Solo Gig Background Music

[Coque]

Greetings All,

I was at dinner with my wife last week and a solo guitarist was playing along with some simple drums and bass tracks in the background. As I was thinking, "I'm as good or better than this cat" my wife says "You could easily pull off a gig like this, I think you're much better than he is." (This is of course is why I married her) But it got me thinking...

I have been toying with the idea of playing solo gigs around town; I sing and play guitar. I have wanted to do a jazzy/standards type of gig (I've been a Rock muscian for the last 25 years and want t to try something new) but don't really know where to start when it comes to backing tracks and the right rig to make it all happen.

I have a ProTools rig at home and could create a handful of tracks on my own but I wanted to know if there is another (easier) route. I have no problem investing in the right gear and software to get the job done; I know in my home town if I did it right I'd have no end to the gigs I could play and it would pay for itself.

Any of you wonferful folk have any experience and suggestions that could help get this new musical enterprise off the ground? I sure would appreciate your advice.

Thanks!

[Offshore Angler]

Looked into it. By the time and I bought all the gear and sequencers needed to do it right it was alot cheaper just to pay the band.
And a hellofalot more fun.

[Guitar_Mc]

You should be able to do everything you need with your pro tools. You can use individual drums sounds to create your own tracks, but there are tons and tons of loops already generated that you can find on the net. There are free ones, and there are some that you can buy. You can string the loops together and also add in individual drum sounds to "finish" is how you want.

[Coque]

I already have a good, small PA (it's a Gig Rack 1000) and a couple of good full range speakers so that's covered. I also have mikes, amps and guitars. So as far as expense, I've got most of the essentials covered. However, I wanted to know if any of you guys have come across any backing tracks that sound reasonably good and have a varied set list of titles. I know I could Pro Tool all of the tracks I need but, with my time the way it is and the multitude of projects I'm into right now it would be a year or more before I could create enough backing tracking for the 30 or so tunes I'd need to gig! I want to get out there early in 2007!

Any advice on backing tracks?

[Coque]

Hey Fezz, nice tracks! Clean and crisp with some really good playing! All done on ACID pro huh? Cool!

Any advantage in using ACID Pro over ProTools for this kind of a gig? Is it the loops and whatnot that make it cool for live giging or the recording elements? I've never used it.

[Mesotech]

You may want to consider "Band In A Box" to help get started quick. Several of the tracks in the Jamzone of this site were created using it.

[Coque]

That's funny...I was just looking at the Band-in-a-box site and trying to figure out if it was worth it or not!

Any of you guys use it?

Is it worth the cash or is it just a weak version of Protools and ACID Pro?

[Guitar_Mc]

The acidXpress Fezz pointed out is FREE and will do exactly what you're looking for. The loops are out there for free too.

I'd start with that?

I mean, why spend the money when you don't need to?

...now where was I, oh yea, looking around at musiciansfriend for an 11th guitar that I don't need.

[pc]

I agree about BiB--huge library but extremely hokey sounding. Even if you assign cool samples to the drum tracks, the computer generated MIDI tracks are sterile at best.

I've done a fair amount of solo guitar gigs, but always truly solo--chord solo type stuff a la Joe Pass (although of course I'm no Joe Pass). I have done other band gigs where we used a sequencer system as another part, and found it to be a crapshoot at best.

So--grab the Acid software, make your tracks, then burn 'em to an iPod or similar player and just take that to the gigs. And maybe back them up on a CD and have a CD-walkman with you too.

Oh--BTW, since you said you have ProTools, you know the latest version (7.x) does drag and drop with REX & Acid loops right? They now work in the tempo you choose just like Acid itself.

Just sayin.

[pc]

Phooey. Nearly every other major DAW has been supporting drag & drop Acid & REX for years now--Digidesign's arrogance lost them customers in the semi-pro area for way too long I think.

Oh... and I'll let you know when you're retired, soldier.

[Coque]

OK, So let's say I've got no other choice than to make the backgrounds myself in ProTools - no problem, I'll just buckle down and get them done.

I've used loops to create drum tracks on other recordings (mostly rock and country) so, that in mind, if I'm trying to do old standards and jazz, do any of you have any suggestions for loops or loop collections (ACID or otherwise) that will help push this project along faster? (And not too expensive...)

[ES345]

I made my own backing tracks by laying down the rythm and base myself and used the drum tracks on the rc50 loop machine. Then i played the melody, chord melody, and also used a synthesizer live against the tracks, you can bring the drums, base, rythm in and out on the fly with the foot pedals.. I am sure there is a more professional way, but this is fast and sounds pretty good. Playing the melody as a sax, or trumpet, and then the chord melody, it sounds pretty full diverse and blows away all the old folks at the nursing homes. This is my volunteer activities to give a little back, also these are the songs of their youth. They really enjoy them and normally a few join in and sing some of the songs with me. Again i am doing this with the roland rc 50 loop machine and a GR33 synth.

peace