Programming a click track..

[MusicMan]

Hey everyone, I was wondering the best way to go about programming a click track. I have some songs that I need to record with a lot of meter changes and I wasn't sure about the the best way to creat a click track.. I don't know if I can do it on my kurz...? or if there is a good program to use to make one... If anyone could help me out I would appreciate it!

[Drusillus]

I'm actually in the process of writing my own software to do just that... it's probably 75% complete, it generates a standard MIDI file click track that you could import into your sequencer as a starting point. I was planning to let this forum know when it was done so stay tuned :)

[MusicMan]

That's cool, can't wait till it's done.. Do you know how Dream Theater makes their click tracks? Just wonderin..

[Drusillus]

Jordan Rudess seems to use some Mac software called "Conductor", but I couldn't seem to find anything about it on the net.

http://www.mikeportnoy.com/images/mp/1.jpg

[Luca_Capozzi]

at first glance, seems to be Emagic Logic Audio

[Rexx]

It's a part of DP4. [Digital Performer 4 -OS X)

Every high end sequencer has a tempo controller.
In Cubase it's called Master track.

Let's say you've decided you want to midi a DT song, the first thing you should do is import the song .wav or .aif file into a stereo audio track within your sequencer. (Software sequencers are better in that you get graphic visuals)

Next find the tempo of the first few bars.
(I like using tap space bar apps that tell you what the bpm is, all the better if this is built into the sequencer)

Now it's a matter of playing back the song and tweeking the click track each bar or subdivisions thereof.
ie,.
1:01:00 - 134bpm
1:01:00 - 4/4
3:01:00 - 133.357bpm
5:02:00 - 134.122bpm
.
.
33:03:00 - 3/4

Time signatures also need to be calculated and precisely placed at the right spots.

Tempos change a lot even in 4/4 songs because of variation between different recording setups and tape wow.

Once a click track is calculated save your work because often it takes hours.

As for doing it on the Kurzweil sequencer I wouldn't. I'd rather work with software sequencers.

If you intend on using the click track live it's good to view the overall big picture and standardise the click tracks complexity to something more simple. ie,. the song wavered around 141bpm, just make the midi 141bpm.

Also setup the click track for the drummer so that he starts it,
1 _ 3 _ 1 2 3 4. :P

[metropolis2k]

What DT used to do ('before they got a Jordan' - Mike) was to literally punch in the new click track whenever the tempo or meter changed :shock: Glad I wasn't working in the studio for ACOS or anything :lol:

[petrucciator]

hey hey now, i punchin at every tempo change and some meter changes :D

[Quili]

You could just make a drum midi track with the rimshot as the midi click (which is the standard sound for that)... A bit more time consuming than using conductor, but it´s easily done in any sequencer...

[hephiroth]

interesting...that software you're making, drusillus, sounds cool...you'l have to let us know when you finish it...sounds handy!

-jEfF-

[Rexx]

The cool program in this particular thread is DP4.

Of course any sample can be assigned to the down and up beats of a click track. I like using dry metronome and dry rim shot. :arrow: