History Main / InvisibleBackupBand

* [[HimeChenOtogiChikkuIdolLilpri Lilpri]] does this whenever they "Himechen" (the shows name for their transformation).

* Naturally, this happens a lot in ''{{Glee}}''. Sometimes, however, it's averted rather hilariously.

* Speaking of {{Glee}}, in the {{Community}} episode "Regional Holiday Music" which parodied said show specifically made fun of this trope. The Glee club coach tries to convince Abed to join by playing a song on the piano, only to jump up from it for a singing/dancing routine a few lines in. The music continues.

* The Arkenhammer of ''{{Erfworld}}'' functions like this, allowing the attuned user (Stanley) to "Rock Out" by using it like an air-guitar. This confers some massive combat bonuses and is the Titanic aspect of dance fighting. Dance fighting in general seems to use this trope when invoked, but not to nearly the same impressive degree (the Arkenhammer almost deafened Parson when demonstrated in an enclosed space).

* Sonny Eclipse, the animatronic intergalactic lounge lizard at the [[DisneyThemeParks Magic Kingdom's]] ''Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe'' has his Space Angels, who are even the subject of a tribute song that mentions how much he appreciates them even with being unable to see them.

* {{Inverted}} in ''DrHorriblesSingAlongBlog'', where [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Bad Horse]] writes letters to scan with his theme tune, and a chorus made up of three of the musical's writers dressed as cowboys lean in from off screen to sing along.

* Lampshaded in an episode of ''Series/SesameStreet'' with Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop as the episode's guest stars. Shari, Lamb Chop, and Big Bird sing the song "Perfect as a Pig" to Suey the Pig to boost her confidence in being a pig. When the invisible choir echoes the last line of every voice, all four look around for the source and give each other confused looks.

* ''RoadTo Zanzibar'' discusses this together with MickeyMousing in a GenreSavvy dialogue which ends with BingCrosby conducting the invisible orchestra to accompany his singing of the love theme:

--->-- ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''', "Once More With Feeling"

* In ''FerrisBuellersDayOff'', Cameron is accompanied by a ghostly offscreen chorus while singing sadly to himself in bed.

--->-- ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer''', "Once More With Feeling"

** Frequently, the characters will call out "Music maestro!" or "Hit it!" when cueing their invisible orchestra. One episode instead had Baby Bear about to sing a song, asking someone off-screen to hit hit the play button on the music player.

* In ''NoMoreHeroes'', Dr Peace sings a rousing tune when Travis meets him in an empty baseball stadium.

* In ''MacrossFrontier'', when Ranka begins to sing in public for the first time, initially you can see a guitarist at a music shop add some of his strings to her performance. ''Hold on'', where did all those other instruments come from?!

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* Most of the songs in ''TenaciousDInThePickOfDestiny'' have, at the very least, invisible drummers and bass guitarists. A couple also have a guitar playing out of nowhere, or an electric guitar playing when Kage and Jables only have acoustic guitars. "Classico" is probably the only song without an invisible backup band.

* Fancy Lala has one in the anime of the same name.

* Parodied a bit in ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' (of course). Any time Herbert even mentions wanting to sing, music starts to play.

* It pops up in ''DragonAge'', in a scene at the camp.

* Averted in ''GitarooMan'', wherein every time a musical duel begins, the backup band is seen somewhere, even if only as barely recognizable faces in the background, whether it's a crowded street downtown or the depths of space. They even have an in game biography stating that being the invisible backup band is their sworn duty.

* Sort of parodied in ''Film/RocknRollHighSchool'': Riff Randall is daydreaming about [[TheRamones Joey Ramone]] serenading her in her bedroom, and even though a full-band recording of "I Want You Around" is being used in the scene, it appears that he's only being backed up by Johnny Ramone on acoustic guitar. Then she opens the bathroom door and it turns out that Dee Dee and Marky were playing bass and drums in there the whole time.

* Sort of parodied in ''Film/RockNRollHighSchool'': Riff Randall is daydreaming about [[TheRamones Joey Ramone]] serenading her in her bedroom, and even though a full-band recording of "I Want You Around" is being used in the scene, it appears that he's only being backed up by Johnny Ramone on acoustic guitar. Then she opens the bathroom door and it turns out that Dee Dee and Marky were playing bass and drums in there the whole time.