The ShadowMusic Web Community

In response to my recent thread in the Backing Tracks section of this website, John Cochrane ("cockroach") expressed an opinion that I've come across before: that playing live to backing tracks is inferior to playing with a group. The quick answer is that playing to backing tracks makes me far more money than playing with a band and allows me to play far more complex music. I'd never have got to where I am, earning my living from music, if it wasn't for backing tracks. I had to search the length and breadth of the country to find the musicians who would go on to form the Shadowers.

The following post is not a personal rant, especially not at John, but it is because I had, coincidentally, posted a comment on Facebook toward the beginning of the month on this exact subject; that some musicians and organisers of open mic nights discourage or prevent people from playing to backing tracks. Open mic nights are important for beginners and for kids, and have been useful for me to get gigs and for me to simply share what I do with new audiences, which I love.

If I turn up at an open mic night it's usually with a Strat and a couple of pedals to get a simple representation of my sound, or an electro-acoustic. I also carry my mobile phone armed with backing tracks and the appropriate cable to connect the phone to a mixing desk. To put it another way, I'm self-sufficient, organised and professional.

I have been turned away from some sessions because backing tracks are seen to "cheapen" proceedings. It's a case of "get by with the musicians we've got here or not at all". At the suggestion of my using backing tracks, one organiser of an open mic night told me "this isn't karaoke!". Well, I don't make my living from karaoke, but from entertaining in the old-fashioned way - the way that us Shadows fans are used to: playing a set arrangement, executing it with precision and hopefully some charisma, and chatting between tunes to engage the listeners.

Musically I have my weaknesses and limitations and, unfortunately, I've not learned music in the way I'd like to have done. I have always struggled with the mathematics of chordal structures, so, until the penny drops for me, and till my understanding of music theory catches up with the rest of these greater mortals, I cannot realistically fall in with others ad hoc. I will gladly play alongside musicians if they already know the arrangements of the music I play, and I'll be even happier to support someone else if I already know the tune they'd like to perform (in fact, working in that way is a massive reason the international Shadows following has thrived so well, and why the standard of music and entertainment at most Shadows clubs is higher than the average open mic night). If that's not the case, however, and the musicians present don't know the music I play, I will continue to rely on backing tracks to showcase what I can do.

I have often turned up at events and been asked by audience members to play Shadows music, often meaning I then have to try and quickly talk at least one person through the chord sequence of a tune they, at best, haven't played for months or years. Usually this is done onstage in front of a bored, restless audience, and the run-through is rushed and/or cut short because the organiser is aware the hold-up seems unprofessional. Well, wait till you hear the results; then you'll hear unprofessional. Conversely, when I'm told that I'm welcome to play to backing tracks, I have, without exception, added a different dimension to the session, and it's been a success (the rest of the players usually being acoustic strummers or fingerstylists, often claiming to be that horrendous creature, the amateur "singer/songwriter"... yuck - cover your ears!). Often, playing at open mic nights has gotten me work, in which case I've always voiced my gratitude to the organiser of the evening (and shown it by buying them a pint).

So I guess there are two questions organisers of open mic nights should be asking themselves:

1. Do they want everyone participating in an open mic night to be able to confidently showcase their talent?
2. Do they want their audience to be entertained (and not cringe while decent musicians embarrass themselves, struggling to keep a tune together that they're not familiar playing)?

I know I'm preaching to the converted here, in the main, but isn't it reasonable for me to want to play the tunes I've learned recently to the best possible effect, with the best possible production and execution? I'm fed up of trying to teach other guitarists the chords to Apache; I'd like to play Brothers in Arms or A Tall, a Tall Dark Stranger.

If you have any thoughts I'd like to hear them...

J

Ouch!

Named AND shamed!

Apologies Justin!

Just the opinion of an old bloke who started playing in groups 50 years ago...and still plays out regularly with a group.
The nearest I've ever got to playing that way was having to use a drum machine with a small group when no drummer was available etc..
I've only ever played guitar to backing tracks at Shadows club type get togethers- never at a live paying gig.

However, I understand that you play for a living- so, do whatever it takes to get gigs and support yourself, old chap! Good on yer!

Having played in groups since 1962 there is no greater thrill than to stand with a group of lads on stage.
However, to jam with people at Shadows meets means that you're only going to be able to do basic stuff. There aren't many, for example , who could drop into Sweet Dreams.
It's whatever you want to do with your music really, it's your life, no-one elses.
If it's just money then fine, backing tracks but for me there's a million times more satisfaction and downright fun in a band.

I'm totally in tune (literally!) with Justin on this subject. In my musical existence, I have played far many more gigs with a live band than I have with backing tracks and, as Ecca says, playing in a live band is a lot of fun. But it is also a a lot of hard work and, most important, a huge commitment, because each member of the band relies upon each other. At the end of the sixties, having been playing professionally for around five years, I stopped playing because the pursuit of a career as a professional cartoonist made it impossible to make that commitment. I did come back to playing part time in a dinner-dance band in the eighties (and what a musical education THAT is!) but, in the end, as my main career blossomed, I ceased playing.

In 2004, a reunion with my old band, playing a couple of charity gigs, reignited the spark and for a while, the band started playing paid gigs again. But with a round trip of 280 mile to attend rehearsals (and most of the gigs), it again became impossible to commit in the long term.

And then I discovered backing tracks. Backing tracks have made it possible for me to get back to live gigging again. But there is much, much more to playing to backing tracks than 'Karaoke'. Yes, it CAN become like Karaoke if your approach is simply to play the notes, without any emotional content or flexibility, but if used simply as a base upon which to build musical creativity, they are a godsend. I find it exciting to create my own lead guitar arrangements to backing tracks. My latest piece is actually physically thrilling to play and I can't wait to give it its live debut in a couple of weeks time.

And, playing to backing tracks for the last ten years or so has made me a much better player because I can rehearse a lot more than I could with a live band. I can endlessly experiment without having to impose on the patience of fellow players. In short, backing tracks have been a musical life-saver for me.

Nothing wrong with using backing tracks, but there will always be somebody who is ready to scold, because his personal rules have been broken!

I must also point out that playing to backing tracks doesn't preclude playing, at the same time, with other players. My friend, Ken Gilbert (co-founder of our West Of Wales club) and I have arranged quite a few tunes as guitar duets which, whilst played to backing tracks, add a new dimension to the melodies with harmonies and second guitar parts.

Happy New Year...

When venues are too tight to pay much, backing tracks is the only choice so you don't have to share it out with other band members.
I was once accused by a venue of miming years ago though, because I had MIDI file backing tracks. They thought my guitar was on the backing as well, obviously someone who didn't know much.

I wonder if there is an electronic gadget - using MIDI perhaps, which ties the speed of backing track to variations in your playing speed. Now that would be really something to use! Or would it!!

Well I've never gigged with backing tracks, but if I did I'd only use backing tracks that I had myself recorded. that might shut the critics up.