Playing With The Backing Tracks Options

[Cosmin Lupu]

Yeah I could play a couple Maiden covers for you guys no problem.

Couple of things about my covers, they are for fun for my friends and family and the very few internet friends and bulletin boards I frequent.

They are not my songs I do not have the copyright and while I `m not making any money whatsoever or selling anything I could be asked to take them down at any time.

Amount of Time spent....... Ok I was actually practicing video and tech stuff in my recording studio that was more important to me than my playing.

Look dudes, I dragged and dropped the backing track into logic.

I looked up the music and read it.

I played through it once with the backing track to get the feel for it and play my interpretation of the cover.

I recorded it on the second play though, one shot recording and I did not edit anything. Not the tracks, and not the video.

I mixed and mastered- (still learining that better)


So you are seeing the second time I ever played the songs.

The blue`s improv video that was the first take live unedited, and I can tell some of that stuff was just out of my head, If I would have spent some time on it, like writing for a client, it would be more rehearsed and perfect with much better tone and phrasing.

My own original work is unreleased and will be perfect, on soundcloud there are a couple one shot WORK IN PROGRESS stuff and live tracks.

What I`m saying is that yes striving for perfection is good, very good practice for live performance but there is a limit to how much time I wanna spend on someone else`s song.(unless it`s Maiden) I could even go back and edit everything and punch in and out to make a perfect perfect studio recording with video.

My covers I have up now are live and honest videos of me having fun and not striving for perfection.

If it's for fun and it's only the second take - you are very good indeed man I know a lot of folks, myself included that spend a lot of time until recording something decent. We are all different of course, so it's not something you can compare.

Let us know when you have more

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[Gabriel Leopardi]

Yeah I could play a couple Maiden covers for you guys no problem.

Couple of things about my covers, they are for fun for my friends and family and the very few internet friends and bulletin boards I frequent.

They are not my songs I do not have the copyright and while I `m not making any money whatsoever or selling anything I could be asked to take them down at any time.

Amount of Time spent....... Ok I was actually practicing video and tech stuff in my recording studio that was more important to me than my playing.

Look dudes, I dragged and dropped the backing track into logic.

I looked up the music and read it.

I played through it once with the backing track to get the feel for it and play my interpretation of the cover.

I recorded it on the second play though, one shot recording and I did not edit anything. Not the tracks, and not the video.

I mixed and mastered- (still learining that better)


So you are seeing the second time I ever played the songs.

The blue`s improv video that was the first take live unedited, and I can tell some of that stuff was just out of my head, If I would have spent some time on it, like writing for a client, it would be more rehearsed and perfect with much better tone and phrasing.

My own original work is unreleased and will be perfect, on soundcloud there are a couple one shot WORK IN PROGRESS stuff and live tracks.

What I`m saying is that yes striving for perfection is good, very good practice for live performance but there is a limit to how much time I wanna spend on someone else`s song.(unless it`s Maiden) I could even go back and edit everything and punch in and out to make a perfect perfect studio recording with video.

My covers I have up now are live and honest videos of me having fun and not striving for perfection.

I see mate! I loved that exception "unless is Maiden".

Thanks for sharing the details on how you worked on this videos, I'm sure that this will encourage some other students here to turn on their cameras to record some covers.

And let me say that now I'm anxious to hear your original stuff! what style is it?

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[Britishampfan]

Thank you guys!

What is my style? I don`t know. I have been primarily a lead guitarist for lots of stuff. I wanted to be a session man so I learned a lot of theory and broad based stuff, It is true that I did not focus on covers, just theory and writing originals.

I am a metalhead, but I have always loved all kinds of music and played in different bands. I am sure that my influences bleed through from music style to style. I like heavy. Melodic. I like singing and screaming and yelling more than cookie monster vocals. When I was young metal was the only thing going that I like outside of some classic rock.

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This post has been edited by Britishampfan: Jun 17 2014, 10:30 PM

[Cosmin Lupu]

Thank you guys!

What is my style? I don`t know. I have been primarily a lead guitarist for lots of stuff. I wanted to be a session man so I learned a lot of theory and broad based stuff, It is true that I did not focus on covers, just theory and writing originals.

I am a metalhead, but I have always loved all kinds of music and played in different bands. I am sure that my influences bleed through from music style to style. I like heavy. Melodic. I like singing and screaming and yelling more than cookie monster vocals. When I was young metal was the only thing going that I like outside of some classic rock.

Heh! I was curious man - how are you faring with improvisation? Since you know theory and you like lead playing, I am betting that the answer should be an interesting one

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[Britishampfan]

I am not sure what you mean? That`s what I`ve practiced all these years to some degree. As a kid yeah I would solo major, minor, mode and run the scales for hours over a chord or a set of cords and imprint all the different patterns. Much like martial arts, over time I don`t have to think about it, I want a mood and it happens because I practiced so much over the years.

I wanted to be able to hear a piece of music, not know anything about it and write or play a ripping solo over it. I guess I decided that when I was young and did`nt know anything that this is what professional guitar players did just play anything at any time.

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[Cosmin Lupu]

I am not sure what you mean? That`s what I`ve practiced all these years to some degree. As a kid yeah I would solo major, minor, mode and run the scales for hours over a chord or a set of cords and imprint all the different patterns. Much like martial arts, over time I don`t have to think about it, I want a mood and it happens because I practiced so much over the years.

I wanted to be able to hear a piece of music, not know anything about it and write or play a ripping solo over it. I guess I decided that when I was young and did`nt know anything that this is what professional guitar players did just play anything at any time.

Ah! Amazing comparison with the martial arts There is that point in which there is no mind involved and everything happens as a natural reaction to a certain impulse - in our case, hearing a certain backing track and instinctively knowing what to play over it and making it sound natural and amazing.

Well, yeah that's pretty much what I was curious about - do you have any leads recorded, as improvisation or composed solo that we can hear?

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[Britishampfan]

Ah! Amazing comparison with the martial arts There is that point in which there is no mind involved and everything happens as a natural reaction to a certain impulse - in our case, hearing a certain backing track and instinctively knowing what to play over it and making it sound natural and amazing.

Well, yeah that's pretty much what I was curious about - do you have any leads recorded, as improvisation or composed solo that we can hear?

I only have two improv test tracks up on my soundcloud the acoustic guitar one and the Les Paul and Marshall those are both off the top of my head one shot tracks unedited.

The live band tracks Like Hey Joe are Improv leads with a fuzz that I love but not able to get it to feedback the same way again and at like 6:00 I love my lead on that but pretty shreddy for that type of song. The other guitar player starts the song and I come in at like 15 seconds in with the Marshall. His fender guitar sound did not pick up well, it`s kinda bright and thin but it all works somehow.

Do I have lots of original stuff in the works? Yes Do I have any previous metal band recordings up? No


I`m having a hard time finding good sounding Maiden backing tracks I wanted to do Powerslave and Phantom of the Opera for you guys when I have time.

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This post has been edited by Britishampfan: Jun 22 2014, 06:07 PM

[Cosmin Lupu]

Mate... that acoustic track You made my day!

I think it has an amazing feeling and sound - is it the only acoustic track you have?

What tuning have you used and what inspired you to come up with it? I am always curious to know what sort of idea/feeling was there to inspire such a beautiful piece

As a downside, it's a bit lengthy and due to it's non-directional nature (which in this case is something very nice) it would be great if you would compile the parts and compress them into a shorter version.

I reminds me of Mattias Eklundh's Time to Breathe - it has the same floating manner - by that I mean that it keeps the listener into the same state, relaxing the mind



So basically this is my only suggestion in respect to a possible change

I like the other composition - some sun, desert and laid back blues rock atmosphere!

This one could use some dynamics in it I think - by that I mean;

- some rhythm changes - different formulas and separating the various parts in the piece will add a lot of life to the song!
- more dynamic phrases - you tend to keep the same pace with the lead lines and that could shift the listener's attention. Why not implement some more note lengths and breaks?

As you said, these are ideas, but I think they can turn up into great tunes if you focus on them! What say you?

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[Gabriel Leopardi]

Ah! Amazing comparison with the martial arts There is that point in which there is no mind involved and everything happens as a natural reaction to a certain impulse - in our case, hearing a certain backing track and instinctively knowing what to play over it and making it sound natural and amazing.

Well, yeah that's pretty much what I was curious about - do you have any leads recorded, as improvisation or composed solo that we can hear?

This happens to me every time that I'm not studying or practicing. When I decide to jam over a song, most of the times I honestly don't think on the scale that I'm playing. I just play combination of notes (musical phrases) that my mind says that will sound cool at that moment.
It's beautiful when this happens, and it's cool when I'm with anybody else and he says, what scale are you playing? and the answer is, I don't know, let me check it.

I only have two improv test tracks up on my soundcloud the acoustic guitar one and the Les Paul and Marshall those are both off the top of my head one shot tracks unedited.

The live band tracks Like Hey Joe are Improv leads with a fuzz that I love but not able to get it to feedback the same way again and at like 6:00 I love my lead on that but pretty shreddy for that type of song. The other guitar player starts the song and I come in at like 15 seconds in with the Marshall. His fender guitar sound did not pick up well, it`s kinda bright and thin but it all works somehow.

Do I have lots of original stuff in the works? Yes Do I have any previous metal band recordings up? No

I`m having a hard time finding good sounding Maiden backing tracks I wanted to do Powerslave and Phantom of the Opera for you guys when I have time.

More Maiden covers would be great! Have you though on recording the backing by your own? Using Reaper, or any other daw with VSTi instruments? It could be a good training for recording, writing midi and mixing. At the same time, I think that re-recording the whole backing and guitar is the most complete analysis that we can do of a song. It's awesome how much you understand from them during this process.

I know that the track will lack the vocals, but maybe you could emulate it with your guitar.

A bit our of topic (or maybe not), have you seen this video?

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[Britishampfan]

Thank you Cosmin, I think you are spot on with the improv tracks, there are some cool ideas that just came out of my head but it defiantly needs to be organized, shortened and refined. I wanted the drone and actually I posted what that song was about on another thread. I also wanted it to sound like two guitars even though it`s just a single track.

The blues rock one I played track one over the drum beat and then track two and then the bass last. All one shot recordings which was cool because it was an excersize that my friend was teaching me, to trust my playing and ears. The harmonized lead at the end was so cool because I was on the wrong note but bent it to work and the intervals are odd.

I have a few original recordings of songs that I wrote and my friend that is an orchestra first chair violinist played improv over two of my songs. He was on the Metallica video playing, He loved that. We wanted to do more but he is always on a plane to somewhere and I think he plays for San Francisco or LA orchestra now.

He really helped my head playing live so much psychology to playing at that level and suggested that I just start getting my music out there mistakes and all because I am such a perfectionist. He really helped my live performance skills. He used to tell me, it has to come natural, feel natural and easy, comfortable, don`t fight it and be ok with the possiblility of playing badly.

I loved both of the videos very cool stuff and excellent playing. I have to run for now cya later

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This post has been edited by Britishampfan: Jun 23 2014, 11:17 PM

[Cosmin Lupu]

Hehe! So, I knew there's more My best friend and band mate is also a perfectionist and sometimes, instead of letting go and feeling great onstage in order to let the music get to the people, he locks himself up 'because I have to play perfect'.

He is a bit mad on me because I am quite the opposite onstage, I go nutters and turn into a stage monkey, run around and communicate with the audience. That's what a live show is all about! Get the message out there!

Of course, we all have to find a balance between playing a solid gig and entertaining the crowd, but if we fall too much in either of the two halves, it can only be bad

I was thinking that it would be a great idea to take these two existing tracks and start working on the details and transforming them into full fledged songs. I think that establishing a structure is pretty much the first thing to do here What say you?

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[Britishampfan]

LOL, I have learned how to ham it up and go wild on the easy parts and look sullen and introspective during my solos. LOL

Generally I like to be loose and have a good time, But I have played big shows where I am just so nervous for the first song and feel better after that. For solos I like to step up into the bright hot lights, deliver and then step back to play with the band. Leaving the front man to deal with "entertaining" the crowd. LOL


Yeah man I am working on the final versions of both those improv songs cough cough, still.

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This post has been edited by Britishampfan: Jun 26 2014, 03:50 AM

[Cosmin Lupu]

LOL, I have learned how to ham it up and go wild on the easy parts and look sullen and introspective during my solos. LOL

Generally I like to be loose and have a good time, But I have played big shows where I am just so nervous for the first song and feel better after that. For solos I like to step up into the bright hot lights, deliver and then step back to play with the band. Leaving the front man to deal with "entertaining" the crowd. LOL


Yeah man I am working on the final versions of both those improv songs cough cough, still.

Sounds like a fair game you got there, mate I used to play in a reggae-metal band in which, we were all pretty much stage monkeys. The music had such a groove and nature that it made you dance. It was the whole catch and we had to move with it too, because that's what we felt. That period of two years, taught me how to express things onstage with my whole being and forget about all sorts of inhibitions like 'oh my, am I looking silly doing that?'

Looking forward to hear what you will cook up and if you have other recordings, please do share

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