Backing track set list creator/manager for live performance… suggestions?

Rick

Rick

Axe-Master
I’ve never done any type of performance using backing tracks… all live music for more than 4 decades I’ve been at it in different levels. The closest I’ve come is adding some sequenced keyboard parts for one or two tunes to fill out the band sound. Now a friend and I are going to start playing some smaller events using just our guitars/vocals, accompanied my mixed down tracks (mp3 format). We’ve just begun arranging and rehearsing a few and it sounds good, so I’m hoping it’ll open doors.

I need to find an efficient way to actually manage and arrange these mp3s into set lists that can be started remotely (as in not having to reach to the laptop to select and start every song). As noted, the tracks are going to be pre-mixed to a mono track, so there’s no full DAW-type thing happening.

Any suggestions/experience/enlightenment would be most welcome. I know some here have done the “one man band” or duet/trio thing with tracks, so I’m hoping to learn and avoid the newbie pitfalls. Thanks in advance.
 
Toopy14 said:
https://www.bandhelper.com/

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I’ve been using BH for 4 or 5 years to play backing tracks, automate preset/scene changes via Bluetooth and scroll lyrics. Only costs $10 a year for a single user. Great support and the software is constantly be updated with new features.
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I’m looking at videos on it right now. It looks like a great option so far. Thank you :)
 
I use Bandhelper at every gig. I have an Art Bluetooth receiver and left channel is tracks, right is click and cues.

Lyrics, chords, setlists, smart lists for arranging by title, artist, genre, color coding titles. It does so much.
 
I have used this one it is very capable. It has a great pedigree (Steinberg/Cubase). It can even do lights which I have never used. I have never tried it with MP3s so not sure about that.

There's a free trial. It is on sale now - Pro version for $50, Elements version for $30. Sounds like the elements version would work for your purposes.

https://www.steinberg.net/vst-live/
 
Check out Stagetrax. It’s been awesome for me so far. I have my lyrics time stamped to scroll along with the mp3 and am sending midi from the app to my FM9 to do time sensitive effects changes. All triggered start/stop with a 2 button Bluetooth switch on the floor.
 
Another vote for BandHelper. We use it not only for backing tracks, but also fully controlling the Axe (and keyboards, lights, mixer fx, etc.), so virtually no pedal work is needed while playing. Also the BH developer is in 'Cliff league', constantly improving the product based on user feedback and very responsive on their forum or to problem tickets.
 
I'm looking at Band Helper now, and its looking (as things do when they're new) a bit complicated. It appears to be pretty powerful, though, and I like all the capabilities. It appears to sync everything uploaded to each device it is running on, so I am guessing that being connected to the internet at the gig is not necessary. This happens to us at times, either from being out in the boonies or the materials of the building we're playing in just not allowing exterior signals in.

I'm going to look at every options suggested, but started with BandHelper as it seems most popularly used by people here. Going to take a bit, I can already see!
 
I haven't used band helper so I don't know it's learning curve. VST Live is easy for anyone that uses Cubase as their DAW since it does things in a very Steinberg way. But if you don't use Cubase as your DAW then I can't speak for it's learning curve. Since Cubase is the DAW I use daily learning it was a snap for me.

You can always grab the free trials of both BH and VST Live to see which one makes the most sense to you. I don't know anything about BH's documentation, but I can say that Steinberg puts out great documentation across their product lines - Good user community too. Sounds like BH also has a good user community.

I hope which ever one you pick does the trick!
 
Rex Rox said:
I haven't used band helper so I don't know it's learning curve. VST Live is easy for anyone that uses Cubase as their DAW since it does things in a very Steinberg way. But if you don't use Cubase as your DAW then I can't speak for it's learning curve. Since Cubase is the DAW I use daily learning it was a snap for me.

You can always grab the free trials of both BH and VST Live to see which one makes the most sense to you. I don't know anything about BH's documentation, but I can say that Steinberg puts out great documentation across their product lines - Good user community too. Sounds like BH also has a good user community.

I hope which ever one you pick does the trick!
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Thanks @Rex Rox ! It's like anything new... I remember how mind-blown I was when I got my first Axe FX! Lost for days! But it all comes around with some time and effort.
 
Rick said:
Thanks @Rex Rox ! It's like anything new... I remember how mind-blown I was when I got my first Axe FX! Lost for days! But it all comes around with some time and effort.
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YW! Throw in a good amount of trial and failure too! I always seem to learn at least as much from my failures as I do my successes. But anything that does it's job under this software category is very cool. I still haven't even scratched the surface in terms of lighting. But I want to learn.
 
Rick said:
... It appears to sync everything uploaded to each device it is running on, so I am guessing that being connected to the internet at the gig is not necessary. This happens to us at times, either from being out in the boonies or the materials of the building we're playing in just not allowing exterior signals in. ...
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We've found that the 'sharing' of BandHelper screens during a gig is most robust if the iPads are connected to a common WiFi AP, even though theoretically they also support ad hoc direct WiFi connection via underlying iOS capabilities. We gig with an AP anyway since it's used for a leg of the lighting automation connection. This WiFi AP in our rack is not connected to the internet.

If you're interested I can DM more details about what BandHelper does for us and how we configured it.
 
Rex Rox said:
But I want to learn.
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Yes, I’m actually enjoying the new challenge. It’s been a while since taking in some aspect of music that’s completely new to me.
Fotukito said:
We've found that the 'sharing' of BandHelper screens during a gig is most robust if the iPads are connected to a common WiFi AP, even though theoretically they also support ad hoc direct WiFi connection via underlying iOS capabilities. We gig with an AP anyway since it's used for a leg of the lighting automation connection. This WiFi AP in our rack is not connected to the internet.

If you're interested I can DM more details about what BandHelper does for us and how we configured it.
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Thank you for the info on the wifi aspect. I’m trying to decide whether to use the iOS devices I have or get something to dedicate to just band use, and all if this helps a lot! I also use an older AP for my PreSonus gear, so tapping into that would be easy.

Please feel free to DM when time allows. Any examples or advice is welcome.
 
StageTrax is great too. It’s good if you’re heavily track-focused. Lots of cool features like setting regions in the track to loop a section, jump among sections, and the ability to load 5 stems and mix the volumes live, if you need that kind of thing. No bass player tonight? Unmute the bass track. Bass guy shows up? Mute the bass track. I don’t think it syncs among devices, but you can do a manual export and import.


Bandhelper is a bit more robust for lyrics and setlists I think. I like to add songs using the website - full keyboard, mouse etc, much easier to me. It syncs to all my devices and I can edit on the fly or rearrange from the phone or iPad. Add more users to the account, and it can sync to everyone. Some can just look at the Setlist order, or you can sync screens mentioned above. When I had different partners at duo gigs before, I’d get the app installed on their iPad or whatever, sign in and in a minute they had all my songs, chords and lyrics.

Both are great!
 
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Ahh there is the network sharing and iCloud backup which was recently added. Every device has to buy the full program I think. Or one account owns all the devices to sync from iCloud I guess.

Still worth it as it’s a great program.
 
chris said:
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Ahh there is the network sharing and iCloud backup which was recently added. Every device has to buy the full program I think. Or one account owns all the devices to sync from iCloud I guess.

Still worth it as it’s a great program.
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StageTraxx to me has been invaluable. As an OnSong refugee, I needed something that played back the track it was supposed to. with a hundred people in a crowded bar typically, you can imagine the horror of hitting play and the wrong track plays back. This was not pilot error and was widely reported. From freeware you'd expect it, but a 50 dollar a year sub FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE? StageTraxx for the win. Laid out much better, midi implementation makes more sense and it plays back what its supposed to, when its supposed to .
 
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