Being in an Instrumental Trio and using a backing track for shows....

[lpstudio86]

I of course play guitar. Im wondering, if i were to find a bassist and drummer for a trio, would it sound good for the crowd if the 3 of us to play to a backing track consisting of the rhythm guitar, and maybe some electronic sounds and some of the note harmonies?? Im thinking instead of hiring an extra Keyboardist and rhythm guitarist to make it a 5 piece instrumental, the trio would work fine using backing tracks. please let me know your thoughts on this. thanks in advance

 

[soulx]

Could sound fine. 

 

But to my ears, few combos sound better than a tight, tuned-in trio.  In that case, no need for the extra stuff.

[mrcpro]

Check the entertainment in the clubs you are targeting and see what they are hiring. In my area there's been a movement away from that, and a movement towards more pure live music in live music rooms - leaving pre-recorded music for the DJs.

[DanBAP]

 

---

lpstudio86 wrote:

 

 

I of course play guitar. Im wondering, if i were to find a bassist and drummer for a trio, would it sound good for the crowd if the 3 of us to play to a backing track consisting of the rhythm guitar, and maybe some electronic sounds and some of the note harmonies?? Im thinking instead of hiring an extra Keyboardist and rhythm guitarist to make it a 5 piece instrumental, the trio would work fine using backing tracks. please let me know your thoughts on this. thanks in advance

 

 

---

 

 

No.

 

Unless you really know what you're doing (and frankly, if you're asking this question, you probably don't) and/or you're doing original music that requires backing tracks, playing with tracks is going to sound worse than not playing with tracks. In the vast majority of cases at the amateur level, backing tracks sound cheesy as hell. Instead of faking it, learn how to re-arrange the songs for the instruments you have.

 

-Dan.

[monthlymixcd]

You could always forego the bass player, too... ala White Stripes, Black Keys, Local H, etc.

You could also go the other direction, learn to play keys and/or get a bass player that can play keys and then both/either of you could play keys at times... or trigger samples. You could also use guitars with Kaoss pads inbuilt... awww heck, just go watch the

or Rush.