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HouseBoyKnows
Two guitars, bass and drums is optimal IMHO. That's four pieces.
The rhythm guitarist or bassist can sing lead vocals - see Metallica.Quote
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HouseBoyKnows
Two guitars, bass and drums is optimal IMHO. That's four pieces.
The singer isn't a "piece"?
You gave two bad examples because U2 has never had a standard "rhythm/lead" sound, nor has the Police really...plus they fill in their live sound with sequencers to a degree.Quote
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Seems to me that the best live sound is with two guitarists. Go see U2, The Police, etc. and it just doesn't work as well, even though in the case of the latter Andy Summers is a great player.
Indeed, although I have to admit are a few instances where the sound gets a little thin without the rhythm behind Billy's playing, although Dusty is awesome.Quote
Hairball
ZZ Top is still great live.
To paraphrase Billy Gibbons: "We're the same three members playing the same three chords since 1969"
More optimal is that one of the guitarists is good on keyboards. But trios like The Police, Led Zepplin, U2 are ridiculous in concert. The sound is too thin and not representative enough of the what went on in the studio which was scads of multi-tracking.Quote
HouseBoyKnows
Two guitars, bass and drums is optimal IMHO. That's four pieces.
Rush does an amazing job of replicating their sound live, although they use tons of synths and sequencers.Quote
triceratopsMore optimal is that one of the guitarists is good on keyboards. But trios like The Police, Led Zepplin, U2 are ridiculous in concert. The sound is too thin and not representative enough of the what went on in the studio which was scads of multi-tracking.Quote
HouseBoyKnows
Two guitars, bass and drums is optimal IMHO. That's four pieces.
And U2 does fill in it's live sound these days (and for the last 10-15 years) with a touring keyboardist who infamously dwells beneath the stage.
White Stripes?Quote
LeonidP
What about 2 piece bands?
** Local H - Bound for the Floor **
** The Inbreds - Any Sense of Time **
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Seems to me that the best live sound is with two guitarists.
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keefriff99White Stripes?Quote
LeonidP
What about 2 piece bands?
** Local H - Bound for the Floor **
** The Inbreds - Any Sense of Time **
Imagine how they'd sound nowadays with only Keith?Quote
HonkeyTonkFlash
It all depends who's involved. In their heyday, The Who were fantastic with only one guitar. Same with Zep. The Stones, however absolutely would have suffered without a two guitar attack.
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stonehearted
Depends on the musicians.
Cream was great as a three-piece, each filling out the space and blending interplay perfectly.
The Doors only had three musicians onstage, and this too worked perfectly.
The Who, same thing. However, with two of the originals now gone they seem to work best live these days as a nine- or ten-piece outfit.
The Stones used to be a five-piece band live -- when Jagger was playing harmonica -- but aren't they now a twelve- or fifteen-piece outfit? It's hard to keep count since 1989 or so.
Wow, okay -- actually I was just making an exaggerated guess.Quote
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stonehearted
The Stones used to be a five-piece band live -- when Jagger was playing harmonica -- but aren't they now a twelve- or fifteen-piece outfit? It's hard to keep count since 1989 or so.
11, unless I forgot someone?
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stoneheartedWow, okay -- actually I was just making an exaggerated guess.Quote
DandelionPowdermanQuote
stonehearted
The Stones used to be a five-piece band live -- when Jagger was playing harmonica -- but aren't they now a twelve- or fifteen-piece outfit? It's hard to keep count since 1989 or so.
11, unless I forgot someone?
That's still quite a lot of cooks in the kitchen -- and this is the toned down version since 2012.
I definitely think the peak number was 1989 (3 singers and 2 keyboardists, plus the horn section).Quote
HonkeyTonkFlashQuote
stoneheartedWow, okay -- actually I was just making an exaggerated guess.Quote
DandelionPowdermanQuote
stonehearted
The Stones used to be a five-piece band live -- when Jagger was playing harmonica -- but aren't they now a twelve- or fifteen-piece outfit? It's hard to keep count since 1989 or so.
11, unless I forgot someone?
That's still quite a lot of cooks in the kitchen -- and this is the toned down version since 2012.
Hmm...I lost count too...4 Stones, 1 bass, 2 keyboards, 2 horns, and 2 singers..did I forget anyone? Yep, 11 lately! I miss when they played as just the Stones and Stu!..and in 1981 Mac! The peak had to be 1989 with a large horn section and 3 back up singers.
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wonderboy
How many did the Stones have on stage in the mid-70s?
The five of them, two horn players, Ollie Brown, Billy Preston ... other keyboards? more horns?