Your Preference: Click Track or No Click Track?

[Slugworth]

Those three dudes are each and collectively incredible.

 

[-mjk-]

I use a click if I need it, or not if I don't. But I always have some kind of reference, whether a click or a drum track.

 

[Arjan P]

I usually use a click track, and sometimes program it such that it speeds up in choruses or solos, en drops a bit back for the next verse. Ofcourse, that is a feature that Cubase (and probably most other DAWs) offers, but click track does not always equal rock solid computer timing.. (My Beatles covers use such click as well)

 

[shredd]

speeds up in choruses or solos, en drops a bit back for the next verse

Y'all have occasionally heard me profess my newfound love for my O.G. DP-32, while simultaneously bemoaning its' omission of some truly priceless features that my beloved 2488neo has.
This is one of them: any song/project's internal rhythm structure/click-track is infinitely definable on the 'neo, including multiple sections with different BPM's, time signatures, yada. VERY kewl.
The earlier incarnations of the 2488 actually had a serviceable drum machine built-in - that would utilize whatever rhythm patterns you set up the song with. Pretty good for for early-00’s technology!

 

[Cosmic]

Click here, all the way until the instrumental foundation is laid.

I play piano, bass and guitar, with drums on a recent tune being added by a drummer who got my basic tracks, laid down his work and sent it back. No way I would have him trying to chase me without a solid groove.

When I started working on bass and recording songs 'for real', I thought I was the King of the Groove, no pesky click needed. That changed when I booked the pro drummer on-line.
Then, even with a click, and with me swearing it was in time, the drummer politely pointed out that 'some things were a bit loose'...eye-opener.

Unless you are a loing-time pro player, there is nothing like a click to make you realize how much focus it takes to keep a groove solid yet musical, not just for a 30-sec punch, but for an entire tune at a time. It's the best excercise I know of, and it truly shows your level, good or bad.

C.

 

[shredd]

I couldn’t possibly agree more with @Cosmic ; besides the fact that good rhythm is utterly crucial to good music…it’s like good taste, or a sense of humor: EVERYone thinks they have it - and a precious few actually DO…

 

[Slugworth]

Thanks for the recent replies. I've been using a click track lately and it's proving hard for me to keep time with it on most songs. The couple of songs I did synch with the met metronome/click track are my tightest tracks so far. I am only focusing on improving and re-recording songs I have already recorded and avoiding moving on to new ones.

 

[-mjk-]

@Cosmic said:

Unless you are a loing-time pro player, there is nothing like a click to make you realize how much focus it takes to keep a groove solid yet musical, not just for a 30-sec punch, but for an etire tune at a time. It's the best excercise I know of, and it truly shows your level, good or bad.

I played with a drummer on the road, who would take the hi-hat back to his room and tap on it incessantly for hours. That guy was a human metronome. Never played with such a solid drummer before/since.

@Slugworth said:

Thanks for the recent replies. I've been using a click track lately and it's proving hard for me to keep time with it on most songs. The couple of songs I did synch with the met metronome/click track are my tightest tracks so far. I am only focusing on improving and re-recording songs I have already recorded and avoiding moving on to new ones.

It will improve over time. At least you can hear that it's off so that means you can improve, so don't let that discourage you.