Hi,

Has anyone ever used MIDI files and muted some tracks and not others so that a guitar player or drummer can play along?

PLMK

Tks

TP

This is done all the time....thats the beauty of using SMF if thats what you need, mute, edit, add record new tracks, etc etc, tracks, But remember you remain a slave to the SMF while its playing unless you have the ability to add "Markers to rearrange the song in real time.....so your answer is Yes. Good Luck

The short answer, as Donny said is it's "done all the time", ... although NOT necessarily by all arranger kb players ... even some that are on this site ....
but, as Donny said, you lose some flexibility with the SMFs, even if you can put 'markers' to go back to the bridge or chorus, whatever ... Depending on the type of music being played and the venue, you could have a situation where you are near the end of the tune and people decide to get up and dance, and you want to play another song in the same genre, tempo, etc.... depending on your kb, set-up, etc., you may not be able to while using SMFs without some 'dead air' ... using 'on board' styles/rhythms allows more flexibility for this ...
Also, some drummers do not want to (or CANNOT) play with an SMF ... "too rigid" ...
On the plus side, a good SMF or backing track can provide the backgraound to a tune that people are used to hearing ... Again, it depends on the product you want to present ...

t.

See below

[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 05-08-2006).]

Tony , markers allow you to handle the come late dancers..I have markers placed at a verse [2] , chorus, and ending...
This will allow me also to end a song if it isn't working...or go on for ever..

As for down time between smf's...on my board it is no problem..I can search while playing and a touch of a button...a new tune. No need to wait till the file loads as on some boards..

As Scott questioned on another post...SMF playing can't match realtime arranger playing..."Hogwash"..They both fulfill a need and work fine..
There are songs we do that an arranger just will not work as well as a good SMF...Like some dance tunes that people know.."Last Dance", The Love I Lost" It's Raining Men", ...you get what I am talking about?

One thing that really bugs me is when arranger players try to perform swing numbers, and they can't swing a tune to save their life...It makes the song so boring and amateur.

[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 05-08-2006).]

Fran ... Being an arranger kb player who, like others in this 'neighborhood', uses whatever means necessary to please an audience, I have no problem with the use of midi files... also as I said "depending on your kb, set-up, etc., you may not be able to while using SMFs without some 'dead air' " I didn't say or mean to imply that ALL kb had this 'problem' ... I am happy to hear that you kb does not allow for 'dead air'
t.

Fran, Discover-5? All AK should have this feature.

Tony, I understand. I didn't mean to lecture you..In Fact, often times I like playing arranger functions, somewhat different than most...I like to keep it simple as in a trio or quartet..Basically as a drum machine , manual bass, realtime piano and organ..

I like to use the busier arranger for latin material, and some big band..

Glenn, unfortunately the DisCover 5 is not an arranger, but is a great SMF player with markers..

My G1000 is better at playing sequences quicker than the DisCover..Both are fast enough though..

All of my above comments are why I think the G70 may fit my needs best..being a combination of the two boards I am using now...

Ok Fran. Instead of continuing to argue, I have a better idea.

Because all my demo songs (.wma files) on my website were performed in 'arranger' mode, and I assume the demo songs on your website were produced utilizing 'SMF backing tracks' (right?), let's have our fellow SZ members listen to our respective demo songs and decide for themselves which method (SMF or 'arranger' mode) they prefer:

Fran Carango's Song Demos (utilizing SMF backing tracks)

Scott Yee's Song Demos (Arranger Mode playing)

Scott

I'm not touching this one. There's a place for both methods.
DonM