To click or not to click?

Hiya ladies and gents,

CV here, 44-year-old hobbyist drummer ...

One of the two bands I play with is what I call a "primitive garage band" -- we play pretty much three-chord distorted original rockers because collectively we're not capable of much else ;)

I've played with these guys for a couple years on and off ... we've only had the band in this "incarnation" with these songs for a few weeks. But tonight, we're going to mic up the drums and other instruments to record a couple of demos (no multi-tracking, just live), which we'll use to try to get some gigs at the local dive bars.

So, I'm wondering ... click or no click? Basically I can put my headphones into my Rhythm Watch or an iPod app ...

Now, I can't stress our amateurish-ness enough ;) But I'm gonna have to live with hearing these played back ... better to try to play with the click (which I _always_ do in my own practice but _rarely_ in a band setting) or just wing it and hope for the best?

I appreciate any suggestions, thoughts, or snarky replies.

CV
 
if you are not used to playing with the click it may be a nightmare and sound worse and less relaxed than it would if you didnt use it.

I can pick out a guy who is not comfortable playing with a click in the first 10 seconds of a recording.

just sounds unrelaxed and like he is chasing something

if you are a loose garage band, sometimes those situations sound better a little sloppy in my opinion

but if you are accustomed to working with the met then I say absolutely use, even if its just for your own peace of mind

but I definitely would not recommend using the click for the first time on record.
 
I agree. If you've never used a click, it's not a good idea to start while recording. My first experience in a recording studio was also my first experience with click. Not a good combo. Garage bands are supposed to be raw and energetic, IMO, so imposing a click might kill your charms.
 
Did any of those awesome 'back yard' recordings from the 60's on those Nuggets compilations have a click track? Exactly. Raw & loose is the name of the game. Most of the magic in those records is is the natural energy which I think would be lost going to a click

Just my own opinion mind you...
 
I agree. If you've never used a click, it's not a good idea to start while recording. My first experience in a recording studio was also my first experience with click. Not a good combo. Garage bands are supposed to be raw and energetic, IMO, so imposing a click might kill your charms.
...hahahaha, I feel your pain!! Same thing for me!! My first time to a click was in the studio too. (and we were footing the bill) It was a train wreck in the studio. My original drum parts had to be "modified" because I kept chasing the click. However, the tempo makes a difference too. At least for me. The slower the song, the harder for myself. But the song turned out better then expected. Sometimes things happen for a reason I suppose. Anwyas, a few years and recordings later, I did much better with a click. But we didn't always use one. It all depended upon the song and if we were crossfading into another part/song. we needed to be right on for that....it also helped for over dubs......
 
I think it might be a good idea to start rehearsing with the click at band practice and get the other musicians used to playing in time...
I always use a click, in rehearsals, live or in studio. It's vary rare that I don't use it...
What I have found is that you get into a band situation where the other guys in the band are not used to playing with a drummer who uses the click, and they will have a really hard time playing in straight time. They will be used to the push and pull, slowing down and speeding up that can happen, and when all that is taken away they struggle.

I have had a few bands ask me to not play with a click because they have such a hard time playing in time. Of course my answer is always NO.
I even had one band tell me that they can "feel me pulling them back down on beat when they get off" my reply of course was "If you fallowed me, and played in time, that wouldn't be an issue".

Rehearse the band with the click first, then record.
 
Practice with a click (by self and with band)

Perform live without.

Seems to work well for all skill levels.
 
I think it might be a good idea to start rehearsing with the click at band practice and get the other musicians used to playing in time...

+1 to that.

There's also the question of whether it should be just you or the whole band hearing the click. Try all combinations and see what works best, but know that it might take a few minutes for people to get used to whatever method you're trying, so don't give up just because the guitarist is weirded out by a click in his ear.
 
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