Last Minute Musicians » Blog » Are backing tracks stealing the jobs of other musicians?

Are backing tracks stealing the jobs of other musicians?

Last updated: March 2026

Recently, there has been a rather fierce debate across social media about musicians’ use of backing tracks and whether they take work away from other live bands. The debate has sometimes been quite contentious, with some musicians claiming that performing to a backing track is nothing more than “paid karaoke”. In this blog, we’ll try to give both sides of the argument a fair hearing…

Many musicians refute the “paid karaoke” claim. Instead, they proudly state that they are trained professionals who make their living from performing with tracks. They also point out that they suit the budget of people that can’t always afford to hire a larger band.

There are also some situations where a full live band may not be practical – some venues may have severe sound or space limitations, for example.

We decided to get down some of the major points for the arguments, and let you have your say!

What are backing tracks?

Backing tracks come in many different forms for different contexts. For solo singers, they are pre-recorded (usually instrumental) versions of popular songs. Very rarely, they will be the original song with the vocal line muted in the mix. More often, they will be re-recorded cover versions without vocals.

For bands, they may be pre-recorded parts to songs that are difficult to recreate live, activated by drum trigger or from a Macbook.

Who tends to use backing tracks?

Solo singers

One of the most common situations you’ll see a backing track being used is by a solo singer. This could either be in the context of a general rock/pop singer or a tribute act, which will generally seek a sound that sticks to the original recording as closely as possible.

They are also highly popular with swing singers looking to recreate the sound of a big band or orchestra. If the singer does not play an instrument, backing tracks can provide a solution to performing live as a solo act.

Solo guitarists

Some solo guitar players prefer to play live using pre-recorded backing tracks. This cuts down on the complexities of rehearsal and organisation that sometimes go along with being in a band. In addition, this may be one of the few instances of lead vocals being part of the backing track if the guitarist does not sing. For those just starting out, performing at open mic nights can be a great way to build confidence and find opportunities before committing to backing tracks.

Function & originals bands

Bands may use backing tracks to replicate sounds that are harder to do live than in the studio. This could include intricate synth lines, orchestral lines, samples or lots or multi-layered harmonies and could occur in the context of a covers show or for original songs.

Signed artists

Signed artists will often use backing tracks for performances on TV (look back over old episodes of Top of the Pops and count how many of the bands are actually playing live!) or particularly highly – choreographed live performances.

There is, of course, a percentage of signed artists that aren’t quite able to produce the same level of ability outside of a studio environment and so will mime along to pre-recorded tracks. This is known as “Lip Syncing”.

Advantages of using backing tracks

They can suit smaller budgets

More often than not, you’ll hear stories of a couple that are getting married or someone having a birthday function, and looking for live entertainment but on a very tight budget. A solo singer using backing tracks can provide said entertainment, without having to charge the added cost that comes with having to pay large groups of musicians.

Backing tracks can closely imitate the original record

Tribute acts often look to recreate the sounds of their muses with as much authenticity as possible. Backing tracks offer the unique opportunity to use the knowledge of highly skilled session musicians in recreating the instruments, effects and vibe of the original recordings.

They can reproduce sounds that are hard to do live

Original touring bands that experiment a lot in the studio may well find themselves in the position of struggling to recreate their sound live. Using the original stems from the studio session to create a backing track is often an easier solution than having to tour with lots of expensive synthesisers or other instruments, just for one specific part of a song.

They can suit venues with sound and/or space restrictions

Unfortunately, the use of sound limiters is becoming more and more prevalent in live music venues today, all around the UK (For more advice for dealing with limiters, check out our guide to sound limiters for bands and venues). One solution for people looking for live entertainment in these venues is to go with a solo singer using backing tracks, as they have much more control over the level of noise than that of a full band. For particularly small venues, a full band may not be physically able to fit into the available space. A solo musician will require much less room to perform.

Disadvantages of using backing tracks

As a musician, you may lose feel and groove

By performing with a backing track, you are being forced to rigidly keep to a predetermined tempo. While we all aspire to be a tight band and play in time, in a live gig situation you can find that tempos will vary. With the adrenaline flowing and the audience dancing, you may find yourselves naturally speeding up or slowing down with the energy of the night.

When you play to a backing track, you lose that natural ebb and flow by having to rigorously keep to a click track. This may lead both you and your audience to feel that the tracks are lagging or too slow, even if they are exactly in time. This is especially true if some of your tracks are to a click and others are not.

You lose the ability to improvise or extemporise

By using a backing track, your song structure is set exactly in stone. This means that a lot of the spontaneity of performing live is lost. For example, your singer cannot do a long band introduction unless this is programmed in beforehand and any instrumental solos must keep to a specific bar length.

As an audience member, you lose some of the excitement of a live band

Many people would agree that there is nothing quite like the magic of a live band playing together. As an audience member, watching talented singers and instrumentalists doing what they do best together is terrific fun.

While it is quite a hard thing to articulate, there is definitely a case to be made that, by selecting an act performing solely with backing tracks, you lose some of that magic. The individual tone and personality of the musicians or unique band arrangements is lost, and the songs you hear will usually be exactly the same as the recordings.

The quality of backing tracks is not always good

Unfortunately, even though the popularity of using backing tracks has increased, that has not necessarily meant that the quality of them has followed suit. As an act, you have to be incredibly careful where you purchase them from and always listen to clips beforehand. Quite often you can fall foul of finding terrible midi-only backing tracks with no live instruments on them at all!

You can’t always take requests

If your act relies solely on backing tracks, then your ability to take requests (be that beforehand or on the night) becomes dependent on your ability to find the backing track. For example, if a couple were to ask for a more obscure song as their first dance, you may not be able to find a backing track for it. Similarly, your ability to take requests throughout a performance is hampered by what is in your backing track library.

Do they take work away from other musicians?

Now we come to the most contentious part of the whole issue – do backing tracks take work away from other musicians?

There are very valid points on either side of the argument, so here are some competing scenarios;

A solo guitarist or singer (using backing tracks) could well be seen as undercutting a larger cover band that performs in a similar genre.

For example, If a venue or client has £400 to spend on an act, they may elect to save themselves £200 by booking a solo musician using backing tracks, in the knowledge that they will still get a similar repertoire, albeit pre-recorded.

However, venues with tighter predetermined budgets may not have the money to afford a band in the first place, which means that solo singers and bands simply aren’t competing for the same gigs.

For example, if a venue has only £150 to spend on music, then that becomes a decent wage for a solo singer, versus the £50 each that a trio could earn… or worse, for a larger band!

Many solo singers would argue that there is very little difference between what they do (and charge!) and solo musicians who play an instrument rather than using tracks.

However, there are other situations where backing tracks could be considered to take work away from musicians. For example, by purchasing midi-only tracks, the hard-working producers and session musicians that record other (better quality) backing tracks are less likely to get hired.

The flip side of this being that those that opt to have bespoke backing tracks made are giving work back to those same musicians.

Some may opt to leave their brass or string parts to a backing track when it comes to touring bands rather than hire additional live instrumentalists. Theatres and pit bands may also encounter a similar problem, with some live musicians’ parts being replaced with backing tracks.

Have your say!

Below, we have installed a poll to allow you to express your views and get a sense of how other musicians feel about the topic…

Poll Results

Is the use of backing tracks taking jobs from other musicians?

607 musicians voted

No48% (292 votes)

48%

Yes41% (248 votes)

41%

Unsure11% (67 votes)

11%

Our poll of 607 musicians reveals that this is a closely contested issue. The largest group of respondents (48%) believe that backing tracks are not taking jobs from other musicians, while a significant 41% feel that they are. The remaining 11% are unsure, highlighting how divisive this topic remains within the music community. With only a 7-percentage-point gap between the “Yes” and “No” camps, it is clear that there is no overwhelming consensus, and the debate is likely to continue for some time.

Views from social media

Listed below are a selection of comments (on both sides of the agreement!) made on our various social media platforms. Don’t forget to get involved in the discussion in the comments box below, remembering to be polite and respectful to all points of view!

I play guitar but tempted to use backing tracks too. I’m so fed up of being let down by unreliable band members. It’s really frustrating, I’ve bet let down a number of times over the years. Do what you gotta do.
Lauren Rachel Jones

My issue isn’t with a performer with tracks, it’s with a venue who drops their budget to the level that only 1 person and a laptop and light rig can afford to play it… they don’t have a sliding scale for 1 person and a laptop to 3 people and a van full of gear that they all play. This is why bands are disbanding and social clubs are closing down, as the customers are bored to death with pre recorded backing. Hate to say it, but it but it’s seen as Karaoke and they can do that themselves down the boozer on a Friday night.
Jaclyn Brown

I don’t use backing tracks. I remember when they first started being used, suddenly bands just stopped being used because they could get a singer with backing instead. I had an agent back in 2002. I worked for him for 3 years doing solo gigs just with my guitar. Then he found out I didn’t use backing tapes and I never got another gig off him. So despite having having a BA Hons in popular music and many years playing gigs, I was sacked for not conforming.
Linda Jennings

We are a seven piece and use backing tracks to enhance our sound. Nearly all top bands enhance their live performances to give the audience a full experience. The technology is there so why not use it. As I say it enhances it is not Karaoke!
Lee Sinclair

Does the use of backing tracks harm the ability of live musicians to make a living? Can you think of any other advantages or disadvantages not listed here? Post them in the comments below…

4.8/5 - (31 votes)

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42 comments

Graeme ChegwiddenSeptember 4, 2017
I think all of the points on both sides above are actually valid. To an extent it depends on motives and your individual situation. We are a duo that uses pre-recorded material (we like to call it). We record it entirely ourselves largely using live instruments but also using professional software. We don't download anything. So everything the audience hears is us. That's because we can and because we are after a very specific sound. An additional point is about certain types of acts. For example, imagine a stunningly brilliant ballad singer who discovers her talent at a karaoke evening. If only she could have an orchestra behind her to complement the vocal material! And if only she were famous enough to play in venues where you could fit one in! But she CAN get heard in pubs and bars and at weddings and functions by using backing tracks. Should she be denied this opportunity and should audiences be denied the pleasure of seeing her do her thing? There are thousands of small venues across the land where live bands regularly strut their stuff. Often for very little money. Some are good, some okay. But a bunch of them sound terrible. Too loud. Under rehearsed. Poorly mixed. Inferior equipment. No sound engineer. And more. Venues with miniscule budgets are forced to hire them as the better bands simply charge more and can get better gigs. Supply and demand. It is simply wrong to say as a blanket assertion that "live" music is "better" than performers with"backing tracks". There are musicians of all calibres doing both and a bunch somewhere in between - we play live instruments as well as using pre-recorded parts. What venues need to do to fill seats, what audiences want to pay to hear and what musicians of all kinds need to do to express their craft, will determine what happens. Not just the self serving opinion of one grouping. One could have exactly the same argument about covers bands V originals bands. Audiences want to hear stuff they know. Go figure!
1 Reply
1. Roger AllenOctober 13, 2017
  Well said Graeme Chegwidden.
  2 Reply
Dave LewisSeptember 4, 2017
Most top bands use backing tracks to complete their live sound. Good use of backing tracks can significantly increase the enjoyment of the band and audience. In my experience using backing tracks is significantly more effort and work than having additional musicians. An artist or band successfully using backing tracks has put in a significant amount of work/preparation. It is not only the performance fee but travel and accommodation costs that need to be considered for each additional musician.
1 Reply
Justin DaishSeptember 5, 2017
There's no need to compare bands to backing track acts. There's enough work out there for everyone providing you're good enough. It is entirely down to the quality of the performer and the performance. I played at a wedding on Saturday and the newlyweds told me that they were glad they opted for me with my backing tracks, and not the band they'd seen previously, as I actually performed and engaged with the music and with the audience. I've seen too many dull bands. If playing to backing tracks you need to have higher expectations of yourself than than your audience does. I know that my solo act meets my own ultra-critical standards, and therefore it sure as hell is good enough for everyone else. Just make sure your tracks are good enough. I would rather scrap a song from the set than perform it to a crap backing track. It helps if you play an instrument. Working out what to do during a pre-recorded solo on a backing track must be awful for singers. There are plenty who just end up tapping their foot or nodding their head in time to the music, or bending over their mixer, touching it to make it look like their volume levels need adjustment, not to mention spending a chunk of their show persuading the audience to clap in time. The first half of the success of your show relies on your talent. The other half is down to looking natural, comfortable and enthusiastic (people listen with their eyes!), and not being afraid of engaging with your audience. That's what will get you over the line and make sure you have a great product.
1 Reply
GavinSeptember 5, 2017
I am a solo vocalist and use backing tracks and to associate this with karaoke is an insult. This usually done by drunk people out of time and tone whereas I have been honing my voice and performance over nearly 20 years. If you are talented then it does not matter what you do.
2 Reply
Steve RoseOctober 10, 2017
Acts that use backing tracks devalue live music. Both by deception and by making music dull, cheap and samey. Over the years it's become a devil's bargain. Championed by economics, organisations like Top of The Pops made dull cheap miming somehow an acceptable form of entertainment. The rise of Pub-Co in the form of Enterprise, Punch etc.. mixed with cheap supermarket booze, poor government tax legislation and the smoking ban, has driven the wholesale destruction of live music venues in the last 20 years. Today’s landlords can only afford cheap live entertainment, which is typically Karaoke or acts with backing tracks. Anyone who’s smart avoids the wet trades. People make more money turning pubs into blocks of flats. This has destroyed grass roots music industry. The advent of the X factor, has nailed down the myth that it’s all about the vocalist, the massive volume of hard graft that goes into producing the music that backs these darlings is totally overlooked. There are too many would be X factor performers out there that think all they have to do is get on a microphone. Punters have little or no respect for musicians that can't actually play or sing – Miming isn’t a valued performing skill it is deception, worse than Karaoke. It is a pastiche of the real thing. Pubs can't afford acts that can actually produce great live music. Yet they think they have to put something on. So we get watered down ‘live’ music that no one really values. Every time you go out there and perform with a backing track or a vocal processor, you are killing a bit more of our once great music industry. In the end punters won’t know what real live music is and no one will learn how to play totally live any more. If you can’t do it live or you are not prepared to put the work in to properly understand the value of team work needed to be part of a band. Stay at home. There are plenty of great musicians out there who can play their instruments and sing and who are prepared to work together on stage to produce the magic that’s missing from today’s Karaoke would-be pub acts. Yes being paid MU rates would be great. But you can get by and do it totally live without such a luxury. You need skill, experience and self respect.
2 Reply
1. Graeme ChegwiddenOctober 13, 2017
  So, Steve Rose, just to be clear - are you blaming the musicians who use backing tracks and vocal processors for the "wholesale destruction" of the live music industry? Is it us to be blamed for the pubs having less profit on their booze? Is it us to be blamed for people preferring to sit in front of the telly than trawl down to the pub? Is it us who are responsible for whole genres of modern music that would never have evolved were it not for the ability to create, record and play back instrumental and other audio parts? Should everyone who wants to do something publicly with music be forced to use electric guitars, electric pianos, instrument amplifiers, acoustic or electric drum kits and so on or be told to stay at home? And should pubs be told that if they can't afford to make the space available for a full live band, if they can't afford to pay what it costs for 4 to 8 piece outfits and all their equipment, they should simply not have music? What about instruments that make artificial sounds, either using oscillators, algorithms or prerecorded samples? Should they be banned too? What about delay pedals, loopers, chorus pedals, compressors, phasers, flangers, reverb pedals and so on that all work by combining a digitised sample of the incoming sound with copies of itself and the dry signal, processing them then sending them off to the amplifier? Shouldn't they be banned too? Amps themselves do not put out the exact sound created by the guitar strings and pickups either. They are as much part of defining the sound as the instrument itself. The end result of this myopic condemnation of technology-based evolution in music is to go right back to primitive acoustic instruments. If anything would result in the "wholesale destruction" of modern music, however performed, it would clearly be this. The same criticism could be made of the visual arts, that digital art and prints, especially algorithm and photoshop generated or manipulated images, should all be banned so that the "purists" can fill the galleries with their watercolours, pencil sketches and oils. The world changes. Evolution moves things forward. Technology, the output of the brilliance of the human mind, permits an ever expanding arena of possibilities when it comes to human expression. And technology permits people an ever increasing access to these technologies around the globe. I would suggest that there are more people making music, art and other creative outputs now than ever in the history of the human race. I would also suggest that there is room for all of them in this amazing world, including those who want to work with prerecorded material. I would also suggest that, if anything is eroding the number of pubs out there, or their ability to hire expensive bands, it is rabid unfettered capitalism and the world's lust for the latest technology. Finally, I would also suggest that, while we are banning acts that are not totally live, we should also ban incompetent live bands that play screaming, overly loud thrashing music that not only sounds dreadful but also causes hearing damage. Or bands that play out of tune or can't keep accurate time, you can't have them! We could also ban lots of genres, bands and even individual songs we don't like. Or what about banning ALL cover bands, including tribute acts, as in a sense they are "live karaoke" for people to sing along with. Which you can't have at all! Tell you what - let's just ban recording altogether...then people will HAVE to go and see the live bands! However awful they might be.
  3 Reply
  1. Allen KayeApril 5, 2018
    Hi Graeme. I have read your answer over and over again and i love it. Well said mate
    Reply
  2. BarbaraJuly 28, 2021
    Graeme, Thank you for sharing, I agree with your response to the person who is ant-music tracks. I am a solo singer and I play guitar occasionally. I have my tracks professionally made for the most part. It works well for me, though I also enjoy working with musicians but with such busy schedules it’s difficult to keep a band together. Barbara
    Reply
2. siobhanJuly 7, 2020
  Yes! Love this!
  1 Reply
Roger AllenOctober 13, 2017
Please! this technology backed performance has been knocked far too long. Les Paul started it way back in the 40's yet he still played with top rate musos. The problems for some musos are complicated, I find it difficult to find suitable musos most are limited, unreliable, have no idea of my style. I could not rely on other musos to play rehearse and be available at anytime. I have travelled to many parts of the world using backing tracks that I make, with which, I perform swing jazz guitar , sometimes I bump into a band with exceptional versatility do no have hangups and its great! Sorry you complaining whimps, you make music in studios with "gizmos" that make you sound better then you are, and then complain when someone does it live. I started doing this when I was 11 years old I am now 83. Backing tracks have enabled me to enjoy my music into old age. So get back in your cage.
Reply
Dubby LabbyNovember 25, 2017
There are tools to avoid 1 to 3 drawbacks. 4 could been avoid if you do your homework too. 5 depends on your show, even djs are avoiding request due to uneducated crowd so if you aren’t playing original music and need to rake request for covers then there are also arranger machines to avoid that step too. The problem never is the tool, it’s the use and abuse of it.
Reply
Rob AshDecember 10, 2017
I use backing tracks , but i make my own ,and they are my own songs when i do , on the downside it doesnt come up to the kind of vibe i can get when i just play my acoustic , i do think that when i go to hear someone with backing tracks ,it lacks a lot of soul ,its sometimes so bland , a singer can go through twenty songs in a night , and i find it has no energy ,or no heart ,some singers just go therough the motions ,when your a solo artiste ,you can improvise much better with an acoustic ,with a band or second instrument its also the same . I like to write a song on my acoustic ,when i record it i know i can still make it work on my own ,. backing tracks are sometimes horrible to listen to and it mainly comes down to the fact that they are a rushed version of an original song that was painstakingly crafted , but i must say its a pity with many singers that they need to use them ,because a lot of people have great voices and would benefit with having a good band , as for the comments that some peolpe cant work with other musicians , its not just about one person in a band ,its about everyone . Backing tracks are here to stay , not many people are going to take notice when theres money to be made ,and money to save , i recently answered an add to an agent who asked for someone to play a club , i replied that my friend and i could do it ,it was £250 , wow i thought , he then asked ,do you use backing tracks , i said no were a two piece and we play two hous of covers etc , he said no you wont be good for this gig ,i need someone with backing tracks ,so you couls say the backing tracks stole our work that night , i also said ok ,why wont the club share it and have a live band one week and backing track singers the next ,, i had no reply to that ,mmm
Reply
Edwin McCravyJanuary 10, 2018
Just glad to have made it to 80 years, lucky enough to have been a musician before technology took over.
2 Reply
Allen KayeMarch 9, 2018
Hi, My moan about commercial backing tracks is that everybody sounds the same because they are all using the same tracks, so the only thing that really changes is the vocalist, and many of those are not very exciting which as other comments have said, can be very boring. I am a solo keyboard / piano / Vocalist and use MIDI. I produce and arrange all the tracks myself , giving them all my own signature sound, feel or production, leaving plenty of room to showcase my playing ability, while at the same time being able to change sounds, instruments, tempo, effects, and direction on the fly. I can also include guest musicians if required. At the end of the day It's a musicians tool and you can either be lazy, or get creative with the thousands of options that this amazing platform provides, and make it your own ! Many performers just simply "plug in and play" and therefore have no identity of their own because 95% of what you hear is someone else. (most of them are trying to be someone else : Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Etc Etc ) As one of my agents once put it " if the guy walks away from the mic right now and sits in the audience, I'll still be tapping my foot and having a good time" Audience members come up to me all the time and say "It's great to hear someone who is actually playing an instrument for real and making it interesting to listen to, instead of all this recorded rubbish"
1 Reply
1. Nick HartshornApril 27, 2018
  i agree with you. i produce high quality mid backing tracks myself. the amount of time and effort is huge. midi produced tracks done well blow away the over compressed karaoke tracks i hear..No more loud drummers speeding up. all the lighting synced . listen to a ketron sd4 module. such amazing drums etc. my band in a box.
  Reply
John BuddenMarch 11, 2018
I am part of a real oldies band - all in our 60s and been playing for 40 + years. We tried for 2 years to get a drummer and vocalist for Classic Rock repertoire. Spent many hours listening to completely incompetent players. So we now use backing tracks playing live guitar, bass and vocals and it sounds great, No regrets or guilt - we are not taking work from musicians because the level of ability required is not available here.
1 Reply
Kevin RussellMarch 12, 2018
I am a solo acoustic guitarist/singer who does not use backing tracks.... I have done a number of showcases where the "agent" says I love your "stripped back style"..... but do not seem to get gigs and even I think sound weak in a showcase against singers with backing tracks who just whack up the volume and fill the room. Maybe its just that its what venues want... maybe I am crap (although the gigs I do get have mostly ended up with repeat bookings). Overall I think there is a case for both...it does make it more difficult for acts like mine..... but singing is a craft as much as playing an instrument, and if you build an act that people want with backing tracks using that skill its a valid offer to venues.
1 Reply
MEMPHIS SUN RECORDSMarch 13, 2018
The demand for real instrument backing tracks instead of midi files has now given lots of work to talented musicians work that would have otherwise not previously existed, as with any new technology which might seem to curtail the work of live musicians like midi did, real instrument tracks now opens lots of other doors for them as session musicians, which once was only available to a select few. The backing track market is huge so demand for good musicians has also increased, you can't make good backing tracks without them midi has had its day I never ever used them or liked them. You can now buy real instrument customised tracks online which allows you to mix all the instruments separately like you would a midi file so this is mutually beneficial to both musicians and solo artists alike creating revenue for both. Things always change in life some doors close new doors open ever since the first drum machines arrived in the 1970s there's always been those who say this is the end of live music but we still have it today nearly 50 years later and its still evolving we just have to learn to embrace change.
1 Reply
Graham DysonJune 4, 2018
As a husband and wife Duo who like to create a full sound of harmonies (Beach Boys), orchestral sounds (think ELO) and Phil Spectre Motown we need quality backing tracks to give a big sound. I use them while playing keyboard and both of us singing and we couldn't gig small places or smaller budget venues with this music without backing tracks.
Reply
Roland BeaumontJune 24, 2018
I love the use Karaoke to describe backing tracks. Shows little grasp of the commercial reality of the modern venue situation. Everybody is trying to cut costs, bands are struggling to get paid, they struggle to rehearse, they have massive time pressures as they juggle a proper job with music making. The result is guest band members, and no matter how good the average person is, wont have had enough time to learn the sets of the bands, they wont have gelled and the result is an inconsistent sound. While many backing tracks are sub-standard, they are often better than such a band arrangement! Karaoke itself isn't all about a bunch of drunken yobs down a pub, although to be fair that is just about every-bodies point of view. Do you realise that a lot of commercial singers started off from Drunken Saturday nights! and a final thought, I have created an incubator of fledgling singers, they have grown up with backing tracks only because we cannot find bands for them. They have had the benefit of vocal coaches, have auditions for the Voice 2019. Most of the bands we listen to have a set list of 20-40 songs and often down want to learn any more. Backing tracks at least give them a tune to sing over, they are consistent, they always turn up on time, they never argue with each other, they dont get drunk, they dont do drugs.......... result vocal harmony with a band that plays for them :-)
3 Reply
MALCOLM PITCHFORDJuly 31, 2020
Are John Farnam, Cliff Richard, or any other famous singers like Frank Sinatra etc really just karaoke singers when they perform to backing tracks or orchestras or bands. These artints can't play all those instruments at once. They still get paid a handsome fee as a solo performer/singer. Contact them personally and tell them how you feel. REALLY... Get a mechanic in for 4 hours at their rates plus you'll pay extra for parts. Embrace the musicians and music. Stop whinging and do it your way. Am sick of the "musos" crybabying about backtrack singers/performers. If you, as a singer have a band behind you backing you, are'nt you also a karaoke singer. Support muso's of all kinds. Love the industry you are in instead of beating the old broken down drum. Musicians of the world unite in harmony not continually carrying on with out of tune bickering.
5 Reply
TallyAugust 11, 2020
When a band forms and uses musical instruments,.. they play in pubs ..clubs.. and other venues who want live music,... Noe the word Karaoke covers a wide scope, and some musicians scowl at the word just because they can play an instrument,.. but dont forget, the voice is an instrument of its kind, and Karaoke is still very popular, for instance,.. ''Little Mix'' .. ''Take that'', .. ''Boy Zone'', .. ''West Life'', ... and numourouse others have made millions using so called Backtracks... its simple... You give what the punters want, so dont look down ya nose at singers showing thier tallent in Karaoke.
5 Reply
SkyhookSeptember 10, 2020
We're not looking down at the SINGERS in Karaoke. We're looking down on not getting live music when we pay for live shows. Karaoke is free and anyone can walk out of there without feeling ripped off due to price of admission. If I pay for a live concert I want live entertainment. I should get what I pay for. With Karaoke I DO get what I pay for: Nothing played live(enhanced with a live singer who might or might not be awesome).
2 Reply
1. Steven JonesNovember 5, 2020
  you still get live entertainment someone is still performing live lol #stuckinthe60s
  2 Reply
  1. TomkJuly 2, 2021
    Totally agree. I have been using backing tracks with my band for over 5 years now - we are a four piece band and use the backing tracks for keys/piano/horns/strings. We don't use them for all the songs but for those that require it, we use them. We've never had a single complaint, play out 4-5 times a month and are booked 6 months in advance. I use very good quality backing tracks and Ableton LIVE to mix them in with the band. We tried getting a keyboard player for months but the music we play was all "beneath them" or they were in so many other bands and weren't reliable. Sorry, not sorry....I say do what you do and ROCK on! Nobody in the audience cares - they're all too busy dancing and having a good time!
    2 Reply
Denny TerrellSeptember 30, 2020
As a solo artist, I play guitar and sing, sometimes with a drum machine but I also sing to backing tracks which are really good for big band sounds - it is down to budget and available space..I think there is work for everyone. In the "old days" we had a similar fear about Discos replacing bands - Juke boxes replacing DJ's - background music on laptops replacing Juke boxes!!. As an ex DJ I can appreciate both sides of the debate. Here is another example under the heading of "Video killed the radio star"....Did the theatre replace the cinema? NO. Was the cinema replaced by TV? NO - Was radio replaced by TV? NO there is room for everyone - and at the time of writing let's be glad for any work we can get at all!!!
7 Reply
Steven JonesNovember 5, 2020
Ive Been creating backing tracks for companies for 20 years, why is this even a debate i think this is made up. Backing tracks are made by musicians. i have a catalogue of musicians i use for making backing tracks and they make good money midweek while their bands are not working and then get to go play with their bands at weekends. Also to say they lose the excitement of a live performance when using backing tracks has clearly been written by someone who has no idea of this industry. Bruno mars is one of thee most exciting entertainers along with the late Michael Jackson, who both use backing tracks to compliment what the musicians are doing to give an explosive live show show and yeh it is still live. Here endeth the lesson. I do love the blogs and don't mean any offence :) just adding to the debate
9 Reply
Stephanie Taylor-DillardNovember 29, 2020
I've done Karaoke. This is definitely NOT Karaoke! The musician and the singer must use a degree of professionalism and finesse as well as technological knowledge that most Karaoke singers would know zip about. Just to be clear I'm not looking down on Karaoke 😂 Since I do it quite often myself. Lol Just saying there is a clear difference between the two.
6 Reply
BerniceDecember 8, 2020
I can’t stand backing tracks unless recorded with actual instruments. Never in my life would I use backing tracks. They ruined my friends band sounds. A drum machine is way better than cheap crap backing tracks.
1 Reply
1. Lyndon JonesJanuary 23, 2022
  Hang on a minute, you despise backing tracks but you still use a drum machine??? Kind of hippocritical don't you think when there are still real live people out there who sit behind a kit delivering feel and nuance in their playing rather than a robotic machine.
  2 Reply
JOHNFebruary 2, 2021
If I could find a band I would but I can't and I'm not going to sit at home wasting away so I will use backing tracks and I play amazing lead guitar and sing. So far I have had a better response than when I played in a band also I get to play more gigs. Its a no brainer for me
6 Reply
PhilFebruary 2, 2021
I can see the arguments for both sides of the debate. Personally, I am a solo artist who performs live as a soloist and as a trio. I would love to perform just as a trio. The problem generally comes down to the money, unfortunately. If the event doesn't have the budget for the trio then I have to perform solo. I'm not going to lose substantial money on a gig and/or ask my backing band to play for free (I pay for all the costs for the band including travel, promotion and rehearsals). I should point out as well that if I feel the event is underpaying musicians when they have the means to, then I do sometimes reject the offer altogether. Generally, though I accept that venues and promoters are trying to provide what they can afford and are fair. So if I am performing as a solo act the question comes down to what is going to sound best. If it is a small intimate venue then I am likely to play 100% live and use looping to thicken out the sound. It works in that environment. If it is a larger space or outside though it can sound a bit weak and the looping cuts into the set time making it sound less spontaneous. So I am seriously considering pre-recording those loops to then sing and play the guitar over, giving it more of a band feel. My concern is that is going to be perceived as being less authentic in some way. If that is the cost of it being a better performance all round though, maybe that is a cost worth paying?
3 Reply
mickMarch 24, 2021
I have been using backing tracks , sequences every since the advent of pokie machines and noise restrictions took a lot of band gigs away in he late eighties. I still play lead guitar in a classic rock band still but only 1 gig a mth . Solo with tracks I usually get 2 gigs a week in small places. I have been playing guitar , bass and drums for 40 years and program my own stuff in my studio. I also run a PA hire business an often mix live bands for functions etc and least half of them use some form of backing track to enhance sound and I reckon it is a great way to go. I see tracks as a means to an end . I like to eat and pay bills . I prefer playing live in a band but it is means a lot more work , less pay because there are five of us and noise restrictions and hours of setup and packdown . No denying it is fun. But I also have fun playing songs to tracks that my band would never or could never play. I think some musicians like virtue signalling about how purist they are when it comes to music. Which is odd when they play covers anyway!! I see my job as... bring punters in , keeping the place full ,be entertaining and ensure the pub owner makes money. Big difference between the skills I have and a karaoke singer. My skills took over 40 years to develop and I never stop learning.
7 Reply
Andrew MorleySeptember 9, 2021
How people can vote NO to this is beyond me. They're abhorrent and only to be used in an emergency situation - is my view. If those backing tracks are created by OTHER paid musicians then I guess there's a little sense in it, not much though. Music should be live, end of!
1 Reply
fbmusicianMarch 21, 2022
If you can't handle playing to backing tracks you are not that confident anyway. Don't like me playing to tracks don't come to my shows. Save the seats for those wanting to just have fun.
2 Reply
Michael BirchfieldApril 13, 2022
I’ve struggled with this for a very long time. In the 90s committed musicians were fairly easy to find. Nowadays everyone wants to be a hired gun. After performing in the gospel music genre for a number of years I found that you could be extremely professional using quality backing tracks. Now switching back to traditional country I’m not sure it will work but I’m about to find out. Professional sounding tracks all live instruments with great back up vocals. Still wish I could put a committed band together but it’s near impossible these days.
3 Reply
adamDecember 22, 2022
backing tracks replace musicians who would have otherwise had work. If you can’t afford a banjo player, you can’t afford a banjo player. People pay good money to see LIVE music. The fans and the musicians are being cheated by this bullshit. Between programmed drums and live tracks musicians are losing work. Any musician who creates tracks to be used for live tracks has turned against their own kind. If you’re a musician and this shit doesn’t enrage you, you’re not paying attention.
2 Reply
1. Robert adamsonApril 28, 2023
  Mind your business. Its my act, its my business and im not sharing my $150 with 2 other guys. To bad for you
  Reply
JoeMay 15, 2023
The issue we have is the constant of. Ring let down by people. For some reason it’s terribly hard to get people to commit to a weekly rehearsal to get to that level of thigtness that a gigging band requires. We are a 3 piece acoustic act that uses backing tracks for fiddle, piano, drums, synth, banjo, harmonica parts. Most bars and clubs around where I live only want to pay $300. So that’s a hard sell to a 7 piece band that should be getting $1000. From a customers perspective when I’m in a bar and I want to hear a song it’s fun when the song sounds similar to what you are familiar with. Some of these piano, fiddle parts are just as important as lyrics in some songs. It gives it that shine. To each his own but I like to play out and this is a way it makes it worth my while. With that being said it would be great to be in a 5-7 piece band that has all the required instruments. Good luck getting the right group of people together though 🤞
2 Reply
DannyJuly 28, 2023
I was actually having this discussion recently because I make music solo and wanna play live but I can’t afford a band and don’t wanna go through the hassle of band members. So this gives me something to consider.
3 Reply
Philip BungerMarch 9, 2026
Tech always replaces cost (or production) inefficiencies over time, the challenge is whether it is overused or simply supplementary imho. I love singing along with a track if I have time to rehearse with it, otherwise I'd rather have live keys to sing with as a decent musician can buffer any timing mistakes I might have. Playing bass guitar and trumpet, I can definitely understand the discomfort of observing the use of backing tracks, but I'm no Paul McCartney or Sting, so it is what it is. I'm always looking to pick up gigs if anyone wants backup vocals or bass that isn't pre-recorded in the States, m8.
1 Reply

Are backing tracks stealing the jobs of other musicians?