Backing song

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Jennie Abrahamson and Linnea Olsson as accompanist, 2014

As backing vocals (also backing vocals , Eng. Backing vocal or backup singer ) refers to one or more secondary voices in rock and pop music , the vocals (Engl. Lead vocal ) support.

These secondary voices are sung by a backing or background vocalist . While the lead singer sings the main part of a piece, he is supported by an accompanist. Often this is supplemented by further accompanying voices, up to a complete choir . In the case of recordings, the lead singer can also take on the role of the accompanist himself through the technique of voice overdubbing .

Function of accompanying voices:

  • Certain parts of the piece should be emphasized, such as the refrain or chorus.
  • The lead voice should be given more fullness and assertiveness in relation to the instruments.

Musical possibilities:

There are the following options for differentiating between lead and backing voices:

  1. physiological: through voice color , voice character and articulation
  2. compositionally: as doubling, sentence singing , etc. Ä.
  3. Sound-wise: by graduation on volume, frequency, stereo and effects level

As a rule, the backing singers are quieter than the lead singer so as not to drown them out. If their own backing singers appear on stage, they are usually in the background of the stage. In many bands, the band members do the backup vocals while playing their own instruments.

Example:

  • In the band Queen, Freddie Mercury was the lead singer. Even though he occasionally played the piano or guitar, he sang the main voice. Brian May (guitar) and Roger Taylor (drums) provided the backup voices . Mercury also added the backup voices to recordings.

The documentary film 20 Feet from Stardom by director Morgan Neville , which won an Oscar in 2014, examines the work of accompanying singers of great stars of rock and pop music.

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