Backing Tracks: What I use and How I Got There

What I use and How I Got There

Multi-tracks, Backing Tracks, and Pads have become more and more mainstream in music in recent years. It’s not just in the church, but its not uncommon to go to shows and concerts and see well known bands with Pads or Backing Tracks going on in the background. I remember 2004 hearing it with Coldplay and over the next few years later I started noticing it with smaller bands in at clubs in the Seattle area.

Programs like Abelton and the easy of Apple’s Garage band have put this technology in the hands of church musicians as well. But it’s not just the mega-churches that are doing this. Walk into churches of ranging in size from 50-150 and you could easily hear some form of backing track going on.

I started using ambient Pads in the background about 6 months ago. I want to walk you through my process, how I got here, and why I use what I use.

I’m sorry Brian Wampler

Without question, the most widely read post I’ve ever written in this blog’s four year history is The People Vs. JHS. I mean, like, it’s not even close. That post has had multiple thousands more reads then the next closest article, and it shows no sign of stopping.

If you found this blog from that post and have kept reading, then I welcome you.

In the comment section of that post I mentioned that other builders have taken modded clones and passed them off as originals (I’m looking at you Fulltone 😉 but others like Vertex have been guilty of the same thing.) Anyway, in that comment I said in passing that Brian Wampler had done the same thing with the Ego Compressor. I was wrong and I apologize.

This statement was based on this video:

Where Do I Put My Volume Pedal?

Where to Put the Volume Pedal?

Now, we’ve talked about signal chain before on the blog (HERE). There’s no right or wrong, only guidelines. Generally compression goes towards the front and reverb goes to the back. But some effects can find a home almost anywhere along the line. Where’s the best spot in your signal chain to put a Volume Pedal (VP)? What are the pros and cons? Is there one VP that’s better than the rest? Let’s talk about it.