Backing Track with Click Track?

W

wishtheend

New member
I'm not sure what gear, or what combination of gear would be needed to accomplish this but, I am part of a gothic/down-tempo band that has alot of samples and soundscapes through our music. (http://www.myspace.com/apikorism) The problem is, there are so many samples and things going on, that individually trigger each really isn't an option.

What my question is, is there a device that would allow me to have a backing track (stereo file of all the samples prerendered to one track) layered with a click track (as a seperate file) that could be fed to the drummer? I've heard of similar things going on in ear-monitor mixes sent to drummers in big bands like NIN, but not sure how you go about it.

My confusion would be on how to have a click track going with the song, but only being fed to the monitor of the drummer so the audience only hears the backing track.

Any help, suggestion or advice is greatly appreciated.
 
There are 2 ways to do it. The cool way is to have a laptop with a program like Cubase running. Send the stereo mix to the FOH and the click to the drummers headphones.
The other way is to have a CD with the samples to the left and the click to the right, send the left channel to the FOH and the right to a heaphone amp for the drummer.

No matter what, you don't want the click track coming through stage monitors. It will spill off of the stage and not be very professional.
 
Yea, I understand about not going to stage monitors. The only one who'd get this would be the drummer who'd be wearing headphones. My only problem is we don't have a PC, and the backing tracks are stereo (rely heavily on stereo at that).

If I did go with a laptop, what is an enexpensive unit that would let me send two seperate stereo mixes to different outputs? I know there are plenty of choices for this when recording, but this would only be used in a live setting.

Thanks for the info.
 
The sad truth is that most PA systems are mono. The cheapest way would be to do the CD with samps to one side and click to the other.

Otherwise, you need a laptop, or an ADAT or DA-88 or 4-track. The problem with tape based systems is that you have to fast forward and rewind if you don't do the show in the same order all the time.
 
Understandable. I'm not on a real tight budget, but of course I'm just looking at what may be the easiest. Let's say I have a laptop, what unit would I need that would allow me to have two assignable mixes (one for FOH, one for drummer). Would something like the Firebox work (using main out for FOH, and CUE mix for drummer) ? I'd really hate to get a "recording" interface, but I don't know what other gear would get the job done.
 
That would be the only kind of interface you could get. If it were a desktop, you could get by with putting in two cheap soundcards, but a laptop won't have that option.
 
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