Another thing about backing tracks.

I like MIDI better than Real.

For a few reasons.

#1 We played a yacht & tennis club a few years ago. The band before us used purchased Karaoke tracks with real instruments, backing vocals etc.

When we got there, one of the people on the entertainment committee asked, "You're not doing karaoke, are you?" I replied, "No". We're still playing there.

#2 I can change the length, because between 3 minutes for a fast song and 5 minutes for a slow song is just about right for my particular audience

#3 I can leave parts out for Leilani and Myself to play live. Not only comp parts, but solos. Why do I want a ghost playing the instrumental solo when I am a solo hog by nature?

#4 I can cut out those intros that nobody can dance to, and even put the hook part right up front so people recognize the song sooner and don't leave the dance floor.

#5 I can adjust the mix for live performances. If you notice a live band, especially as you approach the club, you hear the crack of the snare drum and the bass. With a MIDI drum kit I can boost the snare and bass without affecting the rest of the mix. Most prerecorded tracks have the snare and bass mixed at recorded music levels, which sound bad on your iPod or CD player, but don't sound as good live.

#6 Real endings ('nuff said)

#7 I can change the key with zero artifacts. I want the key to be perfect for our vocals. If we can do it in 'record key' we try, but sometimes you can't.

#8 I can manipulate the tempo with no artifacts. Speed the song up a little (like vinyl DJs used to do), rush the B part, slowly accelerate the tempo to add more energy (so slowly the audience doesn't notice)

#9 Add background vocal "response" lines on synth patches so it doesn't sound like karaoke, but instead like we are playing the parts.

Like so many have recommended, I did start simple, but I also started improving my sequencing chops right away.

I played in real bands for years and I wanted my backing tracks to sound as real as possible. And as hard as it is to believe, pre-recorded audio tracks are not the way to do that.

The first thing I missed, was the crack of the snare drum. So I copied just the snare, pasted it on another track, changed it to a high timbale, reduced the volume, and delayed it a couple of clock tics. 100% improvement for live performance. The snare track had the snare drum sound, and the high timbale track had the sound of the rim and ring of the snare body.

That got me started. Then I pursued other ways to edit the tracks to make them sound more like a live band.

People respond to expression, not tone. I know we musicians love tone, and we should, but we are playing for the audience. Expression is more important to them. If expression wasn't more important, singers like Dr. John, Stevie Nicks, John Lennon, and so many others wouldn't have made it.

And editing MIDI can do so many things to enhance the expression of your tracks, without sounding like a karaoke jockey.

Start simple, and don't be afraid to experiment and learn. You want both your backing tracks and your live performance to be better than your competition.

Insights and incites by Notes

Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com

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