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This is a great discussion and I appreciate everyone's thoughts and suggestions.
I guess I didn't realize the added equipment expense of converting my BIAB / RB songs over to MP3 equipment. Most of what has been suggested seems to be MP3 players with on-board mixers. With the purchase of an EV Evolve 30M, I had thought that I would have had the mixer part nailed down...this "live" stuff is all new to me so I may be way off base here.
Where I'm still stumped on all of this is that the Evolve 30M has an 8 channel Dynacord mixer built in...4 XLR/1/4" combos for line equip, 2 XLR / 1/4" stereo, 1- HiZ, RCA stereo input, 3.5mm stereo input, plus bluetooth input.
Why would I need an MP3 player that has mixing capabilities? Isn't there such a thing as a simple MP3 player that I could mainline into the Evolve 30M and get around the headphone jack issues using the 1/4" inputs with adapters, RCA or bluetooth inputs?
I do appreciate everyone comments and advise. Like I said moving from a "studio" setup to "live" setup is proving to be more of an undertaking than I thought.
Jeff
Last edited by MountainSide; 04/01/21 03:08 AM.
Win11, Intel i7 7700K 4.2Ghz, 32Gb RAM, 2x1Tb HD, 500Gb NVMe, BIAB/RB 2026, MOTU 828MK3 audio, MOTU Midi Express, Yamaha Montage 7, DX7II, TX802, Motif XS Rack, Roland Fantom XR Rack, Oberheim Matrix 1000, VoiceLive3 Extreme, Kontakt 6, SampleTank 4.3
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You don't need an MP3 player that has mixing capabilities. You just need a good dedicated MP3 player.
The problem is, market demand for high quality dedicated music players has fallen, resulting in lots of low end units and only a few high quality, high priced units.
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I prefer ThinkPad computers with a USB->Audio interface.
I can call up the next song in 2 seconds or less that way. Highlight it in Windows File Explorer.
I use Windows Media Player to play them so a simple "ENTER" gets the next song.
Alt+Tab gets me back to Windows File Explorer.
I have complete freedom to play whatever song I feel is next at a moment's notice. No set lists, no scrolling, no menus, sheer simplicity.
But there is more than one right way to do this. This works best for me.
Insights and incites by Notes ♫
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
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& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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First blush is that since a USB sound device like a Focusrite or M-Audio require driver installation that it wouldn't work, as you can't install drivers on an Android device. It may be that some supernerd somewhere has written a driver for Linux, which is at the core of Android, but that may be a chore to find that supernerd. And then talk him out of his software! Looking at how much heart and soul you have invested to set the tablet up, would it be worth your while to pick up a laptop (they are REALLY so inexpensive now) and move those songs to a laptop? As a "Pay it forward" kind of thing I have a no longer used M-Audio Fast Track Pro interface I would just give you for the shipping charges. It would give you 1/4" outs to go to your mixer.  EDIT: This reply should have been pointed at Uncle Paul but somehow got referred to Mountainside.
Last edited by eddie1261; 04/01/21 05:25 AM.
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And wouldn't such interface add complexity and another point of failure? Yes and no. It does add complexity (which also means flexibility) and another possible point of failure, but the possibility of a dedicated interface failure compared to an 1/8th inch connection jack failure (or half failure like crackling etc) .. I'd take the USB hardware device in most instances. Just my opinion. The 1/8th inch may be able to be a 'catastrophe' backup option. But as Eddie mentioned, this isn't achieved in an MP3 player setting; you'd need a machine to run the USB audio device (drivers). Though I have used the Android RB app (historically) to have such fun, I don't think it is supported anymore. You'd have to go to some pretty sketchy places to find it now .. and even then, use 'developer mode' on Android to allow it to install, so those days seem to be gone for most users. It still required a computer within WIFI range, but was a fun Android solution while it lasted.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Let me see. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate 1/8” headphone jacks? I would take increased complexity in a heartbeat.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Let me see. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate 1/8” headphone jacks? I would take increased complexity in a heartbeat. I really don’t see the “increased complexity” at all. I find plugging an audio interface into a USB port just as difficult. Not only that with the audio interface I am pretty much replicating the setup I use to setup the songs and I have a place to plug in my guitar and/or microphone using standard 1/4 jacks. With the audio interface I can better balance the devices I am using. If anything an audio interface via USB reduces complexity IMHO. Just a thought. Tony
HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home,
Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen, Launchkey 61, Maton CW80, Telecaster, Ovation Elite TX, Yamaha Pacifica 612
BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
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I think what Harv means is that adding another piece of hardware in the signal chain (the USB Interface) adds for some more cables that he hasn't had to do before.
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Why not use: A generic media player with 32 GB of storage, video screen, FM radio, record function, 4 hours of play time for $16 US at +++ WalMart +++or An old (out-of-service) cellphone hidden away in a drawer. Most have an embedded media player and storage. Connect to a small, two channel amplifier and you should be good to go. Instrument in one hand, amplifier in another, media player and cords in your pockets.
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Why not use: A generic media player with 32 GB of storage, video screen, FM radio, record function, 4 hours of play time for $16 US at +++ WalMart +++or An old (out-of-service) cellphone hidden away in a drawer. Most have an embedded media player and storage. Connect to a small, two channel amplifier and you should be good to go. Instrument in one hand, amplifier in another, media player and cords in your pockets. I guess it depends on what you are attempting to achieve. For me, I like to play a variety of music sounding at least a bit like a band, with my guitar running through a good amp capable of running a number of stomp boxes and other gadgets. I can achieve this simply using a laptop and running TH-U. Then use media player to play the backing tracks. Songbook to deliver the words and chords in time with the music. TH-U requires at least an i5 to run. I’d rather run more than I need than wish I only had something else to get by with. So I use a high end laptop with a screen I can read from a metre or more away and an audio interface to balance components, hook things up and into a pa. I also have a midi foot controller to manage the amp sim (stomp boxes). . Albeit these days I really don’t do this for money I still set myself a fairly high standard and like to perform as good as possible. My thoughts Tony
HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home,
Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen, Launchkey 61, Maton CW80, Telecaster, Ovation Elite TX, Yamaha Pacifica 612
BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
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I'm going to offer a novel option. Why not do a combo of solo guitar and/or solo piano with vocals?
You'd be surprised how much folks enjoy just plain simple music without all of the bells and whistles.
That's what I would do, but that's just me. I don't want to watch someone using backing tracks because it just seems too much like karaoke.
Backup tracks are better suited for practicing or recording.
If you're going to do "live" music, then just do it live.
Some of the best shows I've ever seen were solo performances. And they weren't all done by exceptional instrumentalists or outstanding vocalists.
Just my 2 cents.
Last edited by bobcflatpicker; 04/01/21 06:10 PM.
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I'm going to offer a novel option. Why not do a combo of solo guitar and/or solo piano with vocals?
You'd be surprised how much folks enjoy just plain simple music without all of the bells and whistles.
That's what I would do, but that's just me. I don't want to watch someone using backing tracks because it just seems too much like karaoke.
Backup tracks are better suited for practicing or recording.
If you're going to do "live" music, then just do it live.
Some of the best shows I've ever seen were solo performances. And they weren't all done by exceptional instrumentalists or outstanding vocalists.
Just my 2 cents.
Depends entirely on what you’re doing. If you have 200 or so people trying to dance, to stand there strumming a guitar singing away usually doesn’t cut it. On the other hand if it is a bunch of people in a bar sitting down having a drink a guitar and a bit of singing maybe just the thing. My thoughts Tony
Last edited by Teunis; 04/01/21 06:40 PM.
HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home,
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BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
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I thought we were talking about playing nursing homes.
Of course it would work in many other situations as well.
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Maybe the simplest and most reliable solution to perform using BIAB backing tracks - TrioPlus Digitech looper-pedal
BIAB 2025:RB 2025, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
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I use an old Edirol USB->Audio interface. Why? 1) No knobs or controls 2) It uses standard Windows drivers so if I need a new computer, it will work with no installation worries.  For me, on the gig, simpler is better. YMMV Insights and incites by Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton 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
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In the old days when I still played pubs, outdoor functions, weddings, parties etc I almost always used midi NOT mp3. When I started playing mp3 was not a thing and so there were not small media players as such. Hence I used thousands of midi files played by an old (well it was newish then) laptop through a MPU401 into an SC88 Pro. The nice thing about this system is that if the bass was a little lacking, I could boost it through my midi player. I eventually got ALL the Tune1000 discs available as that sorted out lyrics as well as giving an impressive range of songs. I also had BIAB (was it version 7 or 8) for the songs I didn't have a backing for. BTW it was all midi - no realtracks then. These I would tell the folks I would prepare a backing in the next break and then give it a go. I had several fakebooks in pdf format on the laptop. Never had any problems whatsoever. Not one crash in over 10 years of playing. Nowadays I have gravitated away from full backings to Bob's method of accompaniment on piano or guitar. I prefer the keyboard with Korgs Triton VSTi as a sound source with an old digital keyboard (with proper weighted keyboard) midied up. This is what I use for my worship sessions these days. I think people appreciate the honesty out of such a system. If I ever got tempted to go back performing I guess I would use a laptop with a sound interface. I wouldn't bother with a mixer either - I would use my M-Audio Fast Track Ultra 8R as it has 8 line/mike inputs and a full internal mixer with effects. This would then feed two powered speakers. It doesn't get much simpler than that. I might add that it wouldn't be midi now but flac tracks. Kevin
Last edited by Kevin Woolley; 04/02/21 06:35 AM.
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Before MIDI? I didn't think there was even electricity before MIDI came around!
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Before MIDI? I didn't think there was even electricity before MIDI came around! I have played in a venue where the electricity was supplied by a generator driven by a tractor as the mains power hadn’t reached the area yet. Well into the night down went the electricity and a voice called out “didn’t you fill the bloody thing up like I told yer”. A reply of “sorry dad”. I can also recall our band sitting on tables with acoustic instruments during a blackout. When I first started we used sing into Crystal mics plugged into a guitar amp. When we got a PA and diaphragm mics we thought we were made. Yep times have changed. Tony
HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home,
Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen, Launchkey 61, Maton CW80, Telecaster, Ovation Elite TX, Yamaha Pacifica 612
BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
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Hi Mountainside,
Going live is why I 1st purchased BIAB and have been doing so since day 1 quite a few years back and with hundreds of gigs under the old belt. With that said I have never recorded anything i.e. Mp3's or wave files for my tracks. Instead I run my live backings on live gigs directly from the BIAB screen, especially since pads and mini computers these days are not much larger than an I-Pad there is very little to carry and setup, besides I have the option to edit a track on the fly at my fingertips.
Hardware: A Lenovo Note pad, Bose LII for in person gigs, and for live streaming gigs I use a mixer with house monitors.
Software: For live stream shows I use OBS as I often use green screen, besides OBS comes with it's own recording function in case you'd like to record your audio and video. No interface of any kind, a very simple setup, just BIAB via Lenovo Notepad through mixer.
I have many videos on social media if you are interest, or just PM me if I can be of service.
Later,
Last edited by Danny C.; 04/03/21 03:41 AM. Reason: it's
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