
The Roland SPD-SX is a very popular sample pad that works great for playing backing tracks. Though make sure to turn off all notification sounds from the device!Īt the time of writing, this app was $14.99 on the App Store. If you already own an iPad or iPhone, this is a great way to get up and running with a minimal investment. The SoundCue app is a very nice and user-friendly option for you to quickly get up and running. If you’re looking for a very easy method then simply just use your iPad or iPhone as your backing track player. Laptop (With DAW software and an audio interface).iPad or iPhone (With an app such as SoundCue).Here are some of the easiest and best ways to play backing tracks live. The other downside is that you always have to be equipped with an in-ear monitor to track the metronome click so you can’t improvise that much and you have to stick to the arrangement. This is because they’re most commonly used on a laptop or through different methods. The downfall in this situation is that many technical errors will occur during your setup for a show.īacking tracks or playback systems are good but they tend to crash, skip, or even not play at all if not set up properly or from a random malfunction. Where there are benefits there are also downfalls. You know exactly which part is coming and which part is amped up with a certain emphasis from the backing track. In a nutshell, playing a backing track while performing live results in a better sound overall for your show that also saves you the cost of hiring other musicians to play certain instruments, which in this case are pre-recorded and played while you’re performing live.īacking tracks shine when they’re used alongside in-ear monitors that feature a metronome click with a pre-programmed arrangement of the song. Their purpose is to improve your live performances with pre-recorded back vocals, or effects, or even pre-recorded instruments if the band or artist is lacking band members. They are essentially pre-recorded musical pieces that are later played while performing live. Purpose and Benefits of Backing TracksĪs mentioned in the intro section, backing tracks are a very modern, creative and, useful way to make your live performance sound better.


Want to know how to play backing tracks live? This article takes you through the different options you have available, from using your iPad or laptop on stage to getting your hands on some dedicated hardware. In a nutshell, everything to improve the sound of your performance. Backing tracks are often used for effects the are pre-recorded, added back vocals, added layers to emphasize certain parts.

Using backing tracks is a modern and very useful way to make your live performances shine.
