BIAB Question

[Jeffrey Smith]

My last band had me on guitar and a decent bass player. We always had trouble finding good drummers, and when we did, they griped incessantly about playing country music. I swear, I've heard eight different drummers say something to the effect of, "I'd rather be playing blues." And I'd always think... well, you're not doing well playing country, so good luck finding a blues band that'll put up with you... and oh... by the way... if you like blues, why did you take a gig with a country band? Would you join a gospel group and start petitioning for some heavy metal?

I don't mean to offend drummers... some I've worked with are true musicians. Others, are mere stick-wielding skin-beaters, and that's all I've been able to find for the past few years.

SO... I have been kicking the idea around of me and this bassist doing a duo... cataloging all our songs in BIAB and at least gaining the use of a rhythm guitar and a drummer... and using it to do live gigs. Yeah, I know... I'm not going to get great drumming in all cases, but the song will at least end with the same tempo it started with, and I'm thinking "how much worse can it be than what I've been putting up with? And I'm quite sure it'll never say anything about playing blues." Often I play a song with the same intro as the ending, and find myself struggling to cover it at the end because the tempo has increased so much. Sorry for my "drummer soapbox." I'm off it now.

I'm well aware of what a mistake or a forgotten line of lyrics would yield... no chance to play another round and start over mid-song. Supposed to play a turnaround and started playing the melody? Too bad. I get all that. There couldn't be errors like that, and when they occur, I'm sure they'll be true train wrecks.

So my question is...

Has anyone attempted anything like this before? Live gigging with BIAB?

Thanks for any and all input.

Jeff

[Ken Lang]

I have done gigs with a drummer and without. It is better to have a drummer but with some work BIAB or a drum box will work. It is really the time involved with a fake drummer. You have to think like one and program everything. Given that, it does work, sometimes very sucessfully.

[Jim Eaton]

I did some gig's with a husband and wife duo, she only sang and he played keyboard & key bass and used one of those alisis sr-something drum machines.
He had all the tempo's charted and which "beat" to use and also had an ON-OFF footswitch to cut "ringo" off at the end of a song. It was ok, and I got paid in cash!!!
JE:-)>

[Dom Franco]

I play 2 or 3 solo gigs a week using BIAB tracks and my own self-recorded backing trax.

I love it! The drummer is never late/or early.
I am very flexible and I can take gigs anytime any place without checking with other musicans to see if they are available.

One thing is that YOU have to learn the arrangement you create! The band won't wait for you, and it won't follow you if you want to "Play it one more time" The verse/chorus order is set in place.

I still get to play with other bands sometimes, and there is a magic that happens when good musicians "play" off of one another. That element and "live" feel is missing with trax.

But it is well worth the time to build a collection of trax for solo/duo gig use.
Dom

[Jeffrey Smith]

Sounds like this is something I'll pursue at least to some extent... maybe have a "trial basis" at some rehearsals at least.

I just have to work out the endings using real tracks. I remember when I used the program a few years back, the song just chopped at the end. I could make MIDI stuff hold a note with a natural decay at the end of the songs, but if I remember correctly, Real Tracks just chopped. It sounded rough.

Hopefully, that's improved since 2008.

Thanks for every comment guys!

Jeff

[Dom Franco]

There are several options for song endings. (2 bar ending, 4 bar ending) But I usually Place the last chord at the beginning of a measure followed by 3 dots... for example (C...) this plays the last chord and holds it out for the measure.

You have to disable 2 bar and 4 bar endings to use this option.

Additionally: I always record my BIAB trax to CD or Mp3. (So I can add live parts and fade out endings etc.)

This way I don't have to lug around a computer and power cord. Just a small MP3 player... very compact and easy to operate (no boot up time, no mouse etc.)

[Jim Reynolds]

Jeff, Do you want help on the BIAB, or shooting the drummer. hahaha Had a couple of them myself. Your right about most being skin beaters.