What is a Backing Track?

A backing track (also called playback or tracks) is pre-recorded audio played alongside a live performance, adding instruments, vocals or effects that the performers on stage don't play live. It lets a band reproduce the layered sound of a studio recording without extra musicians.

How backing tracks work live

Most touring acts run backing tracks from a dedicated playback rig:

  1. Playback computer: a laptop running music software plays the tracks, usually with a second machine running in sync as a backup.
  2. Audio interface: the tracks leave the computer as separate stems, such as keys, extra vocals and effects, rather than one stereo mix.
  3. Click track: a metronome sent only to the band's in-ear monitors keeps everyone in time with the tracks. The audience never hears it.
  4. Feeds to the desk: each stem goes through a DI box to the front of house desk, so the sound engineer can mix it with the live instruments.

The playback channels appear on the act's technical rider and patch list, so the venue knows how many inputs to allow. Keeping the latest rider with each show is easier when artists share documents through Crescat.

Backing track vs miming

With a backing track, the performers still play and sing live, and the track adds parts on top. Miming, or lip-syncing, means the main performance itself is pre-recorded and the performer pretends to play or sing. Most audiences accept backing tracks; miming is usually only expected on TV.

What to tell a venue about backing tracks

  • Number of playback channels and whether they are stems or a stereo mix
  • Who runs playback: a band member, a playback tech or the monitor engineer
  • DI boxes and cabling needed between the rig and the stage box
  • Click and cue feeds needed in the monitor mixes
  • Whether a backup machine and a switcher are part of the rig

Frequently asked questions

Do most bands use backing tracks live?

Many do, especially in pop, electronic and rock acts whose records use more layers than the touring band can play. The amount varies widely, from a few keyboard sounds to full vocal harmonies, and many acts never mention it.

How do musicians stay in time with a backing track?

They listen to a click track in their in-ear monitors. The click, and often spoken cues such as "chorus in two", comes from the playback rig and is sent only to the musicians' monitor mixes.

What happens if a backing track fails mid-show?

Professional rigs run two computers in sync with an automatic switcher, so a backup takes over within a fraction of a second. Without a backup, the band either plays on without the tracks or stops the song and restarts.

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