Tempo track question for you studio guys

[Mbira]

I'm doing the pre-production work for my next album, and so I'm working on some foundation groove tracks for the drummer to play to.  So yes we will be using a click for much of the project.  What I'm wondering is-I have a song that starts solo (me) playing the mbira very organically and with out a set tempo.  I'll play that way for a couple minutes all the while speeding up to the desired tempo.  I'll be at the desired tempo for maybe a minute and then all the other instruments will come in.  I'm trying to figure out how best to lay out a guide click track for the band with this setup.  I'm thinking:

1.record the solo mbira part all the way up till the band would be playing
2. go back now to 10 seconds before the band would start and record a click as an audio track at that tempo
3. use some sort of hit finder to sync the click to that audio track
4. overdub the mbira for that 10 second preroll and playthrough now with the new click.
5. crossfade as needed

That seems like the easiest and best way to do this-any other ideas?

 

[asm]

record and put some click tempo on a new track, then just automate a slow fade in for it? so you can just play as you wish, and come into the tempo when you feel like it. then just pull that printed click out and line it back up to the clicktrack and let the band come in as usual over it?
just thinking out loud...

 

[Mbira]

I can't play with the vibe I want with an out of time click track going that I will eventually line up to.  I don't that will translate into a good performance...

 

[pucho812]

I am not sure what you record to. If your using pro tools it's super easy to set that up. Anyway You have a real good basic idea of how it should happen. But I would do it this way if it were me.

1. record the solo part prior to the band being there. Capture the feel, vibe, etc of what you want.

2. go back about 2 - 3 musical bars before the band is supposed to come in

3. If you have good timing, Overdub a click tracked played by hand or do it via midi.

4. edit the click track so that it's one bar at the desired tempo.

5.duplicate the click track over and over for as long as you think you man need then do little more.

If your using pro tools can program in the tempo changes and just use the click plug in. Then un mute the click track when the right tempo is on.

 

[mushy]

What software are you using? If not Pro Tools, doesn't the software you are using allow for tempo changes?

 

[amorris@home]

how about a foot switch you could kik when you get to the "band" part? or have the drummer with a stick in the control rrom watching for your cue and bang a block in time when you get there? I like the foot switch connected to a sequencer on the floor that outputs smpte through the tie lnes to the DAW in the CR. but thats old school!

 

[MartyMart]

I did a similar thing with a piano "intro build" a couple of years ago.
Whilst you "could" completely program a slow build from say 40bpm to 110bpm
at the end ( or whatever ) during the whole intro, I found that too kind of "linear" and
it didn't feel very nice. ( easy to do in any DAW/Sequencer package )

I recorded the piano with the "live" feel right up to within 1 or 2 bars of the band entry. (time wise)
Had previously rehearsed the section and was ending up fairly close to the desired tempo
which IIRC was about 110bpm as it happens !
That section "in tempo" was held for about 8 bars, it needed that to "settle" if you like and the
listener to get used to a "steady" tempo.
So, it wasn't "exact" at this point ( my timing is pretty hot after years of sessions to drum machines etc )
I think that I ended up somewhere between 108 and 110 bpm.
So I re-recorded the "settled" section properly @ 110bpm (with click) and adjusted/cross faded from the previous
recording.
There was a good point where I was at about 109-110bpm in some chords that worked perfectly.
So, final thing was during the last 2 bars @ 110 - count-in started for the "band section"

Sounds complex, but actually it was a fairly painless exercise , now if that were done on 24 track tape ...... !!!

Good luck with it, sounds like a cool intro.
MM.

 

[SSLtech]

now if that were done on 24 track tape ...... !!!

we used to do that all the time... We used an SRC "friend-chip". -It made it possible for almost anything to follow almost anything.

Not to be confused with the Kahler "Human Clock", which was a piece of festering crap.

Keith

 

[Mbira]

Cool.  Sounds like I'm on the right track.  We are using Pro Tools.  THank you guys!
Joel

 

[MartyMart]

now if that were done on 24 track tape ...... !!!

we used to do that all the time... We used an SRC "friend-chip". -It made it possible for almost anything to follow almost anything.

Not to be confused with the Kahler "Human Clock", which was a piece of festering crap.

Keith

Keef - I "wrestled" with a few SRC's in my time too !! ( not bad when were actually working )
MM

 

[TomWaterman]

how about a foot switch you could kik when you get to the "band" part? or have the drummer with a stick in the control rrom watching for your cue and bang a block in time when you get there? I like the foot switch connected to a sequencer on the floor that outputs smpte through the tie lnes to the DAW in the CR. but thats old school!

Would be cool if you could set a tap tempo on the part you are playing at pace before finally turning the click on, that way there is no 'throw-off'.

I'd probs splice it as you suggest.

-T

 

[Butterylicious]

I hate metronomes.  IMO it's a practice tool and not a recording tool.  Suck the life right out a recording.  The only percussive expression left is this stale machine like nothingness.  Might as well use a drum machine.