Four Backing Track

[Delmiro Fain]

Peopleusing the App or playing along with a backing track are stepping up to be a member of the band, taking the role of rhythm guitarist. That role is crucial and not an easy one to fill. Going from the essential - but isolated - beginner task of learning to strum once per bar and four strums per bar to then be playing in a band situation is a giant leap. The sound of a backing track is full of instruments busy doing their thing to create the total sound. Hearing and feeling where your guitar fits in is no easy matter.

I often see some common issues around this. People not starting the strumming on time, or losing the rhythm, or changing their tempo (faster / slower) when the backing track stays steady. These are normal and understandable difficulties. Playing as part of a band is not easy. A lot of sensory and mental processing is still needed to guide your own playing meaning less capacity to focus on the rest of the band, especially the need to listen to and hear the beat from the rhythm section - the bass and drums. It is a skill to develop in its own right. I hope the ideas here can help.

I have created several audio tracks. The first few have a constant voice counting a steady 1, 2, 3, 4 throughout. Most are at 75bpm, with some a little slower at 60bpm. All have a four-bar count in click. All have a four-bar intro then a sixteen-bar main section that repeats one time before a short outro. The first has drum and bass only. For some, a guitar is added through the sixteen-bar main section playing first one Down strum per bar on the count of 1 and second four Down strums per bar on the counts of 1, 2, 3, 4. The final track has no vocal guide so you will be expected to provide your own count out loud.

The drum is playing kick drum on the 1 and the 3 and snare on the 2 and the 4. There is also a hi-hat playing eighths (listen for the open hi-hat on the 1 which should help you recognise it more easily). The bass is playing notes on the 1 and the 3 only apart from in every fourth bar where it plays on the 1, the 3 and the 4. This extra note in the bass line pushes the music and gives a clue that a chord change is coming so listen carefully for it.

Repeat the above process. When ready, pick up your guitar, play the track again, and, while still counting out loud, play a muted down strum on the count of 1. Repeat until you are comfortable and confident. Then repeat playing with the A, D and E chords instead of muted strings, played as a down strum on the count of 1. Record yourself.

Repeat the above process. When ready, pick up your guitar, play the track again, and, while still counting out loud, play a muted down strum on all counts of 1, 2, 3, 4. Repeat with the chords and four down strums. Justin introduces four down strums per bar in Module 2. Remember the chord progression is:

If you are gaining in confidence and the counting alongside the strumming is shaping up then I suggest you try to play along with the 1234 Four Down Strum backing track but this time with the vocal guide removed - you will need to count yourself with no prompt.

When ready, continue with the track below. I have created a 60bpm in addition to a 75bpm track for anyone who needs to take this next step a little slower. You will be moving to playing both Down and Up strums.

You are now at the point of striving to progress to the point where you can play four down and four up strums per bar (eighths). Justin introduces this in Module 3. Ideally you should be able to count all of the strums out loud 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & too. As you have been doing so far, start the process by listening, counting, tapping, attuning your ear to the sound and feel of the eighths. When ready, start your strumming on muted strings then progress to playing the chords as you strum the eighths. Record yourself.

The next stages all involve mixtures of some Down and some Up strums. I encourage you to always continue counting out loud. This should become a habit and something you can easily adapt for different strumming patterns when they come along. Therefore, before progressing, I suggest taking time here to consolidate counting 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & as you make four Down and four Up strums and begin to move away from relying on hearing a vocal guide counting the beats. To that end, here are the Drum & Bass only tracks this time at 60bpm as well as 75bpm. Use one or both of these to play a full set of eighths - four Down and four Up strums.

Hopefully you have now reached the stage where you can count and strum on auto-pilot in time with the beat. All remaining tracks will contain no vocal count to guide you. You need to do that unaided. Work through the process of counting out loud, playing muted strings, playing with the chords for each of the strumming patterns respectively.

Not only is there no backing at the start but having a strong 16th strumming rhythm it is impossible to keep a tempo with my foot at 66bpm whilst my hand is doing 132. If I tried my rhythm would falter. So these are a fantastic idea.

here is a guitar backingtrack for the solo voice for antonio vivaldi's masterpiece "four seasons - summer". i played this track a while ago and already did a backingtrack to it, but now my mixing skills got better and i will play the song again in near future so i thought i would share this new backingtracks, since i even got so many requests on the first one i made. just be sure to mention me when you use it ;) see the old youtube video i made click here: =0R8LWcNCUgg

As much as I love coldplay music, I really hate to see the four musician standing idly while you hear the dulcimer playing at the start. I like seeing all my instruments on stage, thank you very much, that's what I'm paying for. I would even rather if they just chose not to use it, at least that way, what you see is what you hear. ::angry:

No offense but if you really don't think your getting your money's worth then quite simply, don't go. They do what they do, it's their choice how they do their shows and no one's forcing you to see them live...

I think it comes down to a matter of opinion and people's personal Concert tastes. Personally, I hate when I go see a band live and they have a huge amount of "extra" musicians on stage. Backing tracks don't bother me.

That said, I think if it ruins the show that much for you, I'd suggest you may have deeper misgivings about Coldplay as a live act than you may be aware of. There are a lot of band's whose music I like who I think suck live. If one thing takes you're mind off the show so much, perhaps there's somithing bigger about the show you don't like, even if you're not immediately aware what it is.

A lot of the music on their new album is very unique and hard to re-create, especially on-stage, especially with someone who didn't write it. Would you rather they lose the sound they are going for just to be 100% live?

I just wanted to see how exactly they do the dulcimer for "life in technicolor ii" that's all. I was hoping they would have shown it on stage, but they didn't. I was a bit disappointed in that. Doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the rest of the show though.

I see what you mean. A lot of the music on-stage seemes to have a backing track. Remember during the radio show concert Chris messed up and starting singing "Those who are dead are not dead.." waay too late and we heard two Chris' sing the same thing?? It's ok though. I'm a big fan and I rather have the backing tracks than 10 people on stage. It would be AMAZING to hear VLV with a live orchestra though just once though.

I see your point but I prefer to see the four of them on stage.Considering all the different instruments on this band, if you had to bring them all on stage I think it would be too much.You would loose the little gang atmosphere that I like about them

It doesn't bother me. Sometimes bands can't have all the instruments on stage, or they'd have to run back and forth between instruments in order to get everything right, and they could potentially screw up. I'd rather have a backing track sometimes and have everything sound perfect, rather than have a million tiny mistakes that happen because they're all trying to do everything live.

U2 have used backing tracks, Genesis have used backing tracks, Rush have, Paul McCartney has, Prince has. It doesn't really matter to me if not all instruments are live, if the key instruments are, and the band are all playing.

Honestly, I wouldn't like seeing hundreds of other musicians with them on stage, because that is what I pay money for - seeing Coldplay and not 'seeing Coldplay and a couple of other people playing Coldplay songs'. If they would bring some people playing the strings during Viva La Vida on stage, it would probably be a bit crowded on stage. Also it would take some time so that you spend a lot more time watching people going on and off stage and roadies carrying hundreds of instruments. If those other musicians weren't on stage but backstage playing their parts, there will be people like you saying they can't actually see the instruments and I find it kind of frustrating for the musicians to be hidden.

They would have to be paid and would need to be on stage, which makes it a crowded place. So I prefer backing tracks over extra musicians. Besides Coldplay played most of the other instruments for Viva La Vida themselves and it would simply not sound the same.

The Grammys, when they did Politik, with loads of Orchastra, why not Viva. I personally dont care if it sounds rubbish, which it wont, Id be proud of my boys for trying to make it as live as possible:smug:

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