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Post subject: Equipment for isolating tracks / vocals for practice
Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 9:28 am
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Aspiring Musician
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I am starting to practice with two other guys (drummer and guitarist) but none of us sing. I would like to try and figure out a way to play music with only the lyrics so we can play along. Also, would like to do the same but only eliminate the guitar track for when I practice alone.

Aside from playing music through a stereo is there any recommended (economical) equipment you use to isolate lyrics and or eliminate the guitar track to practice along with?


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Post subject: Re: Equipment for isolating tracks / vocals for practice
Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 12:03 pm
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Are you talking about recorded music?
Like a song on a CD or MP3 file?
If so, then no.
In order to isolate a track you must have access to the individual recorded tracks.
Once a song mastered, mixed down and exported for general listening there is no access to tracks.

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Post subject: Re: Equipment for isolating tracks / vocals for practice
Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 12:11 pm
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I used to have software that removes the vocal track. I don’t remember what is was called, this was a long time ago. But it did work pretty well on some tracks, not so well on others.

I believe the way it works is by duplicating the vocal and then playing it over the original recording so the vocal goes out of phase and ‘disappears’. I guess it might be possible to do the same with the guitar track, but it’s unlikely to work well for all recordings.


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Post subject: Re: Equipment for isolating tracks / vocals for practice
Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 2:41 pm
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ghost_of_strings wrote:
I used to have software that removes the vocal track. I don’t remember what is was called, this was a long time ago. But it did work pretty well on some tracks, not so well on others.

I believe the way it works is by duplicating the vocal and then playing it over the original recording so the vocal goes out of phase and ‘disappears’. I guess it might be possible to do the same with the guitar track, but it’s unlikely to work well for all recordings.


That works on the principle that most vocals are centered in the stereo image (are identical in both the right and left channel) while most instruments are panned either left or left.

It simple puts the left channel out of phase with the right channel. Anything that's identical on both channels gets cancelled out, anything that's different in the 2 channels remains.

Since most instruments aren't panned hard left or hard right they typically get partially cancelled so you have to turn up the overall volume a bit.

But often the vocals aren't dead center. Especially when there are two or more singers. On a Crosby Stills and Nash recording, one of the singers might disappear but you'd hear the other two.

And on some instrumentals the lead instrument is the thing that's centered. So you might lose the sax or the lead guitarist.


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Post subject: Re: Equipment for isolating tracks / vocals for practice
Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 2:52 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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BMW-KTM wrote:
Are you talking about recorded music?
Like a song on a CD or MP3 file?
If so, then no.
In order to isolate a track you must have access to the individual recorded tracks.
Once a song mastered, mixed down and exported for general listening there is no access to tracks.


Yes I was planning on going the route of CDs and MP3s. Sounds like one of the other guys are just going to have to sing. :)


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Post subject: Re: Equipment for isolating tracks / vocals for practice
Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 3:03 pm
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Professional Musician
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Location: Denver, CO, USA
On youtube you can sometimes find isolated tracks. But that's where someone had access to the original multitrack recordings and simply turned down everything but the highlighted track.

The NSA probably has a supercomputer running sophisticated software that can isolate voices from background noise. That software would consider instruments to be background noise.

You can buy recordings where nameless studio musicians play famous songs, leaving out an instrument so you can play along. Specialized backing tracks. But limited selections, and unless you're trying to practice all of the lead guitar parts from "Dark Side of the Moon" or some other particular album, you'd have to buy lots of CD's to get all the songs you want.

(I don't do streaming music -- it's possible you can buy and download individual tracks.)


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Post subject: Re: Equipment for isolating tracks / vocals for practice
Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2017 4:25 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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I did find most of the isolated tracks on youtube. I think this may be the best way to go.


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