Mrs. Notes and I use backing tracks for everything.

I make them myself, sometimes with BiaB, sometimes from scratch (one part at a time) and sometimes a combination of both. We currently have over 600 tracks.

Some of our competitors use karaoke tracks, but I don't like them. First, they may not be in the optimal key for our voices.

Second of all they are mixed like the recording, where I mix mine more for a live band sound - more backbeat, slightly exaggerated grooves, and often just a little faster than the recording

Finally, I can modify the arrangement, make it longer, leave room for an ad-lib solo for the solo hog (that would be me) to self-indulge a little, and perhaps even reinterpret the song.

It might take a day or two to do one track, but if I'm lucky, I'll get to play it hundreds of times on hundreds of gigs.

We were in a few bands together before we started our duo. The last straw was in 1984 we were out of work a total of 3 months due to people quitting the band for personal problems.

I bought a 4 track reel-to-real Teac tape recorder, recorded the parts, and mixed to cassette. When digital came, I embraced MIDI.

Since we started gigging in our duo in 1985, we have never been out of work, except for the COVID 'vacation'.

That's 37 years in the same band. If the time is right, I tell my audience the only band that has been together longer than us is The Rolling Stones. And if that works and the timing is still right, I add, "And we still have all the original members."

I make a living doing music and nothing but music, and I do it with my soul mate, Mrs. Notes.

I'm not rich, but I think I won the life lottery.

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