Backing tracks, jam tracks

ichadwick

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Recently been gathering some backing tracks - mostly blues and jass - for solo jamming. There are quite a few online, some quite good, a lot more mediocre.

What sources do you use for your jam tracks? Or do you even use them?

Has anyone found a source for folk/acoustic backing tracks? Most I've found are electric or synthesized, often midi-based and a digitally dry.

I'd also like some more orchestral-style tracks, with strings, classical-style, or Alan Parsons-style richness. Anyone come across any of those? If so, can you share the URL?

I'm also looking for some good loops I can use in my Boss JS-8.
 
I don't really use them much, but Garageband has oodles of cool loops (even acoustic/folky/country ones) that one can easily drag-and-drop into backing tracks.

JJ
 
I don't really use them much, but Garageband has oodles of cool loops (even acoustic/folky/country ones) that one can easily drag-and-drop into backing tracks.

JJ
Don't have GB. The eBand has loops too, but I'm looking for external files I can port to the eBand, and also edit/massage them in software outside the hardware.
 
Recently been gathering some backing tracks - mostly blues and jass - for solo jamming. There are quite a few online, some quite good, a lot more mediocre.

What sources do you use for your jam tracks? Or do you even use them?

Has anyone found a source for folk/acoustic backing tracks? Most I've found are electric or synthesized, often midi-based and a digitally dry.

I'd also like some more orchestral-style tracks, with strings, classical-style, or Alan Parsons-style richness. Anyone come across any of those? If so, can you share the URL?

I'm also looking for some good loops I can use in my Boss JS-8.

Would you mind sharing where you found the tracks? Most of the places I've checked for backing tracks have asked a fee. I wouldn't mind making my own tracks but it is nice to have it available for use right away (with only minimal modification). In my searches, I've never found anything with a more folk-acoustic bent, though I agree it would be awesome to have.

Side note - just looked up the JS-8, and it looks like it can do a lot of cool stuff.
 
Try ralphpatt.com

Lots of tracks, but a lot synthesized. Also his vanilla chord book, it is the best I've seen.
I hope we can meet some day. I play mostly 20's and 30's music.
Bill, in London
 
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Hi, i found a simple midi to wav. converter on the internet, just google it.

How it works i have no idea, but it does make the midi file sound a lot better. Might be worth a try if u have a midi file that you like to jam along too.
 
Here are some of the sites I've found:
www.guitarbt.com/index.php?page=dl_list&cat=Jam%20Trackshttp://www.bluesblast.com/index.html
www.jamtracks.ru/en/mpjam.htmlwww.freejamtracks.com/play-guitar-blues-05.html
www.guitarbackingtrack.com/bands/A.htm
Some of these open into the middle of the list, because that's where I bookmarked it. It's easy to figure out how to move around and find tracks on them, however.

I also found Ralph Phatt's excellent resource page, but a lot of his tracks are in odd - probably but not always original - keys. They for jazz, which often means horns, and they're often a bit difficult for uke play-along. At least I find them a bit difficult. Ditto with his Vanilla Book - a good resource for other instruments but uke players need to transpose a lot of his keys. Some of his arrangements are cool, but they're not the 'standard' or original arrangement, either. But still a good resource and worth working up my skills to be able to play along or transpose.

For solo playing and some small scale jamming, the JS-8/eBand is great. Tons of amp sims, effects and 300 loops built in (another 50 or so on the Boss web site). You can easily mix and match amps, loops and effects, have a second effect for solo play, and tweak effects, then store them as user patches. You can load songs/looks/effects from an SD card or USB drive, and it connects to the computer for file transfer and CD ripping. It's basically a
band-in-a-box type amp, with emphasis on the effects (it's small - great portability). Speakers are small, however, and output is not really stage-ready.

I wrestled whether to get this or the new Fender GDEC in the same price range. It has a lot of superb backing tracks, and effects - plus it's a good stand-alone amp (and much bigger). The big thing for Fender is that the backing tracks were recored by well-known, live musicians, so they have a really nice, warm feel about them. But it's bigger, and has somewhat fewer effects and tracks. I'd own both if I could, but right now am limited to just one. It was a tough choice.
 
I've been searching for backing tracks too. Checked out the JS-8 and it looks great, but not what I'm after uke jamming. For guitar it looks great, and very similar (perhaps better) to the GDEC I used to have when I thought I was going to learn electric guitar. I may end up just buying a Zoom h4n and make my own strumming tracks for songs I want to learn and then record solo lines to that. Anyone else doing that?
 
A few more options to consider since this thread came back up to the top:

http://karaoke-version.com I often use the "custom" backing tracks that allow you to turn individual instruments on or off or even just modify the volume of the mix.

For software I use iReal Pro. You can input your own chord sequences to create backing tracks or work with tracks shared online by other users.
 
A few more options to consider since this thread came back up to the top:

http://karaoke-version.com I often use the "custom" backing tracks that allow you to turn individual instruments on or off or even just modify the volume of the mix.

For software I use iReal Pro. You can input your own chord sequences to create backing tracks or work with tracks shared online by other users.

or even www.karaukey.com
 
Band-In-A-Box? I'm new to the ukulele but have been using BIAB extensively with melodica.

Cut to http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?64567-Band-In-A-Box-Ukulele-adjustments.

Great program if you're setup with decent monitors and MIDI instrument/digital audio samples. The better your sample library, the better it sounds. Just type in the changes like a lead sheet and select a style. I used it since the early 90s and it's highly refined does really well at jazz and pop styles. You can export the files to a DAW to customize it even more as the basis of a multitrack recording.
 
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