Virtual Praise Band makes accompaniment tracks infinitely flexible, allowing songs to be virtually arranged “on the fly” as they are being performed, just like playing with a real band. Individual instruments can be added or subtracted to the mix according to what your requirements are, and which, if any, players you have playing live.
1. What about a drummer – probably the hardest live part to add to an accompaniment track?
These are not a typical accompaniment track, so just like professional studio musicians, your drummer will play with our built in “click track.” With Virtual Praise Band your live drummer wears a headset or ear buds that play the click track in one ear, so he or she maintains rock solid timing for the LIVE players and with the virtual band. Other live players also have this option, but will normally play along with the rhythm provided, either by your drummer or the drummer in the software.
2. Is there a provision for us to create our own Virtual Praise Band tracks?
A tutorial on that very subject will be appearing soon, but the short answer is “yes.”
3. How hard is it to direct the band?
Simple, one-touch QWERTY keyboard commands, powered by almost any (even a laptop) compatible computer tell the band to play another chorus, bridge, verse, or the ending. If you want to just play the existing arrangement you do nothing but press play.
4. What is our financial investment to get this?
You have two options:
The first option is to pay for each track at the retail price of $14.77 each. This option will soon be implemented into our site.
The second option is the Virtual Praise Band membership of only $48.77. A membership includes the present and future availability of all multi-tracks at our lowest member pricing (currently $8.88 each). Membership payments and all Multi-track payments must be made by credit or debit card.
5. What are players and singers using for music?
Inexpensive VGA monitors may be used by live musicians and singers to display lyric charts. Optionally, these charts, along with chords are included as printable “PDF” files.
6. Can I permanently change a song arrangement if I want to?
You can move and add verses, choruses, bridges, and endings, and even perform more substantial changes, including recording new material and tracks.
7. Why are the Virtual Praise Band tracks monaural?
They are for LIVE worship. Virtually 95% of all public address systems in churches are set up in monaural (mono) so our tracks sound perfect on them. Mono is almost always the correct way to set up a PA system, as parishioners are not all sitting in an ideal stereo “sweet spot.”
8. Can we add background vocalists?
Yes, at least when they are present on the track. Just like any other instrument, you simply mute, turn up, or turn down vocals.
9. We really don’t like the sound of midi instruments. Is that what this is?
Virtual Praise Band is actual recordings of real singers and players, playing real instruments such as lead guitar, bass, drums, acoustic guitar, fiddle, organ, keys, etc.
10. How many tracks are currently available in the Virtual Praise Band format?
We are launching with about eighty (more or less), and at least 10 (minimum) new tracks are being added every month in the first year.
11. Will I still need my CCLI membership?
Yes, the public performance of songs within the context of your services is covered by your CCLI license, not your Virtual Praise Band membership.
12. May we use these tracks to make public recordings and compilation CDs?
You may use these tracks to create educational performance tracks for your worship team, but that license does not extend to recordings for public distribution, whether paid, or unpaid. Contact us about licensing fees for that purpose.
13: Is there video support?
Yes, and while most competitors charge extra (up to $12.00 per track) for that feature. Video is already included in our tracks.
14: Why do you recommend a separate hard drive for the tracks?
The drive that contains your operating system is usually already accessing the drive head multiple times per second just to keep your programs running, and to operate disk caching in Windows. For that reason music software manufacturers universally recommend having an additional “music,” or “audio” drive. Besides having your Virtual Praise Band tracks on that drive, especially if your performance is less than ideal, you may want to open your Magix software, navigate from the “File” menu (top left) to open “Program Settings.” From there access the “Folders” tab. Change the folder next to “Imports” to one you name “AudioTemp,” which you also locate on your music audio drive. Most people find everything in the program works better when the resources of the host computer are allocated to be spread out over two drives.
14: When loading certain tracks I get an error message that indicates some file is missing, but if I ignore it and continue to load it plays just fine. What gives?
What’s happened is that certain visual background elements of your track file are not in the version of Music Maker Premium edition that you are using. Sometimes you may have failed to download and install all of the ancillary file elements of the program. In any event you are correct, these files do not cripple the function of the program in any way. Simply re-save the file when you’re finished with it and the next time you open it should not miss the “missing” file.
