NWB - Community Blog

21 Jan 2010

Backing Tracks: Most Reliable Solution

Filed Under : Gear

Posted By : Film One | Comments : 21

We're keen to go out gigging and need some advice!

We're planning to go out as a two-piece and we've got some really good backing tracks, just drums and a few weird sounds here and there. What does everyone think is the most bomb-proof, reliable and dependable solution? We've tried DAT and the DAT player wolfed one tape up and then broke down. We've gone through two mini-disc players in as many years. We're onto CDs at the moment. I'm a bit scared about using a laptop as there's far more to go wrong with that than a DAT or MiniDisc?

Any suggestions? Are there any particularly sturdy CD players out there?

p.s. We really look after our gear as well, we don't smash it before anyone says anything!

Comments

# Posted by John Wilkinson: - 21/01/2010, 13:52 (GMT)

Used a mini disc for years and never let us down. Always have two wired up though and get good make not cheap shiote.

Best of luck with the band

John

# Posted by Coldplayer - 21/01/2010, 14:00 (GMT)

We use an Ipod believe it or not.. Just split left and right (split panned stereo tracks via Cubase) out through a mini mixer for the drummer click..

Shaun

# Posted by Rumble Fat Band - 21/01/2010, 14:04 (GMT)

We use MiDi and have never had a problem. Vocalist has been using the same kit for about 15 years.

# Posted by Bad Horsie (Mick) - 21/01/2010, 14:53 (GMT)

Anthem have some great backings and I've never heard of them breaking down.....

# Posted by Film One - 21/01/2010, 14:59 (GMT)

Cheers for the feedback everyone. I just think we're jinxed as since we've decided not to bother with human drums we've been having no luck with their electronic versions! I think we'll just take two CD players and a couple of "plan b" solutions, plus a few backup copies of the audio as well! Any suggestions for make of MiniDisc or models? I've not thought of using an MP3/iPod.. That might be a plan as there's no moving parts to break!

Fingers crossed we can go out gigging very soon, it's been so long since we've been out it's mad. I think the last one was 2007!

# Posted by Bad Horsie (Mick) - 21/01/2010, 15:05 (GMT)

Ipods are prone to freezing. We've had it happen to us in the past when using them for music between sets.

Do NOT use an MP3 playing mobile phone. The ridicule you get when texts come in over the PA is hilarious.

# Posted by Film One - 21/01/2010, 15:09 (GMT)

It'd be worse if my cheesy ringtone (Going Live theme) blasted through the PA it'd be curtains for us! Especially if we're in a "moody" bit of a song! Ha! ha! I'm half tempted to set that up though, just to see Ryan's look of disgust!

# Posted by Bad Horsie (Mick) - 21/01/2010, 15:09 (GMT)

lol!

# Posted by Rumble Fat Band - 21/01/2010, 15:10 (GMT)

You use Keyboards don't you? We have the MiDi files loaded into a Korg Trinity and thats it, job done. Back-up is on an SD Card.
Can any of your keyboards handle MiDi?

# Posted by Film One - 21/01/2010, 15:22 (GMT)

A couple of our bits have MIDI ports but they don't support general MIDI standard, or have built in sequencers of any warrant. Plus we've done a fair bit of work on the drums in terms of weird effects sampling of different bits here and there.

# Posted by Coldplayer - 21/01/2010, 15:28 (GMT)

"Do NOT use an MP3 playing mobile phone. The ridicule you get when texts come in over the PA is hilarious. "

You could always turn the phone onto offline/flight mode!

As for the Ipod/Iphone.. It's never froze on us in 3 years!

Shaun

# Posted by james luke - 21/01/2010, 19:35 (GMT)

I use an Ipod , have done pretty much since thy came out and have never had any problems, although I do have a back up ipod just in case..lol...well ya never know

# Posted by Rob Redfern, Black Rose,more f... - 21/01/2010, 19:38 (GMT)

a few years ago i had a phillips twin cd deck cdr775(or something like that) recorder and player, great piece of kit and you can get them for a song on ebay

# Posted by JOHNNY MEERKAT - 21/01/2010, 21:37 (GMT)

Tascam SS R1 - great piece of kit that uses a SD Card so you can have as many tracks as you desire (as long as you have a card with enough memory)and you can drag and drop from the PC - saves recording in real time and having to use several mini discs to fill your set

http://www.tascam.com/products/ss-r1.html

# Posted by Anthem - 21/01/2010, 21:45 (GMT)

we use Sony mini disc with a footswitch fitted. Left & right in seperate channels set the same, dead easy. Come and see us some time and we'll run through it with you

# Posted by Duke Bocks - 21/01/2010, 21:48 (GMT)

@ Anthem. Have you converted the headphone socket to take the footswitch?

# Posted by Anthem - 21/01/2010, 21:51 (GMT)

no, had one installed by SAI in Chorley cheap as owt too

# Posted by Duke Bocks - 21/01/2010, 22:00 (GMT)

ah rite. its easy to link the headphone socket wires to the pause switch. You lose the headphone facility obviously, but who needs it when you're gigging?

# Posted by Film One - 22/01/2010, 07:32 (GMT)

Thanks again for the advice everyone. The footswitch idea is really interesting, I'll have to check you guys out when you're next in my neck of the woods. I would come along on Sunday but I'm on a stag weekend. At the moment we've just left the rough amount of time it takes to change patch, load new samples into the Emax and Ryan to have a quick tune up if needs be, so it's a bit high pressure!

# Posted by Anthem - 22/01/2010, 10:41 (GMT)

we're at the Oddfellows in Eccles on Sunday if you fancy popping down lads

# Posted by Film One - 22/01/2010, 10:52 (GMT)

I'd be glad to if it wasn't for the hedonistic mayhem of the up-coming stag weekend. Let me know when you're next in the Greater Manchester area and I'll be glad to come along I'll drag Ryan down as well.

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