Backing Tracks

[maxmusic]

Hey Joey,
I hope I am correct when I assume that its also you that creates the backing tracks for a lot of the bands you produce like Asking Alexandria, WCAR, Miss May I, etc. Do you simply just mute all the instrument and vocal tracks and leave the rest of the FX as it is in the record, or do you modify them to work better in a live setting?

Also, I've aways kinda wondered how these backing tracks work. Since the drummer needs a click to stay in beat with the synths, etc. Is it that they have a sound card with Left and Right output then pan the click on one side to go into the in-ears and all the tracks on another to go into the PA? Or is there a another special way of doing this?

 

[ahjteam]

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/equipment/665139-faq-live-shows-backing-tracks-how.html

 

[OneDaySky]

Hey Joey,
I hope I am correct when I assume that its also you that creates the backing tracks for a lot of the bands you produce like Asking Alexandria, WCAR, Miss May I, etc. Do you simply just mute all the instrument and vocal tracks and leave the rest of the FX as it is in the record, or do you modify them to work better in a live setting?

I know there is a thread on this already but I wouldn't mind knowing this either! Is it a straight export with muted parts or a separate mix?

 

[ahjteam]

Should be more than obvious: You just mute the stuff that you play live.

 

[alan1990]

The backing tracks my old band got from chango studios had just about everything but lead guitar and drums


http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3374294/GYZY.mp3

 

[Ionei]

Wait what is that^?
It confuses the fuck out of me and the guitars sound like robots.

 

[OneDaySky]

Should be more than obvious: You just mute the stuff that you play live.

More Than Obvious?
I highly doubt that! The RMS level would be different with muted parts, therefore the master buss will not work the same!
What im asking is, do most of you leave it as is, or change it for a more punchier master (more RMS) seeing as there is now more headroom.

 

[Seth Munson]

I have actually made most of my backing tracks with guitars with the click for the drummer.
that way no matter how shitty the guitarist are playing live he wont be getting thrown off.

 

[alan1990]

I was surprised at how out of tune the guitar sounds and how every vocal and even bass guitar is in Camerons backing tracks

 

[Spiritbeast]

I was surprised at how out of tune the guitar sounds and how every vocal and even bass guitar is in Camerons backing tracks

Are these the same tracks/levels used in the final song? Crazy to think how much of a difference the drums make in a mix.

 

[alan1990]

These were not made from the final mix for whatever reason I think the band needed the backing tracks before he got to mix alterations. im pretty sure the vocals are alot lower so its not completely obvious

 

[Ionei]

I was surprised at how out of tune the guitar sounds and how every vocal and even bass guitar is in Camerons backing tracks

And how the guitars sound like robots.


Also, name of the band hahaha.
I need to listen to the full track.

 

[alan1990]

Famous Last Words from Petoskey Michigan Its my old band from before i moved to phoenix. I co wrote the songs with them on a trip home last december all of the synth stuff and orchestral stuff cameron kept from my preproduction tracks

http://www.youtube.com/user/jtflw#p/a/u/0/ash2qYZKMrQ

 

[OneDaySky]

Famous Last Words from Petoskey Michigan Its my old band from before i moved to phoenix. I co wrote the songs with them on a trip home last december all of the synth stuff and orchestral stuff cameron kept from my preproduction tracks

http://www.youtube.com/user/jtflw#p/a/u/0/ash2qYZKMrQ

Rad stuff dude! You in a new band now? Got any new material?

 

[maxmusic]

Famous Last Words from Petoskey Michigan Its my old band from before i moved to phoenix. I co wrote the songs with them on a trip home last december all of the synth stuff and orchestral stuff cameron kept from my preproduction tracks

http://www.youtube.com/user/jtflw#p/a/u/0/ash2qYZKMrQ

Haha really?
So your the reason their missing a guitarist?
My guitarist got an email form the Make Me Famous drummer asking him to try out for FLW, but then they found out he lives in Denmark haha.

 

[SharkGTS]

i am wanting to study the backing track/synth support thing as well.

on Friday night the programmer/synth player for the Perfect Trend had this vertical 4x4 stand with all sorts of boxes on it, little mackie mixer. He lost me in the explanation but handed me a 1/4 mono plug for the board that was it! There was a feed going back to the drummer for the "click" track. He had a MacBook setup with Ableton Live and a Roland midi or synth. Did screamer tracks too the guy was great. The performance didn't seem to be constrained at all, or lack a spontaneous feel to it.

I've asked a few people why can't the programming follow the drummer vs the drummer have to follow the programming. Can't be much fun for the drummer, but I guess that is too complex. Also quite a few musicians I talked to won't use backing tracks including the kidz I am working with.

Although I have not mixed backing tracks if it were me... going through a PA I would pull the effects certainly any reverb, Haas delay or stereo widening (if the feed is mono) and the loudness maximizer/compression. Playing a X,000 Watt sound re-inforcement system is much different than playing a cheesy 10W stereo. More about punch and moving air volume v.s. sounding all plink plink & purdy.

 

[JeffTD]

I've asked a few people why can't the programming follow the drummer vs the drummer have to follow the programming.

What?? How do you expect the drummer to start at the exact moment the playback to the backing tracks start, let alone keep perfect time with the backing tracks so they line up with the song without a clicktrack going the whole time?

 

[alan1990]

Rad stuff dude! You in a new band now? Got any new material?

I hope to have a new song up soon for everyone to check out soon! maybe even some tracks for people to mix

 

[alan1990]

Haha really?
So your the reason their missing a guitarist?
My guitarist got an email form the Make Me Famous drummer asking him to try out for FLW, but then they found out he lives in Denmark haha.

Yeah after they got picked up by outerloop and it became more important to look good then to be creative I decided to leave. But yeah man the MMF drummer was actually up a few weeks ago hanging out hes actually the only member that lives in the USA

 

[OneDaySky]

I hope to have a new song up soon for everyone to check out soon! maybe even some tracks for people to mix

Rad news dude!