Long time off-and-on user of BIAB (more than 25 years).

Have only used the software at home to make recordings.

I would like to pick the brains of users here who have used BIAB as a gigging tool, playing a solo gig.

Can you please tell me exactly how you go about setting up BIAB so it's ready to go for each song you play?

All equipment used, connections etc.
Midi/audio etc. etc.

Thanks!

Only done it once for a short set usually I have used Realband in the past.

Basically I used BiaB directly into my 3 channel tower speaker the laptop was Bluetooth connected my guitar and mike with cables.

I guess it depends on what type of music you play and such

I record my BIAB backing tracks as .WAV files (you could use high quality .MP3) and save them in a portable SONY player. Connect that to a house or portable PA system.

The key to selecting a portable player is the screen and user interface so you can find what you want easily, and control the transport.

I also record 20 seconds of silence at the end of each song, so I can control the player before it starts the next song by itself.

Thanks very much Matt. This is helpful.
So it seems getting the BIAB stuff into a .wav or .mp3 file is the best way to go?
It makes sense to me.

What player do you use, and are there any that you would recommend specifically?

I would have thought there would be many users who were performing with BIAB, but perhaps I was mistaken?

I wouldn't use it in a band situation, but for a solo gig, it would help fill things out for some songs.

I play guitar.

I play guitar also. This is how I do it.

I create and edit the songs in BB. Then I record them as audio on an SD card in my Jam Man Looper. I have a cable that has the stereo plug for my computer's headphone jack on one end and two 1/4" plugs on the other.

When I play, I use a very small PA running in mono. I use both outs of the Jam Man, sending them to two channels on the PA. I EQ them slightly differently.

I reserve space on the SD card to assemble my show. All I have to do is move up one loop for the next song. I carry a list showing all the songs on the Jam Man and their locations, just in case I want to change it up.

I use the Jam Man because I can stop, start and change songs with my foot.

I do one-hour shows at senior centers. If you need to do multiple sets, you could put each set on a separate SD card and change them on the break. Or, it might be easier to use a tablet with Wav files.

Good luck.

2b

I have my wav files on a VoiceLive 3 extreme. A bit pricy, but it covers all my harmonies, vocal effects, autotune etc and also guitar effects in one package. Just plug the Voicelive 3 Extreme straight into a PA and you have a very professional sounding setup. Of course, like all really powerful units, the Voicelive 3 Extreme has a learning curve. What I really like is that the Voicelive 3 Extreme allows me to set up all my guitar and vocal / harmony effects to automatically turn on and off at precise moments in each song. You just play and look at the audience or whatever... No jig dancing or foot stomping although it will let you do that if you wish.

I also create my backing tracks in BIAB, and then move them as WAV files onto an SD card in my JamMan looper. The looper then gets plugged directly in to my Bose L1.

I have about 80 songs on the looper. Each song has a number, which I can scroll through using the looper's foot pedal. As a guitar player, I like having this "hands free" feature at gigs. As a back-up, I have all the songs on a small MP3 player, just in case.

I like doing it this way rather than taking a chance the laptop computer will mess up on a gig.

My player is a very old SONY, and I don't think that model exists now.

I believe you are correct that there should be many who perform solo with BIAB, and you just haven't found them here yet.

I also have a back up list of mp3 songs on my phone, usb stick and on drop box etc. Be aware that phones can be tricky. I've had calls during a gig before. I now turn off mobile data and WiFi (Watsapp calls etc). Also be careful to 'normalise' the songs or you'll blow someone away or be too quiet in eg jazz or folk styles. I also like duplicates of as many bits of gear as feasible.

That sounds interesting. I will look into it. Thanks.

2b

I find setting up the song in BIAB then exporting to Reaper there mixing and “mastering” before converting to MP3 and running through MP3Gain and putting them onto my olde laptop is an easy way to go. All songs are about the same level. I use a USB audio device and plug my guitar into that on the way into the PC. I set the guitar via TH2 (virtual guitar amp sym, I also have guitar rig available) the guitar and songs are levelled in the PC and then sent into a PA.

I find doing it this way avoids having to make changes or tweaks between songs, allowing me time to announce whatever, maybe make a joke and start each song without undue delay or volume shocks as each song starts.

Seems to work fine for me.

Tony

I am real happy loading them onto an iPad using OnSong so there is no iTunes to worry about. Words, chords and backing tracks all set out in front of you with heaps of options with set lists etc.
Just plug the iPad attached to your mic stand into a mixer or PA and it’s an easy solution.
Works for me.

Tony, I like your idea of using MP3Gain...seems that it will solve a problem for me by leveling out volumes between various MP3's. Does it batch level a number of MP3's at one time or does it have to work on each one separately?

Jeff

Yes you can pull an entire folder in a check them all. I do it per file as a part of my workflow. When doing the MP3Gain check I also look for clipping. Often a file might clip as an MP3 that doesn’t as a wav. It is more common for clipping to occur if the levels are lifted by MP3Gain.

Whilst most songs are very similar in volume some songs you wish were louder. For example, you may have a number of songs (I don’t quite know how to put it) lets say softer songs then you have a rocker. When the rocker comes on at the same volume as a softer song the rocker sounds too low. It seems to lack the energy. They are however the same dB level. It is possible to lift the level of an individual song. I guess it has as much to do with the feeling as true volume.

I for one don’t feel the full energy of a live performance when playing solo with backing tracks. Working off a group of guys has a better liveliness to it, to my way of thinking.

Tony

I create in BIAB, export to Studio One and the final mixes are saved as WAV files. For gigs, I use a web-based "app" I built. Each song is embedded in a web page and simply hitting the enter key starts the next song.

My setup is based on a few principles:
1. Keep it simple;
2. Hide the electronics as much as possible; and
3. Help me stay on track.
I currently use BIAB for Windows on a Microsoft Surface Pro tablet, fed into a PA system.
I don’t have to convert or export files (simple). It sits on my music stand next to my iPad Pro, which contains my Word.doc scores (hidden). BIAB's moving highlighter reminds me where I am when my mind wanders (on track).
If I need to do a lot of arranging, I use my desktop BIAB version and transfer the result with a memory stick, but most adjustments can be made on the tablet, particularly with the attachable keypad.

I transfer backing tracks to an eight track digital recorder.
Aux. out to a powered speaker.
The recorder has line/guitar and line/mic inputs.
The recorder sits in a music stand. The lead sheets in another.
The same rig in the studio permits over dubbing.
If I were to change, it would probably be to a CD player
or to a recorder with more inputs.

I just started a thread in this forum on my existing rig and what I'm thinking about next.
It may be of interest to you.

I've tried a fair amount of hardware and software and am pretty happy with the setup.

I use an IPad at the gig but also own an Iphone with all my sets on it as backup.

I just started a thread in this forum on my existing rig and what I'm thinking about next.
It may be of interest to you.

I've tried a fair amount of hardware and software and am pretty happy with the setup.

I use an IPad at the gig but also own an Iphone with all my sets on it as backup.

The only reason to use Biab itself live on a computer is if you want to change the arrangement of the song in real time. Example, you're singing a song and you have it set up for three choruses with an ending but they're dancing or you simply want to extend it another chorus. Using the Conductor you hit a key on your laptop and it will loop back to the beginning of the chorus so you can keep the song going. If you're not doing any of that and all you're doing is letting the song simply play down to the end then why do you need to use Biab itself? Mixing the song down to a stereo wav file and putting it into an iPad or other type of player removes the need for setting up a computer on your gig.

There are many live gig song management apps out there for both iPads and Android tablets.

Bob

jazzmammal hit the nail on the head regarding flexibility at performance.

another plus of having biab or some multitrack player software.

i play instrumental guitar with normalized mono wav backing track files i produce from biab arrangements.
An IOS app (anytune pro) handles setlist management, playback.
bluetooth midi pedal handles next/previous, start/stop, master track volume etc.
I use either an ipad or iphone. either works fine. my aging eyes like the tablet

most of these sound decent through my current amplification system.

but not always.

Sometimes room acoustics overemphasize the bass or the ride cymbal for example.
Either way it quickly becomes annoying, at least to me.
Sometimes all you can do is turn down the entire backing track.
Not so good.
I played a gig last night where some of the backing tracks were great and some were not.

Having individual track access (like biab) allows you to adjust a single track volume on the fly.
That is powerful indeed.