Does your band play with backing tracks? What's your opinion on them?

[mikyok]

Don't use them but not against using them at all. The band would need to get IEMs first, but we can all play to click well.

In our situation as a 4 piece it makes good business sense to use them for keys and brass. I'm in a band that has keys and brass and to make it financially worth your while means you're out of most mere mortals price range.

At least it's not the old backing tapes

 

[iCe]

We don't use them, but i had a pretty strong opinion against backing tracks many years ago. Made a complete 180 and these days i feel like if the live experience is enhanced, then why not? Was fan of a band and they used backing tracks live to reproduce the song on the albums more like the original. At first i was appalled, but then i heard that it sounded so much fuller. Little harmonies you'd otherwise miss etc.
As long as the entire song isn't a backing track i'm cool with it

 

[doggyd69b]

I'm curious because here in the Sacramento area most of classic rock cover bands don't use tracks and have strong opinions against using them for the most part. Bands that play more current music use them for some songs. The modern country band I'm in uses them for every song. The alt rock band I'm in uses them as needed for synth parts and pads that the keyboard player can't cover. The Johnny Cash tribute band I'm in doesn't use them at all. I'm of the opinion that using backing tracks is OK if you're covering a part that can't be covered by one of the band members. How do you all feel?

My opinion is that the tracks should supplement not replace what is being played, Be used when using the real thing would be impractical (a choir, or an orchestra, or a large piano), or enhance the experience for the audience (with sound effects not easily produced outside a studio), but never to be the main part of the show.

 

[PorkPieGuy]

I've used them and I've not used them. I think when the music calls for it, use them. When it doesn't, then don't.

If anyone is ever critical of you using them, well, you're the one on stage and they're not.

 

[doggyd69b]

But isn't that also unfair to other players who could have been hired to play/sing those parts?

Clearly a small band would not be able to afford to pay an entire orchestra and vocal choir for just a few intros (nor would they have the stage space most of the time). In those situations makes total sense to use tracks.

 

[criz p. critter]

First of all, I’m an old guy, and I don’t have the time or money to invest in getting up to speed with using backing tracks. I just wanna play drums.

I’ve felt for a long time that, in a cover band situation, you don’t have to reproduce a song perfectly with all the original instrumentation. You just have to make sure that the iconic parts of a song get played. If you don’t have any horns, for example, that part can be played by guitar or keys. Most people listening can’t hear the difference. They just expect to hear those parts of the song they’re used to hearing.

 

[doggyd69b]

I've seen plenty of electronic acts that it's nothing but a singer and backing tracks.

So-called Post-punks in particular. Not entirely my thing though.

What about all those EDM bands where there is only a DJ and no other musicians or singer? he is really not playing anything just triggering pre programmed sequences, that (the triggering part) is the only live thing going on yet they have HUGE festivals each year.

 

[Rattlin' Bones]

The groups I play in - a jazz combo and a blues band - could never use backing tracks. Every time we start and end a tune, it's a bit different. May give guitar in blues band an additional color. May or may not trade with the jazz combo. Very spontaneous.

 

[xopherhills]

What about all those EDM bands where there is only a DJ and no other musicians or singer? he is really not playing anything just triggering pre programmed sequences, that (the triggering part) is the only live thing going on yet they have HUGE festivals each year.

A friend I used to play with made it to the big time with LCD Soundsystem. I've been to a few of their shows and they're great - they all play their own instruments, and they use very few loops or tracks. But some of the big festivals they play have DJs opening up for them, and that's never been my thing. It's so foreign to me to see a person all alone on an enormous stage, not even looking at the crowd or saying one word to the crowd the whole time, pressing buttons and bobbing their head, and getting the postitive crowd response they do. Sometimes I go with a friend who understands it and geeks out on it. He loves it. That's what makes the world great - all of our differences.

 

[DrumDoug]

Before this discussion goes to "pretty soon the whole band will be on a track and it will be a karaoke gig", I will say that I doubt that can happen, certainly not in front of a crowd who has paid to see a 'band'. The audience knows better and has the final say as to what works and what doesn't.

My feeling is, if there's supposed to be a band, there's a reasonable expectation of more than one live person doing the performing. At a minimum, that would be bass, drums, and a lead instrument. I think it would be a bit disingenuous for a singer to use a track for those instruments.

Arguably the most popular local singer, quit her very popular band and now does an instrument free solo act with tracks. She’s filling local venues and making more money than she did with the band. The band made more money, but now she doesn’t have to split it. A blues band has become a duo with backing tracks. A country band has done the same. Two people with tracks. I have no interest in watching that. Maybe because I play drums, I have professional jealousy, that they can be successful locally without me or another drummer. I guess it shows that normies can’t tell the difference and don’t care. I don’t know where I draw the line between enhancement and karaoke .

 

[BruceW]

In my little bar band world, none of us are at the level of sophistication of using them. There is one band here that uses them, and they are primarily adding keys parts to their Guitar/bass/drums band. They also are at the top of the food chain in our little circuit, deservedly so. They also have created an Ozzy tribute band, which is also doing very well.

Playing with backing tracks is beyond us.

 

[bermuda]

I've seen plenty of electronic acts that it's nothing but a singer and backing tracks.

In their defense, that music wasn't 'live' to begin with. To have live players play strictly sequenced parts might compromise their performance. Some things should stay live, some should stay sequenced.

 

[Kodeus]

I play in a rock band that uses zero tracks. I also play in a worship band at my church that uses the full deal. In ear monitors, tracks, click & cues. When I first started playing with tracks and click like over 10 years ago I hated it but I have grown to like it. Once you play songs to a click enough times the click kind of just goes away in the mix. I would also say that playing songs to a click for so long has definitely helped me keep better time when I am playing with my rock band that doesn't use tracks. I can also play drums to a click track in the studio if that's what the artist wants.

 

[Winston_Wolf]

Regarding replacing musicians - of course money is tight these days. I have always happily used backing tracks to augment, rather than completely replace. Although if you are a five or six piece band it's unrealistic to tour with a brass section or percussionist for a handful of songs.

The band I'm in is on the cusp of adding tracks, and it's for those reasons. We're an 11 piece band normally, but if we needed to strip down a bit for cost or logistics reasons we'd still have the horn parts and second guitar parts covered. We're already using drum machine loops for several songs anyway, so I'm hopeful that integrating tracks should be relatively seamless.

 

[dwsabianguy]

I'm of the opinion that most of the time, if you need backing tracks that badly, what you really need is a better arrangement for the band you actually have.

If you have drum machines or sequenced synth lines that need to be exactly the same, that's okay in my book. But replacing a horn line with a backing track is where I draw the line - you and your band will end up with a better show if you can write those horn lines into the parts you're actually playing onstage.

 

[epinson]

I've played in a project that morphed from a variety band (classic rock, blues, soul, hip-hop) into an EDM/dance project, as we had trouble keeping a guitarist/lead player. So it was drums, bass, vocals, and backing tracks. It was challenging as we didn't have in-ear monitors, so we had to rely on a stage monitor, which certainly wasn't ideal. I can understand using them for strings/effects/things that cant be replicated with the core band, but I prefer them as decorations and not part of the foundation.

 

[bermuda]

I'm of the opinion that most of the time, if you need backing tracks that badly, what you really need is a better arrangement for the band you actually have.

If you have drum machines or sequenced synth lines that need to be exactly the same, that's okay in my book. But replacing a horn line with a backing track is where I draw the line - you and your band will end up with a better show if you can write those horn lines into the parts you're actually playing onstage.

There's a sonic consideration. Horn parts played by another instrument may not sound good.

And changing arrangements to suit the number of players isn't always an option. Suppose a song has signature percussion in addition to the drums? Should the band fore-go those parts and change the integrity/vibe of the song? I know that bands may apply their style to a song, but that shouldn't be rationalized in order to accommodate the lack of playable parts/sounds that are signature to the song.

In other words, don't do the song if its integrity needs to be changed. Or, really change it, don't limp through with odd-sounding parts. Or.... use a track to fill-in those sounds/parts.

I know that a touring band with production can easily and seamlessly accomplish that, but the technology is certainly available to a club band. In fact, the only real change for anyone is the drummer who needs to follow the track, while everyone else just plays to the drummer as they normally would. Tracks can be triggered from a sample pad, with one channel going through the p.a. (and monitors as needed) and the other channel (with a count and perhaps a more 'friendly' click) going to the drummer through a single in-ear feed. if things go terribly wrong, the drummer can instantly stop the track with a whack to the pad. My old SPD-SX can hold over 3 hours of stereo 16/44k files, and the newer model holds even more. No reason that can't be integrated seamlessly as long as there's a p.a., or even its own amp.

 

[ravenson]

I've been on stage with backing tracks . You have to pay attention to the loop but once thats out of the way , pretty easy money .

 

[JimmyM]

I have this theory that backing tracks to make songs sound like the recording live are unnecessary. I also think that bands claiming that tracks are needed because the audience wants you to sound like the recording are projecting their own insecurities onto the audience.

I think all the audience cares about is competence and enthusiasm. They don’t care about hearing a children’s choir in a song played by a power trio. And speaking of trios, did anyone care that the Police had tons of harmonies in the studio but only Sting could actually sing live? I saw them with Stewart and Andy doing their iffy BG vocals and I still thought they were one of the best shows of their day. The audience thought so, too.

I don’t object to them, some of my favorites use them, but I just think they’re unnecessary in most cases. I don’t think the audience cares about exact sonic duplication of a million overdubs. I think the bands care way more about it than the audiences. Musicians like to think that today’s audiences expect perfection, and I always ask what’s different about audiences today from 40 years ago?

 

[Chris Whitten]

I have this theory that backing tracks to make songs sound like the recording live are unnecessary. I also think that bands claiming that tracks are needed because the audience wants you to sound like the recording are projecting their own insecurities onto the audience.

Maybe.... my personal opinion is it is simple and easy to incorporate extra sounds in the show (usually sequenced into a sample pad, or triggered by me), and I find it makes the show more enjoyable and fun for me.
I joined a band in 2017. They were just playing what they could with the musicians they had. I brought in a Roland SPD-SX, I had sampled a bunch of sounds off the albums, I also recreated some sequenced bits off the albums in my own studio.
After a couple of gigs the band felt my extra bits were fantastic and now essential.
The band have gone from strength to strength, playing small theatres in 2017, now playing 2000 to 3000 capacity arenas. I'm not doing it anymore, but they asked if they could keep my samples and now require every new drummer to trigger the samples from the band's own SPD-SX.
No one is 'cheating'. It actually demands more of the drummer. I found it made the show more fun to play and more complete for the audience.