Backing tracks for gigging

[Doug Michaels]

I play out a lot and use a Drum Buddy foot pedal for percussion for my songs. I have no experience with any other method of using backing tracks for percussion as I perform. Got any ideas for me. This has to be very very simple. No computer recording, no fancy gear, no studio recording. Just keep it simple and short...KISS.

Thanks in advance for any ideas. I would love to try something new rather than the Beat Buddy. Even it is too tricky to program the drum songs or re-order them to match up with my set lists.

[Silly Moustache]

Why not just play with no gimmicks and be the real you?

[MikeBmusic]

Simplest backing tracks - MP3s loaded on an iDevice.
Looper with multiple memory locations - load tracks from computer to it.

[Dan Lampton]

The Digitech Trio looks pretty interesting to me.

http://digitech.com/en-US/products/trio

[MikeBmusic]

Originally Posted by Dan Lampton

The Digitech Trio looks pretty interesting to me.

http://digitech.com/en-US/products/trio

Interesting, if you want band-in-a-box (rqather than the exact backing track you want), but looks like you have to 'teach' the pedal (up to 3 parts) for each song, can't set it up for more than one song at a time.

[alohachris]

Aloha Friends,

Sorry Doug. Nothing much to add here, 'cept to use percussionists for recording or gigging when you want a beat - not beat boxes or samples.

For old-school me, I would never consider using any type of "band-in-a-box" gear for either gigging or recording. Many 60's type musicians might consider that to be dishonest or "plastic." If I was in the mood for more of a beat, I'd invite a percussionist to sit in at a gig or a session. But then again, three years ago, I finally retired from regular type gigs after 53 years for the very reasons that today's players need to use such tools:

- players today have to compete w/ a plethora of techno toys that the audience brings along to a typical gig.

Today's audiences are so completely un-present & short-attention span theatre. They think they can be here AND there at once but cannot - they're nowhere! And dragging out the pictures on the iPad right in your face while you're playing is just plain rude! It's been getting worse ever since the cell phone came out, that abuse of technology & addiction. So today's giggers may definitely need some of these "diversion" tools to get their audiences' attentions for a nano-second at a time. Such a shame - in reality, technology is just killing off the last generation/tradition of troubadours.

The lack of connection today - the reason why I loved gigging for most of six decades - is a total bummer. They call digital phone technology progress. I call technology abuse & addiction a shame, even damage, with much lost in society. Of course, if you weren't gigging before the 90's cellphone digital age, how could you know how cool it was when people actually received valuable social info from guys/gals w/ a soundhole on their knee? No need for these tools then, only another player. All we used were mic's?!? No apps or beat boxes. We dealt w/ drunks, not iPhone addicts!

Doug, if you want more of a live beat on your recordings or at your gigs, invite a live percussionist along to do it right - that life force of the human beat. Can be a lot of fun. Get even w/ the techno's - turn it up all the way! And no need for a battery check.

alohachris

[Doug Michaels]

Thanks much for these ideas here. In part I agree with all of them. I have gigged from the 60's and so I understand gigging without any backup or band. I like rhythm though I play better with it so I am looking for percussion to add to my gigging now, not just to keep the audience interested, but to have more fun and sound more interesting to me, not them. I will keep on the prowl.

[slewis]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Why not just play with no gimmicks and be the real you?

+1 here -- not that anyone's asking! I just can't take recorded anything in a live performance. Something like the Meinl FX pedal though gives you a number of different percussive sounds -- tambourine, snare, wood block, etc. -- that you actually play and can add a cool dynamic to guitar & vocals. Just my .02...

[coconuts]

You can also try using loopers. Either improvise percussion on the fly with vocals and TE techniques or load up some wav files of percussion background you program on the computer to go with it. Just have fun and the audience will too.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Doug Michaels

Thanks much for these ideas here. In part I agree with all of them. I have gigged from the 60's and so I understand gigging without any backup or band. I like rhythm though I play better with it so I am looking for percussion to add to my gigging now, not just to keep the audience interested, but to have more fun and sound more interesting to me, not them. I will keep on the prowl.

Hi Doug...

I'm a listener as well as a player, and love to go where musicians play. When I visit venues where someone is going one-man-band style by using tracks, I watch the audience tune them out in about 30 seconds.

After the third piece people are texting, talking or otherwise tuning out.

People go to see live music because it's live, and even if the artist claims to have recorded the tracks (which I'm sure they may have) that isn't creating a live - non canned, play the chorus one more time - environment.

This is just one guys opinion…and perhaps your experience is different.

[GHS]

Some time in the 1970's, I went to the Garden State Art Center to see James Taylor. Upon opening, he walked out on stage with nothing but his guitar, a tall stool, and a reel to reel tape deck on a table. He then played two or three songs harmonizing with himself and had lead tracks taped too. NO ONE got up and left. I say use what you need WITH restraint, to enhance your performance, not compete with it. Not using it with every song but just to add a little extra to a tune now and then should keep interesting. But what does James Taylor know? Oh, and Alohacris, love your island and cant agree with you more about the evil of cell phones and texting during shows. Rudeness beyond anything we could have thought of in the 60's. If I were performing there, let alone living there, I would just get into the "real aloha spirit" and let those mainlanders get a sunburn and get out. Rock on Brahhh! Had a chance to get some cloud breaks by Poi pou one year, Awsome!!! Im nearly sixty and the next two days I couldnt lift my arms. One of the best hard times of my life!!!!.more

[MikeBmusic]

Interesting point came up about self-recording backing tracks of cover songs for live performance use (no matter what type of playback device is used): as these songs are being recorded the mechanical rights need to be purchased for this (harry fox).

[mr. beaumont]

I'm very "anti-tracks," but if you must, I'd rather hear percussion-only stuff you recorded yourself. Buy a cajon, a tambourine, maybe a ride cymbal, some shakers...percussion is fun, and you can really make it your own then. No midi, no "canned drums." This is a time where the easy way sounds like it, and it ain't good.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by MikeBmusic

Interesting point came up about self-recording backing tracks of cover songs for live performance use (no matter what type of playback device is used): as these songs are being recorded the mechanical rights need to be purchased for this (harry fox).

Actually that is an interesting point

First just to clarify there are actually two possible legal issues with covering a song in a live performance using backing tracks First is a "performance license" for live performance of copyrighted songs must be obtained through a PRO like ASCAP or BMI as "mechanical" license does not cover the live performance aspect of copyrighted song. However it is usually the venue that have such a license.

As for the actual "recording" of cover of a copyrighted song and to clarify further (as your wording could possibly be misconstrued) a "mechanical license" is in fact not legally necessary to "record" the song ("as the song is being recorded") it is necessary to obtain a mechanical license before distributing a recorded copyrighted song to the public.

And the fee is on a per unit basis. Typically 9.1 cents per song per unit . In the case of backing track that would most likely be one unit of recording on a say a computer or MP3 player then presumably the 25 unit minimum at the Harry Fox Agency would apply.

[MikeBmusic]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Actually that is an interesting point

First just to clarify there are actually two possible legal issues with covering a song in a live performance using backing tracks First is a "performance license" for live performance of copyrighted songs must be obtained through a PRO like ASCAP or BMI as "mechanical" license does not cover the live performance aspect of copyrighted song. However it is usually the venue that have such a license.

As for the actual "recording" of cover of a copyrighted song and to clarify further (as your wording could possibly be misconstrued) a "mechanical license" is in fact not legally necessary to "record" the song ("as the song is being recorded") it is necessary to obtain a mechanical license before distributing a recorded copyrighted song to the public.

And the fee is on a per unit basis. Typically 9.1 cents per song per unit . In the case of backing track that would most likely be one unit of recording on a say a computer or MP3 player then presumably the 25 unit minimum at the Harry Fox Agency would apply.

True. The performance license has to be obtained by the venue. On the mechanical - what is the option besides Harry Fox if you are just doing that one copy for live use? What about if you upload that one 'copy' to a site like soundcloud or reverbnation (with no downloading possible, only streaming)?
(For example all the cover tunes that people here do and post to the forum?)