Mixing Backing Tracks - avoiding Karaoke

[ggalen]

I don't know how many of you play a live, one-man-show using backing tracks. But I do, and I have reached some conclusions about it, and would welcome further suggestions from all you Golder Ears out there.The MAIN goal for a backing track is that you hear it, but don't think you hear it!Ideally, the audience only concentrates on me and my guitar performance, and doesn't even consciously hear the backing track at all.If I am doing it right, they "feel" like it's all me...with a GREAT, interesting sound.Because: if they hear a big backing track that grabs their attention, then it becomes karaoke to them. You lose the perception of a live performance.What seems to work best is to:1) Make the reverb in the backing track tend to fit the room size. If you hear an "arena show" in a smaller club, it feels fake. But I do find you can get away with a nice soaring reverb on the guitar for leads and a larger-room backing track for some songs that demand it (Like Money for Nothing)...I just recommend not getting too carried away with it.2) Keep the backing track more sparse than on a commercial CD recording. It's hard to resist putting in all the cool stuff that's possible, but I think it starts to sound karaoke if you do.3) Your voice and guitar should always be the most prominent thing.4) They must see you DOING something interesting on the guitar, obviously playing it. There were times when my wife, a non-musican, commented that she didn't really know what I was playing and what was on the backing track. That made me change things right away to emphasize my playing...even exaggerate it physically as I play.5) If possible, always start the song yourself on the guitar, and let the backing come in after you. This is psychologically important to avoid the dreaded karaoke effect.This means an ear monitor and a click track lead-in channel. But a trick to avoid that I've figured out, is to record an in-time little guitar lick at the start of the backing track, and "mime" it with my fingers. Then I have the rhythm set for myself and can start the next opening chords in time, and THEN the backing can come in behind me.Hope that helps any of you fellow live performers.And any further thoughts from you engineers would be great.--- Glenn

[ggalen]

This thread is proof that not every topic I start "takes off"! Oh, and this is not a plea for responses. I don't think there are many people here doing the backing track solo act.I am perfectly comfortable if no one has anything to add. Just glad to be of help to those of you thinking about doing a live performance.<smiling happily>

[billg]

Glenn, I've actually been thinking about doing this. Actually the biggest struggle is just getting up the nerve to go out "solo" since I've always had a band. What do you use for your backing tracks? Computer? Disc? There were a couple of acts that I've seen that used mini-discs & I've wondered what the advantage of that could have been.

[ggalen]

Hi Bill,I like your music. It would be cool if you shared your music live.Boy, at first I thought I'd use a laptop computer and Abelton Live to play the tracks, and also provide a lead-in "click-track" channel to an earphone.But I got scared about depending on a computer. So I looked at some Net discussions and saw that other people were just using CDs they had burned, or iPods to play MP3 files.That's what I settled on: a nice MP3 player going into my PA through a small mixer.I create the backing tracks in my studio. I can play all the backup parts, but that gets tedious and boring to me. So I start with a Midi file and "tweak" it: first I get the right virtual instruments, then I rearrange or eliminate some of the parts. I might then play a new bass line, or add new drums with ezDrummer.I think I am on to something here. I played for a small group a few months ago and got a great reception. They were amazed, frankly, at the sound. Heck, I gave away CDs, and they started asking me to autograph them. Isn't that something?I think if you really know how to play your instrument, and you get the backing correct, you can create a real good, fun experience for the crowd.I expect to play mostly for private parties, and house concerts. I don't think the bars are the place to do it. Wrong vibe; wrong crowd; no respect!I'd love to build it to where I play private gigs regualrly for appreciative listeners.

[billg]

There are a few small bars (more like neighborhood cafes) where I think I could book myself & actually draw at least a small audience based on the popularity of the last band I was in. The catch is not to shame myself! I've always just been the "front guy" singer or bass player ( who just happened to be the guy who wrote the songs). My guitar skills are, well, I don't really have any guitar skills! Although I play all the tracks on my recordings, trying to pull off anything live other than simple guitar backing would be a mistake. I'm thinking my best shot at being a convincing live act is to do the old school singer-songwriter thing. I'll paly acoustic w/ an acoustic backing track as a safety net, bass backing track, maybe just a few other things (light percussion, just enough to keep time) and rely on live harmonica in situations where I just can't work around doing some kind of solo. I'm in a situation where I really need to do something to generate some more income & I really miss the little bit of money I used to make performing. At the time I considered it "extra" income but I see now that it wasn't so "extra" after all. I too would be afraid of using a computer, seems much easier to just use CDs.

[ggalen]

Bill,Yup, in your situation a sparse backing track would be the ticket. I also find a "wash" of a gentle pad played kind of quiet in the background serves as a nice backdrop, creates a mood, and is not really "noticed" consciously.I think it can work for harder, rocking blues as well as for softer, more gentle and melodic acoustic sets as well.Let me know how it goes if you decide to try this out.