FAQ: USING BACKING TRACKS IN LIVE SHOWS
Since this question pops around every now and then I thought that I decided to make FAQ about it. I have mixed about 40 different bands with backing tracks (three of them on tour and rest as in-house engineer) that had four different variations and I know some bands do a fifth variation too. I will only list the budget versions here on this tutorial.
I am NOT endorsing any of the products listed in this text. They are there just as an example.
With backing tracks I don't mean drummer triggers stuff like subdrops with a pad like Roland SPD-S*, but full song length tracks that play throughout the whole song.
* For some reason SPD-S seems to be the only sampler where you can load your own samples I have come across on the road during the past 4 years. And actually on my first touring band I mixed the drummer used one of those. I love it. Linkin Parks DJ uses something else, but they don't count as they aren't drummer pads.
Basic configuration setup
Basic configuration is same for all setups that you need:
- Playback device that has two signals: backing tracks and click
- You also need cables and DI-boxes (just in case the venue doesn't have them; and NEVER rely on the assumption that they do)
- 90% of the time the drummer is the one who controls the playback device, so they have to know how to use the device. In case the drummer is technically disabled, let someone else handle the device (I've been on a tour where the guitarist was using the playback device)
- Drummer also NEEDS the in-ear monitoring system, as you don't want to hear the click bleed to the audience from the floor wedges. This is not negotiable
So how does it work?
- You get separate signal to FOH/monitor mixer and drummer gets a separate click directly from the playback device.
- Drummer gets mono click directly from the sound source to their in-ears, and monitor feed from FOH- or monitor-mixer to in-ears or to the floor wedge (preference question really, usually they want the kick and bass to the wedge if this kind of split monitoring is possible)
- If the rest of the band wants to hear the backing tracks (usually they do), you send it to them via their floor wedges, sidefills, in-ears or what ever method they are using for monitoring
Some semi-nessecary preparations
- Always add (depending on the tempo) 4-16 bars of just click to the beginning of the track for the drummer, and make the drummer count in the song if it doesn't have a backing track intro
- Always leave plenty of headroom on the backing tracks, preferrably 12dB or more and TEST THE SETUP BEFORE YOU GO ON TOUR. You need a very basic mixer with master bus metering and the playback device connected the way you will connect it on the tour. Connect the device to mixer and see that the master level is peaking at max between -30 and -12dB on the meters when the pad is not engaged and the gain knob is at minimum. The mixers always have preamps on them, but you don't want the output to clip. You never know if the mixer doesn't have a PAD on them (like Midas Venice for example). This happened to me on one tour where this became a semi-serious problem when doing the monitor feeds... See configuration 3 for more info on this.
- Leave plenty of empty space at the end of the songs (preferably even up to 10-30 minutes if possible) so that the drummer doesn't need to rush to the playback device at the end of the song if the next track is coming but the band is not ready. If you are going to play two or more tracks straight without any breaks, put them into the "same song"
- To reduce possibility of risk, ALWAYS take the click signal DIRECTLY from the playback device to the drummers in-ear monitor without taking it thru the FOH/monitor-mixer. Has never happened to me, but I've heard horror stories where the click is blasting at 120dB to the audience and the backing track cable isn't connected anywhere.
- Keep the setup as simple and small as possible: DON'T bring your desktop computer with screen, keyboard, mouse, dongles and anything that breaks disables all usability of the rig and/or requires 10 minutes to build together and tear down. Sound source + DI-box = win. If you can rack mount the whole thing, all the better.
- In case you are on a tour and you are using any of these setup, ALWAYS bring a backup and have it connected or quickly connectable. The configuration 1 below is a good backup setup than no backing tracks at all. You can NEVER be too sure when it comes to technology.
Drummer In-ears monitoring system
In-Ear monitoring for the drummer might sound something costly and fancy, but in reality the basic setup is not. Because drummer usually doesn't move from their throne, you don't need wireless in-ears, so wired will do fine and you can get the whole deal for less than 200.
You just need:
- a small mixer with atleast 1 XLR inputs for the monitor feed and 1 jack input for the click feed. I have seen the Behringer Xenyx 1002 with two XLR inputs a lot (I also have one myself), and it costs about 80
- a pair of insulating earbuds (about 30-200)
IMPORTANT:
When you set up the mixer, do NOT let the signal clip to the drummers in-ear on the mixer, because it can cause PERMANENT hearing damage.
CONFIGURATION 1 - stereo setup
Mono backing track, mono click for drummer
Rough estimate: 100 and up
1 - mp3 player (iPod or similar)
1 - 1/8" stereo jack to two 1/4" mono jacks adapter
1 - DI-box
Alternative sound sources:
- laptop with only stereo output
- CD/DVD-player; I don't recommend them because they have a really big chance of skipping
Preparations:
- When doing the mono backing tracks, pan music hard left and click hard right. Remember to keep it constant that on ALL tracks that left is audio and right is click. Remember to mark the cables (WHITE is left/audio, RED is right/click) to prevent confusion. And test it out on the line-/sound-check that it's properly connected.
- If you can mute the mp3-players "next track" sound, mute it.
- Make a playlist of the tracks so that you can just press "next track"
PROS AND CONS:
+ Small and cheap
+ Good to have as backup setup
- Mono backing tracks only
- Sound quality on the mp3 players usually isn't top notch
- Can run out of batteries
CONFIGURATION 2: computer + interface with 4 outputs
Stereo backing track, mono out for drummer + 1 spare mono for possibly another player
Rough estimate: 500 and up
1 computer (preferrably a laptop with SSD or flash hard drive)
1 interface with 4 or more outputs
1 DAW (preferrably something without a dongle like garage band, logic, reaper...)
3-4 - balanced TRS to TRS plugs
2 DI-boxes (3 if you want to use the fourth feed)
Preparations:
- Disable screen saver and password prompting from the computer. This is not negotiable. Buy a cheaper laptop like one of those 6" mini-laptops with flashdrive HDD if you are afraid that your 1 month old MacBook Pro will get stolen.
- If using a laptop, always use the power cord just in case and make sure that the battery works in case the power cord gets accidentally unplugged for some reason
- If possible, use a laptop with SSD hard-drives as the hard drives with spinning disks can cause skipping and/or break from vibration
- Create a single DAW project and add markers for each song, leave marker window open for quick navigation
- Process the audio tracks to single stereo file, do not run them as sessions with plugins, automation and shit, because you don't want to risk the session fucking up
- Put the buffer size to the max so you don't get even accidental crackling
- The music comes from the stereo output, drummer gets a click and then you have one more spare output
- If another member starts one song, they can get the click for that song in the beginning and send it to the fourth output. Works only if the band member(s) in question use in-ear monitoring too.
- If you use a reamp-box and amps, you can play guitars live playback too (I know Torniojaws has done this!)
+ stereo backing tracks
+ Good audio quality
- Relatively costly
- Can cause skipping
CONFIGURATION 3: multitrack recorder
6 outputs, 1 click feed for drummer and one spare
Rough estimate: 2000 and up
- 1 ADAT/Hard drive recorder (like Alesis HD 24 or Fostex )
- 8 DI-boxes (preferably rack mounted)
- alternatively to DI-boxes a 8 TRS to 8 XLR snake (preferrably a long one)
- 1 19" rack that holds all this
Alternative sound sources:
- Computer + interface with 8 or more outputs
Preparations:
- This setup is handy if your band members want different stuff to their in monitors or if the FOH engineer wants "full control" over the backing tracks. Personally I find this setup an overkill, but that is just personal preference. Some more seasoned engineers prefer this over just a stereo track.
- If you are using the snake instead of DI-boxes (like we did), you need to be extra careful with the levels, as you will be feeding the line level stuff to microphone preamp. Because line level is so much louder than microphone level and if you leave no headroom, you are shooting +12dB levels to the mixer from the get go, that sometimes can't be cured even with a pad if you can't open the aux channels more than 1mm because after that it's too loud. SO LEAVE PLENTY OF HEADROOM. I learned this the hard way. Wasn't cool.
PROS AND CONS:
+ The hardware recorders are usually built like tanks
+ Rack mounted
+ Fast to set up and tear down on stage
- Expensive
- User interface of the thing is usually very unintuitive
- Preparations can be really tedious
CONFIGURATION 4: Justin Bieber & other lip-synchers
Rough estimate: 3000 and up
Requirements:
- Multitrack system (everything starting from 4 tracks up to 64 tracks)
- Own sound crew that know what they are doing
Preparations:
- Record everything in studio to multitracks, including vocals
- Hire the sound guys and let them do their thing
PROS AND CONS:
+ You don't have to play anymore, just dance and lipsynch and occasionally shout "I love you!"
- You don't need any talent, just looks and money
Any questions or comments?
