Backing Track Basics Part II: Live Performance With Backing Tracks
This is the second part of a two part series on backing tracks. If you want to learn how to find or make a backing track for practice or performance, check out Part I.
So you’ve got your tracks, you’ve perfected your performance, and you’re ready to share your talent with your community. It’s time to book a show! Whether you’re playing your first open mic or performing a full set, there are a few Do’s and Don’ts to keep in mind before rocking live with your new track.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Live Performance with Backing Tracks
Do check with the venue or event organizer in advance that you can use tracks in the first place.
Not all events will allow you to perform with tracks. Quite a large percentage of open mics and writers rounds don’t allow tracks, and many will only accept original songs. The reasons can range from not wanting the sound guy to be liable for keeping track of your CD or phone to not wanting someone to show up with low quality audio ripped from Youtube to just plain not having a way to play tracks. All of these objections are fair, especially in the context of an open mic with multiple performers and a quick turn-around between acts.
Do ask the Venue about their preferred track format, including how to connect your device to their sound system.
Every venue is unique, and so is their sound system! Not all PA systems can play CDs and many older systems - which are not uncommon to see in smaller venues - can’t take USB inputs. Make sure to connect with the contact person at the venue for their preferred format and input.
In general, your tracks should be either .MP3 or .WAV files. If you’re purchasing tracks, we suggest requesting .WAV format if possible. The file is larger, but can be converted to an .MP3 if needed; .MP3s can’t be converted to .WAVs if the higher-fidelity file is requested (well, technically they can, but it’s not going to sound good; think of it like blowing up a very small digital photo to a larger size - it’ll be bigger, but pixelated). If you’ve built your own tracks, make sure you’ve exported them from your music creation app into one of these formats.
AUX inputs are the most common way to connect a device like a phone to a sound system. It might also be called an 1/8th inch input. On your phone, this would be your headphone jack. If your device doesn’t have a round headphone jack, make sure you own the appropriate converter and bring it with you to your performance, along with your own AUX cable (available at most gas stations and pharmacies for less than $20) in case the venue does not provide one.
Don’t stream your tracks directly from the internet.
Just as each venue’s sound system is unique, so is their internet access. At least in the U.S., high-speed internet and consistent cell service are not guaranteed everywhere you go. Make sure your tracks are downloaded to the device you’ll be using before you get to the show. This is a great opportunity to make sure they’re organized correctly either in a playlist on your music player of choice or in a setlist app. Whether you’re relying on a sound professional to press play when you get on stage or running the sound yourself, you’ll have a better performance experience and look more professional if you’re not scrambling to queue up the right track.
Don’t forget to listen to your tracks over a speaker system before performing live.
And by speaker system, we don’t mean your phone or laptop speakers. Play them in your car or on a home sound system if you have one to make sure they sound good over a larger speaker system. Make sure the tracks aren’t distorting and are all of a similar volume. If you don’t have a way to connect your phone to your car, you might not have a way to connect it to a PA system; this is a good opportunity to double check that you have everything you need before the day of the show.
Do practice with your tracks, including transitions and stage movement.
The most challenging part of performing with a track as opposed to a live band is that the track won’t adjust to your performance. It won’t pause if you need a little more time to breathe or slow down if you want to play with tempo. Make sure you’re ready and able to keep up with the recording. Pay special attention to your entrances and any musical cues that might tell you when to start singing or help you find your starting note. You’ll also want to practice going from song to song; if you’re not controlling playback during your performance, you might not have the option to pause between tracks. Make sure you know how long you have between songs and make a plan for how to use that time (if there is any at all).
One of the biggest critiques of singers performing over a track rather than playing with a band or self-accompanying is that the performance isn’t engaging or comes across as glorified karaoke. Make sure your performance is more than just singing the song well; you don’t have to have a full choreographed dance routine or anything like that, but you do have to exude stage presence - whatever that means for you. It might mean moving around the stage, moving your body with the rhythm, or choreographing some basic hand gestures and movements; it might even be as simple as embodying the character of the song and letting that energy radiate from you. Whatever it is, make sure it’s unforgettable!
Do upgrade to a more professional setup if you’re planning to make a career of performing to tracks.
Not all genres of music make sense to perform with a live band and many pros incorporate backing tracks into their performances. If you’re primarily performing Pop, Dance, Electronic, or Hip Hop, tracks might be your best path forward. In that case, you’ll need to start treating your tracks and playback set up the way a guitar player would treat their amp and pedal board; you can’t rely on a venue to provide them for you and you’ll want to invest time and money to make sure they serve your performance as best as they can. That’s a whole other article that we’re not ready to write, but we do want to point you toward this article from ReverbNation if you think a more advanced backing track setup is the right fit for you.
Final Thoughts
Backing tracks are more accessible than they’ve ever been and open up a world of performance and music creation opportunities to vocalists who don’t want or aren’t able to self-accompany. Whether you become a pop star who uses tracks professionally or they simply serve as a placeholder until you get a band, we hope that they open unexpected opportunities for you. They can be a gateway to discovering your talents as a stage performer or even a chance to fall in love with songwriting and production. Whatever you take away from your experience with tracks, we hope it serves as one more opportunity to Love Your Voice.
Schedule a Lesson Today
If you want help developing your performance, building a repertoire, or finding your next favorite backing track; set up a lesson with Zelda today!
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