# Practicing with backing tracks in a live situation?



## cwhitey2 (Feb 25, 2015)

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this. Also I have seen some threads kind of related to what I want to do, but not specific enough.


Anyways, my question is...how would you go about practicing to backing tracks where there is obviously no FOH system. I really would like to avoid the headphone route....and computers.

I have everything I need to make/produce the backing tracks...I'm just not sure how to practice with them in a live band setting. 


Obviously I would need a PA system of some sort, which I'm fine with buying (on the cheap of course ) and probably an MP3 layer. What else would I need? A mixer?


Reasons why I want to practice this way..? Because that's how it will be done live. I'm NOT going to wear head phones for a live show. I practice how I would play live...as in my practices are a chaotic mess of movement. 

I want to be able to bring the PA system or whatever with me to shows as well.

We don't play super loud, its basically my drummer, my occasional bassist and myself.



Thanks guys!


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## Aion (Feb 25, 2015)

You can always play it through an amp for now. You would either need another amp or a multi-channel amp.

I will say (and as a sound guy I'm a bit biased) you're probably best off having the music go through the PA at actual venues.

Most music players send a line level signal which means you don't need a mixer if the only thing you're sending through the PA system is the backing track. If you're sending more things then you'll need some kind of mixer.


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## cwhitey2 (Feb 25, 2015)

Aion said:


> You can always play it through an amp for now. You would either need another amp or a multi-channel amp.
> 
> I will say (and as a sound guy I'm a bit biased) you're probably best off having the music go through the PA at actual venues.
> 
> Most music players send a line level signal which means you don't need a mixer if the only thing you're sending through the PA system is the backing track. If you're sending more things then you'll need some kind of mixer.



I never though of the amp route! And that sounds like a good option.


As for the actual playing live, I would want to use my amp and/or PA system to stage monitors more than anything


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## concertjunkie (Feb 25, 2015)

although I'm using a laptop setup, for our practice sessions I also have the backing track run through an extra amp, and just adjust volume as needed. 
I know some people who get away with the mp3 player approach to play backing tracks. Although it can get a bit tricky syncing up unless you have some sort of click that you can use to reference when the song starts. IMO laptop for click track for drummer AND backing track to FOH is frickin awesome, but work with what you got!


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## TheWarAgainstTime (Feb 25, 2015)

My old band used to practice and play live with backing tracks, and we had a pretty cheap and simple way of doing it. 

We used:
-An iPod
-A 1/8" audio cable
-An adapter like this one: Hosa 3.5mm Female TRS to Dual 1/4in TS Stereo Breakout Y-Cable | GuitarCenter and another like this one: Live Wire QMFAFM / QMFAQMF 1/4"(F)-1/4"(F) Adapter | GuitarCenter
-A cheap mixer like this: MultiMix 8 USB FX 8 Channel Mixer with Effects / USB Audio Interface but nearly any cheap mixer with a headphone out will work.
-Good headphones for our drummer. Decent sound isolating headphones or cheaper in-ear monitors are good for this. 
-A PA system. Our other guitarist had PA speakers and our bassist had a powered PA head for running backing tracks and bass guitar at practice. Live we used the house PA system. 

When you make the backing tracks, put the track itself into both the left and right side of the mix and then a click track into only the left side. Find a blend of click and backing track that's comfortable for your drummer. Give the drummer a couple of bars of just click track so he can get a feel for the starting tempo of the song before counting you in. 

Upload the whole track(s) into the iPod. Run the iPod into the splitter cable, then right/red side of it into the dual female adapter, then from there you can use a regular 1/4" cable to hook up the backing track to the FOH/PA system. The left/black side of the splitter cable will go into one of the Line inputs on the little mixer. From there, the drummer can control how loud the backing track/click he's getting are going to be in his headphones without affecting the track going to the FOH as well as keep the click/backing track panned to the center rather than just the left side of his headphones. If the headphone out on the mixer doesn't give enough volume for your drummer's taste/needs, you can also use a small headphone amp to compensate. Keep the volume on the iPod as high as you can without getting any clipping or harsh sounds. 

My band had the backing/click tracks all on separate albums on the iPod, that way songs wouldn't bleed into each other. However, you also have the option to have your entire show on one track with time in between each song or have stuff playing between songs that lead into each song so you never have to go completely silent during your performance.


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## ke7mix (Mar 5, 2015)

My band has a little Simmons electric drum amplifier that we run our tracks through so they don't wash our singers voice in the single powered speaker he uses. Not too expensive and just loud enough for practicing


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## cwhitey2 (Mar 5, 2015)

TheWarAgainstTime said:


> My old band used to practice and play live with backing tracks, and we had a pretty cheap and simple way of doing it.
> 
> We used:
> -An iPod
> ...




Wow I think this is the best solution. Thanks for your input!!!


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## TonyFlyingSquirrel (Mar 5, 2015)

cwhitey2 said:


> Wow I think this is the best solution. Thanks for your input!!!



Logistically, this works best also.
You can rearrange the setlist simply by creating multiple playlists. You can make those playlists work for various set times, i.e. 30-45-60 minute sets, or you can arrange your set according to the bands/audience that you're performing with, i.e. you may want your heavier songs presented more if you're playing with heavier bands, more straight forward songs if playing with more straightforward bands, just to appeal to a wider audience. 
Then, when you headline, you can create a setlist that works best for what everyone in the band agrees on and what you think your followers want to hear you play, regardless of the opening acts.


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## cwhitey2 (Mar 5, 2015)

TonyFlyingSquirrel said:


> Logistically, this works best also.
> You can rearrange the setlist simply by creating multiple playlists. You can make those playlists work for various set times, i.e. 30-45-60 minute sets, or you can arrange your set according to the bands/audience that you're performing with, i.e. you may want your heavier songs presented more if you're playing with heavier bands, more straight forward songs if playing with more straightforward bands, just to appeal to a wider audience.
> Then, when you headline, you can create a setlist that works best for what everyone in the band agrees on and what you think your followers want to hear you play, regardless of the opening acts.



This is brilliant... To bad rep went away... Everyone would be getting some positives....


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