Backing track

A backing track is an audio recording on audiotape, CD, or a digital recording medium, or a MIDI recording of synthesized instruments. These tracks often include rhythmic sounds, like a rhythm section, or other accompaniment parts that musicians can play along with. Backing tracks help singers and bands add musical parts to their performances that would be hard to play live, such as string section or choir sounds that were recorded in a studio.

Backing tracks are useful for a one person band, like a singer who also plays guitar, because they can add bass, drums, and keyboards to their shows without needing to hire more musicians. Even small groups, such as a power trio, can use these tracks to include extra parts like a horn section, more drumming, or backing vocals during their live performances. This makes performances more full and exciting without needing a large group of players.

Uses

Bands or solo musicians may use backing tracks to add extra instruments or voices to their live shows. This helps make the sound richer, like adding doubled backing vocals or copying parts from a recording, such as string sections, which would be hard to play live. A singer or group without a backup band can sing along to pre-recorded music. Tracks without lead vocals are also called karaoke or minus-one tracks.

Musicians, especially jazz players, use backing tracks to practice and learn to improvise over chord progressions. These tracks are sometimes called jam tracks, accompaniment tracks, or performance tracks. When bought, they often feature session musicians playing the instruments and backing vocals instead of the original recording, because using the original performance can be very costly.

In electronic music, some parts that are programmed are too fast or complex for a live musician to play. Backing tracks are also used when musicians are miming the playing of their instruments, lip-synching, or using guide tracks.

Some TV shows, like reality TV, require singers to only perform vocals live so that sound engineers can mix the performance more easily without setting up microphones for different backing bands.

Backing tracks can be bought online from suppliers for home practice or live performances.

Equipment

Before computers, backing tracks were played using audio tape during live shows. In the 1980s, a band called Timbuk 3 used a boom-box as part of their performance. The singer wrote and recorded all the music beforehand, which helped them perform on the streets of Austin, Texas without hiring extra musicians.

Later, digital sequencers gave bands new ways to create backing tracks using electronic music. These devices could play entire songs using synthesizers. As technology improved, smaller bands started using CDs, MP3 players, and other devices, while bigger groups used computers and special sound modules to play their music live.

Issues

Some people criticize the use of backing tracks during live music performances. They feel it makes the show feel less real and honest, especially when many parts are played from a recording instead of by real musicians. For example, using simple background music might not get much criticism, but using many recorded parts can draw stronger disapproval.

However, some musicians support using backing tracks. They say it helps their music sound clear and just right, especially for electronic styles. Some artists also use recorded vocals to keep their voices strong during long shows.