Originally Posted By: Islansoul
<...snip...> If the general public doesn't care about whether or not you use MIDI or not, then people would not pay money to see live bands. <...>

People pay to SEE live bands because they want to WATCH them make the music.

I have been in a duo since 1985 with 100% MIDI backing tracks that I make myself. We work steadily and are probably the highest paid duo in my area. We currently have a house gig for 9 years running now and have had repeat business that have hired us since the 1980s.

It's what I do for a living.

The public neither knows nor cares that my tracks are 100% MIDI. They like watching Leilani and I sing and play guitars, sax, flute and synthesizers along with the tracks.

What we do is play our music expressively, choose the right songs for the customers, and entertain them.

And I might add that our MIDI tracks sound more "life" than pre-recorded tracks.

What?

Is this blasphemy?

Actually not. There is a difference between having a mix for a recording and a mix for live. What do you hear as you approach a gig with a live band first? Snare drum and bass?

By having complete control over every instrument I can remix things for live performance. I can kick up the snare and kick drum leaving the rest of the drum set alone. I can also exaggerate the groove and put the snare ahead or behind the beat a tad when appropriate. I can even mix a little timbale on the 2 & 4s on the snare to approximate the drummer hitting the head an the rim at the same time and put a couple of MIDI tics between them.

I can pump the bass up, I can change the guitar to a different brand of electric, I can detune the horns a little to approximate stretch tuning to make them sound better and do all kinds of things to make the backing tracks sound more "live" than a recording mixed to sound good in your living room.

That's not to negate Real Tracks, because everyone has their own way of doing things and there is more than one right way to make music.

This works for me, paid off the mortgage, and buys me a yearly international vacation.

Insights and incites by 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