My question is: do you think it's neccessary to use a metronome in a recording where its simply just acoustic guitar and then singing? I'm trying for the first time and it's so much easier than having that stupid click in my ears... the only problem is I have pauses in my songs... I'd like some opinions on your usage of a metronome in your recordings. I think i prefer to just 'feel' the timing of the song rather than count it out...
Acoustic guitar and singing: to use a metronome?
- Thread starter tojo
- Start date
dementedchord
Psychotic State alumni ch
to alarge dgree the thing that will detirmine this is what are ya gonna want to add to it later... if it's to stay with giutar and voice and you like th feel so be it... if however your asking friends to add tracks later and the tempo needs to get nailed... then use the ckick track...
cakewalkKaKed
HOORAY FOR BOOBIES !!!
i loop a breakbeat !!!
They only time I do not use one is doing scratch tracks for ideas. Anytime I want to do anything with a final written version, even acoustic versions, I use one. It just makes everything more cohesive for me. Especially because I usually record acoustic and vocals separately.
yeah i've used a beat before because sometimes thats easier... I think i'll just keep using one all the time... anybody record drums after the primary track is done? I haven't recorded much drums but its all ways the first thing to do... although my friend would rather drum to recorded guitar, i think it's much easier.
opinions on this?
opinions on this?
DrewPeterson7
Sage of the Order
The only time I DON'T record with a metronome or clicktrack or looped beat or something is when the tune in question is in free time, and supposed to slow down or speed up gradually in different sections.
Aside from that, part of recording is making sure all your performances are in time, and it's WAY easier to punch in a fiix if you can select measures. I can't think of a single situation where a metronome wouldn't help, or at the VERY least would merely not hinder a recording.
Aside from that, part of recording is making sure all your performances are in time, and it's WAY easier to punch in a fiix if you can select measures. I can't think of a single situation where a metronome wouldn't help, or at the VERY least would merely not hinder a recording.
starbuck26
New member
For the long pauses, just do a simple count-off into the next section and then airbrush it out in the DAW.
Dats what I do, mang.
Dats what I do, mang.
Chili
Site Moderator
I almost always use a metronome with just guitar and vocal. Often, I end up adding something later and it's nice to have everything lined up to the grid in the DAW.
It's takes practice to play to a click. Sometimes lots of practice; it's not a natural thing, ya know.
Once you get comfortable playing to a click, it's not so annoying or 'stupid'. 
If I need to deviate from the click, then I just ignore as necessary.
Waffleness
New member
I always use a click track. Its part of the way I produce music. I just cant avoid using one.
If your just a acoustic guitar and vocals kind of act, then yeah you can easily get away without one. But anything with drums in and I find it impossible to not use a click track.
If your just a acoustic guitar and vocals kind of act, then yeah you can easily get away without one. But anything with drums in and I find it impossible to not use a click track.
Dogbreath
Im an ex-spurt
I just got thru tracking a whole CD for my bro with him doing vox and ac guitar and some of the songs are getting drums, bass etc.
The tunes that will stay just ac guitar and vox sound fine with a little "sway" in the tempo. I think it adds to the feel. But I really wish he could have used a click track for the ones I'm doing drums to. It would have made life alot easier. Although I am trying to get a "sway" feel in my drums. Not easy when you're used to clicks.
For the most part, I think it depends on the player and if he can keep a steady rhythm or not as to if a click is needed.
my 2c....
The tunes that will stay just ac guitar and vox sound fine with a little "sway" in the tempo. I think it adds to the feel. But I really wish he could have used a click track for the ones I'm doing drums to. It would have made life alot easier. Although I am trying to get a "sway" feel in my drums. Not easy when you're used to clicks.
For the most part, I think it depends on the player and if he can keep a steady rhythm or not as to if a click is needed.
my 2c....
Yeah, best to use a click. Even if your going all folky with just guit/voice, do it to a click anyway. That way it'll be in time, PLUS you get experience playing with a click, which you are going to need to be able to do if you want to go anywhere with your music. In addition to that, you'll be able to add extra instrumentation later with no hassles, without re-recording it.
Also, I have recorded songs where the drums where recorded last. But the drums were programmed pretty well and we played guit/bass/vox to it, then we got a drummer and recorded over it. Turned out sweet.
But if you cant program decent drums and it comes to recording your songs... you will always play better to a live drummer, hence why they are usually recorded first.
Also, I have recorded songs where the drums where recorded last. But the drums were programmed pretty well and we played guit/bass/vox to it, then we got a drummer and recorded over it. Turned out sweet.
But if you cant program decent drums and it comes to recording your songs... you will always play better to a live drummer, hence why they are usually recorded first.
adam.carstensen
New member
I used to never use one until I read this thread. I thought to myself... hmm maybe that annoying ticking sound could help with my god awful timing. Sure enough, I'm addicted. It takes a while to get used to the "non-human" rhythm, but I'm pretty sold now.
NYMorningstar
Recording Modus Operandi
I don't use a metronome because it's difficult to make tempo changes within your song. If I need to add bass an/or drum tracks later on it's usually not a problem because you have the imperfect guitar tracks to follow.
jeremyball
New member
"...the only problem is I have pauses in my songs"
In that case, the metronome could screw up your timing in the pauses, if they aren't right on the beat. If you're pretty good at keeping time without it, I wouldn't use it.
In that case, the metronome could screw up your timing in the pauses, if they aren't right on the beat. If you're pretty good at keeping time without it, I wouldn't use it.
Monkey Allen
Fork and spoon operator
I never use a click track. If the song is gonna have drums in it I just set up a rough drum beat and play to that.
BentRabbit
New member
I'm recording a guy now (guitar & vox) who is new to using a click...
One of his songs sounded really interesting with all the breaks, tempo and time signature changes.
Since he planned on bringing in other players for this particular song, I asked him if we could sit down and try and map out all the changes...
He looked at me sorta funny and said he didn't realize there WERE any tempo or time sig changes
When I played back his take and had him try to count it out (or when we tried to do just vocals to the guitar), he couldn't do it, although when he played and sang it, it was pretty constant each time.
I then had him 'sing' the gist of the guitar rhythm and clap his hands to what he felt the meter is as I tapped the beat into a metronome. Once he did that, we found that he felt the song at a solid 110 bpm.
I sent him home with the metronome for a week and we just redid the scratch track this weekend... The song TOTALLY gels now and all the cool little breaks and kicks he has in it really shine through.
He says he thought it sounded like that while he was playing the first time, but listening back showed him what was really happening.
The guy has pretty good meter and if the recording was just going to be him, the song probably could have stood on it's own, but now he wants to track every song on the CD to a click.
One of his songs sounded really interesting with all the breaks, tempo and time signature changes.
Since he planned on bringing in other players for this particular song, I asked him if we could sit down and try and map out all the changes...
He looked at me sorta funny and said he didn't realize there WERE any tempo or time sig changes
When I played back his take and had him try to count it out (or when we tried to do just vocals to the guitar), he couldn't do it, although when he played and sang it, it was pretty constant each time.
I then had him 'sing' the gist of the guitar rhythm and clap his hands to what he felt the meter is as I tapped the beat into a metronome. Once he did that, we found that he felt the song at a solid 110 bpm.
I sent him home with the metronome for a week and we just redid the scratch track this weekend... The song TOTALLY gels now and all the cool little breaks and kicks he has in it really shine through.
He says he thought it sounded like that while he was playing the first time, but listening back showed him what was really happening.
The guy has pretty good meter and if the recording was just going to be him, the song probably could have stood on it's own, but now he wants to track every song on the CD to a click.
Monkey Allen
Fork and spoon operator
What software are you using? How do you map out a clicktrack to a song that has different time sigs or tempo changes?
BentRabbit
New member
I use Sonar 7 PE on my DAW, which allows me to create Tempo Maps on the fly and to even adjust 'improvised' tracks. It also comes stock with 'Session Drummer 2' which will follow the tempo/changes with pretty good drum samples instead of dry clicks.
My main tracking deck is a Roland VS 2480 which also has tempo map features... A bit more sterile but works like a charm.
If we're trying to map something out 'out of the box' , I use a Tama Rhythm Watch RW105 Metronome which has up to 9 beat divisions and 30 different memory settings... If a song has more than that, then it needs to have a Tempo Map built in the computer...
