GR-55 - Going Duo.....Backing Tracks?

Started by pedwards2932, November 03, 2014, 05:41:16 AM

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pedwards2932

I am going to start doing a duo act with my fiance and am trying to decide on the best options.  I have a GR55, RC300, and a Sonic Cell. I am just wondering what everyone here is using for backing tracks.  I just want to add drums and bass because we have guitar, guitar synth, and keyboard covered and I don't want it to sound too fake.  I also have a DR880 but am not sure if it has enough memory available for a whole gig.  I have found the Sonic Cell to be fairly difficult to get USB stick midi to work properly. Does anyone have experience with it?  I'm not sure my head can handle all the tap dancing to do loops live but I could prerecord loops for songs.  I could also just use the usb input on the GR55.  Guess I want some input on those that are doing something similar to what I am trying.

thebrushwithin

Just record the bass and drums as high quality mp3s. Of course, that will only give you a fixed arrangement, but after doing 15yrs. as a solo act, I can honestly say the only advantage in being able to change an arrangement, on the fly, is just for your own satisfaction( to keep it fresh). The audience just wants to hear a good performance. Maybe make more than one fixed version, of any songs you feel might need an extended version, as another option.

pedwards2932

I think you are right to keep it simple.  I have used the sonic cell to make recordings from midi files that are available on the internet which makes it easy to add songs.  Do you use a usb stick to the GR55 or just use an mp3 player?

thebrushwithin

I use an iPad app called Backtraxx, and I really love it!!! Highly recommended!!! Good luck whichever way you go!

scribble58

Hi pedwards2932:
    I am also in a duo, and we use 2 android tablets (one each). We use Sony ACID to create the backing tracks, save them as mp3s. We found this great android app called  setlisthelper      http://www.setlisthelper.com/
free version and a $4.00 version.  Save lyrics, Setlists, Chord charts.

going with the $4 version you can use autoscroll feature, and attach an MP3. Hit the touch screen PLAY button and you are in business. You edit the songs and setlists on the web by logging into your account. Then hit sync on the tablets, as many as you have, and it syncs all of them.

You can also edit on the tablet itself, but this is not as handy as editing on the website on your computer/laptop at home. All of our sets are saved too, so we can use a set from another venue, or see what we played at that venue before and play some different songs to change it up.

I agree, I dont really see a need for changing around the song, or playing a live arrangement, static arrangement is fine for us. Hey you can always record two different versions of a song if you want. We have done that.

Not as many choices for Setlist apps on Android as there are for Ipad, but this one has been working out great!
EVH Wolfgang
Yamaha PAC402 Tele
Yamaha RGX2
Line 6 POD GO
Fishman TriplePlay (Windows Laptop)
Jam Origin MIDI GUITAR 2
NI Rig Kontrol 3 for Audio Interface/patch Switching
Boss Katana 100 v1 - GA-FC


pedwards2932

I have been using Mobile Sheets for my android....for cheat sheets but I found out you can integrate it with mp3 files and use them for backing tracks.  This seems like it may be the best way to go.  I will look into the app you mentioned as well might work better.  To things I worry about is routing the audio cable from the android to the sound system and it would be nice if I could incorporate a foot switch for start/stop.

Elantric

#7
QuoteTo things I worry about is routing the audio cable from the android to the sound system and it would be nice if I could incorporate a foot switch for start/stop.

I understand Set List Maker for Android supports remote Bluetooth foot pedals ( Airturn) for song control - same as its IOS counterpart.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.arlomedia.setlistmaker




http://www.arlomedia.com/apps/setlistmaker/tutorials/remote_control.html



pedwards2932

That is too cool I think that would make a great addition.  I'll download the app tonight and see how well it works.  The ability to scroll will help a lot as well.  I usually know the music but I am prone to brain farts on the lyrics.....if I can get the first word to line in a song I'm usually good to go.  I am catching a lot of flack from folks in another group I belong to about using backing tracks in the first place they say just play it straight 2 piece.....luckily I have hit an age where I pretty much only have to make myself happy ;)

Toby Krebs

#9
Use the backing tracks.Forget what anyone else who plays in a band thinks.

I am sick of the music police.

I use Jimmy Mcarteys Drum and Bass backing tracks.They cost a little more but are recorded accurately by one of the best session drummers ever. He will even make custom stuff for you.
http://www.drum-tracks.com/
All the other band in a box stuff sounds plasticy to me.

Good luck in pursuing your duo gigs.

Anything that entertains the audience is cool.

The opinions of other musicians who compete directly with me I ignore and I have way more high paying regular gigs than any of them.

Also have some fun with it!

thebrushwithin

QuoteUse the backing tracks.Forget what anyone else who plays in a band thinks.

I am sick of the music police.

Anything that entertains the audience is cool.

The opinions of other musicians who compete directly with me I ignore and I have way more high paying regular gigs than any of them.

Also have some fun with it!

I couldn't agree more!!! Many other musicians ( excluding the members of this forum), usually have some agenda, perhaps unconscious, and usually involves some sort of jealousy, pre conceived notions, a status quo mentality,etc.

pedwards2932

I have been using Jamstix for recording and have started to convert some midi to mp3 using it for the drums and Sampletank for the bass.  So far they sound pretty good to me.  Jamstix is really an amazing program, I'm not a drummer but they sound pretty convincing. I'm doing this for my enjoyment so I'm not going to worry to much about what the other folks think.

tomtheguitarguy

#12
Quote from: Toby Krebs on November 10, 2014, 08:30:10 AM
Use the backing tracks.Forget what anyone else who plays in a band thinks.

I am sick of the music police.

I use Jimmy Mcarteys Drum and Bass backing tracks.They cost a little more but are recorded accurately by one of the best session drummers ever. He will even make custom stuff for you.

All the other band in a box stuff sounds plasticy to me.

Good luck in pursuing your duo gigs.

Anything that entertains the audience is cool.

The opinions of other musicians who compete directly with me I ignore and I have way more high paying regular gigs than any of them.

Also have some fun with it!

Amen to that Tony!   I learned a long time ago, that the people that vocalize/criticize the most are the people that are just a tad bit jealous that I'm working more than they are and getting better paying jobs as well.  When it comes down to it, I'm there to entertain the audience, not other musicians...

http://www.tomtheguitarguy.com ~ http://www.tomcatsband.com
CIJ Blue Floral w/ McVay G Bender
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JTV-69 James Tyler Variax
Fishman TriplePlay ~ Roland GR-55
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Quilter MicroPro200 10" ~ Quilter Aviator 8" ~ Quilter Steelaire
Bose L1 Classic

pedwards2932

I have found an added benefit of having backing tracks....I have set up for silent rehearsal using headphones so I can practice anytime I want and record at the same time so I get feedback on what it sounds like.  My band is still working just not very often so this will sharpen my skills on some of the songs we do.  I don't know how it works with you guys but when we start working in a song I usually have my part worked out but there is room for additions especially with the GR55 I may find that I can add an instrument that will really enhance a song.  It's easy to get lazy and just not worry with the details and sometimes it is difficult to get the whole band to work these out......with a tireless and non complaining backing track I can play with it as much as I want. Incidentally MobileSheets is working great I am able to embed the mp3s for each song and just tap the player to play.  I just need to get a long chord to run from mic stand to the mixer.

mbenigni

Once and for all - is TobyKrebs real name Toby, or Tony? ?

Elantric


whippinpost91850

Quote from: tomtheguitarguy on November 18, 2014, 07:00:03 PM
Amen to that Toby!   I learned a long time ago, that the people that vocalize/criticize the most are the people that are just a tad bit jealous that I'm working more than they are and getting better paying jobs as well.  When it comes down to it, I'm there to entertain the audience, not other musicians...
Bravo! Bravo! Bravo to that

Toby Krebs

Quote from: pedwards2932 on November 19, 2014, 04:55:45 AM
I have found an added benefit of having backing tracks....I have set up for silent rehearsal using headphones so I can practice anytime I want and record at the same time so I get feedback on what it sounds like.  My band is still working just not very often so this will sharpen my skills on some of the songs we do.  I don't know how it works with you guys but when we start working in a song I usually have my part worked out but there is room for additions especially with the GR55 I may find that I can add an instrument that will really enhance a song.  It's easy to get lazy and just not worry with the details and sometimes it is difficult to get the whole band to work these out......with a tireless and non complaining backing track I can play with it as much as I want. Incidentally MobileSheets is working great I am able to embed the mp3s for each song and just tap the player to play.  I just need to get a long chord to run from mic stand to the mixer.


Yes!
Another cool thing about backing tracks is this
Crank one up through a PA speaker play along with it and then tweak your lead tones on whatever modeler you are using .
If you do that I guarantee your tones will kill in a live gigging situation.
Spent time doing that today with my GT10/KC300 rig I will use this weekend.

HCarlH

Quote from: Toby Krebs on November 10, 2014, 08:30:10 AM
Use the backing tracks.Forget what anyone else who plays in a band thinks.

I am sick of the music police.

The opinions of other musicians who compete directly with me I ignore and I have way more high paying regular gigs than any of them.



Yes, yes, and....yes!

The Gear Page is the worst offender for holier than thou types.
GR-55 (or) Fishman TP + Kemper Profiling Rack -->> 
QSC K10 -->> FOH
Fender Squier Stratocaster Bullet (w/GK3), Ibanez AM93 (w/FTP pickup),  Stratocaster (w/FTP pickup)

Telecaster, Charvel SoCal ProMod, Gibson Les Paul, PV Wolfgang,

Willie941

I download midi files of the songs I want to play from the internet, work on them in Logic, Reason and Live...when they sound as good as I want... make a set into Live or put them into an USB and then I use the GR55 player. Normally, I gig with a singer and play the guitar through the GR55, all the backing tracks have everything but the voice and my guitar parts. If we're playing with somebody else, just mute that part and let the guy plays his/her instrument. We use a Godin ACS nylon, a Parker Nitefly (with the GK3), a GR55 connected to a Fishman SA220, for monitoring...a Jamhub  :)  , and for her voice...a TC Helicon Voicelive2.
We can do whatever we want. Oh... And still be paid for having fun.
Parker Nitefly SA w/GK3
Godin ACS SA Nylon
Roland GR 55 and VG 88
Fishman SA220 Soloamp
TC Helicon Voicelive2

pedwards2932

I was looking into the JamHub for practice and thought it was pretty cool.  For now I have a Behringer headphone amp that I am going to feed my mixer into and try it with just that.  The only advantage I can see with the Jam Hub is being able to individualize the mixes.  We'll see how it works out it will save $300 dollars if it does.  I am making my backing tracks using midi files and just using the bass and drum tracks.  Then I use Sample Tank for the bass and JamStix for the drums.....so far they sound pretty good to me.  We just need to be well practiced.....they are unforgiving if you forget where you are.  I'm pretty good with it once I have it in my head where to start after that I am on autopilot.

Deus02

#21
Quote from: Toby Krebs on November 10, 2014, 08:30:10 AM
Use the backing tracks.Forget what anyone else who plays in a band thinks.

I am sick of the music police.

I use Jimmy Mcarteys Drum and Bass backing tracks.They cost a little more but are recorded accurately by one of the best session drummers ever. He will even make custom stuff for you.
http://www.drum-tracks.com/
All the other band in a box stuff sounds plasticy to me.

Good luck in pursuing your duo gigs.

Anything that entertains the audience is cool.

The opinions of other musicians who compete directly with me I ignore and I have way more high paying regular gigs than any of them.

Also have some fun with it!

I couldn't agree more.  One thing I learned over the decades of being involved in the music business is that more often than not, some musicians(especially those that are more rapped up in the equipment than the music) are among those that are the poorest judges of what will sell to an audience.  Further verification of this is that most if not all the biggest names in music still have "producers". 

Toby Krebs

Quote from: pedwards2932 on November 25, 2014, 08:06:31 AM
I was looking into the JamHub for practice and thought it was pretty cool.  For now I have a Behringer headphone amp that I am going to feed my mixer into and try it with just that.  The only advantage I can see with the Jam Hub is being able to individualize the mixes.  We'll see how it works out it will save $300 dollars if it does.  I am making my backing tracks using midi files and just using the bass and drum tracks.  Then I use Sample Tank for the bass and JamStix for the drums.....so far they sound pretty good to me.  We just need to be well practiced.....they are unforgiving if you forget where you are.  I'm pretty good with it once I have it in my head where to start after that I am on autopilot.


I use the Behringer headphone amp at church.Works great.Just give everyone a good balance of everything and if they need more of themselves have them buy a Rolls unit or a cheap tiny mixer and thy can have a feed from the Berhinger and a line from their insteument.That is how I keep my keyboard player lead player and drummer happy on the cheap!

pedwards2932

I saw these http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MA400 and thought that if we get into arguments over the monitor mix it might help.  Pretty  cheap not sure of the quality but the headphone amp I got from Behringer seems fine to me.

Elantric

#24
QuoteI saw these http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MA400 and thought that if we get into arguments over the monitor mix it might help.  Pretty  cheap not sure of the quality but the headphone amp I got from Behringer seems fine to me.



Much prefer Rolls PM-351 over the behringer MA400

http://www.rolls.com/product.php?pid=PM351


Its more versatile, full stereo I/O for VG/GR monitor - and drives IEMs or Studio headphones clean and loud.


http://www.amazon.com/Rolls-Personal-Monitor-Station-PM351/dp/B001032IDS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417011138&sr=8-1&keywords=Rolls+PM-351

This is mandatory ( along with my Kemper) in the Studio


and small gigs this works too - theres a mic stand mount too

http://www.amazon.com/Rolls-MSC106-Stand-Clamp-Accessory/dp/B000UE3LA2/ref=pd_bxgy_MI_img_y


https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=10315.msg74364#msg74364
Rolls PM-351 Personal Monitor is a real tool with many uses.



The PM351, like its predecessor the PM350b, is a personal monitoring device with a 1/4\" TRS stereo/mono Line Input,a single XLR Microphone input and hard-wired XLR pass-through, and a 1/4\" stereo/mono Instrument input with two transformer-balanced and isolated XLR Outputs. All three of these inputs are also routed via individual Level controls, to a 1/4\" and an 1/8\" (3.5mm) Phone Output. The Mic Through, and Instrument outputs have jumpered Ground Lifts for elimination of ground hum. The PM351 is ideal for live bands and church musicians, as well as studio musicians and singers. Having the ability to monitor a main mix along with the musician\'s voice and their instrument make the PM351 an effective and versatile tool.

1/4" TRS stereo/mono Monitor Input
XLR Mic Input w/pass-through
1/4" TRS stereo Instrument Input
All mix to 1/4" and 1/8" Outs
Individual Level controls
Stereo balanced Instrument DI outs
Hookup


Specifications

Max Input Level: -20 dB XLR, +40 dB Line, +15 dB Instrument
Instrument Input Impedance: 50K Ohms
Instrument Output Frequency Response: 10 - 30 kHz +/- 3 dB
Output Impedance, Headphone: 10 Ohms
Output Impedance, Instrument: 2: 100 Ohms balanced
Gain: 20 dB 1/4", 50 dB XLR
Headphone Frequency Response: 20 - 20 kHz
Power: 9 - 16 VDC
Size (W x H x D): 4.5" x 3.3" x 1.5"
Weight: 1 lb (.45 Kg)
Current drain 25ma nominal no signal 15vdc