Additional Information
How to access the Digital Download Accompaniment Tracks
After you complete your purchase, you will receive an order confirmation email containing a link to download the files. You can also access your downloads by logging into your account on this website and selecting the "Downloads" tab under "My Account." When you click on the download link, your files will immediately begin downloading. We strongly suggest that you use a computer rather than a tablet or smartphone for this download. The download link will expire 6 months after purchase, but the master files that you have downloaded to your hard drive will never expire.
Inside the main folder you will find two sub-folders: one containing the .mp3 files for the Split-Track version of the accompaniment, and another containing the instrumental-only Stereo version. You may use whichever works best for you. The Stereo version contains no vocals at all.
What You May and May Not Do
- You may save these files to your computer hard drive indefinitely.
- You may play them back from that computer.
- You may also transfer them to another digital device for playback (iPad, mp3 player, etc.).
- You may import them into a production program like ProPresenter. You may burn a single CD to play from.
- You may not make multiple copies.
- You may not post the tracks on a website, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc. for others to access.
- You may not share in any way with the kids or their families. We have reproducible forms of our Demo Recordings which may be purchased on a per-copy basis to share with performers to help them learn, but we do not allow sharing of the Accompaniment Tracks.
- You may not share these in any way with other individuals or groups. They will need to purchase their own. You should also not decide, after performing the musical, to give or sell the CD that you burned to another group. If you somehow lose the files, you may return to our website and download the files again (one of the advantages of purchasing the downloadable version!).
Split-Track Feature
The Split-Track files make special use of the left and right stereo channels of the recording. When played back in a “normal” stereo setup, you will hear only the instruments coming from the left speaker, and group vocals only (no solos) coming from the right speaker. There is no spoken dialog. The primary purpose of the Split-Track mix is to provide you with the option of independently controlling the volume of the vocals as compared to the instruments. How you accomplish this will depend on your actual playback setup. Whether with the left/right balance knob on a “boombox,” or using the faders on a mixing board in an auditorium sound system where the left channel is hooked up to one input and the right channel is hooked up to a separate input, or using the sound output control on a computer to fade left or right, if you are able to independently control the volume of the left and right stereo output, then you can raise, lower, and even eliminate the pre-recorded vocals. Why would you do this? Many people want their kids to hear the pre-recorded vocals through monitor speakers for support, but the audience to hear only “live” vocals through the main audience feed. This can be accomplished with the sound board as long as left and right outputs are fed to separate channels with independent fader controls. Others want to include just enough pre-recorded vocals in the mix to provide support to the live singers, but not to be particularly discernible to the audience. This can be accomplished in the same way with the sound board, but may also be accomplished by controlling the left/right output in the Sound Preferences of a computer being used for playback. Some want to use the vocals in rehearsals, but slowly “wean the singers off” over time. If there is a song with heavy choreography, the pre-recorded vocals may be needed more than on other songs, so the ability to control the relative volume is desirable. This can be accomplished with a sound board, or the computer Sound Preferences, or a boombox balance knob.