using backing tracks?

Quirkygirl

I have an acoustic setup, but recently I have been asked by lots of places do I use backing tracks or can I use them? any opinions here are welcome? I personally don't like them, but I can see the advantages, if pubs are very small etc, and budgets are small, where would I find good quality backing tracks and do I need special equipment to play them to get best quality? I have pa etc? Thanks, should i bow to pressure?

rcaz

As a kind of practical question, this is probably best off in Instruments

Echoes675

A pub's "small" budget should be no reason to diminish the quality of performance. Yes there are a lot of other performers out there who cobble an act together with backing tracks but generally speaking they are a whole pile of shi**! No soul! No originality! I regularly perform in a 7 piece band (Guitar, Bass, Drums, percussion, 2 horns, and vocalist) and we have squeezed into some very small spaces We get together and practice in a small back room of a house (you can imagine the noise lol). Where there's a will there's a way.

Pubs only have "small" budgets for music because many musicians are willing to perform for pennies. The pubs make plenty of dosh when good performers are playing so there's no reason for them not to have a decent budget, any that tell you they can't pay much are lying. Realistically, would they get away with saying that to a plumber, builder or electrician?? No bloody way! Simply, there are too many out there happy to take buttons for their performance. In my own experience, once upon a time, I was willing to play for little to no money or a few beers or whatever. Being naive as I was, I got suckered into the crap that venues gave such as "It will be good exposure" etc.. but that never progressed me to better gigs or even gigs with decent pay. As soon as I decided that I wasn't going to take that any more, I have been quoting realistic prices, and now am getting much more in return. Better gigs, better pay. Yes, there are gigs that I don't get now because the organisers don't want to pay but hey some people don't appreciate the value of music. And yes, it may be easier to give in but working with real musicians is a far greater experience. The opportunity to work with others in doing your own music or your own 'versions' of covers for me far outweighs simply replicating songs with backing. It's really all down to how you present yourself to organisers. If you let them they will walk all over you. They may say "There's loads of people willing to do this gig for little/ no pay , why should I pay you?!" My answer to that is, "Yes there are loads willing to play for little to nothing, but the fee I charge reflects the quality of my performance. ie better than all those"

On a personal level I could never perform with backing tracks and would be embarrassed if I did. Backing tracks are ok for practising at home, but should be no substitute for a real full live band / act / whatever lineup IMHO. In any case, a crowd reacts much more favourably to the real McCoy! More energy flowing from the live performers and in turn that energy being returned to the stage when people are dancing etc..

Sorry for the rant but it's something I do feel really strongly about.

Dublin Guitar

Speak to Phil in the Sound Shop in Drogheda or Tom Baylor in Fermoy, Cork if you want good advice on backing tracks. They'll advise you well on equipment, tracks and set you up with something to suit your budget.