In search for a new backtrack machine for live use

[Fredrik-Ablaze]

As the topic states we're looking to get a new machine for our live backtracks since the one we have has started behaving very oddly (it quit working 2 times at Wacken).

We're using a Korg D888 at the moment and it would be kinda great to find something smaller; what we need is something with 2ch out to the mixing desk and a possibility to send a third track (EG the click track) to our drummers headphones, but looking at most smaller recorders they dont have the possibility of sending a separate mix for our drummer. The D888 is also a bit too large "physically" since we're always flying to gigs and have to keep the weight down due to that.

Is there a nice, preferably small, unit that could do this?
Going PC/Interface is not a great solution for us as our drummer isnt of the very technical kind, a dedicated machine would be the best for us to do this.

Any suggestions? What do you guys use?

 

[Jind]

How about the Cakewalk V-Studio 100. It seems to have some great features for bands looking to use backing tracks plus the built in WAV recording capabilities are a great addition. I have one that I use solely in my home studio, but it is marketed as a great live rig as well

 

[TheDude]

A rack mounted multichannel audio card with someones laptop. USB works since it's only playback. Keep the audio card in a rack and you're bringing the laptops anyway.

 

[Fredrik-Ablaze]

A rack mounted multichannel audio card with someones laptop. USB works since it's only playback. Keep the audio card in a rack and you're bringing the laptops anyway.

We tried that and it was a total trainwreck A dedicated machine with play, forward and stop buttons is that we have to go for

 

[TheDude]

A DVD with 5.1 sound. L+R to FOH and the rest is click?

 

[JonWormwood]

How about the Cakewalk V-Studio 100. It seems to have some great features for bands looking to use backing tracks plus the built in WAV recording capabilities are a great addition. I have one that I use solely in my home studio, but it is marketed as a great live rig as well

Can you have multiple outs? Send midi signals?

 

[Jind]

Can you have multiple outs? Send midi signals?

I've never used it for backing tracks as I'm not a gigging musician, you can probably find the answer to your question in the Hardware Manual. I'm pretty sure it cannot be used to send MIDI when in stand alone mode other than for V-LINK usage which is an Edirol/Roland Technology for syncing video and instrumentation for performance purposes (i.e. triggering video to music in concerts). when used with a PC, the MIDI ports act as 1in/1 out MIDI interfaces however.

For my home studio it's been just what I was looking for - it fit perfectly with the tools I use and my DAW of choice, but I know they advertise it as a live performance tool as well.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UieyVsq0EOw&feature=related[/ame]

I'm sure if you have any specific questions you can email Cakewalk at this link:

Contact Cakewalk

 

[Niol]

In case you won’t find a proper device for what you want to do ,I would suggest this alternative :

Since you don't consider using a laptop an option (wich would be the best solution IMO) ,i would recommend you to do the classic trick of bouncing your backtracks to mono(ouch...some would say!) and then use this simple setup :

Stereo playback device of your choice(depending on budget) ---> small mixer(mackie or smth) ,sending only the Left channel(MONO backtrack) to the sound guys (for stage and PA use),and send both Left and Right(metronome) tracks to your drummer's headphones via Headphones out of the mixer.

Yeah ,I know ,a Mono backtrack is not the same thing as a Stereo backtrack and i would NEVER recommend this to an electro/industrial/pop band ,but considering that you are a metal band ,i know for a fact that it won't make significant difference ("quality wise" or "headroom wise") and it's worth it .Hole equipment fits in a small handbag ,easy/fast to setup and very reliable .

BTW ,i was there on your live at Wacken \m/

Cheers!

 

[DanLights]

yeah the easy way for your nontechie drummer would be what Niol said, I don't take my laptop to gigs, I take my Iphone. Of course, if your backing tracks are mono. I only use piano, strings and organ tracks so I'm cool with mono backing track

 

[Fredrik-Ablaze]

We did that with an iPod earlier but found that stereo backtracks made a huge difference soundwise, we still keep the ipod for backups though.

 

[Sacha]

HD24