JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques Bass and Drum Forum Do Click Tracks Stink???

Mike D

Great great stories Loved it.

Yes it can go any way the session needs to go regarding the click.

The biggie is, the way I often work is alone (unfortunate) but also working separately from each other is a HUGE reason to use the click.

A guy has his song down, he is alone and he wants to start recording it. He picks up his guitar and plays it. He doesn't use a click. Now a few days later he starts bringing in the other players one at at time. Guess what? Your moving so now there moving too, and the drummer is having a hard time committing himself with the uncertainty.

As of recent years drums have been the last thing recorded on many of my own songs. On most of my songs I use another drummer, Can't wait for people so you start tracking.

I know I don't need to hear drums when I'm tracking pretty much anything, so we lay off the whole song except perhaps maybe the vocal may be a guide vocal. But I do need that click.

When the drummer comes he's thrilled, he hears the whole band practically but no one is there, and all focus is given to him and his parts. Why would i want to have to communicate with 4 other guys and spread the focus and time. This allows me to have the drummer do his ideas and mine as well. I can watch him and listen and i don't have to play anything. even do 2 takes so I can choose the best cuts for later.

Now if I have bassist or acoustic guitarists or keyboard player etc.. who say "I can't do this really right unless the drums are there." That's not gonna be to productive.

And emailing tracks etc... is a mess sometimes.

The click is not only to keep time it's like a map. The path of the song so we can follow. And it's great when the drummer is the only one listening to the click, and he doesn't let any one pull him.

The first thing I do 98% of the time is play acoustic all alone
to a click track, and a harsh one too lol. No guide vocal or anyone else.

You work whichever way is needed for the moment. Like Mike D says have it together yourself and it won't matter which way it goes, you'll be fine.