unbelievable software but is it worth it??

[multisounds]

Hi Folks,

I need to tell a serious story!!! Please advise me as much as you like! Here's how it goes. I was speaking to someone in a music shop and he mentioned there are "tremendous" softwares that can replace actual musicians?? He said all you need to do is just type in chords, beat time, drum pattern, any genre of music that one wishes and it will give you an automatic "REAL SOUNDING" backing track that is "OUT OF THIS WORLD".

Well what can I say except that I'm no techno head and have never used software to play infront of an audience that anyone can do these days. But I'am really lighting up at the prospect of getting one that could give me backing of drums and bass automatically,therefore, I only have to play the guitar!! Is that wonderful.

But I asked him how well it can cope with the tempo change and he said you just gotta tell it to slow down??? But didn't say how??

So it leads to a few moral and ethical questions: a/ Will we ever need any other musicians to join a band? b/ Does it mean anyone can sound good? c/ What does it really sound like (ambience). d/ Is it worth getting one if you cannot find musicians?? e/ Will we all become selfish solo artists in the future??

He also mentioned the three prominent software which if I can remember correctly are: "guitar track pro", "band in- box", "propelland" (sounded something like that).

Please, please advise me because if I get stuck in finding a rhythm guitarist for example, I could replace the missing human soul with a software?? WOWOWOWO!!!

I'm thinking of getting one. Not because I want to, but because it might sole some scheduling problems and finding musicians??

What do you think?

Cheers
Multi

[grady]

Hi Folks,

e/ Will we all become selfish solo artists in the future??

He also mentioned the three prominent software which if I can remember correctly are: "guitar track pro", "band in- box", "propelland" (sounded something like that).


Multi

Yeh, uh, that would be me.

Guitar Pro
Band in a Box by PG Music
Propeller Reason

are probably the ones he was talking about.

I have just about every piece of music or guitar-related software that has ever been made. (and that's no exagerration)

There is a SERIOUS learning curve to just about all of that type of software.


As far as Technology goes, I'm a big fan of it.
I make, sell and use my own Loops by using a DigiTech Jam Man Looper pedal.

It's my rhythm guitarist.
Here's one of thew ways I use it.
I record the guitar under Verse 1 or 2 and then play it back under my guitar solo.

Or, you can lay down one rhythm track then play a different chord arrangement over top of it.

Or, You can lay down a Drum track, Bass track, 1 Rhythm Guitar track then, a 2nd rhythm guitar track and then, play lead over it.

Heck, the possibilities are endless and limited only by your imagination.

Man, I love technology.

Sure, some musicians frown on that kind of thing but hey, I'm making damn good money as a solo guy and I'm not hurting for gigs either.

[jaybee]

you can use this kind of software for a lot of purposes, I've used BiaB for practicing myself, but it's never going to replace real musicians, just like McDonalds will never replace real food

[CashWiley]

I just play all the tracks myself

Ironic thing is I'm a system admin by trade, but I barely use computers at all for music. Only digital thing I use regularly is my multitracker.

[jaybee]

I just play all the tracks myself

Ironic thing is I'm a system admin by trade, but I barely use computers at all for music. Only digital thing I use regularly is my multitracker.

I used BiaB because it is fast - just type in the chord progression, chose style and go - AND I couldn't drum my wqy out of a wet paper bag if it could save my life...

I never made backing tracks for gig use, just some quick practice tracks, so I wouldn't know how to program them fully, never got round to that and then I changed to Linux and couldn't use BiaB anymore, can't say I really missed it though...

[multisounds]

Thx, Grady, jb and cash!!!,

I gather it's great to use but like you said it could never replace blood and soul! But, it if does the job, then I'd say why not use it. I may get (biab) because yesterday I was searching on the net and the latest 2009 version has "real live instruments" recorded samples that can replace midi or use in conjunction with it! I'm so curious to be honest.

But I gather you would lose that spontaneous interactive "feel" you would get with humans. But I'm gonna give it a try and might even post the sound on this site to see what you think!! Probablt awful

But hey, nothing's like trying. By the way grady, if you've ever done some recording with these tracks, do let me listen to one of them so that I can get a clearer soundscape of them.

cheers
Multi

[songdog]

I like the Jam Man Looper because YOU are the recorded musician. Digitally synthesized drum and bass backing tracks all sound very repetitive and mundane to me. I'm sure they could be made to sound better, but most musicians don't take the time to learn and get better at their use. They are fine for practicing to, but for recording a CD, I would most likely seek out some studio musicians to lay down these tracks.

[allanlummox]

Not sure who uses what, but many of the musicians I'm hearing play live broadcasts online these days use various loopers and rhythm tracks. Some sound great! Some sound pretty weak. I'm guessing that this has more to do with the musicians than with the software choices.

I'm starting to consider messing with some of this technology myself, but my main interest will be in making rhythm tracks that sound good - and as different from anything else as I can get them to. In the meantime, of course, I'm continuing to make my way primarily as a solo guitarist, and I've FAR from exhausted the creative possibilities there.

As far as making it an "ethical" question...it's art, not a sport. Anything goes!

[Bournio]

With all that software it is worth spending time experimenting with how to programme pattern changes and all that good stuff... and how to change drum sounds cos if you dont it can start to sound all Phil Collins(or is that cool again?

[ricochet]

Phil Collins never was cool IMO.

[grady]

Phil Collins never was cool IMO.

I agree.
You remember that period of time when it seemed like everything Phil Collins touched turned to gold ?? I refer to that as "the Dark ages".
Miami Vice ???
Don't even get me started on Miami Vice. How the hell could that show have been so successful ?? It seemed like everything associated with that show became a big money-maker.
Music, Clothes, etc.

What the hell man ???

[multisounds]

Hi Folks,

I'm gonna get the software that can give me backing and rythm tracks. Hey what the hell???, if you can't beat it join it-LOL Afterall, use the technology in it's current present stage and make the most of it without feeling so uptight about it.

But wait???? In 10-20 years time will we be jamming live with a virtual musician dressed like Van Halen or Hendrix?? WOWOWO, I'll drop dead and pigs will fly by then-heheheeheh.

cheers
multi