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Backing Track ideas..

Scottkarch

Scottkarch

Sep 11, 2012
1,646
1,013
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Chicago
jenneratorband.com
#1
Hi there... I'm looking for a way to add some live backing tracks with in ear click tracks.

I don't even know where you buy the tracks.. I'm assuming MP3 files triggered, played through the FOH and our in-ears and the click is in ear as well. our IEM mix is mono, so even a simple mono recording in the left channel, click in the righ channel, feed the output to 2 mixer channels, feed the music into FOH and IEM... and put the click only in the IEMs. That way we can play along with it.

Is there special hardware... maybe MP3 player with rugged drummer proof ( just joking ) buttons to start certain songs.. or an ipad app that can be configured with a simple interface to start the audio file.

We would like to have some horns in some funk songs and this would be the easiest way to add them. Could be fun and open up more songs for us to play.
 
#2
I just threw the MP3 idea out there because it's all I could think of with what I know. If there are all midi options or others... I'm curious what others are using. It seems many of the regularly gigging bands around here use backing tracks for part of the music. Horns and sometimes even some keys.. or harmonies etc. At first I sniffed in derision at them.. but then looked at 1000 people dancing at a street festival and realized the people paying the bills didn't care and were having a ball. I'm willing to try it out.
 
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#3
I'm looking into this too. May try doing my own sequences on the Korg Kross keyboard I just bought - but really no need for anything that expensive.
I remember "back in the day" (early 90's) several bands recording backing tracks to DAT (digital audio tape) with a click in one side and the program material in the other. Drummer wore headphones (this is pre-IEM) and only he got the click.
Interested to see the responses...
 
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#4
yeah... a number of posts on the interweb saying DAT or even cassette tapes. I think I can find or make an iPad or iPhone customizable soundboard that would put nice easy to import sounds into, make nice big buttons with song names on them to start different tracks.. Need to find tracks/clicks that we want.. that's a whole different thing to look for. I only assume they exist because I hear other bands use them and I doubt they hired a horn section to record for them... could be wrong.. often am.

Some of the rugged midi trigger pads could work, but for the cost, I may be just as well off designing my own software and putting it on a rugged ipad the drummer can touch to start. If anyone has any hardware solutions I'm all ears and would welcome a new perspective.
 
#7
ggunn said:
Seriously, cassettes? I used to use them for theatre sound cues, but I sure was glad to dump that technology.
Click to expand...
LOL Just sayin what I've seen on the interwebs. The post mentioning cassettes mentioned it was simple, pretty robust, cheap and even retro... let people see the tape..

Heck.. I just had my in-law offer me a free reel to reel tape. Now wouldnt that look snazzy behind the drummer.. :)

I think I'll still try MP3s triggered somehow.
 
#8
bands do this now with an Ipad or even Ipod . . . program your own tracks, put them left, click goes right. recording and midi programming are pretty easy to do at home these days.

We did this in an original band when we couldn't find a fourth member in time for the cd release party. The lead singer would just play guitar or keys depending on what was most central to the song and the other instrument would be on a backing track. I didn't have any issues with this -- it was all stuff he himself recorded anyway, just can't play everything at once.
It was a hard disk rack recorder, don't remember what model. He just hit play, there was a pause long enough for him to get ready . . . four clicks in the drummer's ear, then he clicks us in with four more. Me and the singer didn't even need to hear the click, only the drummer.

I wouldn't sniff in derision at people using backing tracks, unless they didn't even record the music or program it themselves. Or on one occasion where a band was playing Caribbean Queen ("playing") and then the saxophone solo starts up, without a saxophone player in the band. Half the audience was laughing at them and heckling them - "where's your sax player!!" I think they stooped so low as to just be playing along with the original recording. Sad.
 
#9
I use the Boss RC-3 Looper. I can trigger any .wav files by foot. For example the spacey intro to 2112, or the wild flute sound at the beginning of Sledgehammer. The Akai Professional MPX8 SD sample pad controller might be something you could use as well. It has buttons to trigger samples. Hope these ideas are what you're looking for.
 
#12
In 1967 the 1910 Fruitgum Company used a large Reel-to-Reel and got all their 'outer space' sounds that way. After the show I went down and asked questions. The machine was on it's side on stage and the cues were white tape attached to the tape. A stage tech with the band would put the machine in neutral and spin the reels until the next white tape was at the head. He'd then put the machine back in mode and the lead singer would just touch the 'play' button and it was pretty much in sync. That's really 'old school' but it worked. They sounded great and everyone knew they weren't doing the sound effects. I think anything that works for you is fine - old or new.
 
#13
Blankandson said:
In 1967 the 1910 Fruitgum Company used a large Reel-to-Reel and got all their 'outer space' sounds that way. After the show I went down and asked questions. The machine was on it's side on stage and the cues were white tape attached to the tape. A stage tech with the band would put the machine in neutral and spin the reels until the next white tape was at the head. He'd then put the machine back in mode and the lead singer would just touch the 'play' button and it was pretty much in sync. That's really 'old school' but it worked. They sounded great and everyone knew they weren't doing the sound effects. I think anything that works for you is fine - old or new.
Click to expand...
I used to run sound cues in live theatre the same way. Thank goodness for the digital revolution!
 
#15
I don't have any iDevices, so I can't comment on the iPad/iPhone side, but I use Ableton for any backing that I need (be it vocals, loops, rythms, guitars, etc.).

Obviously it depends on your PC setup, and whether you want to carry a laptop around, but you can trigger single sounds, loop what you are playing, switch rythms etc.

You can also have everything prerecorded if you prefer, and just trigger the start of the track, which will automatically do whatever you programmed it to.

I also use it for automated effects on my bass during certain songs (like adding a distortion in a specific point of the song etc.).

There are plenty of midi foot pedals that you can use to control it, but you can also build one yourself for not a lot of cash (mine is in process).

When I need a small, quick setup, I just use my bass plugged into the Zoom B3, hooked up via USB to my laptop, then from the B3 to amp/cabs/PA/headphones, whatever is needed at the time.

Obviously Ableton is not a cheap option, but there is also BitWig for Linux which is similar (I haven't tried it yet) and a lot cheaper.
 

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