Playing With Backing Tracks Live

TomasHakkesBrain

Senior Member
Just wondered what you opinions were on playing with backing tracks plus live band.

Ive had a couple of gigs recently, one a session and one for fun, where ive been using backing with a click track. On one occassion it was a click without the band in my mix and the tunes contained various complexities. I kept switching from one in ear monitor then both.

In addition the band didnt use a click also and just went by me or the backing when i wasnt playing.

Do you dislike playing and only hearing the click? Any problems you have occurred or tips to help any sticky situations?!
 
Everyone's situation and preferences will vary, although the goal is always the same - to make the performance sound seamless, and the drummer needs to do whatever is necessary with that goal in mind.

In my case, my mixes vary wildly in order to best stay in sync. Sometimes I hear an actual click with other players mixed in, sometimes I hear a custom track which may or may not include a click, and sometimes I prefer just hearing the original song, drums and all. Which avenue will depend on the complexity of the song in particular, and how I feel is the best way to stick with it and deliver that seamless performance. Fortunately, I get to determine those things, and have different overall mixes as necessary to play my best.

Bermuda
 
Wow this is something I had never heard of before. So when you guys are playing live you are sometimes listening to the song you are playing through an ear pierce or as Bernuda described a modified version of the song? Is this pretty common? I had no idea....
 
As I said, everyone's situation will vary. I suppose I should add that everyone's comfort level varies as well. Ideally, the drummer should get exactly what he wants or needs in order to work with the click, and he often has to modify his concept of what a 'good' mix is. That is, a drummer that insists on hearing an overall good mix of the song, is probably not going to be able to follow the click. If the drummer doesn't understand why that won't work, he need only try it once to find out. :)

How we hear our mixes is subjective as well, somewhat. If there's a loud click blaring through a drum monitor, the audience will hear it, and obviously that's unacceptable. In situastions where the drummer just wants a click - meaning, "tick tock tick tock..." - he needs an in-ear or headphone solution. On stage, I prefer headphones, and on TV I use in-ears for a better look.

Bermuda
 
and I guess if you're playing for any current "pop" stars you probably have an EXCELLENT vocal track to play along to....

(runs...ducks...hides...)

"snicker"

back to the doghouse...
 
I've done the 'one man band' thing with MIDI backing tracks, and me playing drums and singing too - it's another kind of vibe you just learn how to do. I've done tracks where the band was playing along with me live as well. It's all good. You just have to be in control.
 
Playing with Non-seasoned pros:
I prefer playing with 'click only' in my ears if possible.
This helps when playing with players who may or may not mess up. If you're playing with a track, and the guitarist or singer misses a bar or adds one, you're going to get all kinds of wackyness in your head trying to then 'ignore' the guide track and stay with the overall band. So in those cases I like to have just click, and still have enough stage monitors to hear what they're playing. I get to keep time, but allows the freedom to adapt if stuff goes a little bit off band-wise.

Playing with Seasoned pros:
I prefer playing with click in one ear, and anything else in the other. This helps you 'feel' their groove, but still maintain time (since you're the master timekeeper, they should play to you of course). And you don't have to worry about everyone going off track if they're reliable.
 
Playing with Non-seasoned pros:
I prefer playing with 'click only' in my ears if possible.
This helps when playing with players who may or may not mess up. If you're playing with a track, and the guitarist or singer misses a bar or adds one, you're going to get all kinds of wackyness in your head trying to then 'ignore' the guide track and stay with the overall band. So in those cases I like to have just click, and still have enough stage monitors to hear what they're playing. I get to keep time, but allows the freedom to adapt if stuff goes a little bit off band-wise.

Playing with Seasoned pros:
I prefer playing with click in one ear, and anything else in the other. This helps you 'feel' their groove, but still maintain time (since you're the master timekeeper, they should play to you of course). And you don't have to worry about everyone going off track if they're reliable.

You've helped my situation, thanks.
 
I started playing with backing tracks right around 1999. I've done in it several bands.

It helps that I've usually been the one who had control over the start and stop (usually, not always). and usually the opportunity to program my own click sounds.

I'm not a big fan of hearing different things in different ears. I like a mix of maybe 75% click with 25% of the backing tracks in my headphones, and then pumping the backing tracks through the monitors. I personally never got around to using in ear monitors, as they were still pretty expensive back when I was doing this all the time.

Anyhow, I remember it was a bit awkward at first, but I quickly got used to and it soon became second nature to me.
 
It is fascinating to me reading about these click and backing tracks. I enjoy learning about how and when they are used.

I am extremely old school with this stuff. I have never played with either.
I am the rhythm regulator in the bands I play with and I can’t imagine playing to a click track.
When I need to slow down or speed up the rhythm of the song I can do it and nobody notices.

Seems to me that having a click track to help the drummer keep the rhythm is taking away the drummers main function. It is somewhat like going on stage and lip syncing a pre-recorded song.

Sorry that is just my old school opinion.


.
 
I do loads of stuff like this at the moment, I always make sure I get an aux send from the sound desk back to the stage and have the sound guy feed my in ears.

We are a live band with sequenced elements, we split the stereo signal LR into two mono feeds, the left side also contains my click track and comes to me only, the right side feeds the front of house without the click, this way you always have a click and the music to play to in your ears but the audience never hears it. The only downside is that any sequenced elements need to be mono or fired through a send on the desk by your sound guy back into a channel and delayed slightly to recreate a stereo (ish) signal.

I hope this helps!

Remo.

http://www.chris-drums.com
http://www.thedenstudios.com
 
It is fascinating to me reading about these click and backing tracks. I enjoy learning about how and when they are used.

I am extremely old school with this stuff. I have never played with either.
I am the rhythm regulator in the bands I play with and I can’t imagine playing to a click track.
When I need to slow down or speed up the rhythm of the song I can do it and nobody notices.

Seems to me that having a click track to help the drummer keep the rhythm is taking away the drummers main function. It is somewhat like going on stage and lip syncing a pre-recorded song.

Sorry that is just my old school opinion.


.

Well i think the band would be interested in autotuning the vocals live, soooooo
 
It is fascinating to me reading about these click and backing tracks. I enjoy learning about how and when they are used.

I am extremely old school with this stuff. I have never played with either.
I am the rhythm regulator in the bands I play with and I can’t imagine playing to a click track.
When I need to slow down or speed up the rhythm of the song I can do it and nobody notices.

Seems to me that having a click track to help the drummer keep the rhythm is taking away the drummers main function. It is somewhat like going on stage and lip syncing a pre-recorded song.

Sorry that is just my old school opinion.

.





The point of a click is not because the drummer is hopeless at his job, the point of a click is usually to sync up pre-recorded or programmed parts, ie keyboards, or samples that are running off the backing track..

its not taking away from the drummers job, its to improve the quality of the overall performance. and its been happening for 30 years, so that puts you into the vintage, not oldschool category :p hahaha!
 
The point of a click is not because the drummer is hopeless at his job, the point of a click is usually to sync up pre-recorded or programmed parts... its not taking away from the drummers job, its to improve the quality of the overall performance. and its been happening for 30 years...

Correct on both, Frog.

I'm not a big fan of hearing different things in different ears. I like a mix of maybe 75% click with 25% of the backing tracks in my headphones, and then pumping the backing tracks through the monitors.

Depending what I'm doing, I do like panning certain things more to the right (my stronger ear) or left. When everything is in the center, it all competes for its space in the mix, and can make it more difficult to hear the click itself without cranking it up. By moving the click one direction or the other, it is easier to hear at lower volume, and easier to play to because the click and the live drums are both more audible when not competing volume-wise in the center of my brain.)

Bermuda
 
The point of a click is not because the drummer is hopeless at his job, the point of a click is usually to sync up pre-recorded or programmed parts, ie keyboards, or samples that are running off the backing track..

its not taking away from the drummers job, its to improve the quality of the overall performance. and its been happening for 30 years, so that puts you into the vintage, not oldschool category :p hahaha!

Ha !

Good point !

.
 
I've done it many ways.
Most of the time I get a click on one channel and a mix of the live band on another.
I use my own mixer and make it stereo so I have all the sounds in both my ears. Then I can just play with the volume as needed.

If I'm working with a group that has tracks, I'll stick a feed of the tracks on a 3rd channel and keep it lower that the other two.

I have on occasion used full-mix tracks as well. It's the actual audio of the song ripped right of the album and a click overlapped on the intro. Drums, Guitars, Bass, Vocals, everything is in there. Only I hear it, so it's not like the parts are being doubled out front. Sometimes an intro or outro is double on a track, so that will play in the house, but then cuts once the band kicks in. Again, I'll hear the whole song in my mix at that point.
I don't like doing this, but from time to time I find myself in a situation that calls for it.
 
When I use a backing track live, I create an audible "click" that everyone can hear. A tambourine sound works well because the high frequency cuts thru the rest of the music A closed HH sound also works well. These sounds get buried in the mix so, even though they are audible, it fits in the music. Some tracks need no click. For example, if an instrument is playing at least quarter notes, thru most of the segment.

I can't even comprehend just playing with a click in my ear while the rest of the band doesn't hear it. When the bass player strays off tempo, I am naturally drawn to his tempo and it takes everything I have to try and pull him/them back on track. So much so that I lose focus, forget where I'm at and it stops being a pleasure :)



It is fascinating to me reading about these click and backing tracks. I enjoy learning about how and when they are used.

.

You need to stop by my place some time Jim. I'm in Central Phoenix @ Central and Northern. I can give you a crash course. I am around most day because, well because I don't work much anymore. You allowed me to play your kit, I'd like the chance to do the same. I will also show you how to play the keyboard parts on some Doors songs :) :)


When I re entered the music scene a few years ago, a younger player mentioned that his band always used a click. My response was "I don't want to be a robot" :)

Since that time, I started using backing tracks with my 3 piece groups and the click is essential.

I have also learned that playing without a click and backing tracks is generally WAY easier. Players will ebb and flow, automatically and seamlessly adjusting to one another while the machine is very very stubborn and unwilling to compromise.
 
I can't even comprehend just playing with a click in my ear while the rest of the band doesn't hear it. When the bass player strays off tempo, I am naturally drawn to his tempo and it takes everything I have to try and pull him/them back on track. So much so that I lose focus, forget where I'm at and it stops being a pleasure :)

And therein lies the primary discipline of playing with a click in a band: you do what you need to do to more easily stay on the click. You can devote your focus to the click within an overall mix, but you're right - you spend more time just trying to stay on track than you do enjoying playing. Or, you can tailor the mix so that the click is easier to follow, at the expense of listening to a somewhat unnatural mix.

The question is, do you play so you can enjoy the music, or do you play in order to make the band sound its best? Ideally, in most bands, you get to do both! BUT... the moment you introduce a click, it becomes job #1 for the drummer to synchronize with it. Period. Too bad if the balance doesn't sound right. When there's a click, it is paramount in terms of playing the song. Take it from a guy who does this for a living.

My job on stage is less about playing drums, than it is about keeping everyone in sync with the tracks & video. My need to hear a 'good' mix so I can enjoy the music is not even on the radar. You would shake your head if you knew the kinds of mixes and different clicks & tracks I deal with throughout every Al show. But I can assure you of this: I do not stray from that click.

Well, that's not completely true, I lost it once about 6 or 7 years ago. I went on auto-pilot for a moment and allowed myself to be pulled by someone else in my already-sparse mix. But that never, ever happened again.

So with the screwy mix and focus on the click, do I enjoy gigging? Yep, because I love playing the drums, and that never gets old. :)

Bermuda
 
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I have also learned that playing without a click and backing tracks is generally WAY easier.

I'd say it's always easier! The reality is, there are a lot of situations where a track is necessary in order to sound better using standard instrumentation. There are also genres where a click is completely inappropriate, where freedom and movement and expression are key to that genre (trad jazz, for example.)

The most in-demand players are the ones who transition easily between the two.

Bermuda
 
Take it from a guy who does this for a living.

Even though I only ventured into this arena 2-3 years ago, I understand exactly what you are saying and I'm sure everyone attempting to do the same thing appreciates your input.

I am kind of surprised that more drummers don't work the backing tracks. In theory, it's simple because everything generally triggers at the top of the measure. If not, you can delay the sound and still trigger at the top.


My job on stage is less about playing drums, than it is about keeping everyone in sync with the tracks & video

I'm not a professional but I can relate. I find myself playing most drum parts on autopilot and focusing more on triggering the tracks. Sometimes, it is very very simple. Other times, not so much.

Then, teaching the other players to play with tracks is a whole nother job. I like to break the tracks into segments so, if there is a meltdown, it can be corrected within a short time. In one band, we have just started exploring the possibility of playing the entire track, start to finish. It would make my job a lot easier but I've seen enough catastrophes to know it will take some work..

Any other tips you have to pass along, I'm always listening.
 
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