MR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN7FPL4g ... re=related

This is hands-down my favorite Journey song. Arnel and Deen sound really good on this; video is not great, but the audio is super.

DrFU wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN7FPL4gOKk&feature=related

This is hands-down my favorite Journey song. Arnel and Deen sound really good on this; video is not great, but the audio is super.

Sounds pretty damn good. Arnel has such a great voice. I just wish he had Augeri's chops.

Vocals are fine, but something sounds off about the song. Might be the synths?

Gideon wrote:Vocals are fine, but something sounds off about the song. Might be the synths?

The keys are practically non-existent when they go into the chorus. They should be heard easily between the lyrics but all I hear is guitar.

Don wrote:

Gideon wrote:Vocals are fine, but something sounds off about the song. Might be the synths?

The keys are practically non-existent when they go into the chorus. They should be heard easily between the lyrics but all I hear is guitar.

I think Jon's on rhythm at the end, too.
That shit is starting to get on my nerves. In the studio version, Higher Place didn't really have synths, but the live version did. It helped beef the sound up and was a colossal improvement. Having Jon on rhythm guitar for certain songs is necessary, but he doesn't need to be on it every time Neal goes into a solo.

They need to reduce the number of pre-recorded synths live, too. Chain of Love is a great example of that. Or Wildest Dream.

Seems slowed down or de-tuned or something. Arnel sounds great, but where's the energy?

Arnel sings the crap out of this. Augeri's version was great, but this has way more balls to it. Too bad Arnel didn't do the original recording.
The keys are down in the mix, but it IS a phone recording after all.

Gideon wrote:

Don wrote:

Gideon wrote:Vocals are fine, but something sounds off about the song. Might be the synths?

The keys are practically non-existent when they go into the chorus. They should be heard easily between the lyrics but all I hear is guitar.

I think Jon's on rhythm at the end, too.
That shit is starting to get on my nerves. In the studio version, Higher Place didn't really have synths, but the live version did. It helped beef the sound up and was a colossal improvement. Having Jon on rhythm guitar for certain songs is necessary, but he doesn't need to be on it every time Neal goes into a solo.

They need to reduce the number of pre-recorded synths live, too. Chain of Love is a great example of that. Or Wildest Dream.

I don't know why they couldn't get a guitar tech to fill in on some of the rhythm guitar.

My guess would be to keep it in the band, so to speak. Journey doesn't hire back up singers or touring musicians like, say, Toto. While I respect that, reliance on computerized/prerecorded playing isn't exactly genuine either.

I understand that the band won't be able to replicate certain effects live, but they should really try to minimize it. Wildest Dream in 2009 was the biggest offender; the keys are a critical element to that song and on the Manila DVD and for much of the subsequent tour, it was all piped in.

Gideon wrote:My guess would be to keep it in the band, so to speak. Journey doesn't hire back up singers or touring musicians like, say, Toto. While I respect that, reliance on computerized/prerecorded playing isn't exactly genuine either.

I understand that the band won't be able to replicate certain effects live, but they should really try to minimize it. Wildest Dream in 2009 was the biggest offender; the keys are a critical element to that song and on the Manila DVD and for much of the subsequent tour, it was all piped in.

On the Escape tour, I remember a roady playing acoustic guitar. He wasn't on stage but was kind of in this pit area of the stage. I think it was during Who's Crying Now.