Best way to play backing tracks

[carvinae185@gmail.com]

In a two-person session today we noticed that the guy on the other end could hear my MP3 player running a backing track from my phone into my interface and then into jamkazam,  but when I started playing my guitar which is using a second jamkazam track it tended to drown out the backing song.... it seems like all of the various volume and pan controls that you see in the JK interface only affect what you are hearing with no ability to adjust the balance between multiple sound sources as heard by your friends....... and on their end they seem to only have a master volume in terms of what you're sending them.....
this could very well be an interface problem since I'm using a Roland HS 5 session mixer that I don't fully understand yet as my interface....
the Roland has four stereo channels and those all show up in jamkazam via the asio driver.

[Hans Peter Augustesen]

I have an audio interface with 4 inputs
Input 1 = Vocal
Input 2 = Guitar

Inputs 3 and 4 together form a stereo track.
There I can connect a phone (or whatever, of course).
The only thing left is to regulate the sound volume balance between track 1, 2 and 3/4 - so it fits to the need.
That is of course not always easy, but else ...

[carvinae185@gmail.com]

I have an audio interface with 4 inputs
Input 1 = Vocal
Input 2 = Guitar

Inputs 3 and 4 together form a stereo track.
There I can connect a phone (or whatever, of course).
The only thing left is to regulate the sound volume balance between track 1, 2 and 3/4 - so it fits to the need.
That is of course not always easy, but else ...

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What about the method of uploading a recording in jk.... I understand you can only upload 1 at a time But it supposedly gives you more control Over what the other musicians are hearing..... If they're hearing too much of your vocal mic and not enough of the backing track I understand this method gives them more control

[Hans Peter Augustesen]

"method of uploading a recording in jk"!?

Do you mean open and play along to an audio file from your hard drive? And record it all? You can do that!

Or something else?

[carvinae185@gmail.com]

By Pressing the record button in the row of buttons across the top of an actual session

   

[Hans Peter Augustesen]

Pressing the record button is for making a recording.

That is not "uploading a recording".

Then I dont understand - and have no special advice

[carvinae185@gmail.com]

It must be the option to open a recorded file from your hard drive... I must have misunderstood the advice I got over on facebook... thanks for your patience

[Hans Peter Augustesen]

Thanks, carvinae185@gmail.com

There are four options:

1. Connect the backing music source to the audio interface. And so on ...

2. Open one of your own recordings (if you have one), which are on your hard drive.
You can play back the recording.
While playing along to it.
But you cannot record while a recording is open / playing.

3. You can open a regular audio file from your hard drive
You can play back the audio file.
While playing along to it.
And you can record it all.

4. You can open a JamTracks (if you have one).
You can play back the JamTracks.
While playing along to it.
Whether you can record at the same time is unknown - to me

[Chris Frost]

By Pressing the record button in the row of buttons across the top of an actual session

Try clicking on ‘from an audio file’ in the “recorded Audio’ section of that screen ..... it supplies a dialog that allows you to upload a wav file.

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Further to the above list from Hans Peter, there are advantages and disadvantages to all - you need to pick the compromise that best suits you.

1. Plugging in a player to separate tracks - basically means that you need a 4 channel Audio I/F .... 1 for your instrument, 1 for voice / chat and 2 for the backing track - set for left & right panned stereo. This has advantage that you can alter the track (depending on your player / kit) ... including slow down / change key, etc ... or loop around particular sections. ... also, the backing track gets included in the recording. Disadvantage is that the 'other jammers' cant disconnect the levels for the backing track from whatever you are playing.

2, 3 & 4 are similar

They ALL use the 'Recorded Audio' section in the 'session window' ... 'Recorded' would be a JK session that you already recorded, 'Audio File' allows you to upload a single .wav file to play and 'Jam Track' allows you to purchase a track from JK. You CAN record your session ... as long as you START the recording before starting the playback of the track.

The advantage is that each jammer can adjust the level that they hear separate to the level of the instruments (recorded Audio is a separate track to each jammer). The disadvantage is that the backing will not be in any 'recording' made in JK and you cant change the tempo, etc (without using a different file).

I only have a 2 channel Audio i/f - so have been using the 'Recorded Audio - Audio File' method very successfully. ... but can see some possibilities for the other approach

[carvinae185@gmail.com]

By Pressing the record button in the row of buttons across the top of an actual session

Try clicking on ‘from an audio file’ in the “recorded Audio’ section of that screen ..... it supplies a dialog that allows you to upload a wav file.

---

Further to the above list from Hans Peter,  there are advantages and disadvantages to all - you need to pick the compromise that best suits you.

1.  Plugging in a player to separate tracks - basically means that you need a 4 channel Audio I/F .... 1 for your instrument, 1 for voice / chat and 2 for the backing track - set for left & right panned stereo.  This has advantage that you can alter the track (depending on your player / kit) ... including slow down / change key, etc ... or loop around particular sections.  ... also, the backing track gets included in the recording.  Disadvantage is that the 'other jammers' cant disconnect the levels for the backing track from whatever you are playing.

2, 3 & 4 are similar

They ALL use the 'Recorded Audio' section in the 'session window' ... 'Recorded' would be a JK session that you already recorded,  'Audio File' allows you to upload a single .wav file to play and 'Jam Track' allows you to purchase a track from JK.  You CAN record your session ... as long as you START the recording before starting the playback of the track. 

The advantage is that each jammer can adjust the level that they hear separate to the level of the instruments (recorded Audio is a separate track to each jammer).  The disadvantage is that the backing will not be in any 'recording' made in JK and you cant change the tempo, etc (without using a different file).

I only have a 2 channel Audio i/f - so have been using the 'Recorded Audio - Audio File' method very successfully. ... but can see some possibilities for the other approach


Thanks for all of that.  I can create WAV files at the key desired.   Slowing tempo is also possible but rarely a need here.  I'll have to see what buying jamtracks is all about.   Recording a session is low priority for now.

When we're first learning a song, playing along to a WAV of the original is ok, but eventually I'd rather have a backing/karaoke type file including specific instruments.  I know you can buy those and there are some free sites.  I could even look into things like Drum plugins for a DAW to create my own, but that would be pretty time-consuming.

The ability for others on the session to have some control over the backing track volume is key.