not sure about backing tracks, could really do with some myself, but I play along to the BBC radio 2 virtual session (not many tunes though).
There was also a recent thread about emailing tunes and one "old scraper" from Alice Springs in Australia maybe looking for some too, she is 1500 miles (I think) from the nearest session !
She used ta be an old old scraper but she saw da light and now she's clear drops - much nicer! Like she is! and she's promised to stop complaining!!!! ... but, but, she's been looking for the last five years without success for royalty free trad backing to play melody along to.
Couldn't find anything out there that sounded remotely trad. There is plenty of legal beat stuff If you just want something to play your melody along with, beats a bland old metronome. I resorted to some of my kool school students' original rap backing tracks (used with their kind permission) warts and all made on a program like 'Garage Band'. You could even make your own.
Tony b, I'm always looking for people to play along with. I'll email you back. but it is kms not miles - still a bluudy long way.
I bought the Foinn Seisún series off iTunes. Not exactly sure what the deal is with the French version of CCE (it says the album’s put out by Le Ceoltóiri Cultúrlainne). Anyway, it’s a series of basic settings of common tunes at a decent tempo in a session-like atmosphere. Good fun to play along to.
If you are able to play rhythm or backing instruments, I'd certainly look into a GarageBand or similar program, depending on your platform. You could throw down a rhythm track and loop it. Also, there are many recording devices that frequently get discussed and reviewed here that you could also use to record accompaniment.
This brings to mind a question. Is there any precedent for sharing session tapes here on thesession? A quick search didn't turn up anything related to this. Would there be any need or interest in sharing mp3's etc. of our local sessions? It might be a great way to share regional variations of tunes, much like the comments section of the tune database. And it might compliment the rest of the site well, like the sessions database and stuff. I don't know if getting permission from players would be a hindrance, but I'm guessing there's enough nonchalant sessions out there to make it worth while. Not like it would be any sort of bootlegging or anything, just a nice collection of local tunes and sessions. And it might be nice to be able to take a peek at sessions around the world. Does youtube already have this covered? I think the organization of this site would work well with something like this.
Sandy, I have 29 backing tracks (airs, songs, marches, polkas, waltzes, jigs) recorded on Audacity for my beginner whistle students. They were produced on keyboard by my very talented friend (professional musician who plays Celtic and world music on all sorts of instruments) and the quality is surprisingly good. They are generally played AABB x3, each time speeding up moderately. Have copied track titles below. They are in mp3 format. If you are interested send me an email and I may be able to post you a copy.
1. An Ghaoth Aneas
2. Baidin Fheilimi
3. Blackthorn Stick
4. Dark Island
5. Fainne Geal an Lae
6. Improvisation
7. Kerry Polka
8. King of the Fairies
9. Mairi’s Wedding
10. Mingulay Boat Song
11. Miss Mcleod’s Reel
12. Mo Cailin Bhonn
13. Mo Ghile Mear
14. Mo Rhun Geal Cheilis
15. Molly Malone
16. Morrison’s Jig
17. Oh the Britches
18. Out on the Ocean
19. Roddy McCorley
20. Sally Gardens
21. Sands of Kersal (A whistle)
22. She Moved through the Fair (G whistle)
23. Skye Boat Song
24. Smash the Windows
25. Song for the Small Pipes (G&A whistles)
26. Star of the County Down
27. Swallow’s Tail Jig
28. Terry Teahan’s Polka
29. Tripping Up Stairs
(& #30 if you want it is Annie's Song by John Denver - not very Celtic but a good one!)
and just another comment, playing along to backing tracks is more tricky than it seems because you don't have that eye contact/nonverbal communication/telepathy/bouncing off each other - whatever you want to call it. However - it's another skill to add to the armoury.
buttons--it is possible to upload a "video" clip to YouTube that is actually just an audio track with a still photo or slideshow. Just one possibility, I'm sure there are others.
I just about remember doing some stuff with Jim Dorans (WorldFiddler) years ago where he had a session project. You downloaded one of his files and added your overdub recording and sent it back. He hosted a few of these recordings and I am sure that could be easily done again if a suitable mp3 hosting site was agreed on.
The problem with a backing track is agreeing on some sort of intro so that you know when to come in on the melody instrument. The guitar can easily use a pickup to record while playing along to a melody instrument playing the tune. Just a matter of sticking to a format of AABBAABBAABB for each tune or something like that.
just to make it interesting you could ask for Dennis Cahill style or Jim Murray depending on your preference. Maybe Iris would do this in her style as well!! Where are you Iris??
>>Anyone know a website where I could post one of the mp3s as a sample?
If you create an account at http://www.esnips.com/ you get 5gb of space and can allow people to download or stream tracks from there. I use it quite a lot. Xdrive from aol would also work. The other alternative is myspace or an account at http://soundclick.com
esnips would be easy as you can create as many tracks as you want
All the dance tracks have a 2 bar chord intro and then AABB x 3, speeding up each time, 3rd time approx dance speed - good for practice purposes. Anyone interested in the other backing tracks - email me and I can probably post out a CD.
backing tracks
backing tracks
Does anybody know where to download some backing tracks to keep me company whilst practicing my banjo?
# Posted on January 22nd 2008 by Sandy Holdom
Re: backing tracks
not sure about backing tracks, could really do with some myself, but I play along to the BBC radio 2 virtual session (not many tunes though).
There was also a recent thread about emailing tunes and one "old scraper" from Alice Springs in Australia maybe looking for some too, she is 1500 miles (I think) from the nearest session !
# Posted on January 22nd 2008 by tony b
Re: backing tracks
She used ta be an old old scraper but she saw da light and now she's clear drops - much nicer! Like she is! and she's promised to stop complaining!!!! ... but, but, she's been looking for the last five years without success for royalty free trad backing to play melody along to.
Couldn't find anything out there that sounded remotely trad. There is plenty of legal beat stuff If you just want something to play your melody along with, beats a bland old metronome. I resorted to some of my kool school students' original rap backing tracks (used with their kind permission) warts and all made on a program like 'Garage Band'. You could even make your own.
Tony b, I'm always looking for people to play along with. I'll email you back. but it is kms not miles - still a bluudy long way.
# Posted on January 22nd 2008 by Clear Drops
Re: backing tracks
Oh only Kms ! just around the bloody corner then !
# Posted on January 23rd 2008 by tony b
Re: backing tracks
I bought the Foinn Seisún series off iTunes. Not exactly sure what the deal is with the French version of CCE (it says the album’s put out by Le Ceoltóiri Cultúrlainne). Anyway, it’s a series of basic settings of common tunes at a decent tempo in a session-like atmosphere. Good fun to play along to.
# Posted on January 23rd 2008 by fidkid
Session-sharing?
If you are able to play rhythm or backing instruments, I'd certainly look into a GarageBand or similar program, depending on your platform. You could throw down a rhythm track and loop it. Also, there are many recording devices that frequently get discussed and reviewed here that you could also use to record accompaniment.
This brings to mind a question. Is there any precedent for sharing session tapes here on thesession? A quick search didn't turn up anything related to this. Would there be any need or interest in sharing mp3's etc. of our local sessions? It might be a great way to share regional variations of tunes, much like the comments section of the tune database. And it might compliment the rest of the site well, like the sessions database and stuff. I don't know if getting permission from players would be a hindrance, but I'm guessing there's enough nonchalant sessions out there to make it worth while. Not like it would be any sort of bootlegging or anything, just a nice collection of local tunes and sessions. And it might be nice to be able to take a peek at sessions around the world. Does youtube already have this covered? I think the organization of this site would work well with something like this.
# Posted on January 23rd 2008 by MDuckett
Re: backing tracks
Sandy and Clear Drops,
Here's a intriguing product for you two.
http://www.bigwhistle.co.uk/shop_results.asp?subcat=47&search=1
# Posted on January 23rd 2008 by joesmith
Re: backing tracks
Sandy, I have 29 backing tracks (airs, songs, marches, polkas, waltzes, jigs) recorded on Audacity for my beginner whistle students. They were produced on keyboard by my very talented friend (professional musician who plays Celtic and world music on all sorts of instruments) and the quality is surprisingly good. They are generally played AABB x3, each time speeding up moderately. Have copied track titles below. They are in mp3 format. If you are interested send me an email and I may be able to post you a copy.
1. An Ghaoth Aneas
2. Baidin Fheilimi
3. Blackthorn Stick
4. Dark Island
5. Fainne Geal an Lae
6. Improvisation
7. Kerry Polka
8. King of the Fairies
9. Mairi’s Wedding
10. Mingulay Boat Song
11. Miss Mcleod’s Reel
12. Mo Cailin Bhonn
13. Mo Ghile Mear
14. Mo Rhun Geal Cheilis
15. Molly Malone
16. Morrison’s Jig
17. Oh the Britches
18. Out on the Ocean
19. Roddy McCorley
20. Sally Gardens
21. Sands of Kersal (A whistle)
22. She Moved through the Fair (G whistle)
23. Skye Boat Song
24. Smash the Windows
25. Song for the Small Pipes (G&A whistles)
26. Star of the County Down
27. Swallow’s Tail Jig
28. Terry Teahan’s Polka
29. Tripping Up Stairs
(& #30 if you want it is Annie's Song by John Denver - not very Celtic but a good one!)
# Posted on January 23rd 2008 by buttons 'n' whistles
Re: backing tracks
and just another comment, playing along to backing tracks is more tricky than it seems because you don't have that eye contact/nonverbal communication/telepathy/bouncing off each other - whatever you want to call it. However - it's another skill to add to the armoury.
# Posted on January 23rd 2008 by buttons 'n' whistles
Re: backing tracks
Anyone know a website where I could post one of the mp3s as a sample?
# Posted on January 23rd 2008 by buttons 'n' whistles
Re: backing tracks
buttons--it is possible to upload a "video" clip to YouTube that is actually just an audio track with a still photo or slideshow. Just one possibility, I'm sure there are others.
# Posted on January 23rd 2008 by mickray
Re: backing tracks
For some existing session stuff from this site, recovered from Jim Dorans' now defunct World Fiddle Music "Mighty Craic" site:
http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/2128/
Not much has happened on it lately due to me moving to the sticks and consequently exchanging ADSL for really, really crappy Telsta dial up.
However, if you want to mail me any mp3's I can sneak them on at work. Net Nanny doesn't ban 'music' sites just yet
# Posted on January 23rd 2008 by bc_box_player
Re: backing tracks
Uh... is this the 'cart before the horse' thread?
# Posted on January 23rd 2008 by Phantom Button
Re: backing tracks
See thread
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/16463
At beginning of the discussion they use a third parry service to share a couple of MP3 files. Perhaps this is a method for posting backing tracks.
# Posted on January 23rd 2008 by toumi
Re: backing tracks
I just about remember doing some stuff with Jim Dorans (WorldFiddler) years ago where he had a session project. You downloaded one of his files and added your overdub recording and sent it back. He hosted a few of these recordings and I am sure that could be easily done again if a suitable mp3 hosting site was agreed on.
The problem with a backing track is agreeing on some sort of intro so that you know when to come in on the melody instrument. The guitar can easily use a pickup to record while playing along to a melody instrument playing the tune. Just a matter of sticking to a format of AABBAABBAABB for each tune or something like that.
just to make it interesting you could ask for Dennis Cahill style or Jim Murray depending on your preference. Maybe Iris would do this in her style as well!! Where are you Iris??
# Posted on January 23rd 2008 by Donough
Re: backing tracks
>>Anyone know a website where I could post one of the mp3s as a sample?
If you create an account at http://www.esnips.com/ you get 5gb of space and can allow people to download or stream tracks from there. I use it quite a lot. Xdrive from aol would also work. The other alternative is myspace or an account at http://soundclick.com
esnips would be easy as you can create as many tracks as you want
# Posted on January 23rd 2008 by mactavish
Re: backing tracks
Thanks people. I have uploaded 2 of the backing tracks to sendspace.com as a sample:
Star of the County Down (with a slight country & western influence!) http://www.sendspace.com/file/uvq8k8
Out on the Ocean (jig) http://www.sendspace.com/file/ceulyx
All the dance tracks have a 2 bar chord intro and then AABB x 3, speeding up each time, 3rd time approx dance speed - good for practice purposes. Anyone interested in the other backing tracks - email me and I can probably post out a CD.
Cheers
buttons 'n' whistles
# Posted on January 24th 2008 by buttons 'n' whistles