About the Jam Tracks

welcome to free jam tracks - brought to you by dylan de graaf and nick cresswell

nuff said - it's time to jam!

Free Jam Tracks - Guitar & Lead - Bass Players - Drummers - Meet Some Jammers - About the Jam Tracks

Music Theory - Rhythm - Songwriting - Ideas & Concepts - The Jam Tracks Clock - Free Jam Tracks Site Map

The Gear

I use a Zoom HD8 multitrack recorder. I like the zoom units cause they have touch sensitive pads along with it's
internal drum machine. So I can 'play' the drums in on the pads if I want. I do play drums but I can't record a kit easily
so I really like using the zoom unit, it's a great substitute.

No software packages are used - just the zoom unit, the zoom unit's drum machine and then me playing the instruments.

The acoustic guitar is miked with 2 Behringer mikes. I don't add any effects to the acoustic from the zoom.
The acoustic is an old Valencia guitar. Nothing special - but it's got a good sound to it.

The electric guitar is recorded straight into the zoom and I pick an effect from the zoom.
I try and pick a different effect for each track, just to mix up the sounds a little.
The electric is a Fender Tele body with Seymour Duncan pickups in it. It has a Strat neck.

The bass is recorded straight into the zoom as well but with no effects added.
The bass is a Fender Jazz Bass with S1 Switch (which is always pushed in).

The hammond is recorded straight into the zoom as well.
The hammond is an XK1.

The Recording Process

So I'll record whatever combination of the above instruments. I usually start with bass and a drum backing track or guitar and a drum backing track.

I make a basic track and go from there. I'm really into the blues so it's not hard for me to come up with some kind of progression.

I usually have an idea I'm basing the track on but by the time I record the guitar over the bass and drum track or
the bass over the guitar and drum track the song usually takes a totally new direction.
There is a bit of magic involved there, it's one of the things that makes it fun to do. I never know what'll come out next.

Once the tracks are recorded and I'm happy with them, I mix them down to the master track and there you have it.

I simply take away the bass from the full mix to give me the track for bass players.

The whole process is all pretty simple and the playing is relatively straight forward.

I have been recording jam tracks for myself to play along with for years.
My friends like jam tracks - so I figured other people would too. Thus this website exists.

contact: freejamtracks@hotmail.com

Happy Jamming.

the backing tracks & jam tracks and all other content on this website is written and recorded by dylan de graaf and nick cresswell. feel free to download backing tracks,
burn them for jam cds, pass them onto friends etc you may not use the backing tracks & jam tracks from this site for commercial gain, sale or otherwise.