Keyboards/Click Track question

[kingdomgone86]

So I have a bit of a dilemma.

My band uses keyboards during our recordings, and we want to start using them live, but we don't have a keyboardist. We are currently looking for a keyboardist, but in the meantime, we would like to use keyboard backing tracks with a click track ran to the drummer.

My question is, how do I run the keyboards to the main speakers and to the monitors and the click track and the keyboards to the drummer's headphones?

 

[derekmoffat]

So I have a bit of a dilemma.

My band uses keyboards during our recordings, and we want to start using them live, but we don't have a keyboardist. We are currently looking for a keyboardist, but in the meantime, we would like to use keyboard backing tracks with a click track ran to the drummer.

My question is, how do I run the keyboards to the main speakers and to the monitors and the click track and the keyboards to the drummer's headphones?

http://www.theflipsideforum.com/index.php?topic=10414.0

Read jtc42's response.

 

[kingdomgone86]

Yeah, but I don't want to have to bring my desktop computer to each show and set up a computer for a show. I've seen bands use Ipods for this before, I'm just not sure how it's done.

 

[[UEAK]Clowd]

stereo track, left side is the click and goes to headphones, right side is the backing tracks and goes to PA. simple.

just throw it on an ipod or some such.

 

[arv_foh]

So I have a bit of a dilemma.

My band uses keyboards during our recordings, and we want to start using them live, but we don't have a keyboardist. We are currently looking for a keyboardist, but in the meantime, we would like to use keyboard backing tracks with a click track ran to the drummer.

My question is, how do I run the keyboards to the main speakers and to the monitors and the click track and the keyboards to the drummer's headphones?

Get an interface, like an Mbox or something, it doesn't have to be expensive. Make a session in your favorite DAW with all your keyboard tracks in place, as well as the tempos for the songs. Pan the key tracks to hard left, pan the click to hard right. Send the left to FOH/MONS and send the right to a headphone amp for your drummer. You can bounce to MP3 to avoid bringing in the laptop.

EDIT: I'm a minute too late hahaha

 

[kingdomgone86]

Ok, what do I need to buy to seperate the tracks? Is there a pedal or something I can buy to separate the stereo channels?

 

[arv_foh]

Ok, what do I need to buy to seperate the tracks? Is there a pedal or something I can buy to separate the stereo channels?

No, you separate the tracks in your DAW (Pro Tools, Reaper, Logic, whatever) and bounce it down as a stereo file. If you listened to it on headphones you would have the click in one side and the tracks in the other. You get a 1/8" to stereo 1/4" adapter to send the signals out to the PA.

You should probably have someone do this for you since it doesn't seem like you're very experienced, or have someone show you how to do it in person

 

[scorpio01169]

you need one of these
http://cgi.ebay.com/Roland-MC-80-Mi...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2304bc7f1f

 

[arv_foh]

you need one of these
http://cgi.ebay.com/Roland-MC-80-Mi...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2304bc7f1f

...or an iPod for 1/5th the cost

 

[scorpio01169]

...or an iPod for 1/5th the cost

yeah..but then how would he separate the keyboard track and the ipod track?...secondly, how would the ipod control the keyboard?
I guess you could record a keyboard part and a click track next to it...then mix them down to where the keys would pan left then the click right and use a splitter to the house console.

 

[kingdomgone86]

No, you separate the tracks in your DAW (Pro Tools, Reaper, Logic, whatever) and bounce it down as a stereo file. If you listened to it on headphones you would have the click in one side and the tracks in the other. You get a 1/8" to stereo 1/4" adapter to send the signals out to the PA.

You should probably have someone do this for you since it doesn't seem like you're very experienced, or have someone show you how to do it in person

What I mean is, my PA that I personally own doesn't have a way to send click track to the left channel and keyboards to the right channel. So I need something that will do that for me.

 

[arv_foh]

yeah..but then how would he separate the keyboard track and the ipod track?...secondly, how would the ipod control the keyboard?
I guess you could record a keyboard part and a click track next to it...then mix them down to where the keys would pan left then the click right and use a splitter to the house console.

You're not understanding what he's trying to do. He's not trying to control the keyboard. He already has the tracks recorded and wants to be able to use them for when his band plays live.

You pan one track to the left, one to the right, send the channel with tracks to FOH and the channel with click to the drummer. It's not difficult, at all, I know several local bands that do it and I helped them set it up

 

[ahjteam]

minilaptop (with flash memory hard drive) + small interface with atleast 4 outputs

 

[arv_foh]

What I mean is, my PA that I personally own doesn't have a way to send click track to the left channel and keyboards to the right channel. So I need something that will do that for me.

I give up, you don't understand at all what I'm trying to tell you to do. Do you understand the concept of panning, and a stereo MP3 file?

 

[kingdomgone86]

I already said that my PA doesnt have the panning ability.

 

[[UEAK]Clowd]

no no no.

the PA doesn't matter.

you have a stereo track on your ipod - one side is the click, one side is the BTs.

using a splitter, one cable goes to your drummer's headphones, and one cable goes to the PA. viola.

 

[scorpio01169]

no no no.

the PA doesn't matter.

you have a stereo track on your ipod - one side is the click, one side is the BTs.

using a splitter, one cable goes to your drummer's headphones, and one cable goes to the PA. viola.

exactly

 

[updog]

Is it normal that bands use a mono backing track? I've been thinking about this, my band needs a backing track with lots of synth when we're going gigging, and the method above seems clever, but does anyone ever use a stereo backing track, and what to do in that situation??

 

[arv_foh]

Is it normal that bands use a mono backing track? I've been thinking about this, my band needs a backing track with lots of synth when we're going gigging, and the method above seems clever, but does anyone ever use a stereo backing track, and what to do in that situation??

You can, just just have to use a DAW and an interface with more than 2 outputs. You'd send the click to output 1 then the stereo output to 3-4 or something. Most bands use mono.