The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary

View Poll Results: Backing Tracks for live gigs

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  • Agreed

    40 36.36%
  • Disagreed

    70 63.64%
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  1. #1

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    Hi Guys,

    Okay let's just vote, you don't need to leave a comment.

    Sandro

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  3. #2

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    A backing track is not live!

  4. #3

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    It's at least half live.

  5. #4

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    Never, ever.

  6. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by henryrobinett
    It's at least half live.
    haha ... well played.

  7. #6

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    hey great news. less competition out there with so many against it.

  8. #7

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    I'm not exactly against it. I think it's pretty hokey almost always but I think there are also some pretty hip ways to incorporate tracks into a regular bands performance.

  9. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by EOE
    hey great news. less competition out there with so many against it.
    or rather ... the same amount of competition ... just only 20% use backing tracks.

  10. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by henryrobinett
    I'm not exactly against it. I think it's pretty hokey almost always but I think there are also some pretty hip ways to incorporate tracks into a regular bands performance.
    Yeah...i know what you're saying, but I'm pretty sure the Op's talking about guitareoke. Which is crap, always.

  11. #10

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    Right ...

    Herbie Hancock sampling himself as he plays piano with one hand and drum pad with another = dope.

    Joe Guitar Player in the corner playing Satin Doll w/ an Aeborsold? ehh ... not so much

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
    Yeah...i know what you're saying, but I'm pretty sure the Op's talking about guitareoke. Which is crap, always.
    And how did you come to that conclusion?

  13. #12

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    I'm playing the devil's advocate here but;
    Do I use backing tracks? No. Should other people use them? Yes. Like they used to say in the 60's- do your own thing.
    I voted 'agreed' but the question is vague.

  14. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
    Yeah...i know what you're saying, but I'm pretty sure the Op's talking about guitareoke. Which is crap, always.

    "Guitarioke" is a new one on me. I like it.

  15. #14

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    No way. Too many guys work their tail off to be overbooked by someone with a backing track. I get why one would consider this but it hurts the musicians and any music scene one is in.

  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stevebol
    I'm playing the devil's advocate here but;
    Do I use backing tracks? No. Should other people use them? Yes. Like they used to say in the 60's- do your own thing.
    I voted 'agreed' but the question is vague.
    not sure what he question is. Agreed/disagreed to what? that using backing tracks should be legal? that it should used by everyone all the time? that there might be contexts when it sounds OK? That it usually sounds like crap? I suspect the OP is not a native english speaker, So he might clarify what his intent is. Some of the flaming might not happen if the poll sentence made sense.

    I've never heard anyone use backing tracks, even "soft hits of the 70's" bar acts, that didn't sound like complete crap, and for great american songbook jazz it is particularly grating to me. But I've heard some great uses of drum sequencers and other rhythm-based synth in some contexts (e.g. Avi Bortnik) which sound very hip.

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sandro
    And how did you come to that conclusion?
    Because its the same thing as Kareoke. Even when the singer, or in this case--player--is good it's still square and cheesy at best.

  18. #17

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    Players do not need backing tracts to be cheesy and corny... but I will never comment on who I think sounds cheesy and corny.

  19. #18

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    Using back tracks in a live setting is not something I have done, and it's not something I would go to hear someone else do, though I have occasioned to happen upon such things and although my sense was common for a serious musician (-not great, mind you, but I am serious about my level of mediocrity)----which is to say, "Ugh!"----I couldn't help realize that most other people in the place didn't mind it at all. Many people, and I mean many people who have a lot of records and listen to music a lot, are like my little brother, who once said to me when I was explaining why a particular record was so good in the most general musical terms, "Mark, I don't give a sh*t about music per se. I just like to hear records I like." I think a lot of people feel that way. In fact, I think a lot more people feel that way than feel the way most of us do.

    Which doesn't mean we are wrong. But it is relevant to someone who would perform in public. As Irving Berlin put it, "Anything the traffic will allow."

  20. #19

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    Speaking of which, here is Ethel Merman 'breaking it down' for us:


  21. #20

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    Jazz involves musical dialogue between accompanists and soloists.

    Backing tracks do not.

  22. #21

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    Tex has got his jazz degree and he's never giving up the dream of gigging live.....


  23. #22

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    o yea that is who gave me the advice to use backing tracks a couple of sax cats .. one who is way past that now. just saying successful cats advice I put on priority. and yea the consumer Is used to backing tracks.. I am pretty strict on what players play when backing me up anyway. so live cats or tracks the melodies and solos are the same. until I can afford to pay a 10 piece band I will be using tracks. Tex is making a living playing music. bottom line. in a time where that is hard to do. and you get a lot more than 200 bucks for gigs like that
    Last edited by EOE; 03-03-2015 at 05:43 PM.

  24. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by EOE
    I am pretty strict on what players play when backing me up anyway. so live cats or tracks the melodies and solos are the same. until I can afford to pay a 10 piece band I will be using tracks.
    That's the kicker and where the fundamental disagreement is with those who like them and those who don't. There is no interaction between soloist and accompaniment. For me that's fundamental to making music. It HAS to be there with no exceptions. With improvised music it's there to a much higher degree than with two acoustic guitars strumming along to Bob Dylan but it still has to be there or I don't feel like I'm making music. You don't seem to necessarily want that even from a live band ... so for that reason these two particular camps take the position they do because of fundamental differences in how they get joy from playing music. No amount of practical back and forth will change that.

  25. #24

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    yea I do all the improvising or me and a guest. but I do not want the band improvising.

  26. #25

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    I'm not sure why everyone hates this so much...if the player has no pianist or band to play with, do you somehow expect him to play rhythm and lead at the same time?