Attn: Studio People / Re: Click Tracks

[cryabetes]

How would you go about convincing someone that playing their music to a click track or metronome or just a really basic drum machine loop isn't going to compromise the "organic"-ness of it?

[tallowwaters]

Make them build the sequenced parts around their arrhythmic bullshit playing.

[silikon]

Tell them their playing sounds like a bus colliding head-on with a bullet train coupled with the pleasing ring of rhinos f**k vigorously.

It's either that or tell them nicely that keeping time (with the assistance of a click) helps you do your job more effectively, assuming you're trying to track their performance.

Alternatively get the takes down and time align the separate tracks afterwards (assuming it's not a total mess)...

OR... track everything how they want it, with your protests noted. If it sounds like cats crashing through a field of rubbish bins, it's done as they requested.

[tekkentool]

Most people who will tell you that a click track ruins their organic playing are just full of bullshit because in reality they're so not used to playing along to something else that they actually CAN'T play along to a click track and that's their metric ton of c**p excuse so they don't have to push their comfort zone and possibly learn how to do something new.

[GuyaGuy]

Maybe I'm in the minority here but I think it can ruin the "organic"-ness of it. It really depends on the music. If you're playing jazz or even rock, you often want the music to speed up and slow down, which few people will try to do with a click track. But if you mean they can't play a single bar of music without getting off time, then yeah, time for a click or metronome.

Not everyone in this world plays MIDI-synced sequenced music. Oh yes, it's true. I've seen it with mine own eyes. I've even met a few of them. Mind you, when I went to meet them, they were always a bit late.

[Stab Frenzy]

Maybe I'm in the minority here but I think it can ruin the "organic"-ness of it. It really depends on the music. If you're playing jazz or even rock, you often want the music to speed up and slow down, which few people will try to do with a click track. But if you mean they can't play a single bar of music without getting off time, then yeah, time for a click or metronome.

Agreed. Playing everything to a rigid click does make things feel stiff, unless you map the click to the feel of the song.

Here's a tip for everyone, record the drums first and then tempo map the rest of the song to the performance and then sequence from that tempo map. Seems like a bit of work but it's much easier than doing take after take trying to get a natural-sounding take out of a drummer playing to a click. As a bonus at the end you get a sequenced track that doesn't have a rigid tempo, which is a rarity.

[tallowwaters]

What is the context of the click track, what is the person playing, etc?

In a band situation like Stab described, I find it better for everybody to just play the song and use that as a scratch track for recording separate instruments, but that's only if you want to go truly organic.

[cryabetes]

What is the context of the click track, what is the person playing, etc?

In a band situation like Stab described, I find it better for everybody to just play the song and use that as a scratch track for recording separate instruments, but that's only if you want to go truly organic.

yeah i've no problem with that but this is a solo cellist who sings and plays.

Also a friend so I can't just tell them to go f**k themselves.

Maybe have her do it once with the click and once without and build around both and see which works.

[tallowwaters]

Maybe have her do it once with the click and once without and build around both and see which works.

Best idea so far.