question about bpm software

eamesuser

Silver Member
Hi all,any body know of an app software for PC that will analyze bpm all through a song,in other words where you take a recording and see where the bpm is at any point in the recording?
 
Only that "in search of the click track" site that gets thrown around music sites from time to time. It's more of an average, but I think there's also a graph function that might help with what you're looking for.

You could also just get a click app with a "tap tempo" setting, listen to the song and tap out the quarter notes for as long of a sample as you want in any part of the song... It relies on you nailing the actual quarter notes in the song though.
 
That's pretty neat. So the phone screen will display second by second bpm fluctuations in real time as you play?

It's far from accurate, but gives a general idea. Works best for simple backbeat stuff. Systems like that have a harder time with odd or busy groupings.
 
It's far from accurate, but gives a general idea. Works best for simple backbeat stuff. Systems like that have a harder time with odd or busy groupings.

In my experience, it is extremely accurate. Admittedly, I'm usually using it in situations where the pulse is easily discernible. But I'm not sure why I would use it in any other situation?
 
That's pretty neat. So the phone screen will display second by second bpm fluctuations in real time as you play?

Yes. A lot of the drummers on this forum use it on live gigs to measure how they're doing.
 
In my experience, it is extremely accurate. Admittedly, I'm usually using it in situations where the pulse is easily discernible. But I'm not sure why I would use it in any other situation?

Well, yea, if you're using it where it's easy to pick out the pulse, that's, well, easy. Longer sample times can help, and that one gets run the whole time in some circumstances.
 
I wouldn't trust anything like that, and you learn more if you do it yourself--
either with just a metronome, or with software like Transcribe, which allows you to set beat marks, then determine a tempo based on that.
 
I wouldn't trust anything like that, and you learn more if you do it yourself--
either with just a metronome, or with software like Transcribe, which allows you to set beat marks, then determine a tempo based on that.
I don't think we're talking about the same thing. I understood him to be asking for something to measure the tempo of his performance to see how much it fluctuates throughout. Playing to a metronome he'll have a guide but he may still be pushing and pulling to stay with it, etc.

Or am I completely missing the point here? I guess I'm a little surprised because I thought liveBPM was really popular here but now I'm feeling like nobody has heard of it or believes how well it works.
 
I guess I'm a little surprised because I thought liveBPM was really popular here but now I'm feeling like nobody has heard of it or believes how well it works.

I have LiveBPM on my iPhone. I love it. I use it while I'm playing when I play with a new band or at rehearsals. It is very useful.
The only problem with it is that it does not work well with some 6/8 and 3/4 tempo songs.

.
 
I have LiveBPM on my iPhone. I love it. I use it while I'm playing when I play with a new band or at rehearsals. It is very useful.
The only problem with it is that it does not work well with some 6/8 and 3/4 tempo songs.

.

It probably "hears" them as a slow 4 instead of a fast 6 for example. Interpreting each 4 as the 2 and 4 in a 4/4.
 
The only problem with it is that it does not work well with some 6/8 and 3/4 tempo songs.

.
Yep, I've noticed that, too.

I've used it to measure music recorded with a drum machine and it seems to be accurate to within a few hundredths of a second. I've wondered how much the non-drum music rhythm affects the way it hears the meter, but from what I've read, it attempts to isolate the sound of a backbeat and use that. I can't remember the details, but I believe they can be found online.
 
Yep, I've noticed that, too.

I've used it to measure music recorded with a drum machine and it seems to be accurate to within a few hundredths of a second. I've wondered how much the non-drum music rhythm affects the way it hears the meter, but from what I've read, it attempts to isolate the sound of a backbeat and use that. I can't remember the details, but I believe they can be found online.

I'm pretty sure it's listening for snare back-beat patterns and averaging the rest. The more out of the ordinary the beat or time signature, the harder time it will have.

My Roland electronic kit can do the same thing in the module, and I've spent some time messing with it to see how it works. Dropping out the snare without changing anything else confused things quickly.
 
I was thinking, it would be really useful if there was an app like LiveBPM that not only monitors your BPM fluctuation, but would actually slow down and speed up recorded songs or even a metronome in real time if you drag or rush as you play to them at home. This would be much more accurate of a live playing situation don't you think?

Playing to a metronome or song is guiding you, pulling you along. So if some of your strokes are a bit behind or a bit fast, you'll go out of sync for a beat or two but won't end up slowing down or speeding up because you'll adjust back with the song or metronome, so it's a bit 'safe'. That doesn't really happen when playing with musicians, they'll get pulled back if you slow down and the rest of the song will drag. I'd like an app that makes me think the songs or metronome are listening to me, that would really show how well you're maintaining the tempo.
 
I was thinking, it would be really useful if there was an app like LiveBPM that not only monitors your BPM fluctuation, but would actually slow down and speed up recorded songs or even a metronome in real time if you drag or rush as you play to them at home. This would be much more accurate of a live playing situation don't you think?

Playing to a metronome or song is guiding you, pulling you along. So if some of your strokes are a bit behind or a bit fast, you'll go out of sync for a beat or two but won't end up slowing down or speeding up because you'll adjust back with the song or metronome, so it's a bit 'safe'. That doesn't really happen when playing with musicians, they'll get pulled back if you slow down and the rest of the song will drag. I'd like an app that makes me think the songs or metronome are listening to me, that would really show how well you're maintaining the tempo.

Sounds a little dangerous if it's reacting to you, but I could see value in the other way around where the music starts to drag or rush just a bit randomly and it's your job to stay on with it. Jam night simulator!
 
Sounds a little dangerous if it's reacting to you, but I could see value in the other way around where the music starts to drag or rush just a bit randomly and it's your job to stay on with it. Jam night simulator!

Lol yeah, well that would work too since we know other musicians time can fluctuate. Our singer always rushes, rarely does he sit on my time!

But I don't think it's dangerous to react to your time because that's what happens in real situations. If you find you've slowed the track down then you can analyse it and find out why and practise some more. Then hopefully it'll stop it ever happening on a gig.
 
liveBPM is an excellent tool. I find it to be real proof in arguments amongst band members when tempo is an issue.
 
Lol yeah, well that would work too since we know other musicians time can fluctuate. Our singer always rushes, rarely does he sit on my time!

But I don't think it's dangerous to react to your time because that's what happens in real situations. If you find you've slowed the track down then you can analyse it and find out why and practise some more. Then hopefully it'll stop it ever happening on a gig.

Perhaps if it just gave you a little indicator to let you know you're rushing/dragging? That way you can correct?
 
Perhaps if it just gave you a little indicator to let you know you're rushing/dragging? That way you can correct?

Hmm, well not really because a metronome already gives me that indication, like I can hear if my backbeats are behind the click/a bit late, effectively telling me I'm dragging. What I'd like to see is various things.

If I happen to drag or speed up (although my tendency is more to drag) by how much am I slowing down/speeding up the song and is it within an acceptable bpm range. Do I settle at a different tempo for the rest of the song, i.e, is that where I found my comfort zone. Do I slow down/speed up for some other reason, perhaps tension in the hands or perhaps too loose/relaxed where my hands got lazy.
 
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