Symphony X backing tracks (no guitar)

Detective Clarence Beauregard · January 19th, 2010, 05:02 PM

In the following interview at about 3:38, MJR states that to warm up before shows, he has mixes of Symphony X songs that have no guitar (for use as backing tracks). I know this is unlikely, but is there any way he would release some of these for the fans? I think it would be really cool to hear what kind of stuff is buried in there that the guitar overpowers (keyboard on PL, I'm looking at you). Also, it would be nice to have to just jam over with guitar.

You Tube

Meedleyx10 · January 19th, 2010, 09:17 PM

Vai just released a bunch of his tunes with lead guitar removed. I doubt it would be financially viable for SX to do so in CD format like Vai did, but I think selling them digitally would be a pretty feasible thing to do. I'm surprised more bands (especially those that are so guitar-oriented and have that sort of fanbase) don't do this.

Postulate · January 19th, 2010, 11:31 PM

Michael Romeo sorta looks like Adam Sandler, huh?

Ryan M. · January 20th, 2010, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Postulate

Michael Romeo sorta looks like Adam Sandler, huh?

HAHAHAHAHA!

batera · February 5th, 2010, 02:22 AM

Great idea.

They could sell a selection of backing tracks for guitar players, drummers, singers, etc. online through the website. It's 2010; the technology is there, and personally I'd pay full CD price for Symphony X albums with no drums, so I can play along.

Ryan M. · February 5th, 2010, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Postulate

Michael Romeo sorta looks like Adam Sandler, huh?

Never gets old.

sebcestbien · February 14th, 2010, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Detective Clarence Beauregard

In the following interview at about 3:38, MJR states that to warm up before shows, he has mixes of Symphony X songs that have no guitar (for use as backing tracks). I know this is unlikely, but is there any way he would release some of these for the fans? I think it would be really cool to hear what kind of stuff is buried in there that the guitar overpowers (keyboard on PL, I'm looking at you). Also, it would be nice to have to just jam over with guitar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHgg3...eature=related

Facts are I am a sweet dude and I spent all last two weeks on this very topic of symphony x backing tracks. So I figured I could register and share with you guys some info on this topic.

First you need to buy the paradise lost 5.1 special edition.
What for ? 5.1 mixes have 5 channels which is far more than 2 thus increasing the chance to have separate instruments.
Second , you need to extract the 5.1 channels of your DVD disc to mutichannels WAV files. There are numerous free tools to do that on the Web(search for DVD audio extractors).
At his point , you have your multichannels WAV files on your drive , open them with Audacity a free multichannels audio edition tool.
You will now notice that each track is mixed as :
Channel 1 : Drums 1 + Guitar 1
Channel 2 : Drums 2 + Guitar 2
Channel 3 : Bass + Vocals (and sometimes guitar solos)
Channel 4 : Synth/Piano and additional vocals (sometimes guitar solos)
Channel 5 : Synth/Piano and additional vocals

Then now the tricky part is to remove the guitar from the drums on channel 1 and 2 , and cut them from the channel 3 or 4 for the solos (and replace them with the backing guitar).
Use Noise Reduction / Manual and automatic gapping functions in audacity for that as well as some clever EQ tweaking. You might also use the vocal remover plugin to get a drumsless track that you can inject as noise profile for the noise reduction plugin.

And you should come with some quite clean backing track without the lead guitar (but with all the other instruments of course).
I have tested and it should be possible to get bassless , drumless , synth less and vocaless tracks as basically you need to remove just one instrument from the mix and you do not have more than two instruments mixed on the same channel. True multi track is hard to achieve as the track mixed with the instrument that you remove will suffer from the process (and therefore will not be truly usable for a true multitrack).
But to make your own backing track , It works damn well, I have tested this with Oculus Ex Inferni and The Serpent Kiss and I now have some niiiice guitar backing track from my 5.1 DVD with no/almost no guitar bleed and even backing guitar for the solos. The drawback is that I spent the whole week tweaking things on and on to get a good result.

Good luck , and rockkk on !

And buy this 5.1 mix , it sounds damn good and provide far more dynamics than the CD mix!

January 19th, 2010, 11:31 PM	#3 (permalink)
Postulate Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 441	Michael Romeo sorta looks like Adam Sandler, huh? __________________ Plato's spawn cold ivyed eyes Snare truth in bone and globe Harlequins coin pointless games Sneer jokes in parrot's robe Two women weep, Dame Scarlet Screen Sheds sudden theatre rain, Whilst dark in dream the Midnight Queen Knows every human pain

January 19th, 2010, 09:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
Meedleyx10 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: I'm omnipresent Posts: 2,518	Vai just released a bunch of his tunes with lead guitar removed. I doubt it would be financially viable for SX to do so in CD format like Vai did, but I think selling them digitally would be a pretty feasible thing to do. I'm surprised more bands (especially those that are so guitar-oriented and have that sort of fanbase) don't do this.

February 5th, 2010, 02:22 AM	#5 (permalink)
batera Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 125	Great idea. They could sell a selection of backing tracks for guitar players, drummers, singers, etc. online through the website. It's 2010; the technology is there, and personally I'd pay full CD price for Symphony X albums with no drums, so I can play along.