Another metronome question...setting speed before recording

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flatpicknut
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August 07, 07 1:11 PM (permalink)

Another metronome question...setting speed before recording

[I searched for "metronome" but didn't find an answer to my particular question. Sorry if this has been answered already.]

When I record with the metronome, I guess at the tempo, then start recording, but I invariably need to fine tune the metronome tempo. That means deleting the clip I just recorded, changing the metronome, recording a bit, deleting the clip and changing the metronome, etc., until I finally get the right speed. A time waster, and not conducive to creative flow!

Am I overlooking some simple button that lets me play the metronome before recording so I can adjust the speed? (If I can't figure out a solution with the built-in metronome, I'll probably just make a metronome track with a one-measure audio clip with metronome-type sounds - I could hit the space bar and adjust the temp, then mute and unmute that track as necessary.)
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    guitardog247
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    RE: Another metronome question...setting speed before recording August 07, 07 1:18 PM (permalink)
    Hey, good question. That's exactly what I do. Record, adjust and re-record. There is a function that let's you tap out the tempo with your mouse by clicking on the button. But like that's accurate. I always have to tweak.

    Maybe that's a suggestion for upcoming releases, a better way to preview tempo.
    Oh, I also play around with my song/riff along with a drum beat in my FL studio, beats are very fast and easy to create there.

    I'd like to hear what other people do too....
    #2
    Deadbeat
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    RE: Another metronome question...setting speed before recording August 07, 07 1:21 PM (permalink)
    I work with Ping audio metronome and it works as you would like. I'm not familiar with Sonar's. In Ping you can listen to its tempo, tap it's tempo , basically arrive at a tempo all while over riding sonar tempo. When you are happy you set it to "Transport" instead of "Audio" and it follows along with the tempo in sonar. I've also been tooling with audiosnap lately to arrive at tempos. It is an interesting tool indeed.
    DB

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    #3
    Treppenwitz
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    RE: Another metronome question...setting speed before recording August 21, 07 3:32 PM (permalink)
    That "tap tempo" thing drives me nuts, since it only measures the delta between your last two taps. What it really ought to do is take the average tempo of several taps. That would be much more accurate.
    #4
    beethoven17
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    RE: Another metronome question...setting speed before recording August 22, 07 4:29 AM (permalink)
    A little 'preview metronome' button by the speed setting is something I'd like. Arming and selecting Record just to hear the metronome speed seems so longwinded....even if it does only take a couple of seconds!

    andrew
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    #5
    hellogoodbye
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    RE: Another metronome question...setting speed before recording August 22, 07 4:48 AM (permalink)

    ORIGINAL: Treppenwitz

    That "tap tempo" thing drives me nuts, since it only measures the delta between your last two taps. What it really ought to do is take the average tempo of several taps. That would be much more accurate.

    True, but when you tap consistently you should be able to find out the average yourself: after tapping you can still change the tempo manually. So when I tap and see it moving anywhere between 80 and 85 or so, and it settles for 80 in the end, I just enter 83 and I'm done. It's a great help imho.
    A preview metronome, as beethoven17 suggests, isn't a great idea because it would still leave you testing and changing the tempo a number of times, because 1. you don't really know what initial tempo to set and 2. it takes some time before you can get the feel of the tempo and see if it is what you really want. There is hardly any difference between a preview metronome or just start recording. (BTW If you DO use that recording-method: you do not have to actually record anything: you can just listen to the tempo: this way you do not have to delete any clips afterwards.)

    Tapping it is the quickest way of getting things done. It would be nice indeed if it would register the average.
    #6
    CJaysMusic
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    RE: Another metronome question...setting speed before recording August 22, 07 4:52 AM (permalink)
    Instead of using the metronome. why dont you use a beat from SD2 and groove clip it. This way if you need to change tempo, the groove cliped SD2 beat will follow. Thats what i do, but with EZdrummer. You can use any drum program you want and you can just have a hi hat hit every measure or every 4 measures or any simple beat to your liking. its easy, its way better than the cling click clang click metronome sounds and you have full volume control of it.
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    Kalle Rantaaho
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    RE: Another metronome question...setting speed before recording August 22, 07 5:50 AM (permalink)
    The first thing I do starting a new project is setting a drum track and dragging a very basic Addictive Drums midi-file in it and looping it. Then it´s just a few test strums away to find the right tempo. It sure isn't any slower than tapping or whatever methods people use. Actually, it's not even necessary to drag it to the track, just let AD play with host tempo, adjust it, and then continue.

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    KevinD
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    RE: Another metronome question...setting speed before recording August 22, 07 9:03 AM (permalink)
    I do the same as CJ was referring to. Just copy and paste some midi drums in there, like a kick or something on the 4 count. Still is kinda time consuming.

    I'll also pull up another app (Boo Acid) , because it will play the metronome without recording anything and I can just play it to find a good tempo. Back into Sonar I set the tempo and be done with it~
    #9
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