Best Backing Tracks?

[p1p]

Looking for the best quality backing tracks, any opinions?

Just browsing, listening to the samples, I’ve noticed so many sound like robotic.. no swing? Would love to have some groovy ones to play along with and actually get in to.

Thanks

[KirkP]

Which backing tracks have you been disappointed in?
These days my only backing tracks are either iReal Pro with the awful comping track muted and drums dialed very low or playing along with recordings and mentally subtracting the lead track.

[jameslovestal]

Looking for the best quality backing tracks, any opinions?

Just browsing, listening to the samples, I’ve noticed so many sound like robotic.. no swing? Would love to have some groovy ones to play along with and actually get in to.

Thanks

I make my own using a looping petal; I'm better at comping and creating a swing rhythm than a computer (well now after 20 years!).

[Rob MacKillop]

The best I've heard are from the books by Jerry Bergonzi. Those guys REALLY swing. And I don't mean they play Swing music, it's very modern bop style.

[Jazzstdnt]

Check these out!


Vinny Valentino - Play Along Tunes (PKA PlayAlongJazz)

[p1p]

Check these out!


Vinny Valentino - Play Along Tunes (PKA PlayAlongJazz)

Thanks, this is better.

I was listening to the samples from the Aebersold ones. Are they a bit dated?

[Jazzstdnt]

Thanks, this is better.

I was listening to the samples from the Aebersold ones. Are they a bit dated?

Well I haven't looked at them in a while, and haven't done an extensive analysis but will say - yeah, probably. Aebersold's play-a-longs have been around for decades (and thank him and all the guys for that, by the way!)

OTOH - the tracks are no more dated than the tunes and styles that they cover.

So fast forward - the Valentino tracks are very nicely packaged, one can pick which instrumenst to "minus", and they have an up-to-date contemporary sound. One may or may not prefer that, so it's about options I guess.

[rintincop]

There is a huge range of quality among the Aebersold backing tracks.I recommend the Aebersold play along’s that feature Ron Carter on bass. He swings hard and the drummers he is with are superb. You also get Kenny Barron. The set with Christian Mcbride is good too. The sets with Rufus Reid are OK. The rest of the Aebersold bass players are not so swinging, or they rush, or play out of tune...

Computer bass playalongs really have an awful feel. The i-Real book backing tracks are so bad!

i was not impressed at all with the Vinny tracks.

[nopedals]

I like these:

Backing Tracks

[mr. beaumont]

Simon Peter King's tracks are pretty hip, and cool if you want to try a track with another guitar player on it.

Generally, I like iReal and I just turn the piano player off.

[jazzereh]

Try this site - Professional jazz backing tracks, standards, smooth, soul, blues, – Jazzbacks

I've used many from here for gigging as well as practice. Real instruments

[p1p]

Try this site - Professional jazz backing tracks, standards, smooth, soul, blues, – Jazzbacks

I've used many from here for gigging as well as practice. Real instruments

i think these are the best I’ve heard. Bit pricey though.

[lawson-stone]

Hal Leonard has put out backing tracks keyed to the charts in the HL published Real Books. They are pretty good. Unlike the Aebersolds, though, you can't use the L/R to remove, say, the piano. Still, they're pretty good.

[p1p]

Hal Leonard has put out backing tracks keyed to the charts in the HL published Real Books. They are pretty good. Unlike the Aebersolds, though, you can't use the L/R to remove, say, the piano. Still, they're pretty good.

I just ordered a Hal Leonard play-along. Samples sounded the best to me, and I’ve always been happy with their books etc., really polished and professional. Will post a little review after some time spent with it over the holidays.

[Gabor]

As a tool I think both the Aebersold and the Hal Leonard collection is excellent. Of course the quality is variable, but there are more than 100 CDs in each collection (1000 tunes each of them).

I am not sure I understand the "outdated" term in this context... How could a recording became "outdated" if it is good? Anyway, regarding rhythm section, Ron Carter and Adam Nussbaum will do it hopefully. I think it worth the time to carefully view all the 100+ Aebersold and also the 100+ Hal Leonard CDs samples online, and pick some...

Just one for the feel:

Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Volume 114: Good Time!: Book & 4 CDs

and here are some with Adam Nussbaum:

[sgcim]

I like these:

Backing Tracks

I just noticed these are perfectly metronomic.

[kris]

You can use Band in a Box to create backing tracks.
This program is designed for this and is getting better and better.

[voxo]

indeed..once you get the hang of the daunting interface...only have to ask Graham..he endorses it...well i think he does..useful advice....edit melody track...rechannel to specific guitar fret position over range you choose..so Joe Pass habit of playing up the 10th fret no longer a problem...ok so you play a lot on the fifth position..me too...amazing

[equenda]

You can use Band in a Box to create backing tracks.
This program is designed for this and is getting better and better.

Hi!
I am very satisfied with the result I get with the BAND-IN-A-BOX REALTRACKS. These are real recordings made by high-level musicians.The bass and drums are really good (to my ears...)
I try never to use MIDI instruments.
To get an even better result I replace the piano track with the one made by a real musician such as my friend Giovanni Guerretti who recorded the piano track in this version of BLUE BOSSA (full performance is at 14:15):

Ettore

[mheton]

The longer I play, the less I can stand being accompanied by more than drums and bass....
As always, just my 2ct…

[Tim Clark]

I've been using BIAB for more than ten years now and am very happy with it. You can have people like Ron Carter and Kenny Barron play in any key, tempo, or style you want, accompanied by drummers like Terry Clarke and Wes Little.

Everything is in perfect time because it has to be in order for the RealTracks to be interchangeable, but the sound is anything but metronomic.

[sgcim]

I've been using BIAB for more than ten years now and am very happy with it. You can have people like Ron Carter and Kenny Barron play in any key, tempo, or style you want, accompanied by drummers like Terry Clarke and West Little.

Everything is in perfect time because it has to be in order for the RealTracks to be interchangeable, but the sound is anything but metronomic.

Have you tested it with a metronome? Even the tracks at 340bpm?

[Boss Man Zwiebelsohn]

I once bought BIAB and almost never used it. I am still waiting for a programmmer to develop an app where you put in basic seventh chord chnages and an algorithm spits out nice piano passing chords à la Barry Harris. (Which is in principle doable as there are rules for the six -- resp. seventh -- diminished comping method and one could put in some randomness for "borrowing notes".)

[voxo]

if the piano annoys you .. get the B3 organ real track.....turn bass off...really nice sound

[Tim Clark]

Have you tested it with a metronome? Even the tracks at 340bpm?

I can't play that fast :-)

The fastest arrangement I've ever done with BIAB is 190 BPM, and though I've never tested it with a metronome, I've calculated seconds per bar and everything seems to come out exactly right.