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Using backing tracks/triggering drum patterns on stage

  • 10-08-2008 10:52PM
    #1
    BarryCreed
    Closed Accounts Posts: 701 ✭✭✭


    Hello again,

    Forgive me if this has been answered, but I've not come across it here yet. I know I could use a laptop and play along to backing tracks ala Simple Kid, but what if I needed to play a piece, and then bring in a sampled electro drum and bass loop halfways through, (so play the first few minutes on my own, and improvise in places). Rather than sticking to a backing track on a pc, is there any other device that could trigger something like this. would i have to use a sampler, standalone drum machine?

    Is there something that could be connected to a laptop and then triggered. would it be dangerous to rely on this method. Could I make a cd of the backing track I needed, and use a footswitch to bring it in at the right place?


Comments

  • #2
    Dord
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,815 ✭✭✭✭Dord


    I saw a band recently that had synths and extra guitars triggered by the drummer. The stuff was on a laptop beside the drummer. They sounded really damn good!
    I can't remember their name, they're very Muse like though. Something dancer or something like that... dancer was in the name i think? :confused:


  • #3
    BarryCreed
    Closed Accounts Posts: 701 ✭✭✭BarryCreed


    hmmm, I wonder how they trigger them....maybe i should have posted this in the electro music forum or experimental...even though I'm possibly looking for an "instrument"


  • #4
    feylya
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 23,365 Mod ✭✭✭✭feylya


    Fight Like Apes do something like this with samples. Think they use an RC-20 loop pedal.


  • #5
    BarryCreed
    Closed Accounts Posts: 701 ✭✭✭BarryCreed


    feylya wrote: »
    Fight Like Apes do something like this with samples. Think they use an RC-20 loop pedal.

    hmm, yeah, i see what you mean now..as in record in the passages, and just trigger them with the pedal...


  • #6
    Eoin Madsen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,117 ✭✭✭Eoin Madsen


    BarryCreed wrote: »
    Is there something that could be connected to a laptop and then triggered. would it be dangerous to rely on this method. Could I make a cd of the backing track I needed, and use a footswitch to bring it in at the right place?

    It's diffcult to get something with linear playback like a CD to kick in instantly (plus CDs on stage tend to jump). Your sounds really have to be stored in a medium with random access (memory or solidstate storage) so the triggering happens in time.

    You can get inexpensive USB MIDI drum pads (hit with stick to trigger). You could set one up to trigger playback or a sample etc on a laptop as long as you have the right software. There should be a foot activated MIDI trigger of some kind around as well. A sampler would be a lot more reliable than a laptop, obviously.


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  • #7
    BarryCreed
    Closed Accounts Posts: 701 ✭✭✭BarryCreed


    yeah, will look into a sampler. Never used one before, i assume a pedal could activate them. I;d have to look into sampling time, memory etc..aaagggh, the wonders of modern technology...
    if my idea worked, it would be nice, could do a one man show, but use some tasty backing to come in and out behind some guitar playing...


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