Symphony X choir vocals.

[Empty Vision]

I was just wondering, do Symphony X actually sing those choir vocals on songs like Sins and Shadows and Divine Wings or is there an actual choir that they hire to sing on the albums and if so do they do it live? I know all the members are very musically trained so I don't doubt that the band could do it, but when I watched the Gigantour DVD and they played Sins and Shadows when Mike and co stepped up to the mic to do those choir bits it didn't actually seem to me that they were singing, it kinda seemed like those vocals were pre-recorded and just played when that part of the song came up. I'm probably worng, but if anyone can clear this up for me then cheers!

 

[DoomsdayZach]

Pretty sure it's them.

 

[Horus]

Yeah, those vocals are all them.

 

[proulxski]

same, I am almost certain its them!

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

The bridge in Of Sins and Shadows does seem pre-recorded when they "sing" it live, but the rest of the vocals sound real.

Also, I'm pretty sure the entire intro to Divine Wings was a bunch of layered Russells.

 

[proulxski]

you'd be correct sir, its all Russell Allen for the intro to DwOT, but when the whole band sings together it always sounds the same, very noticeable...

 

[raythetse]

are you talking live or on album?

there is no way thats all russel allen singing that intro harmonies on DWoT

lol

 

[OfSinsAndShred]

Wow. Sins and Shadows is totally pre-recorded live.

 

[gargamelthesmurfseater]

That issue have been brouth on youtube about this song played in Montreal in 2001. Hum, but as for myself I like to think it them but it sound so perfect that it hard to think it them, even though they are all in front of the mic when it that part.

 

[progmetaldan]

You can definately see that they aren't singing it properly (the bridge part), that the singing isnt actually coming from them, but who really cares?

 

[CttN]

You try being 6 different people on stage at once >=(

 

[gargamelthesmurfseater]

Actually, SX have always been 5 peoples on stage from what I saw. With the exeption of casual stage diver of course!!!

 

[CttN]

I was referring to Allen being 6 people at once, as he is in studio.

 

[gargamelthesmurfseater]

Dunno about that...sorry about it, my mistake. Well it's true that russel worth at least 6 but it not what you are talking about.

 

[proulxski]

The intro to Divine Wings of Tragedy on the studio version is layered Allens, its not hard to be 6 people with the magic of a studio!

 

[_Gentleman of_the Snow_]

It's strange... on LotEoF, most backup vocals are easily-recognized as backup vocals being sung live. Whether the vocals aren't perfectly on key, or the volumes aren't perfectly mixed, you can just tell. For the Sins and Shadows bridge, it sound like a pre-recording, mainly because it is exactly the same as the studio version... perfectly on key, mixed and everything. On the other hand, if it IS a pre-recording, timing that would be really difficult without playing to a metronome from the start.

As for the 6 people thing, I believe it was a sarcastic comment stating that it'd be hard to get the Sins vocals to be perfect live, since it has 6 tracks originally (just an estimation/exaggeration).

 

[Mantis Warrior]

When they perform "Sins and Shadows" live, Pinella has the choir vocal part sampled, and he cues it up from his keyboard rig.
The guys also sing along with it, and the recorded sample is obviously layers of ALLEN and also perhaps a few of the other members, so it is a mix of both.
The trick is to get the volumes right on everything so the mic's don't overpower the cued sample. They need to blend it together so it all sounds nice.
They do a great job using technology to boost their live sound.
I have seen them in-concert a few times, and they definitely did NOT have a choir with them on the road!
Their music is so complex, it is amazing how great a job they do when they take their show on the road. I was totally blown-away the first time I saw them perform "The Odyssey" on stage in it's entirety.

~Mr. Mantis~

 

[Phanto]

Welcome to the forums Mantis! (noticed it was your first post )

 

[Mantis Warrior]

Thanks, Phanto!

I've been "out of the loop" for awhile now, because I got sick of the "politics".

I've been a long-time fan of Symphony X, and I am really excited about their new album.
After all.... it's only been FOUR YEARS since their last masterpiece!

~Mr. Mantis~

 

[Taliwakker]

Symphomy X are clearly the Milli Vanilli's of progmetal.