# Live backing tracks tips and suggestions?



## Metalus (Feb 24, 2012)

Besides panning the click hard left and the samples/synths/keyboards hard right, what other things do you guys do to make sure the sound of the backing tracks are as good as they can be? (i.e. good enough so the sound guy doesn't fuck them up )

Do any of you guys crank the volume of the samples? If so, how loud do you put them? How about compressing, EQing or limiting? Any specific tricks?

Were currently gonna go with the iPod setup and hopefully upgrade to a PC laptop or Macbook later on. Also, which is better for this? Macbook or PC laptop?


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## Horizon Whore (Feb 24, 2012)

I run our stuff through a 003+ Rack and sit the volume about halfway (12 O clock on the front).

Basically I crank the feck out of the samples on the tracks on screen, so the soundguy has a bit more to play with and doesnt have to worry about it being too quiet.

It also allows us to turn DOWN our click tracks on our desk on stage in our in ears, rather than having to crank it right up and sound like shit.


Just start with everything at 12 O clock bro, its a general rule of thumb. Test it through a PA and see how they sound?

I run a tiny bit of compression through our tracks just to clean it up a bit, but nothing too over the top!

Also, I run a Macbook Pro (inb4 PC is beta), live on stage, Never had a problem with the firewire connection to the 003+, if you DO have the option though, get a laptop or mac with a solid state hard drive, as it contains no moving parts. 

The benefit of this is, theres so much movement in the ground going on stage (your band mates jumping around getting into the music, and your drummers drums vibrating), making the HDD immune to parts moving internally caused by the vibrations.

Its not VITAL, I still dont have a SSHDD myself  but I havent had an issue yet man!


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## Metalus (Feb 26, 2012)

Horizon Whore said:


> I run our stuff through a 003+ Rack and sit the volume about halfway (12 O clock on the front).
> 
> Basically I crank the feck out of the samples on the tracks on screen, so the soundguy has a bit more to play with and doesnt have to worry about it being too quiet.
> 
> ...



Sweet thanks a bunch man! So you leave the samples cranked in the session itself?


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## Horizon Whore (Feb 26, 2012)

Not too much man, not to the point where its peaking, but enough juice to make it sound like it has some clarity


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## metal_sam14 (Feb 27, 2012)

Here is a great thread from the sneap forum which may help you out 

FAQ: Live shows with backing tracks - HOW TO? - Ultimate Metal Forum


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## Metalus (Feb 28, 2012)

metal_sam14 said:


> Here is a great thread from the sneap forum which may help you out
> 
> FAQ: Live shows with backing tracks - HOW TO? - Ultimate Metal Forum



Thanks dude!


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