SINGBACKS FOR AND BY PROFESSIONALS

1) What is a singback backtrack?
It is a musical backtrack that is used when it is not possible to use a live band or orchestra, but you still want somebody to sing. This is called singback.2) When should a singback backtrack be used?
For instance when:

• The music you want is originally played by so many musicians you cannot hire them all. Say you want that super rich sound from a symphony orchestra together with fat drums and razor sharp electric guitars for your modern musical, there’s no way you can hire 50 musicians and let the music be arranged on sheet music accordingly.
• You don’t have the space for any musicians. You’re doing a great dinner show at a restaurant, but there’s just no place to put the band.
• You want it to sound great every time. You’re going to an audition for an upcoming event, but you feel insecure how the pianist will accompany you. With customsingbacks.com there are no unpleasant musical suprices.

3) The backtrack I want, does it have to sound like the original, or can I have it custom made so it is changed into another genre or style?
Your backtrack may either sound as close to the original as possible, or it may sound in a completely different way. customsingbacks.com has created hundreds of backtracks where the object is to get it to sound as close to the original as possible, but customsingbacks.com has also made many backtracks where the object is to make the song sound completely different. customsingbacks.com has made huge Broadway arrangements out of childrens songs, and oriental versions of western music, in order to make the music fit to a theatrical context.

4) I want my backtrack to sound exactly like the original, can I have it?
Yes and no. To make an EXACT copy, it would require access to the original tapes from the record company and then mute all song tracks. Such an access is impossible. customsingbacks.com can never in detail reproduce the acoustic settings that applied when the original song was recorded, neither exactly the same instruments, microphones, mixers, effect racks, and definately not the same musicians.

However, with a sharp musical ear, great musical understanding and powerful computer tools it is possible to get quite close to the sound and instrumentation of the original song. If customsingbacks.com’s task is to get as close as possible to an original song, to be used in a live show, the audience in general will believe that it is the original song they’re hearing (with another singer of course!) – all the characteristics of the original song is there, but if the original musical producer happens to be in the audience, he or she will be able to tell the difference. That’s one way to put it.

5) Do I have to provide sheet music? Can I provide sheet music?
At customsingbacks.com, it works just fine without provided sheet music for your project. customsingbacks.com is accustomed to mimic complex chords, sounds and melodies without sheet music assistance (thanks to a razor sharp musical ear). If you want to provide sheet music, that’s fine however, customsingbacks.com reads music.

6) Can the key of the song be changed?
Yes, the customer specifies whether to use the original key of the song or any other.

7) How does it work to record a backtrack?
All backtracks are recorded using a computer with advanced music recording software on it. The recording software itself has a lot of plug in programs (called virtual instruments), each used to mimic a certain real life instrument. Some virtual instruments are used for strings, others for brass instruments and so on. There is no virtual instrument that is optimal for all instruments, thus it takes knowledge to know what plug in to use when in order to get the most realistic sound. customsingbacks.com uses only top of the line virtual instruments used by Hollywood music productions in TV series like CSI and Lost. (Admit you thought real instruments were used in the series? Think again!)

The original song is imported into the project and aligned with the master metronome. Then, the hard work to listen to every instrument (drums, bass, pianos, guitars, strings, wind instruments et cetera) and create a realistic copy begins, until every original instrument has a rich sounding copy.

There are no tools for removing for instance the vocals from an existing song, instead you have to start from scratch and build up the whole song, instrument by instrument. (Although some companies, like SONY, claim that they have a function like that on their home stereo equipment, it just doesn’t work. It sounds bad, and the original vocals are still there.)

A standard song on a CD is like a well mixed drink with alcohol. You can’t taste the drink and say: ”hey, great drink, now take this drink and make it alcohol free!”. In order to make a non alcoholic drink you need to know what ingredients were used in the original drink, and mix these accordingly, leaving out the booze. Backtracks are made the same way.

8) What is the difference between backtracks from customsingbacks.com and backtracks from other studios?
The quality and the price.

Other studio web pages may say ”All sounds come from this blablabla synthesizer in order to guarantee top quality!”, meaning you let one single physical synthesizer create all the sounds. This is madness, according to customsingbacks.com. There is no one synth that can deliver all realistic sounds, and thus it will sounds unrealistic, just like the polyphonic phone signals used in the 90’s. The solution is to use powerful virtual instruments, a knowledge held by customsingbacks.com.

Other web pages seem to lack the feel that the backtrack is to be used in a professional context. It sounds artificial, unrealistic, has no groove, musically undeveloped, no class. Do listen around by googling ”singbacks”.

customsingbacks.com works for hours making your backtrack as good as possible. Because of this, your backtrack may cost several hundred dollars (more about prices further down the page). If a web page offers backtracks for five bucks, then you can assume that it’s taken from an existing library (your backtrack will sound just like everybody else’s), or they have not put that much work into it (the quality suffers hugely), or it is made by musical amateurs. Watch out for low prices – you get what you pay for.

Also watch out for web pages that have the ”Standard MIDI” sign visible. Standard MIDI is a standard set of sounds, that is in no way sufficient to create a backtrack with class and with realism. A professional backtrack requires unique solutions that can’t be found in a standard setting.

9) Ok, so customsingbacks.com has a bunch of virtual instruments installed on a computer, which instruments?
Different drum sets, electric and acoustic basses, grand pianos, electric pianos, acoustic and electric guitars, ensemble strings, solo strings, woodwinds, brass, synth sounds, sound effects, rhythm loops, symphonic percussion to name a few.

10) Are any instruments recorded using ”real” instruments?
Yes, guitars are often recorded hooking up real guitars to the computer. It is hard to create realistic guitar playing using computer instruments. This goes for electric and acoustic guitars both.

11) How do you make wind instrument sound so realistic?
customsingbacks.com uses an electric saxophone (AKAI EWI 4000s) to create all woodwind and brass instruments. This creates a natural phrasing and realistic transitions between the notes. You cannot create realistic wind sounds using only a piano keyboard.

12) How are drums recorded?
Drums are recorded using drum plug ins, that are programmed in order to sound as realistic as possible.

13) Who is the person behind customsingbacks.com and what are his qualities?
The man behind customsingbacks.com is Swedish born Andreas Zetterberg. Andreas is a professional pianist and singer, but also plays guitar and saxophone. Andreas has deep knowledge of arranging for different ensembles, he knows musical theory, has broad genre knowledge and an incredibly sharp musical ear. Andreas reads music, and he works as a musician and a performer. He has a good feel for what will work (and what will not) on a theatre stage, and he is the producer of one of the largest comic shows in Sweden.

14) What does it cost to order a backtrack from customsingbacks.com?
It depends entirely on how many hours it takes to complete the recording.

15) Ok, so what factors determine the recording time of the project?
The following factors, in combination, determine the time span of a recording project:

• If the customer wants the backtrack to sound just like the original, or if customsingbacks.com has free hands to make the song in the same style and the same instrumentation, but every little detail is not reproduced.
• If the original song is musically complex or not.
• If the original song contains many instrument that the customer want to have reproduced or not.
• If the original song is long or short.
• If the original song has many repeated passages (where for instance a verse and a chorus can be repeated – with some small changes – to save time) or not.
• If the backtrack should have the same genre and style as the original or not.

A basic thing is of course that the customer doesn’t change his mind all the time throughout the project.

• But roughly, how long time do projects take?
  A simple rock song with 4 ordinary instruments (drums, bass, electric guitar, piano), no demands that every detail is to be recreated, but the audience is to recognize the song and think it sounds good = about 7 hours.
• Same as example 1 above, but the customer wants the backtrack to be as close to the original as possible (customsingbacks.com will be forced to consider stuff like ”What is the brand of snare drum being used”, and ”How much is the guitar compressor activated” – we’re talking details here!) = about 20 hours.
• A 3 minute jazz song in a big band arrangement (drums, bass, piano, guitar (maybe vibraphone and strings) 4 trumpets, 5 saxophones, 4 trombones), keep the song in style but every detail needs not be recreated = about 10 hours.
• Same as example 3 but the song is to be as close to the original as possible = about 25 hours.
• A 3 minute country song, quite close to the original = about 7 hours.
• An old american classic (for instance John Denver’s “Annie’s song”) created and arranged by customsingbacks.com in a suitable way, not following any special original = about 5 hours.
• A simple piano background with fairly uncomplicated music = about 4 hours.
• An 8 minute Broadway musical song with many instruments (drums, bass, piano, guitars, violins, violas, cellos, double basses, flutes, clarinets, oboes, bassons, trumpets, french horns, trombones, tubas, percussions) where the music moves thru several different passages, quite close to the original = about 30 hours.
• A 6 minute long ABBA-medley where it is important that is sounds just like the original = about 30 hours.
• A medley of different songs that can be arranged using the same instruments, not following an original but just musically great, arranged by customsingbacks.com = about 15 hours.

17) What is the rate per hour?
45 USD per hour, excluding VAT. If it is a matter of express jobs (for instance you need your background within one week so that Andreas at customsingbacks.com has to put everything else aside and prioritize your backtrack) the price is 75 USD per hour, excluding VAT.

How do I place an order?
By using the form to the left. Enter all the requested information and attach an original or provide a link where the music can be found. Do this at least four weeks before the deadline date when you need your backtrack.
customsingbacks.com will evaluate the number of recording hours needed to complete your project, based on the information you provided in step 1 above, and let you know by email.
You either accept or reject the hours set by customsingbacks.com.
If you accept, you will receive an invoice that is to be paid as soon as possible.
When your invoice is paid, customsingbacks.com starts to create your backtrack, and it is delivered before deadline date.

19) Why does the customer pay in advance?
Because there are jokers on the net that place an order, receive the recording, are very pleased but forget to pay. customsingbacks.com tried this method before, and it doesn’t work.

20) If I and/or my organisation order lots of backtracks, and we become a regular customer, is it possible to easen up on the rigid ordering rules?
Yes, it is. When customsingbacks.com has created 20 or so custom tracks for you, a mutual feeling of trust will appear, and some administrative steps can be skipped.

21) Can small changes be made even after the final backtrack has been delivered?
Yes.

22) Can major changes be made (such as swapping of verses and choruses, change of genre et cetera) even after the final backtrack has been delivered?
No. This is considered to be a whole new project.

23) I have received my backtrack, but I’m not fully satisfied, what do we do?
For starters: this has never happened. customsingbacks.com has never experienced this, on the contrary all customsingbacks.com’s customers have been delighted with the backtracks delivered. However, in this unique case customsingbacks.com will make further adjustments up to a certain point in order to get the customer satisfied. Disputes will be solved according to Swedish law (customsingbacks.com is situated in Sweden) and customsingbacks.com follows the recommendations of the Swedish trade organization.

24) Is there any money back guarantee at customsingbacks.com?
No. customsingbacks.com has already made the hard work creating your backtrack. The backtrack is considered consumed when received.

25) Do I as a customer need certain performance rights to perform the song?
Yes, this is entirely the customer’s responsability.

26) Does customsingbacks.com pay for performance rights et cetera?
No, this is enterily up to the customer. customsingbacks.com takes no responsability for this what so ever.

27) What does customsingbacks.com take responsability for?
To deliver backtracks to the customer according to the customer’s wishes. Every aspect regarding usage of the backtrack is 100% the customer’s responsability.

28) What am I as a customer allowed to do with my backtrack from customsingbacks.com?
You as a customer are allowed to use the backtrack in a liveshow or other performances where you either make money or you don’t. You may use it for as long as you want, and you may take it with you to new shows where you yourself are active. You may post the backtrack on the Internet, provided you have added lead vocals to the backtrack, performed by you or anybody within your organisation, and of course provided you have the legal rights to do so (se question 25 to 27 above).

29) What am I as a customer not allowed to do with my backtrack from customsingbacks.com?
You may not sell it, rent it, give it away, lease it. You may not make it public on the Internet or other forum in it’s original form without the written consent by customsingbacks.com. You may not modify it. This goes for the whole backtrack or parts of it.

You may not use it on a commercial CD or likewise, or any other internet based communications channel without the written consent of customsingbacks.com.

30) Do I as a customer have exclusivity to the backtrack? Do I ”own” it?
No. You own the right to perform with it, according to question 28 above. customsingbacks.com has the right to do what ever customsingbacks.com wants with it, even after it is paid for and delivered. It is possible to negotiate about exclusivity and ownership, however this affects the price enormously.

31) May I use backtracks from customsingbacks.com on a commercial CD or likwise? Can customsingbacks.com deliver backtrack with the super high quality needed for CD production?
Yes, but it takes a completely different level of thoruoghness (and thus price) for customsingbacks.com to create a CD quality level backtrack than a live show level one. (Although the live show level is very high, CD level is even higher.) Se questions 15, 15, 28 & 30.

32) Can customsingbacks.com add back up singing and harmony voices?
Yes, but this is normally not included. It is a time consuming and demanding process.

33) In what format is the final backtrack delivered?
It is normally delivered as a 320 kbit mp3 file, but other formats are possible.

34) May the backtrack be delivered on a CD?
Yes, for a small fee, plus all shipping is paid by the customer.

35) What musical styles does customsingbacks.com specialize in?

• Modern and traditional rock and pop music
• Jazz, both in a small setting and in big band setting
• Huge, bombastic Broadway musical music, symphony orchestra + rock band instruments
• Symphonic music, classical music
• Traditional rhythm n’blues, country music
• Reggae
• Latino music (samba, salsa, tango, merengue et cetera)
• Hard rock
• Music from other countries and from other cultures than the western
• Film music
• Religious music and gospels
• Marching band music

36) Are there any genres that are not a specialty of customsingbacks.com?
Yes, there are. customsingbacks.com is not accustomed to working with

• Music that consists primarely of synths (no real instruments involved)
• Modern hip hop / rap / house / techno music
• Music where instruments that are hard to emulate is the leading instruments. It would be virtually impossible to create a backtrack that in an honest way recreates Andres Segovia’s acoustic guitar playing, Niccolo Paganini’s virtous violin passages or Oscar Peterson’s playful piano playing. It’s no problem to hide these instruments within the recording, but it they are to be lead instruments that are suppose to sound 100 % realistic, this is a big problem, failure guaranteed.

37) I’m a musician and I would like to order backtracks with for instance no guitars or no keyboard on, since I plan to play this myself, is that possible?
Sure, no problem.

38) How long time does it normally take to get the ordered backtrack?
Well, of course, you will receive the backtrack before the deadline date specified by you, but normally it takes less time than that. It of course has to do with whatever else Andreas at customsingbacks.com is up to for the time, but at best: a few days after the customer has paid the invoice.

39) The demo songsmay I use them as I please?
customsingbacks.com has no problems with your using the demo backtracks as described in question 28 above, and regarding the performance rights this is clarified in question 27.

40) Can customsingbacks.com compose music for my pre written lyrics?
Yes, write an email to info@customsingbacks.com and we will work something out.

41) Can customsingbacks.com deliver backtracks that follow the Standard Midi protocol, as a MIDI file?
No way. Standard midi files are not sufficient to create rich, realistic backtracks.