Hi all
I thought some of you that use your BIAB for your backing tracks to play your guitar with may find this simple idea useful.
Gets the sound nicely coming from one location. Without too much fuss.

Playing Baking tracks through a Guitar Amp

While some folks like to keep their backing track and guitar amp separate.
Others often ask if they can use the guitar amp to play or mix in the backing track at the same time as the guitar.
The answer is yes providing you can play in to clean input unaffected by your pedal effects chains.

No fancy mixers required just this very useful Fender A B Y pedal ( approx £26 )
Basically 2 inputs A and B then 2 switches for A or B out, or A + B out.

Also as the unit is entirely Passive it can be used either way as 2 in 1 out or 1 in 2 out.

The pedal only req 9 volts for the leds but you don’t have to have them if you can work out what you are doing without them.

For those who don’t use the clean channel you may be able to insert this at the insert effects point if you have one on you amp. See option 2 in my diagram.
Those with modelling amps need to check if the insert return point is after any modelling ie clean return to say the power amp. This would normally be the case.

You have no extra volume / mixing knobs to twiddle just use you guitar volume control and the volume control on you backing track source device to balance the sounds

IMPORTANT NOTE

As this is a passive device with no input buffers it is important not to connect input A or B to a low impedance source, like an 8 ohm headphone out socket, as this will put the amps input to close to ground. When on the A+B setting.
This would result in you not hearing your guitar from A if you connected a headphone output from your backing track device to B.
So be sure to only connect to a higher impedance source like line out!






Mike Head SEP 19

The problem is that most electric guitar amps have midrange focused speakers. Diminished high end. Better to go another way and play backing tracks through a keyboard amp and use a guitar amp sim on electric into the keyboard amp.

Well said, rockstar_not.
Guitar amp alone doesn't get it done.

I've tried it with a Quilter Micro Pro HD 12, Fender Vibrolux, Fender Mustang GT

The high end disappears and the "band" turns into mud.
Separation between instruments (especially bass/drums/organ) no longer exist.
Its just not good enough to play behind at a real gig.
Playing at a friends Bar-B-QUe, maybe.

I think an amp sim with full range powered speaker or PA is the best sounding rig I've come across so far.

An frfr speaker (like QSC 12.2) works well for this.

Currently I use a EV Evolve 50 line array with a Tech 21 flyrig as the sim.
Ipad for the backing tracks. Normally I use a cable from the Ipad but the EV bluetooth is pretty good.

The EV has better (to my ears) bottom/separation than the QSC but costs a bit more
My whole rig packs in/out in 2 trips to the car.
I'm guitar/tracks with no singing so I don't pack a mixer or Mic Stand/Mic
The bottom of the EV is about 42 lbs, about the weight of a Vibrolux.
I wish it were lighter (I'm 61) but the sound is worth it.

My $.02

Yep.... I prefer to have 2 different sets of speakers.... one for the tracks and either I'm playing through my POD into the DAW or..... my amp in the room.

I've used guitar amps for mic, and also for playing music..... but that was back in the garage band days.