Is lip-syncing the same as singing over a pre-recorded track?

During a music show held at the end of October in 30.10 Square, Ha Long City (Quang Ninh province), an unusual incident occurred. While singer Bich Phuong was performing the song "Di Du Dua Di," a male audience member ran onto the stage, snatched the microphone from her, and announced that he was looking for his lost child.

After the microphone left Bich Phuong's hand, her singing voice continued to ring out loudly and clearly, just as if she were still singing, along with a man's equally clear voice saying, "Please help me find my child." This means the microphone wasn't muted, leading the audience to suspect that Bich Phuong was lip-syncing.

The online uproar prompted the Inspectorate of the Department of Culture and Sports of Quang Ninh province to issue a document inviting singer Bich Phuong to their headquarters for explanation. Bich Phuong's manager, Hai Long, told the press: "We affirm that Bich Phuong did not lip-sync; anyone knowledgeable and with expertise in musical performance can clearly see this." Bich Phuong also declared that she did not lip-sync.

Currently, singers performing dance music are simply cheating by calling it "singing over a pre-recorded track." In reality, it's still lip-syncing.

Conductor Hoang Diep

This incident has sparked controversy within the music industry. Singer-songwriter Khắc Việt asserted that when performing dance songs, using backing vocals and employing the technique of layering vocals is perfectly acceptable. Music producer DuongK stated: “Layering vocals means singing live, covering a portion of the original recorded vocals. The version performed differs from the original recording in that one track (recorded vocal track) that runs throughout the song has been removed; that part is sung live by the singer, while the overlapping tracks, harmonies, and effects remain unchanged.” Composer Phạm Thanh Hà added: “Currently, the trend of layering vocals is becoming popular worldwide , especially when performing on large stages and in outdoor spaces, because it provides the best sound effect for the audience. Therefore, it can be determined that Bích Phương was layering vocals rather than lip-syncing.”

However, vocal experts and formally trained singers still believe that "singing over" is also a form of lip-syncing. Singer Hien Anh (second prize winner of the 2007 Sao Mai singing competition) stated that there is no term for "singing over" in vocal music; it's just a way of referring to a "trick." Conductor Hoang Diep, who has taught vocal techniques to many singers, said: "If you're going to sing live, you have to sing live completely, only accepting pre-recorded background music without vocals; except in the case of live television broadcasts where the stage's sound technology is inadequate, making lip-syncing necessary. Currently, singers performing dance music are just cheating by calling it 'singing over'. In reality, it's still lip-syncing. That's why people say whether a singer is truly talented or not depends on whether they can sing live, and you can tell by performing on a real stage, not just through million-view music videos or online popularity."

Currently, there is no official answer regarding the right or wrong of the matter. The public is still awaiting the conclusion from the competent authorities.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hat-de-co-phai-la-hat-nhep-185897860.htm