I have bought a few backing track CDs over the years and have got some off the internet. In my experience, very few if any were of a quality that were usable for anything other than to practice to. Some of them perhaps could have been more useful if they came with all the separate tracks. I made a few backing tracks live in a studio that fit my needs at considerable cost.
Where can I buy backing tracks with all the tracks separated? Does this even exist? If they do exist is there any choice as to format? MP3, WMA, Wave
With the proliferation of DAWs and the ability to save song projects in different formats this is certainly a basic functions of most modern DAWs. Export from Sonar to Pro Tools to Reaper and a zillion other DAWs for example is standard stuff.
I do not believe I am the only person who has wished for backing tracks in this form.
Got ideas?

No ideas here I'm afraid Billy... Perhaps because I create all my own stuff anyway so I've never thought of buying pre-recorded backing tracks.
 
I think someone posted something in the Sonar forum regarding remixing, and there was an interesting link that sent you to a site that specialises in storing multi-track wave files for complete projects. And there was allsorts there, classical, jazz, electronica, rock... the whole gamut from what I could see.
 
I'll see if I can find that link... You nevfer know, there may be something there you can use, and it was all free...
 
cheers
 
andy
 
edit:-
 
This link
 
http://www.cambridge-mt.com/ms-mtk.htm
 
was posted by mudgel in this topic
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3239176
 
 

In the 90s I used to think that all the "remixing" that was being done by rappers and DJs and "producers" was nothing more than them getting hold of a stereo final mix of somebody's song, cutting it up and putting it back together in a different order and applying radical EQ, reverb, delay and limiting to make it sound different from the original -- in most cases, more like a dance track.
 
But now it sounds like these remixers are actually working from the original multitracks, so somebody must be giving that stuff to them. Which means it's out there somewhere.
 
Also, I think there are MIDI backing tracks floating around for free. Of course, those won't have background vocals, and the instruments will only be as good as the libraries you have on your system, and some of that MIDI stuff is pretty lame (think Lawrence Welk), but it's a start.
 
Best of luck!

Yes, there is a website that sells backing tracks, and of pretty good quality too. They can be found at
http://karaoke-version.com
They have a vast library of all sorts able to be downloaded in mp3 format. All their songs can be previewed in their online mixer. After you pay, the song is displayed with individual tracks, which you can mix online before you download. You then download your mix as a stereo mp3 track.
 
However, you are able to mute individual tracks in the mix, leaving just the track you desire, and then download it. If you do this to all the tracks individually you then have all tracks downloaded and can then import them to your DAW for final mixing.
 
The process is rather time consuming and the files are largish, because in effect, you are downloading the entire song multiple times with all tracks muted, bar the one you want. You then assemble them in your DAW.
 
The songs in there library are pretty much true to the originals and are played on real instruments, complete with lead and backing vocals and certainly good enough to use in live performance. Just insert yourself.
 
Hope this helps.
 

Larry Jones
...there are MIDI backing tracks floating around for free... ...some of that MIDI stuff is pretty lame...but it's a start.

 
Indeed. Piano chords with all the notes hitting together exactly on the beat with the same velocity can sound tiresome. But spending some time tweaking the positions and velocities can be fruitful and can turn them into something more convincing. I would only ever bother with the keyboards, drums and percussion parts though. Instruments such as guitar or sax in these midi files never sound good.

Two come to mind.
 
Drums on Demand has their (loop) song construction kits and My Co-Writer.
 
http://www.drumsondemand.com/collections/band-on-demand or
http://www.drumsondemand.com/collections/my-co-writer-backing-tracks
 
PG Music has Band-in-a-Box which now has more than 2,200 hours of audio recorded by named session musicians.
http://www.pgmusic.com/index.html

Band-in-a-Box by PG Music
http://www.pgmusic.com/
 
Band on Demand & My Co-Writer series by Drums On Demand
http://www.drumsondemand.com/collections/band-on-demand or http://www.drumsondemand.com/collections/my-co-writer-backing-tracks