Originally Posted By: Joe V
First - I need to get some good ones.


Also - anyone have any tips on using backing tracks live ? My guess is you're often stuck playing to a specific, unalterable tempo, which I'm afraid might give the covers a slightly mechanical feel. Especially if for example drum or bass embellishments are used as a 'question-answer' think with particular lyrics (is there a name for this type of thing ?)

I'm also curious - suppose I want to use some of these backing tracks for an 'original'. I know melodies are copyrighted - but what about all the other instruments to accompany a song ? I would imagine with slight changes (and there's the judgement part) one could reuse the ideas without building them from scratch. Or I suppose even better - just use a comparable PG backing track or accompaniment - that's what they're made for.

And lastly - comparing backing tracks true to the original artists vs. those from PG - are they comparable, or could one see buying the backing tracks from the original as getting a more true-to-the-original cover as far as listeners (serious music aficianado listeners) are concerned ?


BB and RB can give you "good ones".

You guessed wrong. Practically every song has a specific, unalterable tempo. Dancers do NOT like it when you change tempo or style in the middle of a song. It's not the mechanical aspect that gets you, it's the repetition and boredom, avoid BORING parts and the problem is solved.

If you are playing live, you don't need to worry about copyrights. The venue is responsible for that aspect of the business. You might be asked to provide a set list... but most likely not. Either way, it's not your problem.

Lastly.... are you doing a tribute band thing? If so, you do want to be faithful to the original artist's version.... but chances are good that you're not doing a tribute band show, so feel free to do your own version and take on the songs. Chances are good the audience will like your interpretation of the song better anyway. That was often the case for our shows.


Don't be so locked into the thought pattern that you think the only way to do a show is with backing tracks to emulate a full band. Many folks will look at that as a variety of karaoke. And that's boring.

I played a solo act show for quite some time after my band broke up. It was just me on stage with a mic and an acoustic guitar with a piezo pickup, plugged in to the PA. I was told by the club system general manager that no one had ever been able to do a successful solo act in his clubs. He was the booking agent for multiple military enlisted clubs under his authority and we had played all of them. And all of them were patronized by young men, 18 to 22 years of age. No women and no dancing as a result. Talk about a ruthlessly brutal audience. If they didn't like you, you knew it immediately and the rest of the night was hell. I asked for one gig, one chance, to prove myself, and if it didn't work, he could fire me and take back the other bookings. I played that gig with just my acoustic guitar, in a room full of drunk and rowdy young Marines. I was a bit unsure myself but I went in, had fun, talked with the audience, joked with them, and played the songs I knew that they were requesting. Long story short..... I continued to play and book more jobs and had a blast doing it for many many months. Who would have thought that these hard charging, crazy guys would be asking for John Denver, Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot, John Prine and so many other acoustic style artist's songs? They loved it.

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www.herbhartley.com
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