Click track at rehearsal?

[Bullitt5135]

Who is using a click (metronome) at band rehearsal? What hardware/software are you using? Do you use the click through the entire song, just for the first few measures, or only between songs to familiarize yourselves with the tempo? How receptive has your band been to using the click, and do you feel it has paid off come gig time?

My band is pretty solid, musically speaking. Our biggest weakness is starting songs off at the wrong tempo. I've suggested using a click at rehearsal, but the drummer acts like that's some kind of affront ("playing to a machine sucks the life out of the song"). I disagree. I think it would be pretty simple to connect an iOS metronome app to our mixer (we use IEMs). Our backing vocalist usually has her hands free at the start of songs, and could control the app. I don't really want to run the click through the entire song, but I think having it for the first few measures would really tighten things up.

 

[two fingers]

That excuse used by your drummer is used by drummers with bad timing.

I have ever had the pleasure of playing with a dozen young Nashville pro drummers. All of them have amazing timing. All of them play to a click. All of them are a pleasure to play with. And the song does not suffer for the involvement of a "machine".

 

[MrLenny1]

Are you recording ?
One of the best drummers I work with has a visual metronome. He uses it
often to keep tempos in check. Its small, keeps it on his set and his timing and tempos
are excellent.
One band I work with starts to speed tempos up when they start drinking.

 

[TrentB]

My drummer has an app on his phone that is a visual and audio metronome. He plugs his headphones into the phone and uses it to get the correct tempo at the start of each song. This is only at rehearsals though. Works great. We have had some issues live where we have played certain songs way too fast and this has been a great solution.

One other cool thing about the app is you can save and adjust your set list with the proper tempos. Our drummer emails us the set list directly from the app.

 

[viper4000]

IMO, it works best when only the drummer can see/hear it. This way, the rest of band ques off the drummer, just like they would any other time. I played a hired gun gig where the drummer had things set up like @TrentB mentioned. He just toggled to the next preset for each song. Worked amazingly well.

 

[sean_on_bass]

I am the click in my band...no drummer so i keep a 4 on the floor thing going most of the time. I dont like the use of click tracks at all, but i come from a jazz/soul/funk background. I'd prefer not to be in a band that uses clicks because keeping time is a basic musician proficiency.

Practice with a metronome at home so you dont need it with the band.

Also you are gonna have a hard time forcing someone to use a click that hasn't made the decision for themselves. It doesn't mean they have bad time necessarily, but a personal sense of integrity.

 

[Bullitt5135]

I've been looking at the [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] app. Looks like a pretty basic setlist+metronome app.

 

[PauFerro]

There are a ton of apps you can use -- just go to the Google Play store and there are a ton. You might be able to go out from the 1/8" jack on your phone to the PA if you have a 1/8 to RCA or other cable. Failing that, I have a drum machine with a metronome on it.

As far as using a click track at rehearsal goes, we only do that when timing is a problem. Most of the musicians I play with have very good time. We always use it when recording, and find the drummers are good on a bar to bar basis, although there is some variation within the bar I notice. Not a big deal when you play it back without the click -- only when people miss shots or downbeats.

As far as your drummer's excuse goes, this is the kind of disagreement and flak that can be disconcerting in a band. Really good drummers can follow the click, because that's where the groove, the pocket is. They know it's their job and take it seriously, as do bassists. This drummer has to make it real and passionate within the pocket unless the band intentionally wants to slow down or speed up for effect. And in that case, it's conscious.

As far as getting the tempo wrong, I find the best thing to do is sing the melody to yourself. If it feels right, it normally is. If you find you have to rush through the song it's a problem. Sometimes we even let the soloist/vocalist/melody maker count it in since they are the one who plays the most notes notes, it seems, and can be outpaced by a drummer who goes too fast.

 

[jallenbass]

Also you are gonna have a hard time forcing someone to use a click that hasn't made the decision for themselves. It doesn't mean they have bad time necessarily

But it usually does.

 

[RustyAxe]

I worked with a band in which the drummer would use a click for two or four bars before he started playing ... just to set the tempo. Most drummers would hate to have to play to a click for the whole song.

 

[buldog5151bass]

If the drummer's tempo through the song is consistent, there is no need to play to a click. However, if you are not starting the song at the right tempo, at rehearsal, you should either:

1. Listen to the song, get the BPM, and get that tempo for the drummer to count into,
2. Have the drummer use his phone to listen to the song for a few seconds to count into.

That is what was happening at a recent rehearsal. The person starting a few songs started at the wrong tempo. So we popped out a phone to listen.

 

[micguy]

If you can't play to a click, you probably shouldn't think about doing church gigs nowadays. Onc in a while we do songs without a click, but it's not that often. If you're working with synched videosand/or tracks, it's an absolute necessity. The tough part is knowing what to do when the drummer and the click go in separate directions. Besides, of course, firing the drummer.

 

[Jay Corwin]

This is a tough one. I practice to a metronome all the time, and IMO have great time. However I've played with guys that couldn't keep time, and no matter how hard I tried as the bass player to push or pull the tempo....it never worked.

My experience with guys who make the same mistakes over and over, especially with time was that they didn't practice on their own. And if they were practicing, it wasn't any sort of method to improve or correct mistakes. If this guy is already resistant to the idea, then chances are it's not gonna fly.

Sometimes a one on one conversation about the issues can be much more effective than in front of the group. Are you guys cool enough with each other to have an adult conversation about it away from rehearsals?

 

[hopwheels]

Our band is going to a click track at the same time we're switching to IEMs. We're adding backing tracks... a click track is essential.

 

[39-Bassist]

If you practice to a click you will be tighter, better and still NOT lose the feel.
That is just an excuse for those who can't keep time.
OR should I ask how professional would you like to be?...
Our drummer uses an app on his tablet and we have no problems starting/stopping or feeling the music.
(most of the time knowing we will have or want a bit more energy in the song, we will tap the tempo up a beat or two.)

Speeding up and slowing down during songs makes me crazy....oh wait I already am...hmmm.
But that is just my perspective of a click.

 

[erigod23]

We have in-ears and play live to a click. We are tight as #^%$#.

 

[catcauphonic]

Fortunately, our drummer is big on the click for himself. If his click wasn't good enough for my timing ... i would start using one, as well. In fact, i have recently started using one for home practice, and i notice it is effective Just a free app, nothing fancy.

Edit > my phone has the one with the lights, so i can watch what he hears if need be >

 

[inthebassclef]

We have in-ears and play live to a click. We are tight as #^%$#.

Yes i do the same. It really locks everyone in.

 

[7bridges]

I haven't seen this since, but in the late 70's I was working as a stage hand for my school and The Charlie Daniels Band was performing. Before each song, one of the roadies would set the tempo using a red strobe light, located behind the PA stack and facing the band. That way, the whole band could "see" the tempo without an annoying click track.

 

[sketch]

My old band had a string of drummers with shifty timing. We used a Roland Vdrum, and at practice would always use the metronome. We had a songlist with tempo written next to each title. It always led to improvement in tightness and timing, but often arguments too. Highly recommend for bith solo and group rehearsal.

Often ,musicians don't want to try a click or get angry being accused of bad time. Two approaches that worked for us were to, in a friendly manner, mention that people couldn't dance to X song or the singer couldn't keep up with the lyrics at the speed. Second was to start a video to a click and turn it on and off to illustrate the shifts during the song. It's "a" problem rather than "your" problem.

Anyway, yes to click at rehearsal, no at gigs.