the video is one hundred percent correct, these thoughts keep lingering in my mind, and I believe I need to write it out, so these thoughts will be gone after all.
Definition
Usually, I find the definitions, then include the references at the same time. But for this one, these terms are my definition that comes from my knowledge and what I understand after all these years.
Autotune
Autotune is a tool that could be used in the recording process or even in a live performance to "auto-tuning" someone's vocals, so it could sound in the correct tune.
Backtrack
Backtrack is practically almost similar to "instrumental with background voice", but includes the singer's voices at a few points. Usually used "to back" the singer's voices at the live performances, so they could take some breaths or to reach high notes, as it's usually hard to reach it perfectly every time you perform, and it's still understandable in my opinion.
Encore Performances
Encore in a music show means a time where artists will sing their song again, usually short for live broadcasting duration, and can be heard full nowadays as there are various fancams for these. At this moment, artists usually will stand and sing their song with instruments only. Some artists can be seen confidently jumping or playing around on stage, and still can sing as well as they could. But some usually only stand still, and sing at their best.
Layered Vocals
Layered Vocals are vocal performances that artists usually record themselves in the studio, "to be laid out" on top of live performances, so the final output will sound flawless. Usually used in concert performances that will be sold out as merchandise such as DVDs/Blu-Rays.
Lip-Synced Performances
Lip-Synced Performances is a performance where an artist, whether all performers in a group, or some of them, or a solo artist, "lipped-the-lyric of the song that they performed for". Back then, it was usually used if the audio system of a certain event is bad, or due to the artist's health, or only to showcase the performance.
Live Performances
Live Performances is a time when an artist performs their songs "live", and you can hear their vocals clearly. Usually noticeable by how they stopped for a while, then took their breath, and you could identify which one is backtrack and their vocals. Usually could be identified too by the sounds of their jiggly or shaky accessories, claps choreos, wrong lyrics, "real shaky" breath, and different adlibs.
MR Removed
MR removed is a term, when various video makers removed the music, background vocals/backtrack, so people could hear the singer's voice clearly, as it's hard nowadays to differentiate which one is real singing and which one is prerecorded. Some channels do include "Clean" to state that this is a pre-recorded performance that has been cleaned up, or "Live" where the singer performs the song "live". Good channel example: Lem Castle channel on YouTube.
Merchandises
Merchandises are things that companies sell from their artists. Whether a photocard, albums, concert DVDs/Blu-Rays, photobook, accessories, and more. In the old days, crazy accessories even available to buy to.
Pre-Recorded
Pre-Recorded is an attempt from the artists and managements to record the performances of songs in their own studio prior to be broadcasted live on television, or on standing position before they lip synced to this track over and over on various performances, or even at the rehearsal prior to the broadcasted performances. The former usually is the one that companies do, I believe.
My Two Cents
So I saw a video that appeared on my YouTube Homepage, and it's entitled "R.I.P. Vocals in 2022 | Kpop Autotune vs Live Singing". As I watched the content briefly, I couldn't finish the video as I believe there are some mis-definitions there and ironically, people commented that they agreed on the comment section. Until now I still don't know or understand if it's me who understands all of these terms incorrectly after all of these years or...
Back in 2009 to 2013/14-ish, no matter what show you tuned in, you could hear the artist's voices clearly. Not as raw as it is, but still, you could differentiate which moment they use backtrack, and when they really sing to their mic. Shows such as Music Bank, Music Core, Inkigayo, are three weekly music shows in Kpop. Sketchbook is another different level, as fans usually tuned in to hear their artist perform in much clearer audio. Sketchbook famously known for never permitting an artist to lip-sync on their show, and they even offered much-higher audio quality such as 5.1 surround sound to listen to. People who create MR removed or acapella versions usually use performances from Sketchbook as it's usually barely touched and easier to "clean up from the backtrack". But then... It is starting to change.
In the past few years, you could see how Kpop is getting bigger and bigger than before. It just gets exponentially bigger, and more contents are easily accessible nowadays. This also attracts more new fans, which I believe still kinda new joining this Kpop scene. This condition also comes with somewhat understandable decisions as Kpop now is basically a new Hollywood in the east, and as Kpop grows bigger, countries nearby also share the cookies. Everything now must looks super polished from head to toe, and you could feel how everything looks flawless everywhere you look.
As this happened, music performances were also affected by this. Even back then, MBC (as one of the three big public broadcasting services) announced that they will banned lip-syncing on Music Core. But apparently, this statement doesn’t seem aged well and only lasted for a few years only. On the other hand, KBS and SBS never stated anything regarding this.
Back in 2017, when TWICE appeared on Sketchbook, they lip-synced while performed Knock Knock. A song that they promote back then. You could clearly saw they lip-synced, for instance at 01:53 mark, where Nayeon voice can be heard after she closed her mouth. I believe (and many others I think) that this is the first performance ever of an artist lip-synced in Sketchbook. Both received harsh criticism at that time, whether from TWICE to lip-sync to this performance, or Sketchbook as they actually allowed an artist for the first time ever lip-synced on this show.
While I understand that an artist could lip-sync their performance due to health problems (such as raspy/hoarse voice or sick or fever), then the company will definitely choose to save the singer's voice for long-term consideration. I mean, who wanted their artist to lose their voice just because they pushed themselves to sing in bad condition? Lee Soo Man even stated that "lip-sync is also a genre", that I believe many will be disappointed with this statement. Sometimes it could benefit the artist, as they could still perform, even though it's not 100%. Good lip-sync will save you, but mostly bad lip-sync will end your careers and there are various proofs to back this up. Neither in Kpop scene, or in the Hollywood early 2000s.
For example, these following videos are where Taeyeon lip-synced to her part on Oh! performance (you could hear Tiffany sing louder on Oh! performance to back Taeyeon), and Tiffany lip-synced to her part on Genie performance (you could hear her hoarse voice during "DJ Put It Back On!" part in the middle). I believe companies could prepare these audio so the artist is still able to perform even though they are not in a good shape.
Based on these reasons, old Kpop fans could defend their fave or other artists in general whether they are good in singing or not. Cause people could clearly hear which performance performed live, and which not. You could actually see how people keep coming back to the 2009 to 2013/2014-ish era, and complement these performances in the comment section. If people comes at certain artist performances, old Kpop fans could defend it by showing their stable performances on live and dancing performance, not an encore. Stable on radio and encore? That's basically just an icing on the cake. Hence why people could joke "Stop eating your CD", which means that they sing too good to be heard, some even better than the studio version. People could list of who could sing in Kpop back then, and the list will goes on, and public will agreed.
But now, the condition differs since 2015-ish. As Kpop keeps getting bigger and bigger as years goes by, the music performances are also affected by this. Pre Recorded song has been normalised in various performances, and to defend this, fans will need to show-off encore performances, radio performances, MR Removed performances, and more. While it's basically just one pre-recorded song, lip synced over and over in various stages, whether it's a music show, or even award performances. I do understand some choreography is hard to do while you sing live and the artist is probably tired, but lip-syncing on every performance is just... put-off, at least for me.
I just couldn't connect that much to Kpop performances since 2015-ish, as it's hard to find "the authenticity of real live performances". While I agree that Kpop songs evolved, and are still good and fun to listen to, music performance nowadays is pretty much watching dance groups perform, with different outfits to see. That's it. I couldn't feel the connection or their hard-working image as everything feels too polished and flawless. Even the cover song performances, it's pretty much lip sync to pre-recorded vocals, and it threw me off from the performance.
On the other hand, I still understand if the artist uses the autotune in live performance or post-production, or when company layered vocals in concert merchandise. While they use autotune, at least we could still hear them "sing live", and as for merchandise, it's also understandable why companies wanted that their artist and end-products looks and feels polished and flawless. So I am pretty much okay with those terms. People will probably still “feel deceived” as it’s not the raw vocals that they provided us with. But autotune and laid out vocals are still so-so-so much better than pre-recorded vocals which can easily be seen in the Kpop scene nowadays.
A really good example of why sometimes laid out vocals are needed, is this video, SNSD's performances in Dream Concert 2013. In this performance, SONE (SNSD's fan) and the audience's audio were so loud that it covered SNSD's voice when they performed. The final broadcasting then laid out pure-full-songs of SNSD's The Boys and I Got A Boy on top of their live vocals, which then blocked other live audio from that performance. Did KBS get harsh criticism at that time? Yes. But then MonmonSnow aka CodeMonmonHD aka CodeAnalysis aka CodeMonmon, a veteran SONE, was able to re-edit the audio, so it showed the real vocals from the performance.
Real Broadcasting
![[Full HD/1080p] The Boys & I Got A Boy - SNSD (31st May, 2013)](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ejwbkDihX08/hqdefault.jpg)
Fixed Audio from Monmon2013S01
![[Fixed Audio] SNSD - The Boys / I Got A Boy (May 31, 2013)](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6JCuN8S2Klo/hqdefault.jpg)
Comparison of Fancams and Reedited Audio from The Performances
Closing
While I do believe that idols' life are tiring, but I really couldn't justify the lip-synced on every performance that you performed. I mean, one of their job is "to sing", not to just perform as a dance group. Talking about busy, I believe SNSD are super busy back then in their prime, and they did lip-synced some of their performances, but not all.
Group back then is super busy too but they still able to sing live and it was well received. People back then didn't brag about their fave by showing off encore performances, rather "how they eat that live performances". And that's where Big 3 comes. People sure they could sing well, and even most who are not from Big 3 also famously could sing well. Named IU, Ailee, BTOB, SISTAR, and more. Even though not everyone could sing, but we could hear them live, and that's what makes the connection between us (the fans) and them (the artists).
That's all for now. Thank you for reading this article, and see you in another post. Bye! ππ»