I like external synthesizers myself for a few reasons:

  • Zero latency (for all practical purposes) most hardware modules have a latency of about 5ms, software synths can have much more latency (up to almost a half second for the worst of the lot)
  • The similar latency in external synths allow for mixing synths. If the bass sounds best on one module and the guitar on another - no problem - use them both - with similar latencies the tracks will be in sync
  • Hardware synths don't go obsolete. I'm still using the Roland MT-32 that I bought to use with my Atari/ST computer back in the 1980s. It works with all MAC CPUs/OSs and all versions of the PC from DOS to Win7 (and I'm sure Win8). I've added quite a few synth modules since the Atari days, but there are still a couple of great sounds on the old modules. Software synths can go obsolete when the OS is upgraded and have gone obsolete
  • Hardware synths do not tax the computer's CPU which means there is less chance of crashing the computer on the gig
  • Reliability - I've never had a hardware synth fail, the one I bought in the 1980s still works like it did when it was new (I did have a sampler fail once - but it had moving parts - a floppy disk drive (anybody remember floppy disks?)

Another option for you might be to record your backing tracks and play them as mp3 files on the gig. There are many ways of doing this, the way I do it is here http://www.nortonmusic.com/backing_tracks.html - you can take what you want and leave the rest.

Notes

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

100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks