Backing track software for PC (mainstage alternative)

[jonwade92]

So we're switching over our backing track/click rig from a POS macbook to a nicer PC and we need something like mainstage that'll run on PC. We basically had a concert set up for each set that had our songs in it that we could arrow down through, each having 2-5 tracks of click and various backing tracks like orchestras and choirs, etc. I want to use something fairly similar because of how easy it is to set up and run and it's pretty foolproof for our drummer. We could use a DAW but I'm iffy on the stability and flow of things (we have an intro track we run while setting up that loops and we can fade out whenever we're ready. A DAW would make that kinda hard to do)

Any suggestions are much appreciated

 

[JimmyBlind]

Most stable set up we ever used for a live instrument and synth based band was using a korg D888. You could bounce produced backing track audio to the unit along with a bounce of a click track to another output. Drummer controlled everything along with isolated click. Solid state. Totally stable. No OS or multitasking. Just basic single purpose firmware. Never had any issues. Even bounced, from a project, a virtual bass player audio track to the unit and out to a bass rig when he couldn't make a show once.
Honestly only ever started having issues when we started using real time processing and using controllers/macs instead of synths.
We used to produce tunes in the studio and replicate them live using exactly the same real time software synths. All good until the Mac shits itself. And it will I'm afraid. I don't want to have to think about turning airport off etc before a show.

All of our best sounds and stability definitely came from using single purpose instruments into their own channel in the desk. We just made sure that any non-live elements from the korg were minimal and well produced and mixed.

 

[jonwade92]

hmm, that'll be something we need to get then. Sounds way more reliable. Unfortunately we're redoing our entire live rig for wireless and using all rack processors instead of amps so we can just roll out 1 roadcase with a mixer instead of all of our amps and having to trust shitty engineers to do our monitors haha. For the time being I'm still gonna need something to run for backing tracks off of the PC

 

[JimmyBlind]

i'd look into it. It might not be the best thing for you though. We had a formula that worked for us where we wrote, produced and structured tunes in the studio and then arranged them live with analog gear. Anything we couldn't play live we just bounced to the korg. It held everything together but we could still carry a song if it ever flopped, which it never did, and our standalone rigs weren't at the mercy of a poor system and engineer. Certainly the more you arrange live and direct the better.
It's purpose was entirely for integrating a count-in click and backing track. Everything else was typical valve rig guitar, bass, drums back line and standalone synths.
I'm not really an ambassador for all digital setups tbh. I understand band logistics are a pain in the hole though.