Is there a secret to Tap Tempo? Or aligning audio with the grid.

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optimus
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2012/03/15 10:17:50 (permalink)

Is there a secret to Tap Tempo? Or aligning audio with the grid.

Is there a secret to Tap Tempo? Everytime I attempt to tap tempo I end up with different values, even though I'm pretty sure that my tapping is consistent. I have tried the tap tempo in SONAR and also on a little electronic metronome I have, but still the inconsitancies. What am I missing?
 
The reason I ask is because last night I tracked a guitarist singer who was not comfortable singing and playing to a click track. Although there was a tendency to drift in time, the timing is not really bad. My problem now is trying to align the track to a tempo and the grid in SONAR so that I can lay down drums, guitar and bass.
 
By trial and error, I can pretty much align the track to the grid early in the song but by the end it drifts out by as much as two beats. This is of course very time consuming and not ideal. Hence my question about tap tempo.
 
Is this the best I can hope for or is there another way? Do I need to force my singer to track to a click track or perhaps a scratch midi drum beat?
 
How do you guys do it?
 
While I remember, is there a way of turning off the grid in track view of SONAR?
 
Many thanks for you previous assistance.
 
Cheers
 
Optimus
 
 
 
#1

6 Replies Related Threads
    The Maillard Reaction
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    Re:Is there a secret to Tap Tempo? Or aligning audio with the grid. 2012/03/15 10:26:24 (permalink)
    Go study how to use audiosnap so that you may map the tempo to the groove.

    Or

    You can also try the "set beat to now" process.


    You'll need some practice to make best use of either, but these are the tools that are provided for this and so it's probably best that you learn how you can make use of them.


    best regards,
    mike




    #2
    optimus
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    Re:Is there a secret to Tap Tempo? Or aligning audio with the grid. 2012/03/15 10:40:00 (permalink)
    Thanks mike, but I guess I have to do it the hard way.
     
    Took a look at audiosnap and it looks like what I need, but, it is only available on SONAR Studio and Producer. I have SONAR X1 LE :(
    #3
    John T
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    Re:Is there a secret to Tap Tempo? Or aligning audio with the grid. 2012/03/15 10:44:26 (permalink)
    If the intended arrangement is to have drums, you'll almost certainly get better results from putting the drums down first, and getting your act to play and sign to that. Lots of people find that a lot more agreeable than playing to a click. If your act can't play along to drums, then it's never going to work.

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    #4
    The Maillard Reaction
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    Re:Is there a secret to Tap Tempo? Or aligning audio with the grid. 2012/03/15 10:57:13 (permalink)
    If you want to try a tap tempo approach then you can use the older "fit to improvisation" process.

    It does some unpredictable things if you don't set up just the right circumstance, but you can "tap" a series of beats using midi and then analyze the midi with "fit to improvisation" and end up with a tempo map that tracks to a free play performance.

    One tip; slide the existing audio up to the project start so the first beat of audio is the first beat of midi. The "fit to" process may not run successfully other wise.


    best regards,
    mike


    #5
    optimus
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    Re:Is there a secret to Tap Tempo? Or aligning audio with the grid. 2012/03/15 10:59:31 (permalink)
    "If your act can't play along to drums, then it's never going to work."
     
    Thankfully that is not the case. I also find a click track disconcerting. I think I'll need to lay out a basic drum track.
    #6
    bandontherun19
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    Re:Is there a secret to Tap Tempo? Or aligning audio with the grid. 2012/03/16 20:12:01 (permalink)
    These guys have it down pretty good; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ-aRwEbp5I

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