What Should I Use To Play Musical Backing Tracks?

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What Should I Use To Play Musical Backing Tracks?

Posted On : Feb-21-2010 | seen (718) times | Article Word Count : 637 |

In the Twenty First Century – our digital world today, musicians and other performers have various choices as to how they present their music to the public in a live setting.

In the Twenty First Century – our digital world today, musicians and other performers have various choices as to how they present their music to the public in a live setting. The whole set up can run from a 7 piece band (or more) playing all the various parts, to a one man show using backing tracks to complete the act.
Backing Tracks are a fantastic option for smaller acts to sound like a full blown band or orchestra. Not only does it make for a more professional and fuller sound, but also makes you sound like a more accomplished outfit or solo performer. In many pubs and clubs, you can find a guitar player playing and singing along to the tracks. These musicians have a wide variety of choices as to the format that those backing tracks take.
No doubt if you were to ask a musician/performer what they would recommend using, as many are ‘stuck in their ways’ you shouldn’t be surprised if they recommend the system they are using with derogatory words for other set ups. The following is just one view of the different formats available to you, with a slight bias towards one. The best information is to consult various articles on this subject to get the full picture and find out exactly what it is you need for your personal set up and taste.
Some musicians/performers will show up to a gig with their ipods loaded up with mp3s (without the vocal track). You can look at these as karaoke files without the graphics. Other musicians use minidiscs, mp3 players, or even boomboxes. Whichever option is chosen, the obvious advantage is that the musician/performer can create or buy professional tracks that sound great - thus making themselves sound really good.
Other musicians/performers want more control and flexibility. In the majority of these cases, the use of standard MIDI files is the perfect solution.
The use of MIDI files as backing tracks requires a little bit more equipment. First, some kind of MIDI Player or sequencing program is needed. This can be easily accomplished by using a laptop. The musician/performer can load all the files on to the computer and then can play them back with a sequencing program such as Cakewalk.
As MIDI is just data, a sound module or a professional MIDI keyboard will be needed to recreate the required sounds. Just push it through the PA system, and you're then ready to go.
MIDI files provide much more flexibility than mp3 tracks do. Some of these advantages are as follows:
• They are not "recorded" so you can make relevant changes to them at any time.
• You have total control over every track. Let us say that there is a Bass part in one of the tracks, and on one particular day a living bass player of the human being variety shows up and wants to play along with you. You can now mute that track.
• You have full control over the song – you can change the instruments; you can change the keys very easily; you can copy, cut and paste various sections; etc, etc.
• You can control a light show, which can look spectacular if your act requires this.
• You can connect to a harmonizer and deliver some amazing background vocals.
MIDI is definitely not just used by a one or two piece bar band. Get yourself out to a live concert or gig. Relax and listen to some cds. You might be extremely surprised by the range of bands and performers that are using this kind of advancement and flexibility that you can get from using MIDI. From rock to pop, from jazz to trance – bands from all musical genres are jumping on the bandwagon – if you can pardon the pun.

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<h1>What Should I Use To Play Musical Backing Tracks?</h1> Author: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/profile_Rob Jones.aspx'>Rob Jones</a> 
In the Twenty First Century – our digital world today, musicians and other performers have various choices as to how they present their music to the public in a live setting. The whole set up can run from a 7 piece band (or more) playing all the various parts, to a one man show using backing tracks to complete the act.
Backing Tracks are a fantastic option for smaller acts to sound like a full blown band or orchestra. Not only does it make for a more professional and fuller sound, but also makes you sound like a more accomplished outfit or solo performer. In many pubs and clubs, you can find a guitar player playing and singing along to the tracks. These musicians have a wide variety of choices as to the format that those backing tracks take.
No doubt if you were to ask a musician/performer what they would recommend using, as many are ‘stuck in their ways’ you shouldn’t be surprised if they recommend the system they are using with derogatory words for other set ups. The following is just one view of the different formats available to you, with a slight bias towards one. The best information is to consult various articles on this subject to get the full picture and find out exactly what it is you need for your personal set up and taste.
Some musicians/performers will show up to a gig with their ipods loaded up with mp3s (without the vocal track). You can look at these as karaoke files without the graphics. Other musicians use minidiscs, mp3 players, or even boomboxes. Whichever option is chosen, the obvious advantage is that the musician/performer can create or buy professional tracks that sound great - thus making themselves sound really good.
Other musicians/performers want more control and flexibility. In the majority of these cases, the use of standard MIDI files is the perfect solution.
The use of MIDI files as backing tracks requires a little bit more equipment. First, some kind of MIDI Player or sequencing program is needed. This can be easily accomplished by using a laptop. The musician/performer can load all the files on to the computer and then can play them back with a sequencing program such as Cakewalk.
As MIDI is just data, a sound module or a professional MIDI keyboard will be needed to recreate the required sounds. Just push it through the PA system, and you're then ready to go.
MIDI files provide much more flexibility than mp3 tracks do. Some of these advantages are as follows:
•	They are not "recorded" so you can make relevant changes to them at any time.
•	You have total control over every track. Let us say that there is a Bass part in one of the tracks, and on one particular day a living bass player of the human being variety shows up and wants to play along with you. You can now mute that track.
•	You have full control over the song – you can change the instruments; you can change the keys very easily; you can copy, cut and paste various sections; etc, etc.
•	You can control a light show, which can look spectacular if your act requires this.
•	You can connect to a harmonizer and deliver some amazing background vocals.
MIDI is definitely not just used by a one or two piece bar band. Get yourself out to a live concert or gig. Relax and listen to some cds. You might be extremely surprised by the range of bands and performers that are using this kind of advancement and flexibility that you can get from using MIDI. From rock to pop, from jazz to trance – bands from all musical genres are jumping on the bandwagon – if you can pardon the pun.

About the Author: For hundreds of professional quality musical backing tracks see <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.londonarrangements.com/">http://www.londonarrangements.com</a> Article Source: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/Article_What-Should-I-Use-To-Play-Musical-Backing-Tracks_11466.aspx'> http://www.articleseen.com/Article_What Should I Use To Play Musical Backing Tracks?_11466.aspx</a>

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For hundreds of professional quality musical backing tracks see http://www.londonarrangements.com

Keywords : backing tracks, muscial backing, MIDI, musical equipment, mp3,

Category : Arts and Entertainment : Music

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