Backing Track Blog

Embed lyrics in to a backing track

Here's a question about embedding the lyrics of a song in to your backing track so that the words display as the backing track is playing... Kenny, Do you have a way to view the lyric/chord sheet and have the backing track embedded in that sheet?  Thanks Tony  Have a great day. Hi Tony You can have a text file or a MS Word document open while a backing track is playing in the background in a laptop. If you're using an iPod you can also get it to display the lyrics while the track is playing (see http://www.mp3backingtrax.com/article40.htm). But for a more comprehensive system where the lyrics display automatically and move in time with the music) then you would need to implement some kind of karaoke system for displaying words. There used to be a great program called On [more]

Picking a good song to sing in a competition

We produced a custom track for one of our customers which she used in a singing competition. I emailed her after the competition to ask how she did and I was delighted to discover that the backing track we produced for her and the way she sang the song got her through to the next round of regional finals. So what should she sing next...? Aha, a burning question! Hi Kenny,  Thank you so much for your e-mail, was so nice to receive. So...I made it through to the regional finals, its on the 27th November so not long to prepare a new song. Competeition was extremely tough yesterday, and I ended up singing the same song as someone else so that was tough, but I still made it [more]

Get good advice before you buy musical equipment

Buying musical equipment can be a minefield if you don't know what you're doing. One of our customers came a little unstuck - I wish she'd contacted me sooner. The rule of thumb is, always seek advice from someone in the know BEFORE you go spending money on equipment that may not be up to the job. Better still, ask more than one person - ask a few people, search the internet, look for reviews from people who've already bought the same equipment and read their opinions... Hi Kenny, Just purchased an Ion Rock Blocker with ipod dock, which is a portable speaker/pa system. I thought it might be good to use in small venues, does have quite good reviews. Still to buy the ipod yet [more]

Boosting the output of your mp3 player

All mp3 players have differing output volumes. Normally this isn't a problem if you're putting your mp3 player through a professional mixing desk. But if you're plugging it directly in to an amplifier or mixer/amp with limited controls over the channel, you could find yourself with volume problems that are not so easy to solve... Hi,  We are busking with karaoke backing tracks on an mp3 player connected to a Roland Street Cube. We use 2 mics for the vocals. The problem is that the output volume of the backing tracks which is controlled from the Philips 4GB GoGear Vibe mp3 player is not loud enough, even though it is on max. The mic volume is fine as it is controlled from the Street Cube. My question [more]

Using an iPad for backing tracks

Is using an iPad for backing tracks really all it's cracked up to be? One of our customers, Kevin, has an entertainer pal who definitely thinks so...then again, why wouldn't he? Therein lies the inherent problem with many of Apples products... Hi Kenny Im getting an iPhone soon and hoping to use it to play backing tracks. I have a creative mp3 player too. A friend of mine who is a successful professional performer recently got an iPad and swears by it! He downloaded some app for about £1 that plays everything just like a dj's deck...he can even scratch the flippin' tracks!! Also, nice big screen, and everything well laid out. It also works on the iPhone. Another thing about the iPhone....what if it rang in the [more]