cpkoch
Will the tempo setting approach set the tempo for all of the notes in a piece or just the note set for "now time"
Shift-M allows you to specify the timeline position for where the now time cursor is sitting, and this will only assign that one position. Depending on how much drift there is in a song, you can sometimes get away with only needing this every few measures or even more (for pieces with tight timing or recorded to a drum machine), but many pieces do not vary enough that you need to do more often than the down beat on each measure (but a few may require this).
That said, the tempo map is only important if you intend to add MIDI (soft synths) tracks, since they will run and are clocked to the project tempo. If working only with audio, the tempo map is not as critical, unless using plugins that are tempo-based (delays, etc.).
As you work with covers a lot, the easiest way to tempo map is to set the project tempo "close" and scoot the audio to the right so that the first downbeat lands on a measure marker. Shift-M that (to lock that measure to that downbeat), then start working down the timeline to assign downbeats that are drifting off the timeline.
As an aside, a nifty "utility" program that is very good with giving tempo information, key, etc. is a program called "
RiffStation" which is more geared for guitarists, but has a lot of utilities anyone can use. That was made *free* earlier this year, and the web site for it still shows it as available. It is worth grabbing that and registering it, even if you may not use if right away. A some point it is rumored that it will disappear, but it habitually is very good with tempo detection. Edit: Not even sure if you have to register it... it seems to be "just free" after I clicked the download link.