Does your band use tracks? (Poll)

[Tony In Philly]

Of course, all of my crowd thought I was a jealous musician and wasn't telling the truth (including my wife.... ha!) until I had them watch the bass player while listening to the bass line. He was singing lead. So, like some old country singer who strums a chord or two between vocal lines, he "played" when it was easy. Of course, they were all offended at that point. And the same band became cheesy to them. But up until that moment, they were blown away by the band.

I pulled the same stunt one time about 15 years ago when I did a "pickup gig" and didn't know a particular tune that well. Fortunately, we only did a few tunes where we used backing tracks. I still feel slightly tainted about doing it to this day. Personally, I would rather fake the tune in the right key than play along with a backing track that way.


That said, some bands integrate them tastefully. When more than a small percentage of the music is generated by them, however, the life often gets drained from the performance.

 

[J-Mags]

I've never been in a band that uses tracks, and when it comes to most kinds of music, I'm not interested in hearing bands who can't change it up on the spot if they need to. Our drummer claims to have a metronome that she sometimes uses to start tracks at the correct tempo, but I've never seen her actually use it. She's got a pretty good inner metronome.

 

[Bodeanly]

Just joined a band that uses them. Synths and stuff. Make more money for one show than I did all last year in my previous cover band. Yes, that's what is important to me right now. Never thought I'd live to see the day where I thought tracks were okay and money was important. I still draw the line at reading lyrics on stage. But, a year from now...

 

[EdO.]

Technical question: how does this actually work? Does the drummer trigger the start of the track? Is he using a metronome in-ear?

For us the keys player starts the track, sends a click track to the drummer in his IEM's. Usually an 8 count to downbeat, drummer clicks it off 4 count for the rest of us. Occasionally he'll miss something and have to have the keys player start it over but that's pretty rare now that we've been doing it awhile.

key bass , electric bass , singing and fighting with new harmonizer ..!

Vocal harmonizers - now THAT'S cheating. There's a pretty decent 4-piece new country band locally we saw awhile back that was just killing the 3-part harmonies. Outdoor BBQ contest event, we were sitting behind the staging area. Finally had to walk around to check them out cause the vocals were so good. One mic stand, one guy singing, had a TC Helicon on the floor in front of him. Cheating?

 

[Altitude]

Technical question: how does this actually work? Does the drummer trigger the start of the track? Is he using a metronome in-ear?

We run every single song with a click. The click counts off the song (not the drummer) and all of the backing tracks are synchronized to the click.

It is challenging, we have to totally comply with the established format, otherwise the backing tracks ("swells") don't match what we're doing. Very hard to pull off without in-ear monitors.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

This might be interesting. Does your band use tracks? If in multiple bands, answer for your most frequent band, or average gigs per month/year.

Why do your ask? I have used tracks. Frankly, I like them and have no issue working with them. But I've done a lot of recording work so I'm used to working with tracks. That said if use live, if you are a trio, but you sound like a 30 piece orchestra backing a 120 member choir, that might not be cool.

 

[Altitude]

Just joined a band that uses them. Synths and stuff. Make more money for one show than I did all last year

Everyone has their priorities, but this has to be taken into consideration. I've played in some groups that had very high levels of musical capability - able, for example, to quote a verse of a song in the middle of another song spontaneously during a show. For me, it's a very cool experience to be in a group like that. But we played for buddies and the bar staff all the time.

I'm in a funk/party rock cover band now and most of you could probably guess 75% of the set list. I play some of the same venues and make 3x the money and play for full rooms.

It's a balance sheet of plusses and minuses.

 

[troy mcclure]

I voted no... my main cover band does not. I am also in a tribute act ...we do not use tracks but do use triggers to cover sound effects that are not created by an instrument ( alarm clock..etc).

 

[FLV]

Yes. I don't see a problem with it as long as it's used as an enchancer, not a handicap. As long as each band member plays his part then why not add some elements that would be hard to replicate, like the orchestral parts? I do like when it's all purely 'organic', particularly power trios like Kings X, but I also enjoy the tasteful use of technology. It does require a lot of discipline and a good internal clock - you can't afford to be sloppy and drag or rush.

For a great example on how to use it check bands like Sepultura - they use orchestrated tracks when playing songs from the last album. And the interaction between the guitar solos and pre-recorded instruments is really impressive.

 

[hintz]

I have in the past with two different variety/pop groups. In the first group it was only pre-recorded keys(drummer/BL would use that and click in his ears). The 2nd group would use tracks for mostly background vocals, some keys and of course click for the drummer(we all used IEM's as well). Honestly, I didn't think much of it at the time good or bad as I was making money.

 

[SLO Surfer]

This might be interesting. Does your band use tracks? If in multiple bands, answer for your most frequent band, or average gigs per month/year.

I'm in two bands that gig equal amounts. One band uses tracks and the other doesn't. The one band that does use tracks only uses them on about 22% of our songs. I answered 'yes' because math. I'm not great at math though, so 'yes' may be wrong. And I'm willing to live with that.

 

[JimmyM]

No band I've ever been in except one used tracks, and I would prefer not to use them. However, some of the acts I've worked with on a short term basis have, and I've always thought it was kind of lame, though I don't mind it when Devo does it

 

[2cooltoolz]

No. And I won't. And I've told my band as much when the Singer and the Drummer brought it up. She also does Karaoke and he's also a DJ.

I'm not a professional and moving into the big venues is not important to me. I quit going to the big shows 15ish years ago, because I didn't care to see a Broadway production over a track. Give me little Blues and Dive bars both to play and to visit.

Live should mean live.

 

[chaosMK]

I always feel bad for the drummer wearing headphones. It's like they are trying to keep him under control.

I have seen legit bands with advanced backing track setups (huge LED live/mixer looking thing) and pro sound guy to run it. Performance sounds just like the studio track, which has pros and cons as live tempo variance (rubato, or actual small tempo changes) can sometimes spice up the experience too.

 

[bettyseldest]

My band don't, but... I just bought a Digitech Trio +. I plan to use it with my duo. My mate sings well, and can strum cowboy chords as he sings, but that is his limit. I sing, play a bit of guitar and bass, but sometimes struggle to sing whilst playing. I plan to programme a sets worth of songs into it. If I don't like the bass part it offers me I will mute the bass and record a part into the looper function. I will put a basic rhythm guitar part into the looper as a guide, then layer on top as required. That way if I have a lead part which needs to be played over a rhythm which is beyond the capabilities of my mate we will be ok, or if there is a part which I struggle to sing and play I can drop out of the guitar. Apart from the drums everything will have been played by me, it just gives me the ability to play a number of parts simultaneously. We can play smaller venues, get gigs which would not book the full band, but still put on a performance. Always assuming I can make it work.

 

[SLO Surfer]

Our drummer has videoed a few shows from behind his seat and uses his personal IEM mix for the audio. The drummer uses a weird "beep" sound for his click track that only he can hear, and he only uses click on the songs with tracks. Apparently he doesn't like hearing our singer too much in his mix but loves those pre-recorded background tracks.

This video is from a gig I had a sub bassist on, but it's one of the only videos he's posted. Remember, the audio is from the drummer's IEM mix. I dare anyone to say playing to a click takes away his groove or feel.

 

[BassAndReeds]

Why do your ask? I have used tracks. Frankly, I like them and have no issue working with them. But I've done a lot of recording work so I'm used to working with tracks. That said if use live, if you are a trio, but you sound like a 30 piece orchestra backing a 120 member choir, that might not be cool.

I ask for the sake of talking. My one band uses tracks successfully. My other band doesn't use tracks successfully.

My tracks band pays more and works way more. But that could be coincidence.

 

[EdO.]

I ask for the sake of talking. My one band uses tracks successfully. My other band doesn't use tracks successfully.

My tracks band pays more and works way more. But that could be coincidence.

If it sounds "better " with than without then I'd say that's more than just coincidence .

 

[SteveBassJr]

I have played with Backing track. And if they are done right its really cool.
I was booked on some well paying tribute gigs of some old school artists. Kinda like greatest hits from the 70's. Tracks of string Symphony Orchestras. Freaked me out at first. And its difficult to be perfect. Even harder for the drummer to keep it tight. Thats what separates the men from the boys. Be perfect or get fired!

 

[Rip Van Dan]

This might be interesting. Does your band use tracks? If in multiple bands, answer for your most frequent band, or average gigs per month/year.

Nope! Both bands I am in play live.

Had to play with a drum track one time for a 1-off short event that I did at work many years ago and didn't care for it. It was way too restrictive. And God help you if you vamp for an extra bar because it will throw everything off. I can understand it if you've got some parts you need covered during part of the song and no one to play them, as long as you can trigger it as needed. But it's just not the same as playing live with a group of musicians.