Many guitarists enjoy playing along with background tracks to practice, perform, or simply have fun. A common question arises: can you play these backing tracks through your guitar amplifier? The answer is yes, and it can be simpler than you think. This guide explores an easy method to combine your guitar and background tracks using a single amplifier, ensuring a convenient and unified sound.
While some musicians prefer separate setups for their guitar and backing tracks, using your guitar amp to handle both can streamline your setup and create a more cohesive sound. This approach is particularly effective if you aim for a focused sound source, ideal for practice sessions or small performances. The key is to input your backing track into a clean channel or a point in your amp’s signal path that bypasses your guitar effects, allowing for a clear and uncolored playback of your tracks.
The Fender ABY Pedal: Your Simple Solution
For this setup, you won’t need complex mixers or intricate routing. A simple and effective tool is the Fender ABY pedal. This pedal, readily available and affordable, acts as a signal splitter and combiner. It features two inputs (A and B) and allows you to direct the signal to output A, output B, or both A and B simultaneously.
Fender ABY Pedal for Guitar and Background Tracks: A simple solution to play guitar with backing tracks through a single amplifier.
Being a passive device, the ABY pedal is incredibly versatile. It can function in reverse, acting as two inputs into one output, or as one input split into two outputs. While some models include LEDs powered by a 9-volt adapter for visual indication, these are optional and the pedal functions perfectly even without power.
Setting Up Your Background Tracks with the ABY Pedal
Here’s how to use the Fender ABY pedal to play background tracks through your guitar amp:
- Connect Your Guitar to Input A: Plug your guitar directly into input A of the ABY pedal.
- Connect Your Backing Track Source to Input B: Connect the line output of your device playing background tracks (e.g., smartphone, laptop, MP3 player) to input B of the ABY pedal. Important: Ensure you are using a line output or headphone output at a reasonable volume, not a speaker output.
- Connect the ABY Pedal Output to Your Amp: Connect the output of the ABY pedal to the clean input of your guitar amplifier. This is usually the standard guitar input jack, especially if you are using the clean channel of your amp.
- Select A+B Output: Engage the ABY pedal to select the A+B output option. This will send both your guitar signal (from input A) and your background track signal (from input B) to your amplifier simultaneously.
- Adjust Volumes: Balance the volume of your guitar and the background track using your guitar’s volume knob and the volume control on your backing track source device. Fine-tune until you achieve a comfortable mix where both are clearly audible.
For guitarists who primarily use the driven channels of their amplifiers, or those with amps featuring an effects loop, there’s an alternative connection method:
-
Effects Loop Insert (If Available): If your amplifier has an effects loop with an insert point (send and return), you can connect the output of the ABY pedal to the “return” jack of your effects loop. This often bypasses the preamp section of your amplifier, sending the combined signal directly to the power amp stage, which can be cleaner and avoid unwanted coloration from your amp’s preamp.
-
Modeling Amps: If you use a modeling amplifier, check if the effects loop return is positioned after the amp modeling section but before the power amp. This ensures that the backing track is not processed by the amp models and remains clean, while your guitar tone is shaped by the amp’s modeling capabilities.
Diagram showing two methods to connect a guitar and backing track device to a guitar amplifier using an ABY pedal: Direct Input and Effects Loop Insert.
Important Considerations
- Impedance Matching: As the ABY pedal is passive, it’s crucial to connect input B (backing track source) to a high impedance output like a line out or headphone out. Avoid connecting to low impedance outputs like speaker outputs, as this can negatively impact the signal, particularly when using the A+B setting, potentially reducing the guitar signal significantly.
- Volume Balancing: Since there are no mixing knobs on the ABY pedal itself, volume balancing relies on the output volume of your backing track device and your guitar’s volume control. Start with low volumes and gradually increase to find the ideal mix.
Conclusion
Using an ABY pedal is a straightforward and cost-effective way to play background tracks through your guitar amplifier. It eliminates the need for complex mixing equipment and allows you to enjoy a unified sound source for practice and performance. Whether you are using the clean input or experimenting with the effects loop, this method offers a simple solution to integrate background tracks into your guitar playing experience. Experiment with these setups to discover the best approach for your equipment and playing style, and enjoy the convenience of playing along with your favorite background tracks through your trusted guitar amplifier.
