Backing Tracks?

[stunningbabe]

after all is said and done...what matters the most are the Gigs!

 

If using back up tracks can get you a lot of gigs...then good for you. It does not matter what some 'purists' say.

 

There's only so little you can do with a Guitar, feet percussion and Voice for gigs. If the audience want to dance...good luck on you getting gigs like that...cos you are not gonna get any.

 

Why limit your market, right? With back up tracks (good ones)...you can tear the dance floor with the grooviest rhythms, play nasty guitar solos, play YMCA and tell the dancing crowd to do the YMCA and etc.

 

When it comes to the quiter part of the night...you can always bring it down a notch and sing 'VINCENT'. Just your voice and your guitar plucking, Nothing else.

[bigboy78]

Why limit your market, right? With back up tracks (good ones)...you can tear the dance floor with the grooviest rhythms, play nasty guitar solos, play YMCA and tell the dancing crowd to do the YMCA and etc. When it comes to the quiter part of the night...you can always bring it down a notch and sing 'VINCENT'. Just your voice and your guitar plucking, Nothing else.

 

 

That is the main reason I am considering using tracks. I play in a duo with my brother (vox/guitar & bass) if you add a drum track all of a sudden you're a dance band. I'm considering setting up a faux DJ/dancing girl, who's only role would be to cue tracks and look pretty. A DJ cutting beats (or MP3 of dance beats) isn't really backing track, is it?

[stunningbabe]

 

That is the main reason I am considering using tracks. I play in a duo with my brother (vox/guitar & bass) if you add a drum track all of a sudden you're a dance band. I'm considering setting up a faux DJ/dancing girl, who's only role would be to cue tracks and look pretty. A DJ cutting beats (or MP3 of dance beats) isn't really backing track, is it?

 

 

If you suddenly became a dance band AND suddenly get many more gigs, will you be complaining?

[Bajazz]

Why limit your market, right?

Because I want gigs where people want my kind of music!

There's only so little you can do with a Guitar, feet percussion and Voice for gigs.

I use guitar and voice, and there is SO MUCH you can do! Just ask Tommy Emmanuel and Bobby McFerrin!

[sventvkg]

I'm not opposed to using them and if there ever came a time when I needed them to get gigs, If I started gigging covers again, I would happily use them. If you're good you're good..Doesn't matter if you have backing or not. Lefty Jay would rock acoustic just as he does with his tracks:) Drive on.

[Bajazz]

 

after all is said and done...what matters the most are the Gigs !

Totally agree! In this country you get more gigs w/o tracks, and get more credit. Playing only live venues also tends to elimiate lots of "I-don't-give-a-{censored}"-audience.

 

I also really love the feeling of just getting up and start playing without the hassle and time of dragging and plugging extra gear, programming etc... Spend this time with my dear acoustic!

[Notes_Norton]

Although I'm a multi-instrumentalist (Sax, voice, wind synth, guitar, flute, bass, drums, keyboard synth) I find I not only get to play a greater amount and variety of gigs with tracks, but I also get to play sax, flute and wind synth on the gig a lot.

I went to tracks out of necessity. It's difficult for a sax man to play in a duo without them.

I can enjoy a performance with our without them - as long as the performer(s) entertain me.

When the two of us are schlepping a PA set, two guitars, one tactile MIDI controller, a flute, two wind synths, a saxophone, three laptop computers and other paraphernalia to the gig, I sometimes think I'm carrying too many instruments. But when I'm actually playing, I sometimes wish I had brought my bass or keyboards along too.

As mentioned by stunningbabe, it's the gigs. If you can find more work with tracks and don't mind using them, then do it. If in your area, a simple guitar and mic setup get the gigs, go for it.

The music business has changed a lot since I started in the 1960s, I've survived doing music and nothing but music for most of my life by adapting to the changes. I plan on playing music as long as I can still fog a mirror. I can't imagine my life without gigging. And I'll do whatever it takes to continue.

Notes ?

[fingerpicker]

 

There's only so little you can do with a Guitar, feet percussion and Voice for gigs. If the audience want to dance...good luck on you getting gigs like that...cos you are not gonna get any.

 

 

You are way off. No offense but I can do a {censored} ton with just my guitar and banging on some foot percussion. I mean if your just strumming chords then I guess you need more, I dont

 

(Do you really "play" YMCA?? Oh god) Cheeeez

[EightString]

 

... If you're good you're good..Doesn't matter if you have backing or not.

 

 

IMHO, the most important words said in this thread.

[SOUND PROOF]

I'll just put in my $0.02. As far as "cheating" goes. How is using tracks different to having a band behind you? If you don't play the drums in the band are you cheating ? What difference does it make if I create the tracks my self or use a pro track? Again, if I'm playing in a full band there is very little chance that I have charted out all the parts for everyone else. Tracks are fine as long as the tracked part isn't your part and you're not trying to pass it off as anything other than a backing track.

 

 

Good point...

[stunningbabe]

 

You are way off. No offense but I can do a {censored} ton with just my guitar and banging on some foot percussion. I mean if your just strumming chords then I guess you need more, I dont (Do you really "play" YMCA?? Oh god) Cheeeez

 

 

Your comment sounds pretty egoistic. Well...good on ya anyway. (You mean you dont play YMCA? Oh god!)

[fingerpicker]

I am. You have to be in this business.

 

Edit:

 

I have to be. I'm a guitar player that went to college for classical guitar. I rely on my live playing alone to captivate an audience.

Hey if YMCA works for ya than my apologies. The real question is are you a stunning babe? Post in the "Pictures of you performing" thread purty purty pleez!!!!!! xo

[stunningbabe]

 

I am. You have to be in this business. Edit: I have to be. I'm a guitar player that went to college for classical guitar. I rely on my live playing alone to captivate an audience. Hey if YMCA works for ya than my apologies. The real question is are you a stunning babe? Post in the "Pictures of you performing" thread purty purty pleez!!!!!! xo

 

 

I am not a soloist or in a duo....so I dont need to post any photo in this 'solo & duo acts' forum.

[vintagevibes]

 

You are way off. No offense but I can do a {censored} ton with just my guitar and banging on some foot percussion. I mean if your just strumming chords then I guess you need more, I dont (Do you really "play" YMCA?? Oh god) Cheeeez

 

 

 

You can't do justice to Santana's Europa or ACDC's Highway to hell without backing tracks. Do you play a lot of lead in you're gig? If you do it over silence that would be really boring. If you do it over a looper that's not much different from backing tracks. If you don't play lead that's fine. I play a lot of lead in my gig and backing tracks are perfect if I mix them well. (Which I do - it's part of my art.) If you think that has any bearing on professionalism or skill you are wrong.

[charlie13]

I am not a soloist or in a duo....so I dont need to post any photo in this 'solo & duo acts' forum.

Awh....dang. Woulda liked that too. But, anyway, I have been using backing tracks since 2004 and my gig calendar has always been full. It's like what was commented earlier:

Originally Posted by sventvkg ... If you're good you're good..Doesn't matter if you have backing or not. IMHO, the most important words said in this thread.

 

 

I'm not being egotistical about it, but I believe that there must be a certain level of performance that sets you apart from others and if you are/were a good musician before backing tracks...then backing tracks should only enhance what you already do....play and sing. I have found that as along as I'm doing tunes that the audience digs and I sound good doing it, they could care less that I'm running a laptop with midi files. I also tweak out all my midis in my gigging system beforehand so I dont have any surprises on the gig...soundwise. There will always be those that frown upon using backing tracks, but as a classically trained guitarist myself, I have never had a problem using backing tracks. They're just a tool...One thing about backing tracks...my timing has really improved...easier to lock into a groove. Not to diss any drummers out there because I have worked with some excellent drummers over the years...but the machine is gonna play it the same way everytime and the tempo aint gonna change unless you tell it to. Another vaild point brought up by stunningbabe is to not limit your gig potential by not using backing tracks. Dance gigs come to mind....I do a fair share of those and without backing tracks songs like "YMCA ", (which I also do) and "Forget You" by Ce Lo Green would be totally out of my reach. However, when the dance floor packs out and you give all your biz cards away...they must like something they're seeing and hearing...

 

Charlie

[fingerpicker]

 

You can't do justice to Santana's Europa or ACDC's Highway to hell without backing tracks. Do you play a lot of lead in you're gig

 

 

I use a looper.

 

 

I am not a soloist or in a duo....so I dont need to post any photo in this 'solo & duo acts' forum.

 

 

...and so why are you posting on this forum again?

 

 

****Im not opposed to anyone using tracks, and I HAVE used them before. I'm opposed to ME using them****

[BuildingCastles]

Well, I write all of my own songs and record all of my own parts, so I'm working on setting up my rig now with all original music. No loops or midi parts that I've downloaded. I'm using Ableton Live on my lap top, plus a keyboard, plus a guitar, plus a vocal mic. Will get side musicians at some point to fill in with some live instruments. I'm exporting my drums as one track, bass as one track, and then, all of the synths/orchestral parts as one track, and then, vocals, guitar, and some keyboard will be on separate tracks. Should make it easier for the mixing guy to mix everything. It's a complete pain in the ass to get everything set up. Get all of the tracks at the right level throughout the set; get vocal FX automated at different levels in each song, etc. I think I'm close to being ready.

[stunningbabe]

Doing your own backing tracks from scratch is an art form by itself. Some people nail it...but most people dont.

[pinkfloydcramer61]

Your comment sounds pretty egoistic. Well...good on ya anyway. (You mean you dont play YMCA? Oh god!)

Anyone else see the irony in someone that calls themself "stunningbabe" calling someone else "egoistic"? But she can back it up. I have seen a pic and she is indeed stunning.

[vintagevibes]

 

I use a looper. ****Im not opposed to anyone using tracks, and I HAVE used them before. I'm opposed to ME using them****

 

 

 

Cool.

[stunningbabe]

Anyone else see the irony in someone that calls themself "stunningbabe" calling someone else "egoistic"? But she can back it up. I have seen a pic and she is indeed stunning.

 

You have seen my pic??

[dboomer]

Sometimes a hammer is the correct tool and sometimes it is not. It depends on what the job is.

 

I make such extensive use of backing tracks that some would probably characterize it as karaoke. Works fine for me ... I get paid and my audience enjoys it.

[stunningbabe]

 

Sometimes a hammer is the correct tool and sometimes it is not. It depends on what the job is. I make such extensive use of backing tracks that some would probably characterize it a karaoke. Works fine for me ... I get paid and my audience enjoys it.

 

 

Dboomer...exactly! As I said before...forget what those 'purists' say about backing tracks. If you are getting the gigs more than them...are you complaining? I bet not.

[vintagevibes]

 

Dboomer...exactly! As I said before...forget what those 'purists' say about backing tracks. If you are getting the gigs more than them...are you complaining? I bet not.

 

 

An I'll bet that most of the people whining about backing tracks do not have the skills to do what I do with them or the guitar skills that I use over them. My tracks are part of my art. There are always purists and snobs trying to say that other people's art is not valid. I've worked 2-5 nights EVERY week for the last 7 years with my show. Nuff said.

[fingerpicker]

I have worked 5 to 8 gigs a week since 1997. Four-Five years with tracks. I made more money with tracks, but wasnt happy using them and thats what it comes down to. Until last week I've been doing 6 gigs EVERY week for the past several years.( Now 5)