# Playing to backing tracks live?



## troyguitar (Nov 8, 2010)

I'm seriously thinking about putting bass and keyboards into backing tracks until I can find people to play them live. How does this generally work?

I'm guessing we do the whole stereo mp3 thing with the click track panned to one side and the backing panned to the other. Do people just use an iPod for this and let the drummer control it or is there a better way?


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## _detox (Nov 8, 2010)

I actually posted a thread about this a while back, hope it helps. Let me know if you have any more questions! 

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/li...lusive-live-samples-backing-track-thread.html


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## troyguitar (Nov 8, 2010)

ah DI boxes, duh forgot about those. Well the iPod method seems pretty easy. I think I'm going to try setting something up for rehearsal this week and see how it goes with just bass and no keys at first.


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## ZXIIIT (Nov 8, 2010)

We do this live (no drummer or bass player additional keyboard parts and intros)
Our keyboard player brings in a small mixer, we run our Zune into a DI then the mixer then into the house PA, works really well.


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## troyguitar (Nov 8, 2010)

How does it tend to go over with crowds when they don't see any rhythm section on stage?


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## JamesM (Nov 8, 2010)

iPod.

I played a good few gigs with a second guitar, synth and drums as a backing track straight through the iPod. Music was *terrible*, but suited the audience (I think you made a thread about this earlier? ) and I made a LOT of money in merch. 



At first they say, "WTF?" 

And then they don't care.  In that vid I think there were like, 100 people there so it wasn't HUGE. But it went over well.


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## ZXIIIT (Nov 8, 2010)

troyguitar said:


> How does it tend to go over with crowds when they don't see any rhythm section on stage?



Some don't care, others (generally musicians) ask why we don't get a real drummer and the rest just mention how clear everything was or crappy .

It all depends on Eq'ing the backing tracks to the live setting.


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## JamesM (Nov 8, 2010)

ZOMB13 said:


> Some don't care, others (generally musicians) ask why we don't get a real drummer and the rest just mention how clear everything was or crappy .
> 
> It all depends on Eq'ing the backing tracks to the live setting.



I enjoyed the initial bewilderment on everyone's faces.

"What is this I don't even..."


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