Riders Music

Archive for the ‘Rock Band’ Category

If you perform in a rock band or country band of any kind then you should know that using professional backing tracks will help you be one step ahead of your competition. The right tracks can add to your sound and performance enormously and help you perform songs that you may not normally be able to play live. Whether you’re in a cover band, a tribute band, or an original band, tracks are going to give you that extra edge to thicken up your live sound.

Basically a backing track is a recorded piece of music. This is especially useful if you play in a four piece band that has no keyboard player for example. You wish to play a song that has a keyboard part and the backing track will play the keyboard part while the rest of the band does their usual thing. It will contain a click track for the drummer to play along to on one channel, while playing back the music on the other channel. The music and click track are separated by any number of ways, i.e. a “Y” type connector connected to the headphone output on an i-Pod to keep things easy. Simply plug a set of headphones into the click track side of the connector and run the music to the FOH (Front of House) board. The sound man will ensure the music track comes out of the mains for the audience to hear and out of the band’s stage monitor system at the same time so the band knows what they’re playing to. The drummer is responsible for having good enough meter to stay on the click track so the band does not lose their place in the song.

You can add parts like keyboards, horns, strings percussion etc. I’ve even seen people add bass lines and guitar lines. I personally am not a proponent of this. I don’t mind using tracks for missing instruments but I generally think that the band should make every effort to cover the parts that they can when on stage. I realize that when you start using tracks it becomes easier to overlook this but when you put too much on your tracks then your show becomes a sort of karaoke show really.

Professional backing tracks differ from MIDI backing tracks because they either use real instruments ar high quality VST instruments. I’ve seen people use MIDI files as a backing track and to be honest, they sound a little like a junky little keyboard you might buy for you kid at Sears or something. Using real instruments or VST instruments is the way to go. I’ve tried both. I like the idea of VST instruments because you don’t have to hire anybody to play the instruments for you. Simply assign the proper VST instrument to the track and you have pro sounding tracks. They usually come in an MP3 format so you can play them with an i-Pod.

Having these instruments with you on stage is going to help make your band sound more complete. Especially when you’re playing in a tribute band of some sort. Having all the right parts naturally makes the song sound better. This translates into the audience hearing a better show, giving your band a better response and eventually make you stand out from the rest.

Some people think that using backing tracks is a way to cheat on stage. I agree that if you put too much on them then there is an element of karaoke, however, it takes a certain amount of skill to be able to play to tracks so that should be considered as well. Use them for the parts you need, a complex vocal harmony or two, and that’s about it.

Professional backing tracks are enormously helpful in making your band sound better. Many people don’t know notice that fact that you’re using tracks and just realize that you sound great. This is what sets you apart from all the other bands in your circuit so consider giving them a try.

In this country we might never know the value of what we have until we have all taken a tourist visit to Olumo rock. On Suday, 4th May, 2008 I took a firm and bold decision to visit Olumo rock in Abeokuta in Ogun state of Nigeria following the much interesting stories I had heard of the rock. Before this historic visit, I had only thought of Abeokuta as one small town with prominent illustrious sons and daughters many of whom have greatly contributed to the development of the country.

It was exactly 11.15am; I had chosen to go to see for myself that natural imposing wondrous rock called the Olumo rock which everyone has talked about except me rather than go to church that Sunday. I soon took a commercial vehicle from Oshodi to Abeokuta. My observation of the passengers in the bus showed that 12 out of the total 18 passengers in the vehicle were heading for a party in the town, I therefore began to wonder what the sight of Abeokuta could hold for me. Abeokuta indeed must be a party place I reasoned.

The bus soon set me down at a place called Kuto still in Abeokuta where I took another vehicle that stopped me right in front of Olumo rock. I had observed that Abeokuta itself is an ancient hilly town full of rocks. This Olumo rock is incredibly wonderful. We (with Patrick Bassey-Akpan) soon struck up friendship with a guide and photographer who would give us historical explanations about the rock and take several photographs of us using digital camera. Our first assignment was climbing the stairs (which I understood was artificially attached to the rock by the present Governor of the state, His Excellency, Otunba Gbenga Daniel popularly called OGD by his political Admirers in 2006 to boost the tourist arrangement of the rock) This exercise tired us out completely as we had to take a rest immediately we got to the top of veranda provided on the rock with a balcony.

Next we were shown the “Egba time Hide-out” which obviously were tiny natural caves with holes on the floor, we were told that the Egba warriors hid their wives children and in these caves while they engaged their enemies in the inter-tribal wars. This war is known as the Yoruba civil war in History. The holes dug on the floor were said to have provided a device for the grinding peeper, tomatoes, onions and other ingredients during the war.

We were also shown a tomb with an epitaph describing the name of the deceased as “Sonni” with the year of his final departure in 1956. The explanation for the interment here is that in the olden times the Egbas were often interred within their premises. We took note of a shrine said to be opened only once in a year perhaps every August 8, when the festival in veneration of the stone god which saved the lives of the Egbas is often held. We got to know that the festival itself attracts the Alake of Egbaland and several other dignitaries from within and outside the town.

We were stunned to discover some aged women still living on top of the rock. These Aged women simply said to be of the “7th generation” were indeed very pleasant and nice to meet. Our next mission took us to the very top of the rock. This gave us an amazing view of Abeokuta as almost every single structure in this town could be seen. Prominent amongst these were the Late MKO Abiola’s family house, the first mosque in Egbaland, premises of a once missionary school now said to be housing part of Ogun television House, the first church in Nigeria situated in Egbaland with the influence of Rev. Gollmer and Samuel Ajayi Crowther and other Saro Missionaries.

The Ogun River from which the state itself derives its name could also be sighted amazingly flowing from afar. The palace of Alake of Egbaland said to be full of historical antiquities could also be seen.

The total height of the rock was said to be 137 metres above the sea level and our guide pointed to a particular spot which he explained was the middle of the rock, not far from this spot is a long length of crack which completely splits the rock causing it to divide. According to our guide some Europeans hoping to find gold invaded the rock, a strike on this middle of the rock caused blood to gush from the rock and the long crack which the rock experienced. The result therefore was the death of the Europeans who died some of who also fled.

As we climbed down this magnificent rock, Series of questions struck my memory. I was simply imagining how trees which I saw on top of the rock could have grown without any access to the soil, and how the rock was said to have been discovered by a Hunter. Again I imagined how a Hunter could have discovered what may have been visible to everyone.

But there was a lesson I learnt from it all, that God is wonderful and greater than all. The Egbas may have also learnt this lesson many centuries ago before me.

The best new rock bands don’t always show up automatically. It is really fun to come across great bands before they get picked up by the big labels which unfortunately can cause them to lose their uniqueness. Because their sound can change after they get picked up, its such a joy to hear new rock bands before they go big. There are a few dozen bands I can place in the best new rock bands category, but the one I am writing about here is Rey Fresco.

Dorothy is one song that got them into being one of the best new rock bands. This is one of their softer songs on The People. The best new rock bands will do much more than sing a jolly song, they will bring you into a musical journey, this is what happens in Dorothy.

The best new rock bands must have more than good music skills, song originality is required. This song starts out with a very interesting melody, listen closely…it is not a guitar, it is actually a harp, and it sounds GOOD!

If the lyrics include a sense of meaningful story telling, this can also help determine the best new rock bands. The song I am writing about is Dorothy, and it is about her personal story. Do you think it could be? I can definietely see her being a “wana-be” artist just trying so hard to make it but she just can’t. The lyrics to the song goes like this: “Hard times in the city, bright lights shining on me. You might think that its so easy, walking all over town, confusion in your mind”.

They would never call themselves one of the best new rock bands, but here is a little from them.

It is about the life in the city, on a more serious note. Basically about the wealthy getting more wealthy and the poor getting more poor. We named the song after one of our musical influences, her name is Dorothy Ashby.

By now you may want to hear more from one of the best new rock bands: Check em’ out soon while they are still an upcoming band, check out their site or their entire album at itunes. After hearing it, you’ll agree, this is one of the best new rock bands.

Check out another article about them here:

Music Review On Rey Fresco One Of The New Upcoming Rock Bands