Using Backing Tracks performing live

M

Microfiction

New member
Well, basically I'm a member of a 3-piece band. When recording, we add a lot of extra layers, whether it be keyboards, extra guitar parts, even more harmonies etc. We want to be able to have these aspects in our live sound, so I was wondering how to go about doing this.

Obviously creating the backing tracks will be no problem. We'll need to play along to clicks, and as we're investing in some in-ear monitors in the near future this shouldn't be an issue. I just have no idea what equipment we'll need to enable us to play the backing tracks- and output a version with clicks to our in-ears, and without to the FOH. Obviously we'll need to be able to hear our live vocals in the in-ears too...

Any help would be very much appreciated.

(And sorry if this isn't the right forum for this q)
 
In my band, we've used a Fostex MR8HD (any multi-track digital recorder should do) to play back our tracks. We have our synths on Channel 1, panned hard left. Our click is on Channel 2, panned hard right. We only send the left main output to the PA or FOH, and our drummer plugs into the headphone jack (synths in left ear, click in right ear). Depending on the unit you use, you may have to experiment with the panning for Channel 1, but Channel 2 with just the click should be panned hard right to keep it out of what's going to the PA or FOH.
 
Yeah I'd do something similar, play the track with a laptop or whatever you recorded them on, pan the click hard to one side, and the backing track to the centre, then your track is in both mixes and you have mono output for yourselves and for FOH.

Really, only the drummer needs to hear the click (as fuzzrhythm said) as long as everyone can keep in time with him. You can then use the monitor mix from the desk for everyone else's in-ears.
 
Thanks for the replies.. I'd actually been thinking about it and this seemed like the easiest solution. We will all need to hear the click though- there are several parts of songs that need backing in which the drummer doesn't play... and I don't want him to have to click out the time for us.
 
Get in-ear systems that have a 4 input mixer. send the click to 1, backing tracks to 2 and monitor feed from FOH to 3. If you are using a laptop and have more than two outputs, you can run a click and have the backing tracks in stereo.

Most people I see just use an ipod, no moving parts and vibration won't screw it up.
 
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