How to set up 2 measure click track:Drummer driving me crazy

NJkeysman888 · Post by **NJkeysman888** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 12:53 am

I've not ventured into Karma or sequencing, but I'm sure this can be done. My drummer & lead guitarist are driving me crazy. They can't seem to count in a song at the right tempo. The guitarist counts off and the drummer follows his count, but it never seems to be the right tempo and we're speeding up or slowing down after 6 or so measures into the song.

I'd like to create a 2 or 4 measure click track for each song, at the agreed upon tempo so when we start a song, I trigger the click, it goes for 2 or 4 measures (through our monitors) so we have the right tempo off the bat. But I don't want to run throughout the song.

How can I do that so I become the keeper for the agreed upon tempo for each song?

Thank you in advance.
G

apex · Post by **apex** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 12:59 am

record a 2 or 4 measure click track at the start of the song (before any instruments come in)... and then at measure 3 or 5 all the instruments will come in. (but the clicks will stop)

you can use a cowbell or a woodblock .... or any other percussion sound that you like

Post by **Sharp** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 1:37 am

lol...Sack the drummer and let the KRONOS do the drums instead.

Problem solved, plus you all get a bigger cut of the money at the end of the night.

Regards
Sharp.

NJkeysman888 · Post by **NJkeysman888** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 2:10 am

apex: Thanks. A couple more questions.
I'm not familiar with the basics of setting up a click track. Can you elaborate, or point me to a previous post? (I've searched but haven't found anything).

WHen you say the other instruments will come in, do you mean when I start playing the click will stop? Or something else?

Thanks!

NJkeysman888 · Post by **NJkeysman888** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 2:25 am

PS. I want to use this for playing live, not recording a song on the Kronos. (Just in case I confused anyone).

StephenKay · Post by **StephenKay** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 2:30 am

NJkeysman888 wrote:apex: Thanks. A couple more questions.
I'm not familiar with the basics of setting up a click track. Can you elaborate, or point me to a previous post? (I've searched but haven't found anything).

WHen you say the other instruments will come in, do you mean when I start playing the click will stop? Or something else?

Thanks!

I think apex was assuming you would be using the sequencer, i.e. if it was doing some backing tracks that everyone was playing along with.

I suspect that is not what you are doing, you just want a 2 bar click before everybody begins playing live.

I'm just theorizing off the top of my head here, not having tried this, but one way that might work:

I believe there is a Drum Track pattern that simulates a metronome. Or you could make one.

If you had a particular program or combi for a particular song, you could set it up so that the metronome Drum Track is assigned, and the program or combi is stored at the correct BPM Tempo.

You would set the Drum Track parameters so that when you turn the Drum Track button on, it just starts playing the metronome.

Then, you would turn it off right before everybody starts playing. In other words:

- Select program or combi for particular song that is set up to correct tempo.
- Press Drum Track On button; metronome starts to play. Allow it to play the desired number of counts, then turn it off and play. Might be a little tricky, but it could work...

EDIT: I'm not sure, but I think you can start/stop the Drum Track with a footswitch. Might be easier.

NJkeysman888 · Post by **NJkeysman888** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 4:50 am

Thank you! That is exactly what I was looking for. A temporary click track to get the drummer clicking his sticks at the right tempo and then he can take it from there. Then there an be no arguing about what the right tempo is.

Once they decide it's best at 85 or 140 BPM, etd., it will be the same each time. The drummer just picks up the tempo from the clicks then continues.

Thanks! I'll let you know how it works out.

Gene

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 5:42 am

I usually just type the tempo into the tempo field of whatever patch I'm using and clap along with the tempo light. If you really need to hear it, you could also type it into the tempo field of any empty song and hit rec, the metronome will instantly output the tempo.
Set it up on a different output at the beginning of the show if you like. Just switch back to your patch and the metronome will stop. It may be slightly less smooth but it saves you a ton of programming.

StephenKay · Post by **StephenKay** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 6:18 am

SanderXpander wrote:I usually just type the tempo into the tempo field of whatever patch I'm using and clap along with the tempo light. If you really need to hear it, you could also type it into the tempo field of any empty song and hit rec, the metronome will instantly output the tempo.
Set it up on a different output at the beginning of the show if you like. Just switch back to your patch and the metronome will stop. It may be slightly less smooth but it saves you a ton of programming.

Except then you have to memorize or look up the tempo of every song. Maybe press a few buttons wrong on the 9-key pad, in dim lighting. Easier IMO to have the tempo preprogrammed, since many people set up their gigs that way, with specific combis for specific songs. But I suppose your suggestion could work.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 6:28 am

True, preprogrammed is arguably safer. I don't play many gigs that are preprogrammed all the way though. I recycle basic piano and organ patches a lot during a gig, and also between bands, I'd go crazy if I'd have to make fifty different combis with just piano, just to dial in the correct tempo.
To each his own though!

ed_f · Post by **ed_f** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 7:46 pm

I think Stephen is on to something. Might be possible to have the drum track have two measures of metronome and then a few of silence, that would allow your hands to be playing for awhile before reaching up and turning off the drum track. Of course, a pedal could turn it off too, but seems some flexibility there would be nice.

xp50player · Post by **xp50player** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 8:23 pm

Drummer needs a Boss Dr. Beat DB-90. It has digital pendulum and blinking light for silent tempo reference. It's his/her responsibility in my opinion.

jeebustrain · Post by **jeebustrain** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 9:20 pm

xp50player wrote:Drummer needs a Boss Dr. Beat DB-90. It has digital pendulum and blinking light for silent tempo reference. It's his/her responsibility in my opinion.

This. Speaking as a drummer myself, you shouldn't have to rely on the keyboardist to get the proper tempo (unless you are playing to sequences). He should have a list of tempo numbers for each song and be able to punch them into the Dr Beat. After about 3-4 gigs, those tempos will get locked into his brain and it'll all become second nature. All he needs to do is let the click run for 4 measures or so to get into the groove of the song and he can turn it off if he wants. The Boss stuff you can hook up a footswitch to do just that.

korugu · Post by **korugu** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 11:24 pm

If your drummer (or one of the other band members) owns an iPad, you might consider using Setlistmaker. In that app you can define set lists; for each song you can set up the tempo and have a similar blinking light as referred to for the Boss Dr. Beat.

StephenKay · Post by **StephenKay** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 3:16 am

jeebustrain wrote:
xp50player wrote:Drummer needs a Boss Dr. Beat DB-90. It has digital pendulum and blinking light for silent tempo reference. It's his/her responsibility in my opinion.
This. Speaking as a drummer myself, you shouldn't have to rely on the keyboardist to get the proper tempo (unless you are playing to sequences). He should have a list of tempo numbers for each song and be able to punch them into the Dr Beat. After about 3-4 gigs, those tempos will get locked into his brain and it'll all become second nature. All he needs to do is let the click run for 4 measures or so to get into the groove of the song and he can turn it off if he wants. The Boss stuff you can hook up a footswitch to do just that.

True that.

It should be the drummer's job. Then again, most drummers are more interested in the chicks and where the next beer is coming from... it always seems to fall to the keyboardist to be the "responsible one" with regards to conducting the sound - even if you usually can't hear him/her.