Any ideas of backing tracks for live performance?

[asiabackpacker]

Hi people,I'm looking for backing tracks for a live performance on the 3rd Street Promenade here in Santa Monica. I am working on a few songs with a percussionist, and I play guitar and sing.We're working on a few cover songs. We'd like to have a bass track and possibly even some keys to play along to.I've been recording the bass line on my Loopstation, but I kind of suck on bass, so this is proving to be kind of a problem.Does anyone have any idea where we can get backing tracks like this, or is anyone willing to record these for hire? At the bare minimum, we'd just want bass parts for the songs we're doing, maybe over a click or a hi-hat to keep the tempo.OR, is anyone in LA, and interested in joining us? It's the funnest gig in LA! Thanks all!Elliott

[jazzstan]

Elliot,I was thinking of something similar. Started doing a duo gig with a young singer who doesn't have enough material. Fortunately I have over an hour of my originals that I was able to strip down for backing tracks. But I was thinking if I could get hold of some "standard" jazz stuff, I could prolly do a whole dinner-music type gig solo. But I found almost nothing that was usable and reasonable. There's a site that has Beatle tracks - but they are expensive. I looked at a few Kareoke sites, too - but the arrangements and music pretty much sucked. I'm anxious to see if anyone else has had success with this.

[suzdoyle]

Hey there --A jazz singer friend of mine found this person in Scotland who makes very high quality Karaoke tracks:www.standardstrax.comMight be a good resource! ,Suz

[elser]

Hi Elliot, Send me a PM and I'm pretty sure I can fill your back pack with tracks.

[mojobone]

Glen Galen might weigh in here, too. he makes his own. Here's an interesting method I haven't tried, yet: (still missing a few pieces of hardware and software) Take a Real Book or any good fake book, plug the chords into Band In A Box, play around with different styles 'til you get something interesting, maybe mix and match between styles, cannibalize some parts, make up a few of your own, 'til the MIDI starts to come together, export to a DAW and print the results to stems using ultra high quality virtual instruments , bring the stems up on faders in a hardware digital multitracker that has a good digital mixer with automation. You could even record your performances; jes' mute the parts you have live players for. Bonus points if you can have someone on stage riding the mix....I'm doing a similar project, kinda like how Cirque du Soleil remixed the Beatles, only a lot more automated.

[ggalen]

Mojobone remembered correctly that I play to backing tracks.First thing I stress is that THE AUDIENCE FOCUS MUST REMAIN ON YOU.How?You want them listening to YOU, and see you doing something interesting on your instrument, and singing with emotion and conviction.The backing track in a live show needs to be more "felt" than actually listened to. Kind of like the rear scenery in a play.If you try to do too much in a backing track, and you get "too big" of a sound for a solo or duo act, the illusion is broken. They notice the backing track.And you become a karaoke act! Keep the backing solid rhythmic, full, simple and "atmospheric". I would never have a backing track do a lead solo, or any really attention-getting riff. You do those fancy parts; it's a live performance after all!You can buy backing tracks. But I'd beware of "big productions". Or you can make your own with Band in a Box, as mojobone pointed out. If you do use Band in a Box, be aware that it is very good at a basic rhythm section: drums and bass, and basic comping keyboard, string pad (if it's not too complex in the "style") ... and maybe a simple rhythm guitar if you have a great sound source.It's not very good at doing anything fancy or particularly creative. You have to add that.You'll also need great sound sources and effects in a DAW to take the midi it generates and create something great sounding.My improvisation video below is with a backing track I generated in my studio, with my own DAW and synths.For a Band in a Box example, see my song Traveling By Night on Reverbnation.It's a Band in the Box basic rhythm, but I had to redo the bass. And I did the rhythm guitar, AND the synth pad. And the main lead. I guess BIAB just did the drums and a little secondary rhythm guitar riff in one spot! http://www.reverbnation.com/glenngalen

[bmete]

Stan,Have you tried the Jamey Aebersold book/CD--- lots of jazz standards, and a great rhythm tracks- no melody---I've used them a number of times, Volume 54 is my favorite.Bobhttp://www.jazzbooks.com

[ernstinen]

I agree with Glenn. I did a solo act for about a year with backing tracks that I recorded. There was a mixed reaction to that approach; some people thought it was cool, others thought it was phony. I only did it because the financial music scene in Michigan dried up and I needed $$ to move to LA.I've seen it work better with a duo or trio. Fools people better! An old bass player friend is a member of a satirical band that's only 2 guitars, bass, and vocals. I went to see them about a year ago, and they had just purchased some kind of DJ digital recorder that my buddy worked with pedals on the stage floor.WELL, after about the 3rd number, this high-tech device took a dump. Stopped working. They tried a few numbers without it, and were booed off the stage. I was so embarrased for them. So, it CAN be done, but the possibility of technical malfunctions makes me think it's better to do it live, IMHO.My 2 cents,Ern

[suzdoyle]

Great suggestions, Glen;It's nice to see your smiling face around here again. I've missed you!Suz

[mojobone]

Ha! I know the feeling; performing with tracks of any kind can be a mixed blessing. I used to use a hardware sequencer and multitimbral synth for a couple of tunes on solo gigs, and quickly learned to bring a backup, first on Minidisc, later on both MD and CD. You kinda have to pick your spots-I did a showcase Joe Satriani instrumental-Joe used drum machines on his first couple of records, so it wasn't so noticeably faked. You can take a few performance tips from hiphop crews, they often use tracks and cover it with lots of stage movement and dancers-you might be surprised how easy it's gotten to do a synchronised light show, too. O'course, all that might be overkill for your situation.... Ableton Live can be a good partner for these kinds of things; the project I mentioned earlier will probably involve a laptop and Live-based loops for the improv sections. We'll most likely be cutting/performing our own loops.