Anyone use soundclips inbetween songs?

troy mcclure · #1 05-30-2009, 02:47 PM

I am in a cover band and want to incorpoarte some sound clips inbetween songs to help with our singers lack of knowing what to say...
just clever stuff from movies, tv shows commercials etc...

Anyone know the best way to do this (equipment wise)
Should I use a laptop or some sort of rack sampler?

Thanks for any input...

MadMan118 · #2 05-30-2009, 04:16 PM

When im using sound effects in a live setting I record the sounds to my laptop and program them to hit pads, so that the drummer can just tap one if them at the right time.

ric stave · #3 05-30-2009, 06:19 PM

Try a Roland (Boss) SP-404 Phrase Sampler.

Holds plenty of samples, easy to record onto and easy to trigger live.

Jim Carr · #4 05-30-2009, 06:25 PM

IMHO, this essentially violates the concept of live performance. Not that is it wrong or forbidden, it is just seems simply SAD.

Why can't the performers measure up to a canned track?

lonote · #5 05-30-2009, 07:32 PM

I'm speechless!

bluewine · #6 05-30-2009, 07:39 PM

great idea, nice solution

troy mcclure · #7 05-31-2009, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Carr

IMHO, this essentially violates the concept of live performance. Not that is it wrong or forbidden, it is just seems simply SAD.

Why can't the performers measure up to a canned track?

The canned track is just to fill a bit of space and to give the audience laugh, we don't take ourselves that seriously. It also might set us apart from other local cover bands taht play the same 44 songs a night as we do...

John Wentzien · #8 05-31-2009, 10:21 AM

We only do this on one song.
Back in the USSR by the Beatles---
There is a jet taking off at the beginning and the end.
We just took a good stereo MP3 recording and use an ipod with a long cord going to the mixer.
The guitard has it "vecroed" to an easily reached spot.
Very effective...I've seen a couple of VETS just about "hit the deck" when we do this song!

troy mcclure · #9 05-31-2009, 12:02 PM

Very cool.. idea, never thought about ipod, just have to have a way to access the tracks quickly.

lunker · #10 05-31-2009, 12:14 PM

no offense intended, but that would annoy the heck out of me.

Laptop would probably be the easiest or just put together a group on an mp3 player.

ric stave · #11 05-31-2009, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Carr

IMHO, this essentially violates the concept of live performance. Not that is it wrong or forbidden, it is just seems simply SAD.

Why can't the performers measure up to a canned track?

I don't really understand what you're trying to say.

Here are some examples of my different bands and places I/We've used samples in our performance:

*Many in Pink Floyd songs (Clocks intro for "Time", Cash register intro for "Money", operator talking at end of "Young Lust", Helicopter at the beginning of "Another Brick pt. 2", etc...)

*Bicycle handbell sample in the middle of Queen's "Bicycle Race"

*Jet sample at the beginning of Queensryche's "Jet City Woman"

*FX intro to Rush's "2112"

*Blast and hit samples for Yes' "Owner Of A Lonely Heart"

*Storm, wind, thunder and rain samples for the beginning of songs such as "Funeral For A Friend" and "Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath", and others like that.

*Sample clips of Family Guy, Simpsons, Jerky Boys, and other TV/Movie clips to either start off a song, or just entertain inbetween songs.

So as far as the clips used IN songs, almost all of the original performers/groups use these same samples when performing - they are not samples substituting for something a live band or instrument would otherwise 'play'.

And for the clips used inbetween, it's for entertainment. Sure, it's nice when you have someone (front man or otherwise) be very personable and witty and be able to talk to the audience and keep them captivated, but I'd rather be entertained by some humorous soundclips than listen to some guy talk when he DOESN'T have the charisma or personality to come up with something entertaining to say.

Kudos to the O.P. to want to make his show 'better'....

Afterthought:

Oh, and one of my bands used to do Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" - we had 5 (sometimes 6) very good musicians in the band, and we performed the 'opera' section live, not taped like how Queen used to do it live..... If you can, you do - if you can't, you do the best you can to entertain.

troy mcclure · #12 05-31-2009, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lunker

no offense intended, but that would annoy the heck out of me.

Laptop would probably be the easiest or just put together a group on an mp3 player.

I was thinking laptop, but I need a way to keep it near me..

I am sure some people will be annoyed, easily annoyed people with good musical taste wouldn't make it through our 1st set anyway....

ChrisB2 · #13 05-31-2009, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ric stave

Kudos to the O.P. to want to make his show 'better'....

Great reply!

You definitely have gotten me thinking.......

grovest · #14 05-31-2009, 07:57 PM

Troy, I'd keep it simple with a nice quality ~$100 level mp3 player.

John Wentzien · #15 05-31-2009, 08:11 PM

On the ipod--you can set it up for a setlist and just follow it.
Just point and shoot!
Put it in a handy spot.

Honk'n_down-low · #16 05-31-2009, 08:13 PM

I pass Gas most of the time - the audience doesn't hear me - but the poor drummer is not doing so well.

John Wentzien · #17 05-31-2009, 08:22 PM

If you can't have a real "waterfall" or "birds-chirping" etc..............
(edit) unless you have a good slide guitar..

Hector_G · #18 05-31-2009, 08:26 PM

What about the Digitech Jamman? It'll hold something like 300 loops that you can play set as just a "one-off". AND you'll have a looper. Easy. Controls at your feet. The additional footswitch you can get also lets you toggle up to the next clip with your feet.

MNAirHead · #19 06-02-2009, 08:38 PM

There's a regional guy named Pat McCurdy (sp) that his entire show is mix of live and classic pre recorded.. it's kind of a college age target.

REALLY well done .. entertaining .. fast moving .. him and a sound guy.

Ipods - nix.. I'd be thinking a small AAA powered $17 Coby stick or something .. much faster loads.

Cy_Miles · #20 06-03-2009, 12:43 PM

working out segues between songs is one way to minimize quite times between songs.

Not that it fit's your bands style but it amused me how when I watched the Grateful Dead live, during their first set there would be long pauses between songs filled with the boys just fiddling around with their gear and noodling until they agreed on which song to play. Then, in their later sets, they would play strings of 4, 5 or 6 songs without pausing.