Anyone here play live with a click/backing tracks?

[[UEAK]Clowd]

Just looking for some general tips and tricks - we have been talking about doing this for a little while and I've been looking more and more into it over the past couple of days.

Biggest concern is messing up, falling off the click, and looking like a total tool... other than that, not sure what route to go with as far as gear goes - there are so many options.

 

[MarkG]

A guy I know plays in a tech death metal band, and the drummer has an in ear metronome. No need to hook everyone up, just the drummer.

However, I think part of live play is interacting with the people, and mixing things up a bit. I feel although technically more accurate, you might be limiting yourself in the feel of performing live.

 

[Zack Uidl]

Yes, I have done performances that had to be perfectly synced with video elements and other things so a click was essential.

I also do a lot of clinics where I am playing with things like synths that only come in for parts and if I am doing this, and performing solo with the backing, I have used and in-ear monitor to route a click from my software

If I am not doing the things mentioned, I would only have the drummer use a click if necessary, but don't think it is. If a band is tight, there is no need

 

[Deus.exe]

Make sure your drummer can play to a click and is comfortable with it! It also might seem a bit wired, or in our case it seems like you are playing very slowly because of the adrenalin of being on stage, but don't be fooled the click is consistent and doesn't lie.

My band always plays to a click with backing tracks. We have a laptop that runs Cubase that plays back stereo backing tracks (via a USB audio interface) and a click in mono (via the laptop's onboard sound card). The stereo backing tracks go to our 4 port DI box (Backing tracks + Kick and Snare from our Alesis D4 module) and the ckick goes to a small behringer mixing board then to our drummer via headphones.

 

[beyond dead]

I have been wanting to do this forever. If you use an amp modeller/ effects unit, you could control channel switching via midi as well! good luck!