Song rhythm tracks

Song Rhythm Tracks are musician's backing tracks that are composed entirely of percussion and/or drums and arranged for a song. Specifically, they do not include any harmony or melody parts. They are neither (i) traditional song backing tracks, which include harmonic accompaniment, nor (ii) traditional rhythm tracks, which are not arranged for a song.

Uses

Musicians, including singers, use these tracks to support both their practice and performance of popular song. Typical musical genres represented are pop, blues, jazz, folk and Latin, but any genre may be included that uses a constant pulse. The tracks provide higher-quality rhythmic backing due to being arranged for the song the musician plays. This has advantages over traditional (none song-arranged) rhythm tracks because the musical form of the song is followed by the rhythm.

Musicians would also use these backing tracks to practice, which was mentioned before. Guitarists would find what key the track is being played in, and play over it using either the major or minor scale to solo along, or to just jam. Vocalists would use these to practice their pitch, and their free-style. Not only would one person play along with a track, but a few people could join in. If they are lucky, they may just come up with a killer song.

Comparisons in use

Full song backing tracks provide a fuller arrangement of a song than song rhythm tracks do but they may be limited in the facilities to re-arrange / re-mix the backing track. For instance, there might be instruments included that the musicians wish to remove from the mix. Song Rhythm Tracks can be used as the basis for an arrangement generally without requirements of re-arranging the song rhythm tracks. Full song backing tracks are often used by singers as their sole accompaniment. Song rhythm tracks are used by single, or groups of, musicians that do not have a drummer.

As rhythmic backing does not include harmony, song rhythm tracks are simpler arrangements than full song backing and are arranged to the musical sectional and chorus structure of the song. These arrangements may be comparable to a drummer's accompaniment and can be used as the rhythm tracks in productions without additional arranging.

Other websites

• Alive Drumming, vendor of Song Rhythm Tracks