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Musical Improv Backing Tracks

Addicted to hoedowns? Terrible at rhyming? Terrified of singing a chorus?  Never fear because the answer to all your problems is right here with our new Improv Backing Tracks.  Now you can practise in the safety of your own home and without your musician giving you dirty looks.  Stick it on in the car and just improvise along to "Hush Little Baby" for hours!    All the tracks are played by me (Joe).  If you there is anything you are desperate for the backing music to practise with then just send us an email at [email protected]. Happy singalonging!
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Download Musical Improv Backing Tracks

All these backing tracks are currently free.  Please get in touch if you plan to use them in a public show but otherwise just stick them on in the shower and have a bluesy scrub down.
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Musical 8 Things
12 Bar Blues
Hush Little Baby
Hoedown
Happy Tagline Song
Sad Tagline Song
Rocky Verse Chorus Song
Quirky Verse Chorus Song
Love is Like-(gentle) 
Love is Like-(funky)
Charity Song
123454321-5-1
I could be something you want!
Da Doo Ron Ron
Sondheim Style Song
So could I
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Play Musical Improv Backing Tracks

If you have some kind of aversion to downloading stuff then never fear.  You can play the backing tracks right here.

Musical 8 things

Intro (4 bars) then four verses of 8 things.  What? You don't know 8 things? You haven't lived.  Instead of explaining it in words, come to one of our workshops!  Find out how to play Musical 8 things on our Musical Improv Games - Musical 8 things page.

12 Bar Blues (in E Minor)

Intro (16 secs) followed by four verses of a 12-bar blues then an outro.  This structure is best suited to a 3-line verse.  Find out how to sing an Improvised Blues on our Musical Improv Games - Blues page.

Hush Little Baby

A comedy classic singing game.  Play on your own or with friends but be careful, you might not be able to control what comes out! Find out how to play Hush Little Baby on our Musical Improv Games - Hush Little Baby page.

Hoedown

Want to sing a Hoedown?  Just click on this track
Know that if you go wrong, I have got your back
If you don't know how to, don't get in a rage
​Click our Musical Improv Games - Hoedown page.

Sad Tagline Song

This song has a 20 second intro, then two slow four-line verses (20s then 55s).  The bridge (1:26) has a more positive feel and is in the major key.  The final verse (1:56) returns to the slow sad feel, and the last line is lengthened slightly for the end.
This structure and feel would be ideal for a "tagline duet", which is where the final verse is shared by the two singers.  For extra style, they can even sing their original verses over the top of each other! Read more on how to sing a tagline song on our Musical Improv Games - Tagline Song page

Happy Tagline Song

This song has a 13 second intro, then two verses (13s then 38s).  The bridge (1:03) is slower and more downbeat.  Then there are two more verses (1:29 and 1:58).  Beware the final verse as some of the chords have changed - I like to keep you on your toes!
Like the 'sad tagline song' this could be used for a slightly more upbeat or comedic split scene tagline duet.
​
Read more on how to sing a tagline song on our Musical Improv Games - Tagline Song page

Rocky Verse Chorus Song

Everybody loves a good singalong and nailing an improvised chorus is a great way to get the audience singing your songs on their way out.  Keep your choruses simple and repeatable and then everyone on stage can join in for that  show-stopping song.
Here is the structure:
0-7s          Intro
8s             Verse 1
32s           Verse 2
57s          Chorus1
1:22        Verse 3
1:47        Chorus 2
2:11        Keychange into Chorus 3
2:36         Big finish!
Read more on how to improvise a verse chorus song on our Musical Improv Games - Verse Chorus Song page

Quirky Verse Chorus Song

This is a really tricky one to sing over so good luck!  The rhythm is syncopated and strong and the final choruses contain a key change and an elongated finish.  If you can nail this one then you can sing over anything.
Here is the structure
0-12s        Intro
12s            Verse 1
35s            Verse 2
57s            Chorus 1
1:19           Verse 3
1:41           Chorus 2
1:52           Key Change! (mid-chorus)
2:03          Chorus 3 and end
​Read more on how to improvise a verse chorus song on our 
Musical Improv Games - Verse Chorus Song page

Sondheim Style Song

An improvised piano track in the style of the great composer Stephen Sondheim.  Now this really is a challenge to sing over as there is no leeway between the musician and the performer as would usually help on stage.  Here are the timings:
0-34s            Intro (moody)
34-1:50        Freeform verse
1:52-2:08     Interlude
2:09-2:29     Freeform verse
2:29-2:55    Interlude
2:55-3:48     Freeform verse 
3:48--4:20    Ending (slowing and fading)           ​

123454321-5-1

A scale accompaniment that rises by a semitone until you are at the top of your range.  Well I'm guessing, but if you are a soprano, that's a top F at the end, or go for the top Bb if you dare.   Here are the timings:
0-3s              Introductory chord (D7 leading to G)
4s-end         The others
If you want to find out how to sing this exercise then visit our Musical Improv Games - 123454321 page         ​

Charity Song

Everyone loves a good Charity Song.  Recent worthy causes have included Netflix for Squirrels (Nutflix) and more pockets for women's clothes.   Here are the timings:
0-28s            Bed for spoken Introduction
29s-55s        First Verse
56s-1:21      Second Verse
1:22-1:48     Chorus
1:49-2:13    Third Verse
2:14-2:39     Fourth Verse
2:40-3:06     Chorus
3:06-3:32     Breakdown (rap or dance or anything really)
3:33-3:56     Chorus
3:57-4:18     Key change and Chorus
4:18-end      Slow finish - time for some Mariah Carey vocals.
If you want to find out more about how to sing this song then visit our Musical Improv Games - Charity Song page         ​

Do Doo Ron Ron

A standard swingy beat with the Da Doo Ron Ron chords on piano.  I did 9 verses because I did.   Here are the timings:
0-34s            Intro (moody)
7-35s            Verse 1
36s-4:18      Verse 2-9
4:19-end      Slow finish
Find out how we improvise this song on our Musical Improv Games - Da Doo Ron Ron page
         ​

Love is Like

There are two versions of this backing track as sometimes you have that soft gentle kinda love, and sometime you have that funky love.  Right? Here are the timings.
0-7s              Introduction
8-13s            First two lines (set up)
13-18s         Rhyming lines (complete)
19-23s         Next two lines (set up)
​23-28s         Rhyming lines (complete)
If you want to find out how to sing this exercise then visit our Musical Improv Games - Love is Like page         ​

More Musical Improv Backing Tracks coming soon

We here at Open Your Mouth and Sing try to keep our content fresh and relevant so if you have a Musical Improv Backing Track that you would really like to see here then please let us know.  For some more ideas on Musical improv Games or Singing Games you can visit our Musical Improv Games page.
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