Figuring out tempo/time signature

[wibble_wobble]

I often start a new composition with an idea at the keyboard. A couple of bars or so. But when it comes to laying down to track, I find I'm lost at the point of deciding what the tempo and time signature should be. I might pick an arbitrary tempo but the metronome will put me off or I'll find the beats are in the wrong place.

For example, I had an idea this morning involving some syncopated chords but couldn't for the life of me figure out the BPM to record at or time signature. I had no problem playing it but fitting it into regular bars was a problem.

What are the best strategies? How do others start? With or without a metronome? Are there techniques for figuring out the tempo and time signature after laying down a track?

 

[Farview]

Tap your foot while you play the part. That will be the tempo. A lot of metronome have a tap tempo feature that allows you to hit a button at the tempo you want and it figures out what the bpm is.

As for time signature, it's probably 4/4. Most things are. Just because it's syncopated, doesn't make it an odd time signature. The phrasing is what determines the time signature.

Each odd time signature has a specific feel to it that is definitely not 4/4. Most of them feel slightly "wrong". The exceptions would be 6/8 (house of the rising sun) and 3/4 (any waltz).

You can figure out both tempo and time after the fact, however the tempo will probably fluctuate because it wasn't played to a metronome.

 

[DM60]

What I have tried is to get the tempo lined up, then once I have that, play with the time signature to see where everything hits (beat). If I see a pattern, and they line up, then it gives me an idea of the signature. Most of the time it is 4/4 with the beat being on 2/4 or 1/3 and that makes me think it is some other signature.

That might not be the best way or correct way, but it is the way I have done it and seems to work.

 

[Robus]

Echo what Farview said about tapping your feet. Just in general, it's one of the most important habits to further your development as a musician. If you're playing, your foot is tapping. Get that foot going, count the number of times your foot taps in ten seconds, and multiply that number times six. There's your tempo.