How much of Gillian's (Or Phil's or Steve's) synths are really live?

This isn’t meant to be a pop at Gillian, as a similar question could have also been asked during the years Gillian wasn’t in the band. And it really is nice to see her back. Honest!

Having seen Bad Loo at the Electric ballroom, it was pretty obvious that all the synthy bits in BLT were being played after someone (either Phil or Bernard I think) hit the start button on a big box of tricks to Bernard’s right.

That still seems to be the case now that Gillian is back, with Bernard giving a signal to someone off stage to his right beyond Phil (Gerry the sound man?). Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised; most of the synth bits are pretty sequenced sounding and would probably leave you with aching fingers petty quickly. But it makes me wonder if Gillian is playing anything that we can hear during BLT.

Same for WFTSC. A little hand signal from Bernard to his right and the synthy bits of the intro come in sounding exactly like the intro on the record. And the same again for Here to Stay, which sounds very pre-programmed to me.

Of course even during the Gillian-less years, Blue Monday was -according to some on here- credited as being mostly down to Roger Lyons hitting the start button on a tape machine off-stage. So it just leaves me wondering if anyone knows (rather than just pre-supposes) how much of NO’s synths really get played live on stage these days.

I’m not trying to piss anyone off here; I really did enjoy Brixton on Thursday!

It is a valid point,it's probably a combination of live and pre-programmed with some songs being more of one than the other.

...Roger Lyons hitting the start button on a tape machine...

There are no tapes, people haven't used tapes since the 90s.

You'll find it's actually laptops. Steve had one in BL, not noticed it in this version of New Order, maybe it's still there.

Of course then synths are live. Obviously there are programmed basslines and beats and certain sequenced melodies that are programmed and run off of a backing track (which is not tape, they run off of an Akai hard disk recorder and may have been switched over to a Mac by now).

But...all of the MAIN synth melodies are played live. This is especially evident on tracks like True Faith, Blue Monday, Regret, Temptation, ect.

In regards to your query on Bizarre Love Triangle, Gillian played the arpeggiated synth part just before the verses, as well as the string chords during the chorus. Steve played the swirling synth parts just before the chorus, and the string pads during the chorus, and the orchestra hits.

In terms of electronic music being done live, if you are using machines like sequencers or computers to run your backing tracks, this is considered to be "live" as the machines have to remember and "play" what has been programmed, and if you don't take care of them, they will fuck up.

As for Bernard's signals....he is probably signaling the person off stage (usually Roger Lyons) to start the backing track.

In a recent photo on NewOrderNow.net, you can see a small laptop let of Steve by his drum kit. Not sure what that is being used for.

Most people around ME seemed TOO pissed to care!

SHED wrote: Most people around ME seemed TOO pissed to care!

Exactly!

Which is why my whinge about the "mimed bass" is completely pointless, if you're there and having a good time, what the fuck does it matter, they were having a good time, we were having a good time, if the keyboards are sequenced or pre recorded on hard disc or even just played from an mp3 player it doesn't matter to the majority of people there, they're just loving the moment.