Instead of getting a new band together, I've been thinking that a solo acoustic thing might be easier to get going and book more gigs. My theory is that I can just rehearse and schedule on my own time and not have to depend on anyone else. I'd like to carry my laptop along with sparse backing tracks (like cello, synths, bgv's and percussion). I usually throw those tracks together in Logic or Fruity Loops for home demos anyway, so I guess I could just have a "performance set" with the main guitars and vocals subtracted.

I saw a songwriter play/sing along with "karaoke" versions of his songs that were on an Ipod hanging from his mic stand and so I'm kind of working from that idea. But I'd like to have something set up so I can send a click track to my in-ear monitors that won't be audible out front. What is a good choice for software/hardware for this? Or is this just a lame idea altogether? I know a lot of bands play to a click, so there has to be something affordable to do this that doesn't have a huge learning curve.

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I'm just two people short of a threesome.

You basically need any standard audio software and an interface with more than 2 outputs. Something like the Native Instruments Audio Kontrol is ideal - that way you send a stereo pair to front of house and you use one of the other outputs to your in ears. For software Ableton Live is, funnily enough, ideal for live gigs - haha! Yeah, the name is pretty apt on that one. With my band we've been running electronic stuff live for years now and we switched from hardware samplers and synths to a laptop with Ableton.

As to whether it is lame or not... Well, that all depends on how you do it. I have seen many people do it in a really cheesy and lame way, and I've seen a couple of people do it well. I think it largely depends on what you have on the backing stuff. If it is quite electronic it works but if you're just playing back all kinds or recordings of real instruments it can be a bit lame. Of course it all comes down to personal preference and some people will automatically hate anything programmed at a gig.

Personally I think avoid backing vocals and guitars and stick to synths and percussion - don't try and make it as big and lush as you can as if it is a CD recording. Keep it fairly simple and make sure the key elements are the guitar and vocal you're doing live and it should work.

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Crustaceo ergo sum

I've had ableton live for a while, but never done anything but register it.....I'm digging through it now. I'll definitely check out the Audio Kontrol, while also searching for the manual for my M-audio interface. I know it has multiple outputs, but I've never used it for anything other than a stereo monitor.

As far as what will actually be on the backing tracks, it's probably just going to be heavily effected percussion (rythmic glitch and static, really), probably some lower register pads, and occasional mandolin licks. I'd also put any guitar with time specific delays on the backing tracks, just so I don't have to worry about sync issues. I'm at odds about background vocals.....vocal harmonies have always been my thing with every band/project I've done, but I agree that they would also be kind of silly in that setting. I definitely want it stripped down from "studio perfect" levels and keep the focus on what is actually being performed live.

The last time I ventured out like this I was doing it all with a looper, an ebow, and a lot of drumming sounds on the sides of my acoustic. Needless to say, that takes a lot more concentration and can be limiting. I guess I just want to take it to the next level without it being too easy.

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I'm just two people short of a threesome.

Sounds good and I know what you mean about not making it too easy - I think that's a key point. If it's too easy you lose the performance aspect and then... well, it kinda becomes a bit pointless.

If your M-Audio box has multiple outs that's probably all you need, although the cool thing about the Audio Kontrol is that you can assign the buttons on top to start/stop your sequencer so if you set it up right you don't have to touch the laptop at all during the gig.

Do you have a programmable delay? If so you may need to put the delay time specific stuff on the computer. Alternatively you could run your guitar through the laptop for delays and do it that way.

One final thing, don't be afraid to mix up some straight acoustic/non-programmed stuff in a gig - it can be a nice variation too.

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Crustaceo ergo sum

There is a guy at a pub nearby who plays solo with his Macbook and sounds fantastic. Its all bar-standard rock covers, but his backing tracks are top quality and he has a look about him like he could play and sing anything, anytime without breaking a sweat.

Point being its pretty impressive when done right.

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The cheapo way would be having a mono backing track, so you can add a click track on the other channel--backing right and click left, for example. Then, obviously, you'd send both channels to your monitors but just the right channel out front.

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Selling BOSS FW-3. I live in Brazil, mind you, so prepare yourself for $30-ish for shipping and waiting. Local pickup available, along with beautiful beaches and cheap bitches.

I do this on a weekly basis. NI Audio Kontrol was mentioned, and I use a PreSonus AudioBox 1818VSL. You can do the same thing with a 44VSL, because it has more than two outs. I use Ableton Live to sync everything up.

My matrix is pretty simple, 1+2 are the main outs to house, 3 is vox 1, 4 is vox 2, and 7+8 are the headphones.

Track outs - 1+2, 7+8 (panned to 7)
Click outs - 7+8 (panned to 8)
Vox 1 - 3, 7+8
Vox 2 - 4, 7+8

I use some processing on vocals from time to time, so I leave all inserts and i/o active and just use it when I need to.

The drummer cues the tracks by pressing a mapped key in Live corresponding to the correct line in session view. It plays the backing track and click track simultaneously, and sends only the click to the house. Note I don't have the vocals running through the same output as the track. That's because there is a sound engineer running FOH and we need discrete outputs on everything. For a solo gig, you're the engineer, so just run everything through your main outs EXCEPT your click, which should only go to your in-ears.

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