I've noticed that kpop groups rarely ever adlib or have note changes

Do i have to say it? (Its a gen3-4 thing, less singing/less group singing in the choruses =less marhmonies to build on or even reason to have them sometime sthey just make the instrumental a littl more messy or have then yell towards the ends. If there is a differnce its porbabaly just a differnt member singing it with slightly more energy

The performances you're talking about are all lipsynched to the same prerecorded vocal track, that's why they sound like carbon copies of each other. Try watching genuinely live performances and you'll hear plenty of variations and adlibs.

Example:

2 genuinely live performances of the same song, with different details and adlibs.

I know that lipsynching to prerecorded vocals is the "in" thing in kpop right now, and has been for years, but I'm always surprised at how rampant it actually is and even more surprised at how many people are fooled by it. There are groups that get praised to the high heavens for their supposed live singing but I can barely find ANY real live performances of them, there's one group in particular that has literally lipsynched their way through most of their career so far but their fans still insist they're vocally focused lol. Ignorance is a bliss I guess.

I saw on twt or maybe a thread here that it may not just be the group/company’s choice to lipsynch but the PD’s of the show. Apparently they “fix” any perceived flaw they see on performances and that’s not even limited only to the idol industry but anything that involves singing

Quote from crystalblues

Yes, this is so common, the shows will even if the artist does sing live nowadays, edit it for most shows to make it sound clean as the original and not allow any voice cracks to show

Yes so we can’t put the blame for repetitive performance solely on these groups

Quote from lonelywhalien

I saw on twt or maybe a thread here that it may not just be the group/company’s choice to lipsynch but the PD’s of the show. Apparently they “fix” any perceived flaw they see on performances and that’s not even limited only to the idol industry but anything that involves singing

Yup! Sometimes you can tell that they were actually live via member fancams but the show runners edit the group performance so you can only hear backtrack. And then the groups get dragged for lipsynching when they really weren't

Well, EXO has changed notes many times.

bts does that alot in their live performances.

It depends on what groups you’re watching, methinks. There are a number of groups I can think about off the top of my head who do note changes and ad libs, and not just my faves..

i don't know about other groups, but BTS do a lot of adlibs from their live performances

Example :-

He changed it every time. First video he went even higher than usual without cracking or straining too much

I think they are afraid of getting criticized nowadays

Quote from chounim

The performances you're talking about are all lipsynched to the same prerecorded vocal track, that's why they sound like carbon copies of each other. Try watching genuinely live performances and you'll hear plenty of variations and adlibs.

Example:

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2 genuinely live performances of the same song, with different details and adlibs.

I know that lipsynching to prerecorded vocals is the "in" thing in kpop right now, and has been for years, but I'm always surprised at how rampant it actually is and even more surprised at how many people are fooled by it. There are groups that get praised to the high heavens for their supposed live singing but I can barely find ANY real live performances of them, there's one group in particular that has literally lipsynched their way through most of their career so far but their fans still insist they're vocally focused lol. Ignorance is a bliss I guess.

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Quote from fortuna

putting aside their stiff facial expressions and the lack of deviation from their choreography

having to see and hear the same thing over and over again

maybe that's why the performances are such a bore

Quote from daniel-cruz

Well, EXO has changed notes many times.

While lip-syncing seems more common for current-gen groups, when it comes to harmonizations and adlibs I've noticed that SM groups in particular have songs where members play off eachother's vocals or have some interesting, unexpected vocal riffs and runs.

Mamamoo as well I've seen use adlibs.

So maybe it's more of a preference per company.

I've always wondered why not more companies and groups make use of it, because it really gives songs that extra boost and liveliness, and makes it even more of a joy to listen to.

Quote from crystalblues

Although lipsynching can be very common in KPOP the following are my favorite full on live performances

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Interestingly enough, I've encountered several vocal analysis videos and topics where it was stated that You Hee-yeol's Sketchbookmakes use of excessive tweaking and tuning up of the vocal performances in their shows.

Not certain how much of that is true.

But I've always wondered how Blackjacks and other hardcore YG stans (the kind that always praised and talked about 'Papa YG' like that) were so quick and eager to believe that SNSD's performances in Sketchbook were fully lipsynced - for that matter, they believed EVERY performance of SNSD was lipsynced even if SNSD were already proven better singers - while at the same time believed there was no tweaking and tuning of 2NE1's performances in Sketchbook.

Felt like double standards to me.

Not all groups are like that

It's easier to find if you look at older groups.

Even though there's some backtrack in the chorus harmonization, it's mostly live.

But there are also current groups that sing live like Mamamoo (although there's also a backtrack in the chorus harmonization)

It's harder to find for dance groups, but Red Velvet also sings live, although not always. You can see it in this performance. Seulgi's head mic doesn't work, but then she gets a hand mic and you can see she's actually singing. But there's a backtrack in the whole song, you can hear it clearly in Seulgi's first part when her faulty mic doesn't capture her voice.

I was thinking about this during Seventeen's "Incomplete" VENEW Live concert. It wasn't boring, but I think the groups who can do harmonies properly equipped in the basics.

Quote from Zenning

While lip-syncing seems more common for current-gen groups, when it comes to harmonizations and adlibs I've noticed that SM groups in particular have songs where members play off eachother's vocals or have some interesting, unexpected vocal riffs and runs.

Mamamoo as well I've seen use adlibs.

So maybe it's more of a preference per company.

I've always wondered why not more companies and groups make use of it, because it really gives songs that extra boost and liveliness, and makes it even more of a joy to listen to.

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I don't know about all SM groups but I know for a fact SJ improvise their adlibs and change and add notes often in their live performances. Watching performances of the same song never feels like the same thing.

For example the way Ryeowook goes off (and slays) at 3:15 wasn't in the song originally

And there are other performances of the same song where even Siwon who's subvocalist adds improvised adlibs of his own

And even in more playful and casual ways

I think you need a certain level of musicianship as well as showmanship experience to have the necessary confidence and freedom to switch things up live

If we also consider soloists, even though you said groups:

IU changed her song. The instrumentation is a bit different and she included a dance bridge. It's also sang live.

imo it's okay for rookies to rarely have note changes. They are still trying to prove their worth. Adlibs take musicality.

Laughs in Kyungsoo .

sm groups go crazy with the adlibs tho.

seventeen do a lot of adlibs as well! seokmin be singing in the studio like theyre still broke and the rent is due the next day!

This is just funny... MAMAMOO has great ad-libs every time they perform at award shows.

I think the general consensus here is that it just depends on the group, and also the performance. As others have mentioned, it has changed a lot over time, and it's pretty common knowledge now that nowadays, the majority of music show performances and just performances that are specifically meant to be broadcasted are pre-recorded, or at least altered pretty significantly. You're most likely to find what you are looking for in live concerts.

Coming through

https://mobile.twitter.com/EUPH0RIAL0VE/status/1354592582236594177

Yeah I wish it happened more cos I’m starting to get bored and watch people on YouTube do covers of my fav KPOP songs lmao the live performances just aren’t doing it for me anymore

they often save ad libs and improvs for concerts

Quote from Zazatwin22

Why do you watch kpop performances then. Nobody is putting a gun to yall heads. Go watch doja cat live performances or something

I ageee, her performances are 10x better than kpop performances!

They can’t sing.. they don’t sing live etc.

And then Kpop stans have the nerve to talk about “western artist can never” when the gag is western artist overall shit on kpop.. other than choreography what is most of kpop really giving?

Quote from wendii

They can’t sing.. they don’t sing live etc.

And then Kpop stans have the nerve to talk about “western artist can never” when the gag is western artist overall shit on kpop.. other than choreography what is most of kpop really giving?

Actually, everything groups can do since western pop music seems to have abandoned groups in favor of solo artists.

So, that means group choreo, group harmonisation, playing off eachother's voices, vocal blending, riffs and runs.

A larger, more engaged fanbase, since there are more personalities in a group that fans can stan, and it also means more content for fans to dive into.

On top of that, K-pop has more quality, creativity and production value to their music videos.

Seems western pop music companies have given up on MV as a means and expression of quality and creativity, even '80s, '90s and early '00s American MV's have more creativity and variety than US MV's of the past years.

I read in some articles that the US has gotten worse in several ways the past 1-2 decades, and that 1 of the results was cultural poverty, in pop music as well. I'm inclined to agree with them.

Quote from fortuna

putting aside their stiff facial expressions and the lack of deviation from their choreography

having to see and hear the same thing over and over again

maybe that's why the performances are such a bore

Once a singer decides to ad-lib and does it live or on in the studio that’s when they become an artist. It’s very true. Jino was saying this about JK a lot and other vocal experts and reactioners I noticed.

Meanwhile BB would probably die if they couldn’t ad-lib lol

Quote from daniel-cruz

Example :-

He changed it every time. First video he went even higher than usual without cracking or straining too much

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TELL ME THE SONG THAT BAEKHYUN WAS SINGING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quote from dizzcity

This is just funny... MAMAMOO has great ad-libs every time they perform at award shows.

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God, their 2015-2017 performances were so damn good

Easily some of the best out there among all generations

Quote from wendii

I ageee, her performances are 10x better than kpop performances!

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Those are definitely not live lol

Quote from ArmyBlink0

TELL ME THE SONG THAT BAEKHYUN WAS SINGING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The name of the song is Drop That...and Baekhyun didn't even the best part in it....

Just wait for it in the first video...

I personally don’t like lip synching, would much rather prefer to hear groups singing live.