scratch track
n.— «I closed the door to my booth and put on my headphones. As the musicians recorded, I was supposed to sing a “scratch track,” one that would not be used but would let the band know when the singing would occur. The real singing—me with just the recorded instrumental tracks—was booked for three more hours at 2 p.m.» —“When Walter Mitty Met Conway Twitty” by Bob Baker New York Times Mar. 25, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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