Backing Tracks?

[richardmac]

Who does and does not use backing tracks? Why or why not? Do you buy them, make your own from scratch, or download midi files and mod them?

 

I'll go first. I use backing tracks because it's expected in the places that I want to play, meaning all the other solo performers do it. I also enjoy it more and I think it sounds better. I fought this idea for about 3 years before I gave in.

 

I have my own rules for backing tracks, though. I always make my own or modify someone else's midi files, because I want really good sounding bass, drums, keys, etc, and I've got Logic 9. I always mix down to AIFF and transfer it to my iPod Touch. And I have an older iPod Touch with the same tracks on it as a backup. A lot of my tracks are drums, bass, and maybe a keyboard. I try to leave out a lot of frills (strings, oohs and ahhs, and all that crap) because I think the fewer instruments in the backing track, the less your voice and guitar (or keyboard) are competing with. Too many tracks and you get lost in your own mix. Lots of my tracks are just drums and bass.

 

Some songs are exceptions, though. I did a background track for "You Might Think" by The Cars and it's got quite a few tracks on it.

 

I try very very hard to not put any solos on the backing tracks - I want to play all solos live. I don't put a rhythm guitar on the tracks ever. And I never put backing vocals on the track. This limits the songs I can do, but there are enough songs that don't require harmonies. If I ever get into a duo, I'll do tons and tons of harmonizing because I think it sounds awesome.

 

There is definitely a skill to playing to a backing track - it takes a while to get the hang of making it sound natural. Right now my biggest challenge is getting all of my backing tracks to be the same volume, so that I'm not constantly raising or lowering the volume. The iPod will do it, but it does it by compressing the hell out of the output and it sounds like ass. So I'm remixing all of my tracks to try to make them the same volume. For some reason I'm finding that difficult.

[amx13]

I also use them, I found a web page with editable multi-track files, so I can remove all the parts I don

[John Bartus]

I personally don't use them. ("Not that there's anything wrong with that!") I do use a basic looper pedal (Akai Head Rush) and a harmony pedal (Digitech Vocalist Live 3), and they give me the flexibility to do some challenging material while still keeping everything "live" (the Akai doesn't store loops in memory, and it only has about 23 seconds total loop time). Still, it lets me record guitar and percussion loops I can play along with and solo over. More fun than humans should be allowed to have!

 

[Howie22]

I don't use them. I'm not opposed to it overall, if they are done well. However, there are SO MANY out there that are not done well and just sound like pure cheese. Just not my thing. A couple of years ago I saw a guy play with backing tracks. He hardly even played his guitar?? It was just karaoke at that point.

 

I market myself as a solo acoustic act, so that's what I am. No harmony effects, no loopers, no backing tracks. Just me and my guitar, with extra volume. I do use your basic reverb, and a little vocal compression.

 

I think loop pedals are kind of cool - again, if they are done right. However, they are extremely overused these days, and can come off as a little gimmicky to me.

 

As for the harmony pedals, I really do not like those things. They sound incredibly artificial to me.

 

I guess my goal is that you'd get the same show if you heard me playing in a bar or heard me playing around a campfire with just a guitar.

 

Not meaning to blast anyone or what they are doing. Everyone does their own thing, and hopefully is successful. You just asked why or why not, so I answered.

[jayare]

I make all my tracks at home ,using a Fender Bass,Yamaha Keyboard ,roland TR-707,and a Tascam

DO-01FX 8track recorder.I have used minidiscs to playback the tracks onstage,tried CDs for a while,tried various MP3 players (screen is way too small for me),Finally a friend fromt Texas, on the Bose board got me using a Digitech Jamman.But you dont use it as a looper.The flash card holds 99

Tracks.After you record your track,dump it to the Jamman Card.Onstage,they are shown as a number from 1-99.Dial up your track,hit play,and go.While you are playing a track ,you can dial up whichever song you want next,and either it will start after the current track,or if you hit "Stop',it will be ready to go.Ive got backups,but that thing has been flawless.

[RupertB]

 

I don't use them. I'm not opposed to it overall, if they are done well. However, there are SO MANY out there that are not done well and just sound like pure cheese. Just not my thing. A couple of years ago I saw a guy play with backing tracks. He hardly even played his guitar?? It was just karaoke at that point. .

 

 

Same here. I've seen it done well (and in very creative/subtle ways) but too often as a poorly executed band-aid (n.p.i.).

 

I do solo, duo (mostly), trio & full band gigs. Personally, I prefer the challenge of working with the strengths and limitations of each format & players over that of using tracks.

[rodclement]

No tracks for us either...no issues if it's done well but to many poor deliveries out there. I had a dj at a party at my club that would bring a girl with him and both would sing to karaoke tracks during the night, this was his "show", between full dj and them singing they made the night work...I guess there is a market for everyone...

 

Rod

[sventvkg]

Richard, I only used tracks a few times because there was a really well paid regular gig that i had some years ago that wanted that so I worked it up. It was fine and fun because I brought my electric out and I could rip! I have nothing against it really for a cover thing. If I were doing Covers again and the gig called for Backing tracks I would use them.

[richardmac]

I think it's good to hear all the different perspectives. One thing that I agree with was the comment that if the background tracks are done poorly, they can make you look like a clown. When you get to the point where you're holding your guitar and singing to the track, and the guitar is a prop, you've crossed the line. And to me, and everyone has their own opinion, but to me the line is all the extra embellishments that some backing tracks have. The most inconspicuous backing track you can have is just drums and bass, IMHO. What's the featured instrument of the song? That's the one you should be playing.

 

I also think that some songs stand alone. I don't use backing tracks on "Just The Way You Are," or "Daniel," or "Your Song." Or "Piano Man."

 

I think it's easier for a duo to not use backing tracks because you can fill out the sound a lot better. If I were in a duo, I think I could go either way.

[fingerpicker]

No tracks-I have used them before but they were not my style. I do use a looper and a stompbox for a bass beat, people dig the organic thing.

 

I have played places where you where you would NOT get the gig if you used tracks. Now if I was doing a country club gig tracks would be real beneficial.

[six20aus]

For me the issue isn't tracks v no tracks its the quality of the tracks.

 

Every time I see a duo (most coverbands in Australia getting work are now just duo's) they have really crap backing tracks. Two main faults.

1. They just download a midi off the net and use that

2. They use their crap soundcard to generate the instruments

 

It took me 2-3 years to really learn how to make pro backing tracks and when we played out we got complimented as being the best sounding band because we really did sound like a full band even though most backing track users say they do.

 

Why ?

1. Because I would use other people's midi's from the net as a starting point if I found a good file (otherwise I'd write it from scratch) and then I would spend time listening to the original track and remapping any bad drum rolls/incorrect notes etc and mapping the velocities of individual instrument notes so they sounded like they were played by a human.

2. I would use REAL instrument samples like BFD drums and a pro qaulity soundcard to deliver samples that actually sound like the real thing. I even had agents/promoters who thought we were a real band after hearing our demos.

 

You can have a listen to some of the demo's of my old band to hear what they sound like at http://image-band.com.au/

 

My point is that the reason backing tracks get such a bad rap is that 99% of people that use them use really crap ones that sound like a pathetic drum machine and a casio keyboard badly mixed together. If people used real instruments with a proper dynamic range mixed together I think real bands would be in even more strife than they are in now.

[richardmac]

You do the exact same thing that I do. Sometimes I can't find a track to use as a starter kit and I'll do it from scratch, which can be fun, but mostly I'll grab a midi track and start modifying it. I've had BFD on my wish list for a while - I have some pretty good drum samples so I can't justify putting the money into it right now, but eventually I will. I'm running Logic 9 and it has a kick ass collection of synths and samples out of the box, plus I've got others.

[lz4005]

If you can't remember all the lyrics and play whole songs yourself without relying on pre-recorded tracks, you are just doing karaoke and should not be paid to "perform" anywhere. Ever.

[daddymack]

If you can't remember all the lyrics and play whole songs yourself without relying on pre-recorded tracks, you are just doing karaoke and should not be paid to "perform" anywhere. Ever.

I think the issue here is more about presentation, not about being able to cover the tune in a bare bones manner. Should a guitarist not cover a song because it is a keyboard dominated tune, or could he use a backing track of a keyboard to keep the flavor closer to the original? To my mind a solo act is just that, and using tracks should be done judiciously, IMHO. I recently saw a soloist who, unfortunately, felt he needed to sound like a five piece band including a sax player...it was painful to watch him sit there strumming while an invisible sax wailed away...maybe the real question is when is it too much?

[lz4005]

 

I recently saw a soloist who, unfortunately, felt he needed to sound like a five piece band including a sax player...it was painful to watch him sit there strumming while an invisible sax wailed away...maybe the real question is when is it too much?

 

 

The majority of people I see playing to tracks are actually horn players. I saw one who had horn solos IN THE TRACK! He just sat there and didn't play half the time. It makes no sense.

Then again, it sounded better that way.

[richardmac]

 

If you can't remember all the lyrics and play whole songs yourself without relying on pre-recorded tracks, you are just doing karaoke and should not be paid to "perform" anywhere. Ever.

 

 

Whatever.

[lz4005]

You're the one who asked the question.

[sventvkg]

 

If you can't remember all the lyrics and play whole songs yourself without relying on pre-recorded tracks, you are just doing karaoke and should not be paid to "perform" anywhere. Ever.

 

 

Some gigs call for it. If you want the $$ you use the tracks. To each his own.

[lz4005]

 

Some gigs call for it. If you want the $$ you use the tracks. To each his own.

 

 

Do they specifically call for tracks, or do they call for one person playing more than solo guitar or piano? I'm thinking of things like arranger keyboards that generate bass lines by reading left hand chords and where you trigger drum fills and starts/stops with food pedals. I know it can be a fine line in some cases, but it is still a pretty important distinction, I think.

[six20aus]

 

Do they specifically call for tracks, or do they call for one person playing more than solo guitar or piano? I'm thinking of things like arranger keyboards that generate bass lines by reading left hand chords and where you trigger drum fills and starts/stops with food pedals. I know it can be a fine line in some cases, but it is still a pretty important distinction, I think.

.

Are you serious ?

99% of the people in most venues couldn't give a sh*t if you're Eddie Van Halen or if the guitar is on the backing track. All they care about is "I'm having such a good time with my friends and wow that's one of my favourite songs...let's dance"

 

Just because someone uses backing tracks does not mean they are not accomplished musicians in their own right - it means

- They can't be @rsed with the hassle of organising 4 or 5 people all the time

- They can take home a better cut of the total pay

 

As musicians our sole responsibility is to entertain. If I can sound like a kick @rse tight full band using backing tracks then I will.

 

*For the record I don't put guitars on the backing tracks except for a couple of tracks where there are two guitars in the original and it sounds 'empty' without a rythm guitar while I am playing the main riff, all solo's etc I do live

[lz4005]

 

As musicians our sole responsibility is to entertain. If I can sound like a kick @rse tight full band using backing tracks then I will.

 

 

As musicians our sole responsibility is to play music. An entertainer's sole responsibility is to entertain. There is a difference. For an entertainer there isn't a distinction between music, juggling, stand up comedy or sword swallowing, as long as the crowd likes it.

 

I'm a musician. What are you?

[Bajazz]

I don't use backing. Don't use music stand. Hell, I don't use fx, not even reverb....

 

I feel that my task and mission is to deliver 100% live and real music, and I also take it as a challenge to be able to engage and communicate with the audience as if I was a whole band. I also work hard to deliver my guitar playing as much more than strumming guitar (I use bass lines and play solos on top of chords etc... + percussion tricks) I also work as hard (or actually harder) on vocals, I can nail Johnny Cash while I sing AC/DC the next tune. Typically on each gig I'm accused for use playback and/or backing on my shows, also by professional musicians. This gives me a hellova kick!

Are you serious ? 99% of the people in most venues couldn't give a sh*t if you're Eddie Van Halen or if the guitar is on the backing track. All they care about is "I'm having such a good time with my friends and wow that's one of my favourite songs...let's dance" Just because someone uses backing tracks does not mean they are not accomplished musicians in their own right - it means - They can't be @rsed with the hassle of organising 4 or 5 people all the time - They can take home a better cut of the total pay As musicians our sole responsibility is to entertain. If I can sound like a kick @rse tight full band using backing tracks then I will. *For the record I don't put guitars on the backing tracks except for a couple of tracks where there are two guitars in the original and it sounds 'empty' without a rythm guitar while I am playing the main riff, all solo's etc I do live

If people don't hear the difference between EVH and a poser doing guitaroke, they don't deserve EVH. Myself try to steer away from people that don't give a f*ck, and play for people who love live music. It's also some differene in culture, and in my country, most people really appriciate autenthic and live music more than what's typical for other countries.

 

I WILL appear arrogant on this subject, because I take much pride in this, it's my pet peeve in music. I don't care that other people use backing, hell, just go on playing a CD and pretend to sing and play, I don't mind. It's just like when you whatch a movie with actions scenes using stuntmen, and you feel confident cause you know you can do all those tricks without stunt man & safety net!

[six20aus]

 

Yes, I'm serious. Even though 99% of the audience may not care that you're doing karaoke instead of playing music, you should. Every musician should. I'm a musician. What are you?

 

 

Karaoke?? wtf ??? Am I miming ???

 

I'm PLAYING live guitar and singing live so by your logic I am a musician AND an entertainer

[richardmac]

 

You're the one who asked the question.

 

 

Yes, I did - fair enough. And I didn't include a disclaimer about not being insulting about it. It isn't what you said, but how you said it. I used to feel the same way as you, about 4 years ago, to be honest. But I'm with sventvkg... to each his own.

[fingerpicker]

 

99% of the people in most venues couldn't give a sh*t if you're Eddie Van Halen or if the guitar is on the backing track.

 

 

So not true. Musicians cannot be complacent and think the audience is too stupid or just doesnt care.