Performing with a Click

[DirtPoorRobins]

Hi Justin,

I was wondering how many times the bands you've performed with live use a click either just the drummer, or other musicians when the tune doesn't start with drums. I know this happens when you have sequenced parts, but do they use it when there is no pre recorded tracks. Thanks man

[BigOldHarry]

Performing with a click?

Lord, that'd be a cruel joke... Recording to one is bad enough.

If you can't trust your drummer to keep decent time at a gig, then it's time for a new drummer.

[Febs]

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

Performing with a click?

Lord, that'd be a cruel joke... Recording to one is bad enough.

If you can't trust your drummer to keep decent time at a gig, then it's time for a new drummer.

It's sometimes necessary to play to a click if you have sequenced tracks, need to be synched to video, etc.

[BBKINGBASS]

Our drummer always uses a click when we are live and I'm running IEM i have the click in there for the entire song. It takes a bit to get used to but it works fantastic when you get it down. In the band only the two of us use it but when you have the drums and bass tight everyone else will follow.

[BigOldHarry]

Originally Posted by BBKINGBASS

Our drummer always uses a click when we are live and I'm running IEM i have the click in there for the entire song. It takes a bit to get used to but it works fantastic when you get it down. In the band only the two of us use it but when you have the drums and bass tight everyone else will follow.

I can see that... And like the other guy said, if you're working with sequences... but I *like* to work with drummer, let things ebb and flow... So I'd hate to have a click on me. Let the drummer deal with it.

[1954bassman]

Playing with a click. Plenty of times. Never had a problem with it causing me to lose my groove. I really have not problem with it or without it. I do hear plenty of local bands who could use a time keeper.

And since when does keeping time fall solely on the drummer's shoulders?

It's a group effort. IMO

Mark

[guitarjam6]

Never use one during the whole track. Certain songs, our drummer will set the metronome on the given BPM and just watch the light blink on it to get the tempo at the beginning of the song. That would suck to play to one the whole time, really limits the improvisational possibilities.

[BBKINGBASS]

I would have had more issue with it if I didn't have a drumming background. I started playing with clicks as a drummer a few years ago and it was a seamless transition into the live world for bass.

It's may not be for everyone or every band but one thing i know for sure is that when you first try playing with one you realize how inaccurate your timing really had been.

[Tampabass]

i think it's perfectly acceptable to play with a chick. or two, or three.

[azureblue]

We recorded the singer's voice saying, "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8" and a few cues, like, "Drums in", "Bass in", and saved them as individual sound files.

Then, when we created the click track, we substituted this for some of the clicks. So the drummer would hear something like this: ""Ready", then 4 clicks, then vocal count in "1, 2, 3, 4", then the click would start and continue. Then, for instance, when the bass was to come in, he would hear "Bass in, 1, 2, 3, 4" or "Vocal in", etc.

We used MP3, with the backing tracks panned hard left, and click hard right, fed the tracks to the PA and the clicks to the drums. But it can be done right off a computer if you drop the vocal cues in.

[Silver Hammer]

Originally Posted by azureblue

We recorded the singer's voice saying, "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8" and a few cues, like, "Drums in", "Bass in", and saved them as individual sound files.

Then, when we created the click track, we substituted this for some of the clicks. So the drummer would hear something like this: ""Ready", then 4 clicks, then vocal count in "1, 2, 3, 4", then the click would start and continue. Then, for instance, when the bass was to come in, he would hear "Bass in, 1, 2, 3, 4" or "Vocal in", etc.

We used MP3, with the backing tracks panned hard left, and click hard right, fed the tracks to the PA and the clicks to the drums. But it can be done right off a computer if you drop the vocal cues in.

That's cool that you did that, but why would you? Shouldn't the drummer already know when the bass and vocals come in?

[tony moore]

i do it all the time because there's often video or other tracks synched. a great drummer can play with it and still swing.

[somegeezer]

I think live, I'd prefer a blinking. A click would just interfere with the sound.

[DirtPoorRobins]

What type of gear can you use to accomplish this? We have an in ear system already set up, what else would we need? I want more than just plugging a metronome into the system and having to type in the new tempo before every tune. Like a program run on a laptop, or maybe there is another piece of hardware you use?

[somegeezer]

Well usually if you have a backing track, it's good to have a laptop with a sequencer or something. They should have a click track you can turn on.

[stoneboy26]

My band runs a click track for every song we have sequenced. In fact, our drummer came from a band where every track had a click and hadn't played without one live for over 2 years. He had a freak out when we said "no click unless there's a sequence", but he is awesome and had no issues adjusting.

I have no issues, I set it low enough that I can just hear it and usually once the song starts I just groove with the drummer anyway and zone the click out. I run IEMs so have a monitor feed running into that anyway, so the click is just one more thing in the mix.

We do an 18min 15 song medley with tempo changes almost every song all sequenced, we would not get through it without a click!!

[One Bad Monkey]

Originally Posted by tony moore

a great drummer can play with it and still swing.

This. I do a lot of musical theatre stuff, and playing with a click is something we do in order to make it easier on the performers who are worrying a lot more about lines, dancing, etc.. over the tempo of the song.

[DirtPoorRobins]

What kind of program could we use if we didn't have any sequenced parts? I just want something that can store all of our tempos and just hit go at the start of every tune.

[jmjbassplayer]

Any DAW. Perhaps even Garage Band, Live Lite, Logic Express, Reason, whatever.

In fact, something like Reason is probably good, because all the songs could be open at the same time, basically. And you just select between them with your mouse. I think Digital Performer and Live can work that way as well.

Best,
JMJ

[DirtPoorRobins]

Thanks guys.