Custom backing tracks and medleys: what your producer needs to know and how to rehearse

Why a good brief saves time and nerves

An off-the-shelf backing track comes in a fixed version. A backing track made for you is built around your voice, your programme and your stage. For that, your producer needs to know how you sing and how your show runs. The more of this is clear before production, the less you need to correct later.

Key: sing the song once with the original

The most important question is the key. If you don't know it, that's fine: sing along with the original and notice where it gets tight. Is the chorus too high or the verse too low? Then tell your producer whether it should go up or down, and ideally send a short phone recording of you singing along.

Plan the key for the show, not for a relaxed afternoon: at the end of a long night your voice sounds different from the first rehearsal.

Length, tempo and running order

Not every song needs to run at full length. Clarify in advance:

• Should the song run in full or be shortened, for example without the third verse?
• Is the tempo right, or should it be a little faster or slower?
• Do you need a longer intro to walk on stage or greet the audience?
• How should the song end: fade out, hard stop or straight into the next one?

Backing vocals: with, without or separate?

Backing vocals make a track fuller and closer to the original. But they can get in the way if they are too loud or double lines you sing yourself. You are most flexible if you get the backing vocals as a separate track. Then you can turn them up or down depending on the sound system and the room.

Medleys: order and transitions

A medley lives on its transitions. To make it flow, your producer needs this information:

• The songs in the order you want to sing them
• Which parts of each song: chorus only, verse and chorus, or the whole song
• The total length of the medley
• Sing-along or clap-along parts that may run longer
• Whether the key may change between songs or should stay the same

Show intro: your performance starts before the first note

A show intro builds tension and announces you. Clarify how long it should be, whether your name is announced and who speaks, and which song it leads into. That way the intro matches your first song in tempo and mood.

Technical setup: how will the tracks be played?

Tell your producer what you use on stage and which files you need. The right settings depend on your setup, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution here.

• Your playback device or software
• The file format you need, for example WAV
• Whether you need separate tracks, such as backing vocals on their own
• Whether there should be gaps between songs for announcements

Rehearsal and sign-off: how to check the draft

When the first draft arrives, don't just listen on your phone. Rehearse it the way you will perform:

• With your playback device and, if possible, the sound system you use on stage
• The complete programme in one go, not just single songs
• Pay attention to cues, breathing spots and transitions
• Check that the key stays comfortable when you sing at full power
• Test the gaps for announcements
• Note every change you want with a timestamp, for example: 1:24 backing vocals quieter

Collected feedback with timestamps is much easier for your producer to work with than lots of separate messages.

Important: for your performances only

Backing tracks and medleys of well-known songs are meant for your live performances, not for release, sale or distribution. Music use at events is usually licensed through a collecting society; in Germany the event organiser usually registers it with GEMA.

This is not legal advice. If you are unsure, get advice.

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