Click Track - 1/4 notes? 1/8 notes? 16s?

Xero Talent

Silver Member
I try and use a click whenever I can, live especially because I find that, even though in the heat of the moment on stage everything sounds fine, when I play back a recording it often sounds light-speed.

That said, do you prefer setting your click at quarter notes, eighths, sixteenths, or another value? I personally prefer 8th notes, unless it's a faster song, in which case I go for quarter notes. That gives me a little wiggle room to let the feel ebb and flow while still staying consistent. I find it yields a better groove.

How about you?
 
I prefer using loops -- that way it sounds more like I'm playing with a percussionist whose time feel is impeccable.

Hmm interesting, never thought of that.

Do you use them live on stage? How to you orchestrate/manage everything from behind your kit and patch it through the main line?

I'd love to see your stage setup.
 
I prefer using loops -- that way it sounds more like I'm playing with a percussionist whose time feel is impeccable.

Same here. It's typically easier to play to another 'drummer' rather than sterile clicks. I like to program a simple drum beat to whatever resolution is best to lock into based on the tempo, and the part. So the more hi-hats I hear, for example, the easier it is to lock in, rather than leaving too much space and having to apply frequent correction.

Look at it this way... if you were asked to play to a click, and had only one click on the 1 of each measure, it would be pretty difficult to stay in time. If you had a click on the 1 and 3, it would be a little easier, and clicks on 1, 2, 3 and 4 would be even easier. Take that just a few more steps into 8th and 16ths for an undeniable map of where the tempo is. Obviously the tempo has a lot to do with what notes are a good idea, 150bpm using 16ths would be much more annoying than helpful, and 85bpm using just 8ths might not be enough of a pulse to feel right.

But, it depends on the drummer, many work perfectly well with just clicks, and 1/4 notes. For me, I leave nothing to chance, prefer as much drumming & pulse as comfortable to play to, and almost never get off the click as a result.

Bermuda
 
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Once I'm comfortable with what I'm doing, I generally like to put it on the first downbeat of every measure, every other measure or every 4 measures depending on tempo.
 
I'll join Wavelength and Bermuda, I prefer using a loop, I also program some grooves on a drum machine and play along/interact with it, I find it also useful for particular patterns, once it's programmed it's a nice way to practice it.

But, by definition, the more notes you'll hear, the easier is to play with/on the pulse.
 
I guess I'm weird... I always liked quarters only. Feels more to me like the actual pulse of the song and less like a droning sound in the music. Most people I've worked with have preferred 8ths because as they say "there's less room". Anyway, in real playing situations, I avoid the hell out of click tracks in my ear. It makes things less fun for me.
 
Anyway, in real playing situations, I avoid the hell out of click tracks in my ear. It makes things less fun for me.

Unfortunately, it's seldom the drummer who can decide whether a click is used. I prefer not playing to clicks, but I don't hate it either. If the click is intreresting or appropriate enough, it simply becomes part of the music and my drumming experience is the same. I do agree that some music can breathe a little, and feel perfect as a result. But that also becomes a battlecry with drummers who can't work well with a click, and that's not a good trait either.

Not you... I'm just sayin'.

Bermuda
 
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