Backing Tracks for Blues Standards
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Posted on Oct 29, 2006 08:50 am
Peter Wright
Junior Wright
Member Since: May 22, 2005
Help.
I'm learning Blues harp and want to create Backing Tracks for Blues Standards. I've tried the following;
Band-in-a-Box; it creates blues patterns, but when playing a standard you need the exact pattern played in the standard. I tried to enter the actual parts, drum, bass, and guitar but it was to difficult. That let me to .....
Cubase SE; I tried entering the exact score for each instrument. Very time consuming, and it didn't sound very good. I searched the internet for existing MIDI files of Blues standards and found some pretty good ones. However, I only found a few of the standards I want to record.
Steinberg StudioCase VSTi; Groove Agent SE and Virtual Guitarist SE seem to work like Band-in-a-Box in that you choose a style and it creates a pattern. Again, it doesn't match the particular pattern of the Blues standard I need the backing for.
MIDI Patterns; I thought I might download some Blues patterns and piece together a twelve bar Blues. I downloaded some drum patterns, but there were thousands, and each one was only a bar or a beat.
There has to be an easier way. I'm not looking for a perfect backing track, but it should have the same rhythm and hook of the standard.
Are products like EZ Drummer, Rhythm n Chords, or Drumtrax something that would do what I want. Or, do I have what I need but just don't know how to use it?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, Pete
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Oct 29, 2006 08:56 am Look up an app called Jamstix...it'll keep perfect time and improvize along the way. www.homerecordingconnecti...tory&id=586 it'll be in good time and jam without parameters that you set. It's very cool and if not perfect for you, it's surely worth checking out.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Oct 29, 2006 05:45 pm Other then the info dB gave you, there are no perfect or easy solutions to the problem. You have been on the right track though looking for the actual midi files to work with. But it can be a long road to find everything you would like.
Other then the approach you have allready been using, sadly there is no easier way. Piecing parts together and step writing the parts is really the only alternative to get an exact duplicate of the song you want.
The EZ drummer, and other products you mentioned will be giving you about the same thing you allready have. And to get exact duplicates of the songs you want, yes you will have to be doing some re-arranging of the music to get it exact.
I know it isnt what you had hoped for, but unless you can do an exhaustive search for the midi files it is the only other way.
There are tons of good midi sites out there and most are free. But the pay sites will be the ones that can give you exactly what you want.
Oct 30, 2006 08:05 pm thank-you for the feedback.
Pete
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Oct 31, 2006 07:30 pm Sorry it wasn't a bit more on the upside. But I know exactly what you are going through. Lucky for me though programming midi files was something I fell into years ago so I have it pretty easy in that respect.
Nov 01, 2006 07:37 pm I use Band-in-a-Box to do a similar thing. I think it works great. Maybe I'm misunderstanding your use of the words "Blues Standards". Do you mean a certain type of rhthym? Maybe if you explain that, I could tell you how I do it.
Jim
Izzy Dutch'The Flying Dutchman'Member
Since: Jan 11, 2006
Nov 04, 2006 07:31 am I use hotstepper.de as a drum sequencer with naturalstudio.co.uk drum samples.
Here's a great site when it comes to backing tracks www.guitarbt.com maybe that's usefull.
Nov 13, 2006 03:14 pm Well, one way is to learn all the other instruments and make your own backing tracks. Then you're sure to get what you want (within your abilities). Not a productive use of time if you just want to practice harp!
There are some backing tracks available commercially already. It's kind of like karaoke for instruments. The ones I've seen (in music stores) are called "minus one" or something like that. The idea being it is a complete recording of a song minus the one instrument you provide (harp in your case). You can also get, for example, classical music minus viola if you're a viola player.
When you look at the cost of your time, your money may be better spent on these than trying to create your own.
My wife bought one for blues violin, I believe, but it could be used for any lead instrument, really, such as harp.
My approach has been to learn all the other instruments, but that started over 30 years ago.
