Question: Live recorded tracks

axme

axme

Inspired
I'm looking for some ideas how to pre-record guitar tracks and play them back live. I play in a 10 piece cover band and I'm the only guitar. Some of our tunes could use an extra guitar. Here are the constraints:

- I play stereo direct to FOH. No amps on stage
- We have an extra channel on the board if needed. Its a Presonus digital board
- All monitors for the band are IEMs using Aviom system
- Must be able to send click track to drummer. Keyboard player uses some sequences and send click track to drummer. Sequences also trigger effects via midi for vocals on certain songs.
- I use an Ipad on stage for setlists and sheet music
- I don't have a home studio, so the method of recoding tracks must be simple. Note, I'm willing to buy whats needed, but I'm looking for an inexpensive solution.

I tried it once before using Garageband. I split the Ipad headphone out and sent the left side with click track to the drummer and the right side with music to the board. It worked but was a huge PITA. There must be an easier way!

I would love be to able to give my tracks to the band leader and let him somehow play them from his laptop which has Presonus recording and control software.
 
Record the extra guitar tracks in the keyboardist's sequencer.
This is simple and robust.
 
Cover'd said:
If it's a nice, modern, powerful machine running some DAW sequencing software, yes :)
Click to expand...

Create whatever tracks you will need, in Garageband, and then share them to Itunes. Now you can play them in a play list. You can make short tracks of silence, like 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, etc. and drop those in between to control the timing, or give the drummer time to stop the playlist if something goes wrong.

If you want to do this 100% pro though, you should be using Ableton Live with your Macbook.

We use it at church, instead of ProTools, which we had been using for years, but it could crash from time to time. Ableton is rock solid.

I'm pretty sure most of the DAW's can have a MIDI track in them, to trigger sequencers live, but don't ask me how to do that. I've quite often wondered why more live acts don't rely on midi track sequencing to change their guitar patches, so they can just walk around and play, since most live acts are now performing to click tracks.

Good luck!
 
You could also use a Digitech Jamman stereo. One side click, one side track. I use the regular Jamman for samples live, and actually run it through the Axe FX through my Mackie...
 
rodzimguitar68 said:
I've quite often wondered why more live acts don't rely on midi track sequencing to change their guitar patches...
Click to expand...
Digital performer has something called "chunks." You create a sequence (song) and drop in your backing track, and enter in the automation for your axe-fx. Chunks puts your songs in a list that can be triggered by any midi command.

At the gig, my Gordius little giant has a 10-key function. I enter any song number at random and the backing track cues up. I hit a switch assigned to play, and all axe-fx activity is automated except expression pedal, but you could automate that in D.P. as well.

My strategy? Why tapdance on a footswitch during a scene/patch/block change when you can be sandwiched between drunk chicks on the dance floor?
 
rodzimguitar68 said:
I've quite often wondered why more live acts don't rely on midi track sequencing to change their guitar patches, so they can just walk around and play, since most live acts are now performing to click tracks.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

It's been my experience that playing to click kills the energy and vibe. Yes it would be great to have everything automated, but then it's automated and loses that "live" feeling IMO. Then again, I've never had the opportunity to play with an all in-ear band and a drummer that can actually follow the click......
 
Severed said:
and a drummer that can actually follow the click......
Click to expand...

THIS is the key.

BTW: MIDI automation is great! And, if you think about that, nearly every big name in rock history had a technician for channel switching :)
 
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