Backing track apps

[craigmill]

I’d be grateful for any suggestions or recommendations you have for jazz standard style good quality backing track apps (iOS) – where you can change the key, add or mute different instruments and preferably with the music score. I have the Hal Leonard and iReal Pro apps, which are great, but just wondered if there are others that you are using.
Thanks
Craig


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[ronjazz]

Make your own. It's part of the creative process.

[mhch]

It happens I create backtracks using BIAB on my PC, mp3 of which I transfer to my phone. Sometimes I create these in different keys and or different instrument combinations (Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums) which is quick using BIAB. The resulting mp3 files are named Tune Title - Key - DBPG.mp3 (Some of the DBPG characters may be missing if instrument is not in the backtrack).

Several instruments combination because I play both the guitar and the bass.

I sometimes use Amazing Slow Downer to play the mp3 on the phone if tempo or small pitch change are needed.

This allows me for a very detailed control of the backtrack (drum fills, intros, endings, whatever ..)

[craigmill]

Thanks. I hadn’t heard of them so I’ll give them a try.


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[Misty]

Make your own. It's part of the creative process.

i've been thinking of doing this, what would you use for drums?

[mhch]

I tried the make my own approach for drums and bass lines only using virtual drum instruments and existing drum patterns. Takes a lot more work than using BIAB, even for tweaking an already backtrack I already made.

Do it only if you have time to waste.

[Doublea A]

I’d be grateful for any suggestions or recommendations you have for jazz standard style good quality backing track apps (iOS) – where you can change the key, add or mute different instruments and preferably with the music score. I have the Hal Leonard and iReal Pro apps, which are great, but just wondered if there are others that you are using.
Thanks
Craig


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The 2 that I use are iReal Pro and Jam Session.


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[CliveR]

Band In A Box is still the Gold Standard for creating backing tracks.

[guitarbuddy]

I agree that Band-in-a-Box is still the gold standard. It's hard to believe it's been around since 1990. That said, BIAB in its later versions requires a fair amount of disc space and processing power to run. I downsized from a PC to a laptop a few months ago and have essentially stopped using it because it's so much slower and buggier on this machine. I may upgrade again, but if it doesn't improve I'm giving up on it.

iReal is a much less versatile ap than BIAB, but it's a lot more convenient.

Another option I've been using a lot of late are my zillions of Aebersold backing tracks. I know I purchased a lot of them over the years and somehow "inherited" others. If I'm really focused on one tune I pull the Aebersold track into Transcribe! and set loop points, and you can of course slow it down, tune it, and change keys if needed.

[craigmill]

Transcribe+ is great, thanks for the tip.


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[mhch]

Transcribe+ is great, thanks for the tip.

Don't miss to use the feature to create and record predefined loops
It took me a while to figure out this feature existed in Transcribe!

How to create loops (no limit on their number)
- open the audio effect window, click on the "misc" tab
- select a piece of the audio wavefrom
- right click on the empty rectangle of a loop entry
- select store : the selected piece is recorded as a loop
- do it again but select name : give a name to that loop

Best way to use them
- click on the view top entry -> show loop line

All the created loops will be shown along the waveform. click to select one


This is a very useful feature to listen to and analyze a recorded tune, or to practice a tune by pieces.

[cosmic gumbo]

Welcome to Impro-Visor

[Alder Statesman]

A Trio or Trio+ pedal is quick and fun for drums and bass.

[emanresu]

At some point I got annoyed by full blown backing tracks. Not apps but Aebersold's and whatnot. I'm using a DAW, recorded plain chords with click track (just on downbeat, nothing fancy, no syncopation) and found that the repetition is less obnoxious and actually gives more "freedom" with my own rhythm somehow. Backing tracks are fine with small dosages of course but for a long pracice-jamming at home, it is sometimes a good option.

[ronjazz]

I use a variety of drum programs, from EZDrummer to loops and drum programs in Logic. It's actually very easy to do a drum track and put in fills, intros and endings once you get your chops together. The key to live-sounding tracks is to play the bass lines in and add some guitar stabs in the comping.

The Trio is fine for fairly simple harmonies, falls short if you're doing sophisticated tunes. It's really good for bluesy shuffles and pop oldies, get a good track made, then record it into a looper.

[TedBPhx]

Not of interest to many, especially if you want to re-create existing pieces of music, but for quick jam noodling this is a lot of fun.

[WILSON 1]

Don't miss to use the feature to create and record predefined loops
It took me a while to figure out this feature existed in Transcribe!

How to create loops (no limit on their number)
- open the audio effect window, click on the "misc" tab
- select a piece of the audio wavefrom
- right click on the empty rectangle of a loop entry
- select store : the selected piece is recorded as a loop
- do it again but select name : give a name to that loop

Best way to use them
- click on the view top entry -> show loop line

All the created loops will be shown along the waveform. click to select one


This is a very useful feature to listen to and analyze a recorded tune, or to practice a tune by pieces.

Whoa! Nice tip...thank you!

[ChristianFinnigan]

Have you tried SessionBand? AmpKit, Chordbot and JamUp Pro are also good for iOS.