[ddots-l] Re: putting together backing tracks
- From: "Farfar Carlson" <dgcarlson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:27:48 -0700
Have you considered Band in a Box? Sounds like exactly what you need. And there
are scripts to help with access.
Dave
----- Original Message -----
From: Damon Fibraio
To: midimag@xxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2010 18:21
Subject: [ddots-l] putting together backing tracks
OK, so I am sitting here contemplating this solo project thing. And I have
some general ideas, but would really like some help from those of you doing
this kind of thing.
My goal is to put together sets of music that I play along to. Either I play
the tracks from my newly acquired Zoom h4n or I use my laptop. Not sure which
yet. The tracks will be rock and roll based, generally from the 60s through
today, probably with a larger emphasis on 70s and 80s and some 90s and some
modern, although I won't rule out a beatles song or whatnot. My weapons of
choice for recording the tracks include sonar 8.5.3 lots of effects, superior
drummer as a plugin for drums, trilian for bass, my motif xs7 run through a
line6 pod x3 live or gear box for guitars, plus all my ardware like the motif,
pc3, ord rack 2x and soft synths like b4, pro53, fm7, dimension pro, rapture
and god knows what else I have here.
So, my problems are like this. IN putting together tracks, I am trying not to
go too far into overproduced land, so no doubling backing vocals, trying not to
overarrange things, basically making it drums, bass, one or two guitars, and
enough keyboard parts that can be officially pulled off live. I don't want it
to sound too canned, I want it to have a live feel to it. So, there'd be no
more than 2 harony parts in addition to what I sing. I plan on going one step
further with this live and actually doing guitar oriented stuff using my roland
ax1 shoulder controller for the guitar stuff, like say I want to do Talk dirty
to me by poison, I'd literally play it on a keytar including the solos using a
motif xs7 guitar patch going through my pod.
Now.
My biggest issue is finding the rght drum sound for superior drummer. I don't
know if I should make it sound like abig room or more tight. I have always
liked a big room drum sound. Plus, should I tailor the drum sound for each
song. Say I am going to do are you gonna go my way by lenny kravitz. That's a
different sound on the drum compared to 25 oor 6 2 4 by Chicago, which is
different than cult of personality by living color, which is different to some
beatles track. So, should I get one template drum sound or tailor them to each
song? I am worried about it sounding too much like karaoke and want it to sound
like it would if there were musicians behind me. So, what's the best way to go
about making this sound that way?
Also, what kind of PA requirements would I need for something like this? I
currently only use one Mackie srm monitor. I wonder if that would be enough?
It's got a 12 inch woofer and a horn tweeter. Put it on astand, maybe it'd be
good, but it wouldn't be stereo. I know that doesn't matter, I am not going to
pan my tracks left and right. But should I try something else
Also, effects? Record vocals dry or not?
Lastly, am I barking up the wrong tree with this kind of material? I don't
really want to do atypical set of Billy Joel and Elton john and all light
stuff. I want to do some of that, but I also want to rock out a bit and do
things most people would never expect a keyboard player to do. I just want it
to be believeable and not sound like karaoke. So, any suggestions and I'd love
you forevfer.
If I think of other questions, I'll throw them in, but 6this is probably too
much as it is.
--
Damon Fibraio
personal site: http://www.keyboardguy.com
band site: Days Before Tomorrow http://www.daysbeforetomorrow.com
Find me on facebook as Damon fibraio or twitter as dfibraio
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