Changing Tempo

Yes, I know how to change the tempo in a song, BUT, I want to try playing totally free-style, speeding up and slowing down. The problem is: how would I go back and add drums, etc? I don't want to add the drum beats with the mouse--spent too many futile hours doing that on other songs. I always play with the metronome or a drum beat cause I can't keep the time any other way. So my idea is that I should just play it straight (with a drum beat) and then go back and change the tempo in the tempo view. That would still hinder me a lot because there are some parts I just WANT to play fast, but I could TRY to keep it in tempo. Anyway, if you have any other ideas, I'm interested. Thanks.

Get a real drummer. seriously. the only real way to play free without regard to strict tempo and then add drums later is to add a real drummer. as far as I know, anyway.

Ah - and Aaron's suggestion is correct as well, but that's very tedious. maybe even more so than drawing drums by hand.

I have successfully created decrescendos with drums in songs using the tempo map, but free play would be difficult to do.

Another option is to record a click track by hand: literally with a microphone recording you hitting something percussive with a drum stick. Make it speed when you want and slow when you want. Then lay down your piano (etc.) according to that "intentionally not perfect" click. Then your drummer has at least the original click to lock to, albeit one that purposefully slows and speeds as you desired. HTH,

Ed

if you record the piano as midi data, and use a piano vst OR use the midi out to your digital piano. you can record 'on the beat' and draw in tempi changes after the fact, or i think there is the 'fit to improv' function in full sonar which may be suitable for what you want janet...

Ed--that would probably work, except that I have never planned a song that far ahead. Although this one got close! Anyway, it seems to have worked the way I did it and if I want to go back and slow it down or speed it up in some parts, I can use tempo view. It was sort of fun to check the metronome on the take I DID do totally free-style--it only varied by 5 bpm, but it sure varied! The drummer I referred to could probably handle it though--he tends to slow down and I tend to speed up. We had a blast playing together for a couple years! lol

And Mark, yes that's what I ended up doing. I would never record myself playing live--just too many mistakes. I always use midi data so I can edit it. I LOVE this software for that feature!

Reece--I don't think I'll go with jamstix either. There are too many other toys I'd rather buy first and I'm happy enough with SD2 for now. But thanks for the tip!