Are these guys lip-syncing ? (Reflections of My Life)

[Mikey]

Was just watching this video .....

These guys are either lip-syncing or it's the best live performance of a song ever - meaning it's very close to the original recording.

For people who think they're lip-syncing, watch the end of the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79NiN7ISW7E

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[Sideshow Spock]

Obviously there's a lot of instrumentation going on other than the guitars and drums you see the band playing.. strings, horns, keyboards. So unless there's an orchestra off-stage, there's a pre-recorded track being used.

I agree it's hard to tell if they're lip-synching the words, but that was standard practice for American Bandstand etc performances.

[MIB41]

That is clearly a studio recording dubbed over top of that performance.

[SeattleEd]

The drums are live but the other instrumentation is not. No chords!! Or mics on the acoustics. Dead giveaway.
Standard practice was to utilize the rehearsal take that was best and playback during live performance so yes, he is (they are) lips-syncing and you can tell by his constant movement away from the mic while moving around. Proximity effect. You don't hear the drop in vox at all.
I work with music videos all day and some times we have to remaster audio and correct the speed or sync up the audio to video to match. It's fun and I work with material like this all the time.

[Mikey]

The drums are live but the other instrumentation is not. No chords!! Or mics on the acoustics. Dead giveaway.
.

There's a cord on that acoustic guitar (left handed one)

See 0:51

[SeattleEd]

Good eye. I couldn't see it since it's too pixilated on my screen. But I'm not hearing it. LOL.

[generic]

At 3:28, the drummer either clicked the sticks together or hit a mic. Unless that was on the original studio recording, at least some of the performance was recorded specifically for this show. As ealdrett said, possibly a recording done earlier in the day mixed with studio tracks.

[bgrimm77]

Who cares if they are lip synching..... the singers suit and hair are AWESOME!!!

[nvmbrsdoom5]

I'm fairly certain that the vocals and drums you're hearing are live. Obviously there's a pre-recorded backing track of the string sections that they're playing along with, or was added in post.

[Megotu]

I just thought it was nice that Dr Who allowed them to film the performance inside the TARDIS....

[SeattleEd]

Okay, just ripped this vid and played it on my work monitor to get a better look and sound.
Yes, it's all live and all the instruments are plugged in. They are playing to a backing track of strings unless the string section is in the back of the stage but due to the clarity of the orchestration, it sounds like a backing track in the main feed.

Great harmonies, like the Bee Gees when performing live, or Beach Boys. Gotta dig bands with vocal talent. Wish I could say the same for The Beatles. Live, they were pretty subpar with harmonies, well in the mid to later days of touring. The early days like Hamburg and Cavern Club, they excelled at their vocal talent from months of playing almost every night.

[Mikey]

Just noticed your avatar

The good old Swing'in Pig

[SeattleEd]

Just noticed your avatar

The good old Swing'in Pig

Oh yeah, LOVE TMOQ!!! If notice I also embedded the APPLE logo from the Test Pressing label. Two of my favorite labels and logos in one.
Of course I like old TMOQ of Ken and Dub, not the 80's version from Dub.
Colored swirled vinyl ear candy. Yummy!!

[Mikey]

Oh yeah, LOVE TMOQ!!! If notice I also embedded the APPLE logo from the Test Pressing label. Two of my favorite labels and logos in one.
Of course I like old TMOQ of Ken and Dub, not the 80's version from Dub.
Colored swirled vinyl ear candy. Yummy!!

I bought The Beatles Ultra Rare Trax vol-1 and 2 back in the late 80's and that's how I recognized the logo

Made in West Germany

[SeattleEd]

Vinyl or CD? The vinyl was beautifully made with color swirl vinyl and inner sleeves.
I have the CD originals with the fluorescent green and orange covers. I recall the first day these came out. It was at the Pasadena City College Swap Meet and huge a crowd of collectors just picking these up left and right. $100 bucks each!! I couldn't afford it so I bought the knock version months later, BackTrack. $25.
Ultra Rare even made it to big name record stores in Hollywood in the Import section. Fun times.

Not sure where they made those but someone told me the Netherlands. BackTrack and subsequent boots were pressed in Korea for the first couple of years before the raids.

Ahh the good ole days of bootlegs.

I bought The Beatles Ultra Rare Trax vol-1 and 2 back in the late 80's and that's how I recognized the logo

Made in West Germany