Click and backing tracks only in the in-ears

The principle

The computer plays click, announcements and backing tracks through separate outputs. On the console, each output arrives on its own channel. The backing tracks go to the PA and into the monitor mixes like an instrument. Click and announcements, on the other hand, go only to the monitor buses – not to the master. That keeps the room clean, and everyone adjusts the click in their own mix.

1. Plan the outputs

Decide beforehand what goes on which output of the computer. A proven layout for eight USB channels:

• 1–2: backing track in stereo – to PA and monitors
• 3: click – in-ears only
• 4: announcements (“Chorus”, “Bridge”, “2 more bars”) – in-ears only
• 5–8: individual stems, e.g. keys, backing vocals, percussion – to PA and monitors, adjustable separately

With a digital console you usually don’t need a separate audio interface for this: X32, X Air (XR18), WING, Ui24R and many others have a built-in USB audio interface that works in both directions.

2. Put the USB returns on channels

Whatever the computer outputs via USB arrives on the console as a USB or card input. Put these inputs on free channels:

• X32/M32: In the routing, put the card inputs (Card 1–8) on a block of free channels, e.g. 25–32, or on the aux inputs.
• X Air (XR18/MR18): In the inputs, set the source of the channels you want to USB.
• WING: Choose the USB inputs as the source of the channels.

Name the channels clearly – “CLICK”, “CUES”, “TRACKS L/R”. The names also appear in the band’s monitor apps.

3. Keep click and announcements out of the PA

The most important step: the click and announcement channels must not go to the master (Main LR). Pulling the fader down isn’t enough – someone will quickly push it up during the soundcheck. Remove the channel’s assignment to the master (on the X32, switch off the channel’s LR assignment).

• Pre-fader to the monitor buses: Tap the sends of click and announcements to the in-ear buses before the fader. Then they don’t depend on the channel fader (which is down anyway).
• No effects: Don’t send click and announcements to reverb or delay – otherwise they end up in the PA via the effect return after all.
• Double-check: During the soundcheck, let the click run and listen at the PA. If you can hear it there quietly, check the master assignment, effect sends and matrices.

4. Add the backing tracks

Treat the backing tracks like another instrument: to the master and into the monitor mixes of those who want to hear them. A low cut on backing vocals or keys and a sensible level during gain staging (as with any other channel) make the difference. Separate stems are handy when a room has too much bass or the backing vocals are too loud – then you adjust just that track.

5. Count-in and announcements

A count-in of one or two bars on the click gives everyone their cue. Spoken announcements before song sections (“Chorus”, “Break”) help when a song goes differently than in rehearsal or a stand-in musician is playing. Like the click, both belong only in the in-ears.

How it works with Bandimo

1. Connect the computer to the console via USB and choose the console’s audio device in Bandimo under Settings › Console & Audio.
2. Click only: In the Metronome, choose the output with the speaker button at the top left, e.g. USB output 3. The metronome takes the tempo and time signature of the active song from the setlist – so the click is right for every song automatically.
3. Click with backing tracks: In the Timeline view, upload the audio files for the song – including multitrack WAVs from your DAW, where each channel becomes its own track. Each track gets its own output, e.g. the playback on 1–2 and the stems on 5–8.
4. Turn on Click with the tracks, align the first beat with the recording (simply drag the click row horizontally) and choose a Count-in. The click runs sample-accurately with the tracks on the metronome’s output.
5. With + Cue track, place announcements at the right spots – Bandimo speaks them with the system’s speech output and mixes them onto their own output.
6. In the Monitor mix, everyone then adjusts how loud the click, announcements and tracks are in their in-ears.

The metronome is included in all packages, even Free. The timeline with backing tracks, cue and command tracks is part of Pro – command tracks also switch light, fog, MIDI patches or samples at fixed points.

Tips from practice

• The computer is now a band member: Turn off power saving and notifications, no updates right before the gig, keep the power supply plugged in. Otherwise a system sound in the middle of a song might end up straight in the in-ears.
• Click volume for the drummer first: The drummer usually needs the click much louder than everyone else – that’s exactly what separate monitor mixes are for.
• Have a plan B: Think beforehand about how you’ll keep playing if the tracks fail – for example without playback, with the drummer keeping time.
• Keep announcements short: One or two words, in good time before the section. Long sentences cover up the vocals in your ears.

In detail: Timeline: backing tracks, click, announcements and commands, Metronome and Setting up audio via USB in the user guide. Overview: Timeline & backing tracks.