Guides

What we know about running backing tracks from the drum stool, written down so you do not have to learn it at a gig.

• How to make a backing track with the click on the left

  Export a stereo file from your DAW with the click on one side and the mix on the other, name it so the app reads it, and check it before the gig.

• Running backing tracks from an iPad with a Y-cable

  What plugs into what: the cable, the adapter for iPads without a headphone socket, a DI box for the desk and a headphone amp for your ears.

• Playing to a click on stage

  The habits that make a set with backing tracks feel safe from the drum stool: count-ins, click level, songs without tracks, notes on the pad, and what to do when one fails.

• Click Left, Stage Traxx or MainStage?

  A plain comparison for drummers with pre-split backing tracks: what each one does, what it costs you in complexity, and which to pick.