10 YEARS OF PLAYBACK
By Joshua Taliaferro, Social Media & Copywriting Associate for MultiTracks.com
In 2006, MultiTracks.com embarked on a remarkable journey, led by our founder, Phillip Edwards, who sought to revolutionize the way worship music was distributed to Worship Leaders and experienced in a Sunday service.
A few years into that journey, Phillip sketched onto a napkin the blueprint for a simple and intuitive app that opened the door for Worship Leaders to run MultiTracks without the need of complicated audio software. Several months later, Playback was born.
As we stand in the year 2023, we reflect on the incredible innovations and strides we've made in serving the greater worship community through our flagship product, Playback.
The journey of Playback began with a simple yet groundbreaking idea: to provide churches and musicians with the tools they needed to enhance their worship experience. What did this look like? It was simple really: you should be able to harness the power of the gear you already have! So we introduced the concept of Playback, an iOS-based MultiTrack player. Through the years, Playback has never ceased to innovate. Because Worship Leaders have never stopped exploring new ways to grow, we believe we shouldn’t either. Our goal has always been to innovate alongside you and provide all the tools we can to make your job easier.
Here is a brief look back at all the years and changes we’ve made.
2013: Playback Launches in the App Store
In 2013, we took a monumental step by launching Playback in the App Store. This marked the beginning of a new era for worship musicians, offering a user-friendly interface for running click and guide tracks during live performances.
2014: Playback Pro and MIDI Control
The subsequent year, we unveiled Playback Pro, featuring MIDI control and Live Looping Song Sections. This innovation allowed for greater creative freedom during worship, enhancing the live music experience.
2015 - 2016: Playback Premium, Infinite Loop, and Cloud Pro
2015 saw the birth of Playback Premium, raising the bar with the introduction of Infinite Loop and MultiOuts. Worship Leaders could now customize their tracks like never before, fostering a deeper connection with their congregation through music. With the launch of Cloud Pro in 2016, users gained the ability to add song sections for MultiTracks Cloud content and even upload their own content, paving the way for a more personalized worship experience.
2017 - 2018: Playback Rentals Subscription and a Completely New Design
We introduced Playback Rentals Subscription in 2017, making it the most affordable way to use MultiTracks. This innovation opened doors for more worship teams to access our resources. In 2018, Playback underwent a major transformation, introducing Ambient Pads and enabling users to change key and tempo for any song in their setlist. This streamlined the worship planning process.
2019 – 2020: The year of MIDI
MIDI Out was released in 2019, giving users the ability to control ProPresenter and lighting cues, synchronizing the visual and musical aspects of worship. Despite a worldwide pandemic, the year 2020 brought a significant development: the addition of MIDI Cues. Now, users can cue instrument patch changes, song-specific patches, and Kemper profiles, elevating the precision of live performances. We sought to help Worship Leaders across the globe navigate the trying times together.
2021: Playback for Mac and Pad Player
In 2021, we expanded our horizons with the launch of Playback for Mac and Pad Player, enabling independent control over pads in Playback. This was a game-changer for Mac users and worship teams seeking more versatility.
2022: Church Streaming License
Once of our proudest innovations came in 2022, with the launch of the Church Streaming License. It became the first auto-reporting solution to cover the usage of lyrics and MultiTracks in-person and online, supporting Worship Leaders in a rapidly changing landscape.
2023: Automation in Playback
In the current year, 2023, we are thrilled to introduce Automation in Playback, empowering worship teams to fade in certain instrument parts for specific sections throughout a song. This further enhances the artistry and emotional impact of live worship. This year we have also introduced the ability to open a Planning Center Services plan in Playback with just one tap of a button.
Throughout this journey, MultiTracks.com has remained committed to serving the greater worship community.
As our founder, Philip Edwards, has noted,
"Our goal is to provide worship leaders with the tools they need to lead with excellence."
We strongly believe that Playback is just that: a tool to help you innovate, create, and lead with excellence. We are humbled and grateful for the trust that thousands of Worship Leaders have placed in us over the years. We understand the profound responsibility of being an essential part of the worship experience, and we innovate because they innovate. We are honored to have a seat at the table.
As we reflect on our journey, it's reminiscent of the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land. Just as the Lord instructed them to remember all He had done, we too must remember all that the Lord has done for us at MultiTracks.com. The innovations, the growth, and the support of the worship community have been nothing short of a blessing.
We have crossed proverbial seas, scaled technological mountains, and overcome challenges to bring the power of music to Worship Leaders worldwide. And like the Israelites, we remain deeply grateful for this journey, committed to the service of Worship Leaders who carry the divine message through music. Together, we look forward to the future, guided by a shared vision of innovation, excellence, and heartfelt worship.