Topic: Using a DAT for sound playback live with click track for drummer?

[Danyael]

Hello,

I record music that is played live with musicians and a full band. I am wondering what the procedure is for using a DAT to run backup samples/keyboards/etc. live. That is, how to have a MIDI click track set up on one DAT track for the drummer and the rest of the instruments running live to the P.A., all synced-up and sounding right.

Currently, I am using a Roland hard disc recorder for this purpose (with built-in MIDI click capabilities.) The drummer hears the click track to stay on time, and the background music that isn't being played live is broadcast to the sound system. Works very well ... however, the concern is that the hard drive will fail, so I'd like to get our set lists on DAT tapes (more reliable).

Any and all help is GREATLY appreciated.

Cheers!
~D

[Scuba Jeremy]

The DAT tape is a two channel only playback format. So you could put the click track on the left channel, and the other music on the right channel. Then just double the left track over to stereo to connect to headphones for the drummer (you don't need a stereo click track), and you'll just have to live with the other music being mono to be rebroadcast through the PA.

DAT tape works great if you plan on playing the same set over and over. If you plan to mix it up a bit, consider going MiniDisc. Being a Random Access format (as opposed to DAT being Linear Access), you'll be able to skip between tracks quickly. The problem there is compression, but if it's just a lower layer of music to be played over, ATRAC compression should not be too big a problem. Same L/R setup as before.

A purist would say that putting that music to CDR would be a preferable random access option. But you'll have to have a way of recording that stuff to disc, which should not be too big a problem.