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Playing with backing tracks?!


ben604
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Hello!

Couple of good mates and myself have decided to have a bash at the covers band thing. We're trying to be a little bit different than the averge effort, probably at the cost of some gigs, but we're hoping to maintain a semblance of what we perceive to be "musical integrity"...

We're trying to decide between a keyboardist and/or backing tracks. Our drummer is comfortable playing along with click tracks but we're not sure what's exactly possible with backing tracks and how to trigger them etc.

Could you in theory start a synth backing track, with the click in the drummers ear and play a whole 3-4 minute song with that running or do you have to be some sort of robot time keeper for it to work?

Also, if it is possible, are there resources available (paid or free) where you can download just synth/keyboard/sample backing tracks or do you have to create them yourself?

Thanks in advance!

Ben.

Edited by ben604
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Weve done this for years to get keys/strings etc

I use a propriatry midi file because I can take out the parts I dont want, and change the key. I use cakewalk on my pc to do this but there are other programs you can use.

I record a click track, usually just 4 beats to the bar, or whatever and send it to the drummer who wears either a small in ear or full headphones. It is good discipline bcause you HAVE to follow the drummer. Its pretty easy once you get used to it, but we still have the odd mishap if we dont count properly.

You can use one stereo channel on a minidisc, and send the music backing to the other channel up the front. I have seen people using i pods and computers to do the same thing. Otherwise, you would have to get some sort of midi playing software and a midi sound module. It used to be the alesis data disc and a roland sound canvas some years ago but I expect there are other ways.

You do have to strike a balance between being a karioke and a band, and I dont think it works to use it on every song.

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Yes thats pretty much what we do.
Its all down to trial and error and what works for you. Its fun sometims to go out as a three piece and then have a stonking great horn section coming out of nowhere.
Try to get your clicks to be heard only by the band, not out the front as the song starts, people do notice and comment. If you change Key, horns especially need fiddling with to get them to sound good. Do you go up or down, sometimes I double and get a track an octive above, and another below.
Try to find a way of easily controlling the volume, its almost impossible to get the balance right on different songs.
Good Luck have fun
We have been known to play time is tight and have people wondering who is playing the hammond

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Yeah, I'm trying to decide at the moment between backing tracks and literally a looper. What I'm thinking is, buy one of those boss things, track all my synth things into it before the gig, then have it on my pedalboard (not going through my amp or anything) and have no input to it, either, just have it go through a DI box, and triger the samples with my feet. The only problem is hat my drummer would HAVE to play to a click track, and keep to that tempo, and not move from it, or the samples would be out. But it is quite a flexible way of having a keyboard player's samples, but not having a keyboard player to cramp your style :) Also, the other thing that's really useful is that if you decide to do a section again (or it happens accidently) then you can just trigger the samples again!

Edited by iamapirate
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Most people work with the drummer wearing headphones with a click track.

A lot of the free midi files are hit and miss so I would consider paying for them.

Stay away from only using GM as the are generally not that good. unless thing have changed in the last 6 years.

Are you using a large PA with engineer or do you have a simple set up? if the latter keep the set up simple also, do the tracks at home then bounce them to a stereo file one side click and the other side music. use a mini disk or until player until you get to grips with working with them.

A lot depends on what type of band you want to be.

as for "musical integrity"...

here is a quote from danOwens

"I only seem to come into contact with the haters on the amateur circuit. Throughout my professional work, most people seem to be either interested in or involved with midi sequencing to some degree:

good luck

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[quote name='ironside1966' post='546946' date='Jul 21 2009, 07:57 PM']A lot of the free midi files are hit and miss so I would consider paying for them.

good luck[/quote]

Yes I have quite a big collection which I downloaded free from the net that I use for practise/mucking abouy but virtually all the ones we use live i bought. The quality is generally much better.

Comtracks and midi files now are both generally pretty good

Edited by bumnote
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